*A peaceful protest took place Sunday in Denison, Iowa, after an officer-involved shooting on Friday night.
A group of more than 50 people gathered at the park where the incident occurred, before marching to the police station. One of the attendees was Patty Richie, who is with the League of United Latin American Citizens or LULAC, in Denison.
Richie says the man who died was Cuban, homeless and battled mental health issues. So far, authorities aren’t releasing his name.
“It is a horrific event for everybody. The police department is hurting. The Latino community and the community as a whole is hurting. This is not something that we wanted to happen or expected to happen,” she said.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting.
*The school year for K-12 districts in Nebraska began last week, classes started in South Dakota on Monday, and the year in Iowa will begin in one week, on August 25.
In South Dakota, students at Dakota Valley carried out first day activities. Elsewhere in that state, classes will start Tuesday at Elk Point-Jefferson.
That’s where EP-J officials have explained such things as a new process for kindergarten student dropoffs and that a mobile phone app is the best way to learn school updates and alerts,
Elk Point-Jefferson Superintendent Philip Schonebaum on the school website sais, “We’re ready for a fantastic year at EPJ—rooted in resilience, safety, and community. Thank you for trusting us with your children.”
Also on Monday, classes began at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City.
Sioux City School District and other school officials throughout Northwest Iowa continue making preparations for the school beginning next Monday, including teacher trainings being underway.
*And as classes begin, experts are encouraging Iowans to make sure they are up to date on their measles shots.
Iowa officials have confirmed eight cases of measles since May.
According to state data, 84 percent of Iowa children received two doses of the MMR vaccine last year, which is 97 percent effective against the virus. This is below the 90 percent threshold experts consider herd immunity.
Karen Brust is a hospital epidemiologist at University of Iowa Health Care.
She said the MMR vaccine still is the number one way to prevent getting sick, and most importantly, to prevent severe illness, especially in that highly vulnerable population of very young, very old or people with compromised immune systems.
