DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is replacing her legal counsel days after winning a four-year term in office. Reynolds’ press secretary Brenna Smith confirmed late Monday that attorney Colin Smith has left the office as of Nov. 14. Brenna Smith says that Windsor Heights attorney Michael Boal will replace Colin Smith beginning Nov. 28.

Boal, a 28-year-old Republican, lost a race for an open seat in the Iowa Legislature earlier this month to Democrat Jennifer Konfrst. He’s the son of House chief clerk Carmine Boal, a former state lawmaker.
Colin Smith had worked for Reynolds since she assumed the governorship in May 2017 and for her predecessor Terry Branstad.

Brenna Smith says the governor “appreciates his years of service to this office and the state.”

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — The owner of a 122-year-old building in southeast Iowa that was damaged by a fire last summer says he’ll tear down the structure and build something new. The Hawk Eye reports that the Burlington City Council learned of the plan to demolish the Tama Complex on Monday. The historic complex was nearly destroyed in an Aug. 4 fire. Eric Tysland is the development and parks director for Burlington. He says Tama developer Doug Wells will work with G & B Construction on the demolition.

Wells told the council this month that he’d prefer to rebuild the $12.5 million complex, but the decision would ultimately come down to the cost of demolition versus rehabilitation. Wells is expected to provide an update on the project next month.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of driving onto and damaging the eastern Iowa baseball field made famous by the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams” must serve two to five years of probation. Television station KCRG reports that 21-year-old Austin Pape, of Dyersville, also was granted a deferred judgment at his sentencing Monday in Dubuque. A deferred judgment allows Pape’s conviction to be removed from court records if he fulfills his probation terms.

Investigators say Pape acknowledged driving onto the field Jan. 22. The field sits just outside Dyersville, 140 miles (220 kilometers) northeast of Des Moines. Thousands of people visit the property every year, running around the bases and walking to the surrounding cornfields.

Pape pleaded guilty in September to felony criminal mischief after prosecutors dropped a charge of reckless driving.

The Griswold School Board met Monday evening, and discussed the sale of the Elementary Buildings. Superintendent Dave Henrichs told KJAN News they have received two bids for the Lewis Building, and no bids (to date), for the Elliott Building. “However,” he says “We’re having ongoing communications with the City of Elliott about that building.” The plan moving forward, he says “Is to set a date, probably in January,” for the two individuals with the Lewis proposals, to present to the Griswold School Board and Lewis City Council. Afterward, they’ll try to “Come to the best conclusion about who we feel is the best bidder for that,” and then conduct formal hearings and all the steps necessary to transfer ownership.

One of the bidders, he says, has proposed a manufacturing facility for the Lewis building, while the other proposes it be used for a Youth Shelter/Residential Treatment Facility. In other business, Board approved a couple of Early Retirement applications from two, long-time District employees who have “done great things for the district.” Gail Maxwell is the K-12 Media Technology Integrationist and Media Specialist. Andrea Olson is a Title 1 Teacher at Lewis. Henrichs said “We’ll greatly miss them and appreciate their efforts greatly.”

The Board also continued with discussions on Budget changes for the 2019-20 School Year, which amount to about $200,000. He says “We’re using that word ‘change’ because we’re trying to find ways to shift people around, versus eliminating positions.” A list of 17 different ideas and/or options has been established, to which the Board agreed to continue exploring. The goal, he said, is to have some final decisions made by the end of January.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater today (Tuesday), reports 29-year old William Albert Bethke the 4th, of Orient, was arrested last Thursday night for Public Intoxication. Bethke was taken into custody at around 11:35-p.m. in Orient, after the Sheriff’s Office received a call about a suspicious, possibly intoxicated male. The caller said also, the subject (Identified as Bethke), had been in a bar in Orient with another man. Together, they broke a couple of glasses and were asked to leave. Bethke and the other man left and walked down the road before standing there and eventually throwing rocks at passing vehicles.

When a deputy arrived on the scene, Bethke was in the 100 block of W. Tuttle Drive, in Orient. In speaking with the man, the deputy noticed Bethke had an odor of alcohol and had bloodshot, watery eyes. He also had trouble keeping his balance. Bethke admitted to the deputy that he had consumed too much alcohol. He also thought he was in Creston, and that his friend left him there. The deputy noted Bethke had wounds on his head, which he said occurred when he fell down while walking. The deputy speculated the wounds instead came from rocks thrown at Bethke. The man was checked out by Orient Rescue, and released.

He was transported to the Adair County Jail and released early Friday morning on a $300 bond.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A woman has been accused of setting two fires in Cedar Rapids. Linn County court records say 48-year-old Carolyn Mittman is charged with two counts of arson. Mittman’s next court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 28. Court documents say Mittman told investigators that she’d set a fire Oct. 22 at an apartment and set one on Oct. 13, 2017, at her former home to collect insurance money.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Red Oak Police say no injuries were reported following an accident Monday afternoon. Authorities say a 2012 Freightliner Semi-tractor trailer registered to XPO Logistics and driven by Beau Kinney, of Glenwood, was traveling south on Broadway Street from the intersection of Highway 34. A 2004 Pontiac Grand Am driven by Jeffrey Steven Whitt, of Villisca, was merging onto Broadway from Highway 34, when he failed to yield to the semi in his lane. The semi hit the car on the driver’s side, causing minor damage. Whitt was cited for Failure to Yield upon entering a highway, and Failure to show proof of insurance.

And, the Union County Sheriff’s Office says there were three accidents on Friday. At around 2:30-p.m., a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by 15-year old Tessi May VanScoy, of Creston, was traveling south on Highway 25, in an area where cars were slowing for another vehicle that was being pulled from a ditch. VanScoy slowed down as well, but was unable to stop due to the road conditions. Her car hit the rear of a vehicle that then left the scene. Damage to the Pontiac was estimated at $3,000. No injuries were reported.

Just before 6-p.m. Friday, a 1999 Chevy Tahoe driven by 27-year old Samantha Kay Gyles, of Knoxville, was traveling east on Main Street in Lorimor, when the vehicle went out of control on the snow covered road. The SUV hit a legally parked 2008 Honda Accord, which in-turn, was pushed into a legally parked Volvo. There were no injuries. Damage from the mishap amounted to $4,000.

And, At around 6:30-p.m. Friday, a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by 70-year old Roger Henry Shephard, of Creston, went out of control due to the slippery road, as it was traveling south on Cherry Street Road. When the van swerved into the northbound lane, a 2018 Ford F-250 pickup driven by 31-year old Kody Karl Nielsen, of Guthrie Center, struck the left rear of the van. The impact caused the van to spin around and slide backward into the west ditch. Shephard was transported the hospital in Creston by ambulance to be checked-out. Damage from the collision amounted to $10,000.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Des Moines City Council has been urged to adopt a ban on racial profiling by police. Creation of a civilian review board was among the proposals aired at the council meeting Monday night. The proposals include bans on what were described as “pretextual stops”: traffic stops in which police use minor traffic violations as excuses to pull over people officers find suspicious because of their race or sex.

The council also was urged to make marijuana possession Des Moines’ lowest police enforcement priority because, the activists said, it unfairly targets minorities. The council voted to instruct City Manager Scott Sanders to research and report on each of the proposals. Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert disagreed that the city needs a civilian review board. He says that’s something for cities with major problems within their police departments.