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Iowa early News Headlines: Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020

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January 11th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Supreme Court Acting Chief Justice David Wiggins says he’s retiring. The 69-year-old Wiggins said Friday he will retire March 13. He was appointed to the court by Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack in 2003. He was named acting chief justice in November after the unexpected death of Chief Justice Mark Cady. Wiggins’ departure will give Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds an opportunity to replace one of the two remaining Democratic appointees on the seven-member court. She just received the names of three nominees Thursday to fill Cady’s vacant seat.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Schools in Nebraska and Iowa cancelled after-school activities and shut down early, Friday, as residents in both states braced for the latest winter storm. The National Weather Service had issued winter storm warnings for the southeastern corner of Nebraska and southern, central and much of eastern Iowa for Friday afternoon into early Saturday. Those areas — including Fall City in Nebraska and Des Moines, Dubuque, Davenport and Burlington in Iowa — were expecting high winds and up to 8 inches of snow. Surrounding areas, including Omaha, Nebraska, and Waterloo, Iowa, were under a winter weather advisory for 2 to 4 inches of snow.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A judge has ruled that a man charged with first-degree murder in the beating death of a central Iowa pastor is mentally unfit to stand trial. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports that a Webster County District judge on Friday found 36-year-old Josh Pendleton incompetent to stand trial and ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation and treatment at the Iowa Medical Classification Correctional Facility in Oakdale. Pendleton’s attorney says he has a long history of mental illness and was unable to assist in his own defense. Pendleton is accused of robbing and beating to death the Rev. Al Henderson, who was found unresponsive on Oct. 2 outside St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge.

COLO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the names of two people who were found dead by a relative in their Story County home _ deaths that authorities say were the result of a murder-suicide. They’ve been identified as 79-year-old Richard Davis and his 78-year-old wife, Charlotte. Authorities say Richard Davis shot his wife before shooting himself. A shotgun was found Wednesday near his body on the kitchen floor of their Colo home. Her body was found in a living room chair. No note was found. Their son Russell Davis told The Des Moines Register that his parents seemed happy at Christmas.