United Group Insurance

Iowa early News Headlines: 9/6/18

News

September 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:30 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — More details are emerging about the suspect in the killing of an Iowa college student. The Mexican man was known for years on the dairy farm where he worked by an alias: John Budd. Yarrabee Farms faces questions about whether its managers had any idea that Cristhian Bahena Rivera was in the country illegally before Mollie Tibbetts was killed. The alias was confirmed by three people with knowledge of Rivera’s employment history. They spoke on condition of anonymity.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Three Des Moines police officers and the city have been sued in federal court for violating the constitutional rights of a man who says he was filming from the sidewalk cars parked illegally at the police station. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday by Daniel Robbins, who is identified as a Des Moines independent photojournalist.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Officials in Cedar Rapids and surrounding areas are preparing for flooding as the National Weather Service adjusted predictions of when the Cedar River there will crest. The service now says the river will crest Sunday afternoon at 17.5 feet (5.33 meters) _ 5.5 feet (1.68 meters) above flood stage. In the Cedar Rapids suburb of Palo, officials have opened a sandbagging station for public use. City employees also were placing sandbags around parts of the city’s wastewater facility.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A lawyer fighting a discrimination lawsuit against Iowa officials is withdrawing from the case. George LaMarca has billed Iowa taxpayers nearly $1 million to fight the case filed by former state official Chris Godfrey against Gov. Kim Reynolds and former Gov. Terry Branstad. Godfrey accuses Reynolds and Branstad of discrimination based on sexual orientation. The 73-year-old LaMarca says poor health is forcing him to retire. Judge Brad McCall accepted LaMarca’s withdrawal Wednesday.