A 44-year-old woman charged in one of four killings in a small Nebraska town has pleaded not guilty. Court documents show that Carrie Jones entered written not guilty pleas to first-degree murder, being an accessory to a felony and tampering with evidence. She is accused in the August 2022 death of 86-year-old Gene Twiford in Laurel, Nebraska. Her husband, Jason Jones, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges in Twiford’s death, as well as the deaths of Twiford’s wife and daughter and another Laurel woman.
The federal government has sued a former Sioux City plastic surgeon who is alleged to have filed more than a thousand fraudulent claims for medical services. Check out the full story from the Sioux City Journal.
State Patrol troopers who look for illegal drugs on the interstates that crisscross Iowa say our state is no longer just a drive-through area on the way to larger cities.
Radio Iowa reports Captain Nathan Andrews says the amount of drugs they’ve seen indicated the drugs are now being stored here for distribution.
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is seeking to weaken former President Donald Trump’s grip on the Republican Party as he courts voters in battleground Iowa. Both prospects for the GOP presidential nomination were to hold events in the state Saturday, but a tornado warning prompted Trump to cancel his. DeSantis is expected to announce his 2024 presidential campaign any day. He briefly flipped burgers and pork chops at a picnic fundraiser in Sioux Center that drew hundreds of conservatives. At the podium, DeSantis highlighted his willingness to embrace conservative cultural fights and sprinkled his remarks with indirect jabs at Trump.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-IA, announced Monday that former Vice President Mike Pence will join her annual Roast and Ride as her second special guest.
Pence is weighing a presidential run and is expected to make an official announcement in June.
KCCI Television in Des Moines reports Ernst announced last week that presidential candidate and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley will also attend her Roast and Ride. Ernst says she has invited all 2024 Republican presidential candidates and hopefuls.
Winter kills had a larger-than-average impact on the state’s fish populations in 2022-23, the state’s fisheries program manager told the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission last week. The Argus Leader reports all regions experienced some winter kill to some level on some of their systems.”
A historic wooden roller coaster in northwest Iowa will be taking on riders again when the Arnolds Park Amusement Park opens for the season on Saturday. Radio Iowa has more on the Legends roller coaster at this link.
Submitted news releases:
Governor Pillen Joins Governors in Denouncing Biden Admin Attack on Women's Sports
LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen joined fellow Republican governors in denouncing the Biden administration's proposed rules change to Title IX. The new rule could prevent states from enforcing state laws and regulations to protect fairness in women's and girls' sports. The governors criticized the Biden administration for caving to highly politicized gender ideology and changing the rules in a way that does not accord with law. They asked for the rule to be withdrawn immediately until the Supreme Court is given the ability to weigh in.
The letter, sent to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, states in part: "Undeterred by plain English, the Department invents new categories solely based on a student’s “gender identity”—a term not used in Title IX. This overreaching interpretation exceeds the Department’s Congressionally granted authority. Not only does the Department lack the authority to unilaterally re-write Title IX, such a regulation would disrupt states and schools and eviscerate the lived experience and achievements of generations of courageous women."
Employer Notice: Request to Submit Input for Spring Data Collection by May 24
DES MOINES, IOWA – Iowa Workforce Development is reminding employers that it needs their help to collect vitally important statistics on the economy in Iowa. Spring data collection for Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) is underway in our state. This data powers useful tools like the Iowa Wage Report and local OEWS reports. The deadline to receive data is May 24, 2023. Many times, notices to participate in this important process are sent to Payroll and Accounting Departments or third-party payroll processors. If you are unsure whether you received a notice, or if you need help retrieving your IDCF number, please contact the Labor Market Information Division at 800.258.2221. If you have your IDCF number, there are several ways to provide information:
- Online - Go to IDCFOEWS.BLS.GOV and log in using the unique IDCF number. Fill out the online form, upload a file, or download an Excel template or payroll system report without personal identifying information such as names and social security numbers.
- Fax - Fax information with the IDCF number to: 515.281.8203.
- Email - Send an email with data and the IDCF number to OEWSIOWA@IDCFMAIL.BLS.GOV. We can provide an Excel template on request.
- Phone - Call us at 800.258.2221. This is often the fastest method for establishments with less than 20 employees.
For more information about Iowa’s labor market, visit IWD’s Labor Market Information Division.