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Attempted murder trial underway for Algona man

March 24, 2010 By

An Algona area man is on trial for attempted murder. George Bennett allegedly tried to hire a hit man to kill his estranged wife. Bennett waived his right to a jury trial and the case is being heard by Judge John P. Duffy of Storm Lake. Prosecuting Attorney Todd Holmes in an opening argument, alleged that Bennett began a plot to arrange to kill his wife while serving jail time on an unrelated charge.

While in Algona at the Kossuth County Jail Bennett allegedly talked with fellow inmate William Shove, who then took his concerns to authorities who then subsequently arranged to have a special agent serve as a so called undercover “hitman” and built a case against Bennett who was arrested in April of 2009.

Defense Attorney, Public Defender Joe McCarville of Fort Dodge in his opening argument alleged a lack of authority in this case against the prosecuting attorney claiming the case did not originate in Kossuth County, and also that evidence will prove that there was no intent shown that Bennett wanted his wife, Debbie, killed.

William Shove was the first witness called by the state.

By Chuck Shockley, KLGA, Algona

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

House approves seat belt pass for teen drivers

March 24, 2010 By

The Iowa House has voted to give a pass to teen drivers who can’t convince other teens in the vehicle to buckle-up. Representative Ako Abdul-Samad of Des Moines says under the current law, the teenage driver is the one who’s ticketed if someone else who’s riding in the car isn’t wearing their seat belt.

“One of the things that we don’t want to do is put an extra burden on young people, you know, especially those who are trying to do right,” Abdul-Samad says. “It’s definitely hard, especially under peer pressure when you’re just learning to drive and you get someone who’s a little bit older than you in the back seat and you try to turn around to them and say, ‘Please, buckle your seat belt.”…And they’re looking at you like, ‘You can’t tell me what to do, you know. I’m the senior here.’”

Representative David Tjepkes of Gowrie, a retired state trooper, supported the move to help teenagers who are driving with an “intermediate” license. “If the person in violation of not wearing the seat belt if 14 years old or older, that individual would receive the citation rather than the driver,” Tjepkes explained during House debate.

A teenage passenger caught without wearing a seat belt would not be fined if they have a disability which prevents them from buckling up. The proposal was attached to a larger bill outlining state transportation spending. That bill, including this seat belt proposal, now goes to the Iowa Senate for consideration.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts Tagged With:

Sioux Central teacher charged with inappropriate contact with student

March 24, 2010 By

A teacher at Sioux Central High School in northwest Iowa faces charges after the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office investigated a report of misconduct. Sheriff Gary Launderville says the allegation was based on a complaint of inappropriate contact by a male teacher and a female student.

An investigation determined two incidents occurred where there had been inappropriate physical contact between the teacher and the student at the teacher’s residence in Sioux Rapids. Two counts of sexual exploitation by a school employee, an aggravated misdemeanor, were filed against 24-year-old Steven Lindseth.

Launderville says further investigation revealed Lindseth was in possession of a loaded handgun. He was then charged with carrying a weapon upon school property and carrying a concealed weapon.

Lindseth was booked into the county jail and released on bond.

By Joel Hermann, KAYL, Storm Lake

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Education

Cedar Rapids man charged with arson

March 24, 2010 By

A Cedar Rapids man is facing charges after a fire in his apartment. Cedar Rapids Police arrested 29-year-old Erik Franks on Monday. Franks is accused of setting several fires in his apartment at 430 Jacolyn Drive S.W. on Saturday and then leaving the scene.

Police say Franks returned on Sunday to find the fires had not extended beyond the materials used to set the fires. His landlord told officers Franks claimed someone had broke in and started the fires. He asked to have equipment replaced in his apartment that had been damaged. Police have charged Franks with first-degree Arson. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Racing and Gaming chair says presentations won’t decide licenses

March 24, 2010 By

The Racing and Gaming Commission spent several hours listening to four proposals for new casinos Tuesday — but the chair of the commission says the presentations haven’t moved them toward any decision yet.

The presentations from the four casino groups in Lyon, Wapello, Tama County and Webster counties used upbeat music, power point displays along with videos and testimonials, to tout the locations for their proposed casinos. Some had supporters show up in brightly colored t-shirts with slogans backing their plan. Racing and Gaming commission chair Greg Seyfer of Cedar Rapids says there won’t be any conclusions based upon what they saw.

Seyfer says the commission has seen much of the information already in the written applications for licenses and the presentations were simply a way for the groups to expand on them. He says it’s the first step in a six-week process as they move toward a decision on May 13th. Seyfer would only say the presentations are good start to the process.

Seyfer say’s the next step is to visit each proposed casino site next month, and there’ll then be a public hearing on May 3rd. The commission held a closed meeting after the presentations to get an update on the financial background checks for each of the ownership groups. The commission plans on a final vote on May 13th.

Radio Iowa’s Dar Danielson reports: Danielson report :63 MP3

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

Report: cancer passes heart disease as top killer of Iowans

March 24, 2010 By

Fewer Iowans are dying from cancer, but a new report finds cancer has passed heart disease as the leading killer of Iowans. The annual “Cancer in Iowa” report is being released today by the State Health Registry of Iowa, based at the University of Iowa College of Public Health.

Dr. Charles Lynch, the registry’s medical director and a U-of-I epidemiology professor, says this is the first time cancer was named the leading cause of death in Iowa.

“This has been something that we talked about last year as potentially happening soon and we were able to identify this year with 2007 mortality data which was recently available to us,” Dr. Lynch says. “For the first time, age-adjusted rates for cancer exceeded those for heart disease.”

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Health & Medicine Tagged With:

Panthers look forward to returning to St. Louis

March 24, 2010 By

The U.N.I. Panthers head back to a city where they have had a lot of success when they leave for St. Louis this afternoon to take part in the NCAA Tournament “sweet 16″. The Panthers will take on Michigan State Friday night in the semifinal round of the Midwest Regional and they have won their last six games in St. Louis.

The Panthers have won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament the past two years Panther coach Ben Jacobson says they are really excited about it, especially Anthony James, who is from the area. The setting will be different, but he says playing in St. Louis in the past should help them play better.

The Valley tournament is played in the Scotttrade Center while the regional will be played in the Edward Jones Dome. Jacobson says it may not be much of an advantage overall, but he says the team has had success there and is looking forward to it.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,
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