DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police in Des Moines are investigating the death of a man at a homeless camp on the city’s north side. Police say in a news release that officers responded to the camp Thursday morning for a report of a dead person and found the man’s body. The man’s name has not been released.

Police say the circumstances surrounding the death are suspicion, and initial investigation has led officers to suspect the man may have been hit by a vehicle in a hit-and-run incident late Tuesday afternoon near the scene.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa GOP legislative leaders say they plan to go into the 2019 session challenging the way things are done in state government several issues including property taxes and picking judges. Senate Republican leader Jack Whitver said Thursday at a legislative forum hosted by The Associated Press that Iowans expressed confidence in his party by returning it to power again and that means keeping campaign promises.

One of those promises is a thorough review of property taxes during the session which starts Monday. Gov. Kim Reynolds said at the forum she’s interested in looking at what lawmakers come up with. As a former county treasurer she said she heard for years complaints from business owners and individuals about rising property taxes.

Senate Democatic Leader Janet Petersen says her concern is that local governments including counties, cities and schools aren’t harmed in the process by taking away funding they need.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two Iowa workplace safety inspectors were fired Tuesday in what they are calling retaliation for blowing the whistle on a hostile environment inside their agency. The firings of Jason Garmoe and Travis Stein are the latest turmoil at the Division of Labor, which has been rocked by recent personnel turnover and accusations of cronyism and harassment. The agency accused both men of misconduct that included leaving a state vehicle running for two hours while conducting an inspection — an allegation they call false.

Garmoe and Stein said in interviews with The Associated Press that they were singled out for harsh treatment after providing critical information about agency leaders to state investigators. Both said they feared they would lose their jobs for doing so but were assured that they would be protected. Labor Commissioner Michael Mauro declined comment.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Sentencing has been delayed for a man who operated a western Iowa dog business where carcasses and dozens of malnourished dogs were found. The Daily Nonpareil reports that a judge delayed the sentencing scheduled Wednesday for Dustin Young so authorities could complete a pre-sentence report. The new date: Feb. 13th. Pottawattamie County court records say Young pleaded guilty to 12 counts of animal neglect after prosecutors dismissed 28 more. The dogs and carcasses were discovered in May at Young Gunz Kennel , about 2 miles southeast of Hancock.

Officials said the inside of the business was covered in animal urine and feces, and there was no food or water for the dogs.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Appeals Court has overturned the second murder conviction of a man who’s spent more than 10 years in prison. Juries have twice found Kenneth Heard guilty of murder for fatally shooting of 26-year-old Joshua Hutchinson in December 2007. The Des Moines Register reports that the court ruled Wednesday that Heard’s constitutional right to compel witnesses to testify was violated. The appellate court says the trial court failed to determine the “extent and validity” of one witness’s assertion of his Fifth Amendment privilege against incriminating himself.

The witness testified for the prosecution at Heard’s first trial but asserted his Fifth Amendment right at the time of his deposition before the second trial. Heard has accused that witness of fatally shooting Hutchinson. Heard’s first first-degree murder conviction in the case was overturned after he claimed his lawyers were ineffective. It’s unclear whether prosecutors will seek a third trial.