Iowa early News Headlines: Sunday, 6/17/18
June 17th, 2018 by Ric Hanson
Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:050 a.m. CDT
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Republicans have picked a state agriculture secretary nominee, but it didn’t come easy. The Des Moines Register reports that incumbent Mike Naig was selected Saturday at the Iowa GOP state convention after four rounds of voting. After each round, the bottom candidate was dropped from the ballot. In the last round, Naig topped Corning farmer Ray Gaesser. Naig faces Democrat Tim Gannon in the November general election.
PELLA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a Minnesota man has drowned trying to save his 7-year-old niece at Lake Red Rock at the Des Moines River in central Iowa. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that the incident happened around 3 p.m. Friday. Authorities say the girl struggled in the water, and her uncle, 42-year-old Cha Charles Lee of St. Paul, tried to help. He also went under the water. Officials say a boater pulled the girl to safety and was able to resuscitate her.
CORYDON, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of killing a deer hunter in south-central Iowa has been found guilty of misdemeanor charges in a separate burglary case. The Daily Iowegian reports 27-year-old Ethan Davis was acquitted of first-degree burglary Friday, but found guilty of misdemeanor counts of assault causing bodily injury and child endangerment.
SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa (AP) — A city in western Iowa has opened its first official public library after years of moving to different sites. The Sioux City Journal reports that the Sergeant Bluff library is sharing space with the city’s Community Center. The library has previously shared space with the Sergeant Bluff-Luton Community School District and with the area’s senior center. The new library has a separate entrance and is run by mostly volunteers.