February 9, 2012

You are here: Home / 2010 / April / Archives for 23rd

Iowa Supreme Court overrules sentencing of Cedar Rapids man

April 23, 2010 By

The Iowa Supreme Court has overruled the “lifetime parole” imposed on a man convicted of having sex with a young teenager. Ritchie Lee Lathrop of Cedar Rapids was convicted of third-degree sexual abuse for having sex with a 14-year-old girl when he was 27 years old. He wasn’t sent to prison, but put on parole.

However, Lathrop was sentenced to “lifetime parole” and Lathrop was not to have contact with anyone under the age of 18 unless he had the permission of his probation officer. Lathrop appealed and the Iowa Supreme Court has ruled the “no-contact” order was “unreasonable.” The justices sent the case back to the district court, directing the lower court judge to “fashion a more realistic” limit on Lathrop’s interactions with people under the age of 18 during his probationary period.

The high court also overturned Lathrop’s “lifetime” parole, as the crime happened before the lifetime parole provision became law.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Northwest Iowa man faces 20-year drug sentence

April 23, 2010 By

A northwest Iowa man has pleaded guilty to federal drug charges and faces at least two decades in prison. Twenty-nine-year-old Scott Alan Hare of Cleghorn admitted in court that he made meth at a home in Marcus, Iowa, that was within one-thousand feet of a school. In late 2008, authorities found a meth lab in Hare’s home outside of Cleghorn.

Authorities soon searched another home in the area — it was the home near the school in Marcus — and found meth-making material there. A month and a half later, officers searched a home in Cherokee where Hare was living and they found items used to make meth there, too.

Hare faces a minimum sentence of 20 years in a federal prison, but the judge would sentence him to life behind bars.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts Tagged With:

Governor says bipartisian legislation not getting enough attention

April 23, 2010 By

Iowa Governor Chet Culver, a Democrat who is seeking re-election, has seen questions about his campaign take the spotlight away from some of the bill signings he’s conducted recently. Changes in his campaign and regular staff and donations from gambling interests to his campaign have been the focus of questions from reporters.

At a bill signing today, Culver said reporters were missing the mark when asked about the possibility of a tax increase linked to the bill setting up the conservation trust fund. “I really hope at some point you focus on the fact that on about eight or ten occassions we have passed very imporatnt bipartisian legislation,” Culver said, “and it think thats’ really important that we focus on that when it comes to reorganizing government, the early retirement plan, protecting domestic violence victims, a long list of very impressive bipartisan legislation.”

Culver says leaders in the state should get credit for working together. “We see very little bipartisanship in America right now anywhere, and in Des Moines we’re finding common ground. And this is another example of that today, so it’s a sign of getting things done and working together to be responsive to the wishes of our constituents,” Culver says.

Culver still has several more bills to sign — including a controversial one that changes the concealed weapons law. He is not saying what he plans to do with that bill. Culver says he is taking one bill at a time and will continue to meet his responsibility to sign the bills and when he makes the final decision on those bills he will hold a ceremony and let everyone know where he stands.

The bill would require Iowa sheriffs, in nearly all cases, to grant a gun permit if the person has taken safety courses and hasn’t been convicted of a felony. Those in favor of the law rallied at the statehouse Monday. The Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association opposes the bill.

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: ,

Llama lovers hold show in Hamilton County

April 23, 2010 By

In a state famous for its hogs, another breed of four-legged farm animal is taking the center stage this weekend in central Iowa. The Heartland Llama Show is underway at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds in Webster City through Sunday. The fair’s Holly Myers says there are a variety of classes competiting.

Kids through adults are showing their animals, while many people will dress themselves and their llamas in costumes. One highlight will be an obstacle course that weaves through the arena. Myers says llama farmers from all across the Midwest will be at this event to showcase the animal with South American roots.

People decorate their stalls, telling all about their farms and their llamas, while there will also be a shearing demonstration. For more information, call (515) 832-1443.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Agriculture, Recreation & Entertainment

Vander Plaats says it’s time to “wean” state off gambling

April 23, 2010 By

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats says state government is addicted to gambling and it’s time to start a process to eliminate legalized gambling in Iowa. ”We need to wean ourselves off of gambling,” Vander Plaats says.  “…As governor I’d say, ‘I’m definitely against the expansion of gambling’ and I’ve been very clear about that and on record about that, but the step two is we need to get our state government in order. We then need to put in an economic development plan where you have start-up and development and businesses can grow and succeed and then I think we’ll see we don’t need that gambling anymore.”

Former Governor Terry Branstad, a competitor for the Republican Party’s 2010 gubernatorial nomination, signed the law in 1983 when legalized parimutuel gambling — wagering on horse and dog races.  Two years later, Branstad approved creation of the state-run Iowa Lottery.  In 1989, Branstad signed the law which ushered in casino-style gambling, but it was originally limited to riverboats.  Vander Plaats suggests Branstad — with that history — is vulnerable when he argues against the current governor’s call for four new casinos in Iowa.

“Every time that we’ve hit an economic glitch, an economic hiccup, it’s like we resort to gambling. We instituted gambling, we’ve brought in the state lottery, we’ve brought in pari-mutuel betting and now you fast-forward to 2010 and Culver wants to expand gambling,” Vander Plaats says.  “…It’s all because they want to grow the government of the state of Iowa.”  

Vander Plaats says gambling isn’t economic development, but counties which are host to casinos today need to see businesses grow in their areas before they’d vote against the periodic referendums which allow casino gambling to continue.

“I’m not comfortable in setting a timeline to say, you know, this is when you would see gambling is out of the state of Iowa,” Vander Plaats says. “I think it’s going to be how successful we are in shrinking government, how successful we in developing an economic plan to create jobs in this economy. I’m not one of those candidates who is just going to throw numbers in the air and say, ‘This is what I’m going to do.’”  That’s a direct shot at Branstad, who has said his goals if he’s elected to a fifth term would be to create 200,000 new jobs in Iowa and cut state spending by 15 percent.

The state regulates the casinos and the race tracks, but the Iowa Lottery is run by the state.  Vander Plaats says he has concerns about Lottery advertising, as he says it spreads a message the you can succeed with mere luck rather than hard work.  Vander Plaats would shift Lottery profits into a separate account, too, as the Lottery proceeds are now used for general state spending and Vander Plaats says that has created a “zest” among state officials to support more and more gambling.

Vander Plaats made his comments during this morning’s taping of the Iowa Public Television program, “Iowa Press.”

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

Drake Relays records set Thursday

April 23, 2010 By

U.S. champion Diana Pickler opened the Drake Relays with a record setting performance as she won the heptathalon with 6,040  points. Pickler feels it is a good score for early in the season. Pickler says she knows she is fit, but is just a little rusty and needs to do some fine tuning.

Pickler says she has lofty goals for her career and has her sights set on the 2012 Olympics. She says there is a lot to accomplish in her career and after switching coaches in May, her training is a lot different.

Obsie Birru gave Grand View its first Drake Relays title since 1989 as she took the lead with four laps to go enroute to a victory in the women’s 10,000 meter run. Birru says being from Des Moines and going to Drake since middle school, she is “very happy.”

The former Johnston high school standout says she looks forward to the Drake Relays more than nationals as the meet is in her own back yard.

Dike-New Hatrtford’s Hannah Willms cleared six-one to set a new record in the girls high school high jump. It is also to top jump in the country this year. Willms says it was her goal, but she didn’t think it would happen.

Willms top the mark she set at Drake last year. She talks about why she performs so well at Drake. She says the competition is the key as it pushes you to do better.

Dowling Catholic’s Katie Flood won her fourth straight three thousand meter run title and set a new record in the process. Her winning time was nine minutes, 43.39 seconds. Flood says she wasn’t thinking about when she was running, as she said she just wanted to run how she felt and she “felt pretty good.

Flood says she did not feel any pressure to win a fourth straight, as she says it’s just fun to come out and compete.

By John Martenson

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,

Bulaga goes to the Packers

April 23, 2010 By

Bryan Bulaga is now a Green Bay Packer. The former Iowa standout and Big Ten offensive lineman of the year was taken by the Paxckers with the 23rd pick in the opening round of the NFL Draft. Bulaga says he wants to be a successful starting and play good football for a long time.

Bulaga grew up a fan of the Chicago Bears, and says he likes the Bears, but says his allegiance has changed now. Bulaga hopes to contribute to the Packers as soon as possible. He says he doesn’t know what his role will be, but will come in and push to get a starting job.

Bulaga says he was not sure what to expect when the draft started, as he says it could have gone a lot of ways. He says he didn’t expect to be in Green Bay, but says he is ecstatic about it as he is an NFC North fan having grown up in Illinois.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,
« Older Posts