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Iowa/Regional News Headlines: Tuesday, 11/7/17

News

November 7th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:47 a.m. CST

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a former treasurer of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska tribal council to five years of probation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says U.S. District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp on Monday sentenced 56-year-old Thomas Snowball of Winnebago to the probation as well as community service and $36,500 in restitution. Snowball had pleaded guilty earlier to theft from an Indian gaming establishment, related to unauthorized disbursements from the WinnaVegas casino in Sloan, Iowa.

TOLEDO, Iowa (AP) — A second trial has begun for an Iowa man, nearly three months after a judge overturned his first-degree murder conviction in the 2000 disappearance of a woman whose body has never been found. Attorneys gave opening arguments Monday in the retrial of Tait O. Purk, who was charged in connection with the disappearance of his fiancee Cora Okonski. A jury previously convicted Purk, but a judge found the verdict wasn’t backed by evidence. The case is now before Judge Ian Thornhill.

INDIANOLA, Iowa (AP) — Simpson College in Indianola says it will cover tuition costs of Iowa students whose families have an adjusted gross income of $60,000 or less. To qualify, students must be a 2018 Iowa high school graduate and state resident, submit a federal student aid application and have a 2016 adjusted gross income of $60,000 or less. They also must live on campus and pay room and board fees, which this year totaled $8,370.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s governor has ordered flags at state buildings to be lowered to half-staff to honor the Texas church shooting victims. Authorities say a lone gunman killed 26 people Sunday at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Gov. Kim Reynolds’ order is in conjunction with President Donald Trump’s flag order.