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Former Agriprocessors executive expected to get out of jail Thursday

January 27, 2009 By

The former top executive at the Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in Postville is expected to be released from jail Thursday. A federal judge ruled this morning that Sholom Rubashkin should be released from custody on $500,000 bond while he awaits trial on charges of bank fraud and helping illegal immigrants obtain false documents. He was arrested in connection with last May’s immigration raid on the kosher meatpacking plant.

Rubaskin’s been in jail since November 14th. His attorney, Guy Cook, praised the ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Linda Reade. "Justice has prevailed today and Judge Reade, carefully considering the evidence, has protected this man’s constitutional rights," Cook told reporters in Cedar Rapids.

Prosecutors argued that Rubashkin might flee the country. Cook insists his client is ready and willing to defend himself against the charges. "This man was not a flight risk when he was arrested and he’s not a flight risk now," Cook said. "He’s not a coward. He wants to face these charges and he will do so."

Judge Reade has ordered Rubashkin to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet. In addition, his travel is restricted to Allamakee County and he and his family are to surrender their passports and birth certificates. Cook says he is considering filing a motion for a change of venue. Rubashkin is scheduled to go on trial in Cedar Rapids on September 8th.

 

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, Crime & Courts

Attorney says fight against smoking ban will continue for West Burlington bar

January 27, 2009 By

A lawyer for the West Burlington bar owner who faces the suspension of his liquor license for violating the state’s new smoking ban says they will continue fighting the issue as far as they can in the court system. An administrative law judge recommended the state Alcoholic Beverages Division suspend the liquor license of Otis Campbell’s Bar & Grill in West Burlington for 30 days for repeated violations of the state smoking ban.

Attorney Darwin Bunger appealed the ruling today on behalf of bar owner Larry Duncan — but doesn’t expect the proposed suspension to change on appeal. Bunger says, "It’s hard for me to think the A.B.D. administrator is going to overrule that proposed decision, I suppose I could be surprised." Bunger says if the judge’s decision is upheld as proposed, he would then appeal the issue to the district court.

Bunger says this issue goes beyond smoking in bars — and is a constitutional issue they believe they can win on. "Legislators have an obligation to abide by the Iowa Constitution, and when they pass a law that many of them knew at the time, probably was, or even in their hearts knew was unconstitutional, that’s inappropriate, and we just have to reign in on that kind of conduct," Bunger says.

Duncan has are also filed state and federal lawsuits on the issue, which are being handled by another attorney. Bunger doesn’t believe those lawsuits will impact this license issue. Bunger says it’s hard to sort it all out, but he says it’s conceivable that a ruling in the state action could shut down this case, but Bunger says the timing would likely work out that this case would be decided first. Otis Campbell’s liquor license would have been suspended on February 9th without today’s appeal.

Bunger now has until February 9th to get any additional information on the appeal to Alcoholic Beverages Division administrator Lynn Walding. The state has until February 23rd to get in its response to the appeal before Walding makes a decision. Walding tells Radio Iowa he will attempt to make his decision on the appeal as soon as possible. Otis Campbell’s can continue serving alcohol while the appeal is underway.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Politics & Government Tagged With:

UNI begins second half of MVC with 2 game lead

January 27, 2009 By

After rolling through the opening half of the Missouri Valley Conference race the UNI Panthers open the second half at home against Illinois State on Wednesday night. The Panthers are 8-1 and own a two game lead over the second place Redbirds and UNI coach Ben Jacobsen says Illinois State is much more than just a good offensive team.

Jacobsen says he’s been impressed with their defense and the fact they are giving up around 60 points in league play and rebounding the ball well on both ends. The Panthers have won eight straight games and Jacobsen says the key for the second half is to keep improving.

He says they have worked really hard at practice to get better, and he says that’s the key right now, to continue to get better as things are going to get harder. For the second time in three weeks UNI junior forward Adam Koch has been named the Missouri Valley Conference player of the week.

Koch scored a career-high 30 points in Sundays win at Missouri State, including 18-of-20 at the foul line. Jacobsen says Koch has made a lot of strides and it started in the off-season. Jacobsen says Koch did a good job in the weight room and is about 15 pounds heavier and has more strength.

Illinois State coach Tim Jankovich says there is no area right now in which the Panthers are not playing well. Jankovich says they are strong in every single area and he says he doesn’t find a weakness and that means a team is "pretty darn good."

The Redbirds are 6-3 in the league race but Jankovich says his team cannot put too much pressure on the outcome of this game. He says that’s the challenge to not get too high or too low and to be excited to play, but not too excited. Illinois State is 17-3 overall. UNI is 14-6. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

ISU goes on the road to Colorado

January 27, 2009 By

The Iowa State Cyclones are on the road in the Big-12 to take on Colorado. The Cyclones are 1-3 in the Big-12 after a loss to Kansas wghile the Buffaloes are 0-4 in the league race after an overtime loss to Kansas State. Both teams have players coming off career games. Iowa State sophomore Craig Brackins scored 42 points against the Jayhawks while Colorado junior Dwight Thorne poured in 30 points against the Wildcats.

Cyclone coach Greg McDernmott says Thorne has elevated his game from last year as has Cory Higgins, and both are playing aggressive basketball. McDermott says they both have the Cyclone’s attention and will be a difficult matchup.

Colorado coach Jeff Bzdelik says the Buffaloes need a good team effort on defense and can’t be concerned only with Brackins. Bzdelik says they know Brackins is going to get his points, and they have to make sure that he earns those points, and that no other player has an all-star night.

Bzdelik says they cannot forget about the other players, as he says they all are capable of knocking down several threes, so they have to be defended as well. Colorado is 8-10 overall. Iowa State is 12-7.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Class 4A: Michael Appel, Marshalltown

January 27, 2009 By

The senior forward averaged more than 16 points and 13 rebounds in a pair of victories for the Bobcats. In a one point victory over Des Moines Roosevelt Appel scored 15 points, hauled down 15 rebounds and his rebound basket at the buzzer was the game winner.

Filed Under: INS Player of the Week, Uncategorized

Republicans react to Democratic governor’s budget plan

January 27, 2009 By

Governor Chet Culver, a Democrat, sketched out his ideas for next year’s state budget last night and suggested that most areas of state government be cut by 6.5 percent.

Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley held a news conference this morning and expressed some skepticism about Culver’s plan. "Six and a half percent I think is a start, but we haven’t seen any detail yet, so we simply can’t comment on if it is even 6.5 percent," McKinley says.

The governor’s budget plan would pay only two percent of the previously promised four percent increase in general state aid to K-through-12 public schools, but the governor proposes that school districts be given the authority to raise local taxes to make up the difference. McKinley says Republicans will oppose that. "I don’t believe Iowans are in the mood for tax increases," McKinley says.

The legislature has entered its third week and McKinley says it’s time to step up the pace. McKinley says the budget committees which review spending plans are scheduled to meet just twice a week rather than three times a week, as had been the general custom in the past. "That’s our job as a legislator, to make sure that Iowans’ tax dollars are being spent wisely. I think everybody should look at every…line item in great detail," McKinley says. "That’s what we’re here to do."

House Speaker Pat Murphy, a Democrat from Dubuque, issued the following statement in response via email, without addressing McKinley’s complaint about the reduced workload for legislators: "The Governor’s budget will be released tomorrow.  Our budget chairs and members will work with Republicans to scrutinize every dollar of state spending to find efficiencies and waste.  While there are difficult decisions to make, we will produce a fiscally responsible budget."Republicans are once again pressing for amendments to the state constitution which would set new limits on state spending.

 

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , ,

Class 3A: Henry Kreiger-Coble, Mount Pleasant

January 27, 2009 By

The sophomore center had the hot hand in two victories for the Panthers. He averaged 25 and a half points, eight rebounds and for the week shot 79-percent from the field and made 13-of-15 free throws. Kreiger-Coble scored 32 points on 11-of-13 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds in a victory over Muscatine.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized
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