SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City teacher accused of sending critical letters to her superintendent and other district leaders is appealing her firing.

The Sioux City Journal reports that Julie Fischer’s petition for judicial review says the Sioux City Community School District board’s decision to terminate Fischer’s employment violated her First Amendment right to free speech. Fischer is asking for a reversal of the board’s decision, reinstatement and an award of back pay and benefits. No hearings have been scheduled.

The school board voted to fire Fischer even though a judge cleared her of criminal charges. In March a judge dismissed six counts of harassment Fischer faced, saying the letters were free speech, not harassment.

The board has said Fischer was not terminated because of the letters, but because she violated the district’s Mandatory Cooperation in Workplace Investigation Policy and Code of Ethics. The board ruled that Fischer made false statements and provided misleading information during the district’s investigation.

w/ Chris Parks

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A Sidney woman was arrested following a slow pursuit on Sunday night in Fremont County. At 11:22pm Deputies attempted to stop a 1999 Ford F150 for traffic and equipment violations near the intersection of Highway 2 and 275 in Sidney. The vehicle failed to yield to law enforcement and a pursuit began at low speeds into Sidney.

The vehicle eventually stopped at a residence near the intersection of Locust and Cass Streets in Sidney. The driver, 58-year-old Jeanette Zaiger of Sidney, was placed under arrest without incident. Zaiger was charged with Eluding and was taken to the Fremont County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.

The Fremont County K9 unit assisted with the pursuit.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater issued a brief report Sunday. The Sheriff said there was just one arrest over the past week. 55-year old Thomas Walter Moreland, of Adair, was arrested by Adair Police last Wednesday afternoon, on a Public Intoxication charge. His arrest followed a call at around 11:20-a.m., about a man sleeping or unconscious, outside of the Budget Inn. Prior to the officer’s arrival, two rescue personnel were checking on Moreland. The man was unable to perform any of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, smelled of alcohol, and was allegedly slurring his words. He also admitted to drinking, and being drunk.

After Moreland was transported to the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, he refused to give a breath sample, and again stated he was drunk. He was released the following afternoon for time served.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — An Iowa man who eluded authorities for nearly eight years plans to represent himself on federal firearms charges. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that Michael Duane Strain of Lime Springs, Iowa, got permission to act as his own attorney this month. He was arrested in July at a remote ranch on a Montana Indian reservation.

Court documents say the 62-year-old defendant is a self-proclaimed sovereign citizen, a label used by people who contend they don’t have to answer to government authorities. Authorities say Strain had been a fugitive since being indicted in northern Iowa on two counts of a felon being in possession of a firearm.

During a 2011 search of his house, federal agents found thousands of rounds of ammunition and numerous firearms, including shotguns, handguns and rifles.

The Iowa Department of Transportation has updated the list of roads closed due to flooding. As of today (9/22) they include:

• Interstate 680 in both directions, from just west of the Crescent exit to the Nebraska State Line.
• I-29 from one-mile south of Missouri Valley to N. 25^th Street in Council Bluffs (exits 55-to 71), is closed in both directions.
• Other, rural roads may be closed by floodwaters, including some roads in Mills County, west of Pacific Junction. If you see water over the road, turn around and don’t drown!

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:00 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa has reopened an inquiry into allegations that members of its marching band were targets of abuse during last weekend’s game at Iowa State University. Members of the Iowa band say they were subjected to racial slurs, verbal and physical and sexual harassment and assault before, during and after the game. The schools’ athletic directors said last week that they had looked into the claims, but they didn’t announce any punishment. Students said that was insufficient.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — One of five suspects in the shooting death of a Davenport man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Twenty-year-old Darell Allen Williams Jr., of East Moline, Illinois, was sentenced Friday for his role in the robbery and shooting death of Brady Tumlinson, whose girlfriend was seriously injured in the September 2017 attack. The Quad-City Times reported Williams pleaded guilty in July to first-degree burglary as part of a plea deal.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A man convicted of stabbing his ex-girlfriend and her friend in Sioux City has been sentenced to life in prison without parole. Tran Walker, who will turn 20 Sunday, was sentenced Friday in the January 2018 deaths of 17-year-old Paiten Sullivan and 18-year-old Felipe Negron Jr. Walker was convicted in August of two counts of first-degree murder.

Police in Red Oak arrested a woman in the 300 block of E. Market Street, Saturday. 29-year old Kirstin Lynn Wilwerding, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 6:40-p.m., for Burglary in the 2nd Degree and Theft in the 5th Degree. She was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $10,000 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lagging in polling and fundraising, Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker said Saturday he may end his run unless donations from supporters increase quickly. “I don’t believe people should stay in this just to stay in it. You either have a trajectory to win or not, and right now if we don’t raise $1.7 million we won’t be able to make the investments necessary,” he told The Associated Press after speaking at a Democratic Party fundraiser in Des Moines. “If we don’t have a pathway to win, we should get out of this race.”

Booker told reporters that “the trajectory of the fundraising before today was not there.” And his campaign manager, Addisu Demissie, said in a memo made public that the New Jersey senator needed to raise an additional $1.7 million by Sept. 30 to remain competitive in the crowded field of candidates seeking the nomination.

“If we’re not able to build the campaign organization, which means raise the money that we need to win the nomination, Cory’s not going to continue running and consuming resources that are better used on focusing on beating Donald Trump,” he said.

Without such a fundraising surge, the campaign does “not see a legitimate long-term path forward,” according to the memo. Booker did see the beginnings of a fundraising bump on Saturday, with Demmissie tweeting that the candidate had raised nearly $200,000 as of 5 p.m. Eastern time.

Booker has qualified for a spot in the next debate, in October. But he has struggled with fundraising and yet to break through in either early state or national polls.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa is reopening an inquiry into allegations that members of the university band were targets of abuse during a game at Iowa State University. Members of the Hawkeye Marching Band alleged they were subjected to racial slurs, verbal and physical and sexual harassment and assault when the two teams met Sept. 14 at Iowa State.

Administrators at both schools announced earlier in the week that they looked into the allegations but decided to concentrate on procedures for future games. Some students reacted by posting details of the events on social media.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports Iowa spokeswoman Jeaneane Beck said Friday the school is continuing its investigation to ensure all students have the chance to share their experiences with appropriate authorities.