(Radio Iowa) – A bill that would make it a crime to let people pet sharks has been tabled in the Iowa Legislature. The bill was in response after a small shark bit an employee at a for-profit zoo in West Des Moines, and the shark had to be killed to get it’s teeth out of the employee’s hand. Republican Representative Ray Sorensen of Greenfield sponsored the bill.  “It doesn’t shut this place down. It just shuts down them having people pet a damn shark,” he says.

A Humane Society lobbyist says the zoo still allows people to pet that same kind of shark, which Sorensen says shouldn’t happen. “I hate to say it’s a common sense bill, but for me, it’s a common-sense bill. We shouldn’t be petting sharks,” Sorenson says.

Republican Representative John Wills declined to advance the bill, saying he doesn’t like legislation that just affects one business in the state.

(Radio Iowa) – Two Dubuque police officers who were on administrative leave after shooting a teenager they were attempting to arrest last month are back on the job. The officers responded to a call just before noon on Christmas Eve about a 16-year-old male with a knife who had adult warrants out for his arrest. The officers say they tried to taze the teen when he refused to drop the knife and he then rushed at them. Both officers fired and hit the teen in the shoulder and arm.

The D-C-I turned over its investigation to the Dubuque County Attorney who ruled the shooting was justified. Police say the teen is recovering from his wounds.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report the arrest on an assault charge early this (Friday) morning, of 35-year-old Brian Keith Yochum, Jr., of Red Oak. Yochum was taken into custody in the 1400 block of Forest Avenue, at around 2:50-a.m., for Simple Domestic Assault. He was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced Thursday to 17 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that led to the overdose death of a one-year child.

According to public court documents, Kenneth Leroy Quinn, 23, also known as “Coach K,” distributed several pills containing fentanyl on April 29, 2023. Quinn’s customer used some of the pills and brought the remaining pills home. The customer’s one-year-old son ingested the fentanyl mixture and died of acute fentanyl toxicity. Law enforcement began an investigation into Quinn and purchased marijuana from Quinn six times. In November 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Quinn’s Des Moines residence and located four firearms, more than five pounds of marijuana, nearly an ounce of methamphetamine, and three-quarters of an ounce of cocaine.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Quinn will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Quinn was also ordered to pay $1847 in restitution.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Des Moines Police Department.

Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Fentanyl deaths for youth ages 15 to 24 more than doubled between 2018 and 2022. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about the dangers of fentanyl and the One Pill Can Kill program.

(Radio Iowa) – A Grinnell elementary teacher won a national award Thursday. Davis Elementary School third grade teacher Holly Hunter was surprised with the Milken Educator Award by the Director of the Iowa Department of Education and a Milken representative.

Grinnell teacher Holly Hunter. (Milken photo)

Hunter was cited for her creative classroom curriculum and her mentorship of other educators. Hunter is the only Iowa teacher to win the award this year and it comes with a check for $25,000 which she can spend however she wants.

Hunter will attend an awards forum in Los Angeles this April with other winners from across the country.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has presented a state spending plan to legislators that’s about 700-MILLION dollars ABOVE projected state tax revenue. Reynolds says that dip in tax collections is expected due to the big state income tax CUT that took effect January 1st and she’s recommending legislators approve withdrawals from a series of state savings accounts to cover the difference.

“We ran a lot of different scenarios based on different percentages of growth, based on spending,” Reynolds says. “We try to keep (spending) in check and that’s part of being able to sustain the tax cuts that we have in place and hopefully be able to lower them going forward.” Reynolds predicts cutting Iowa’s personal income tax to a single rate under three-point-nine percent this month will spur the Iowa economy.

“With President Trump coming back into office, the mood has completely changed. I’ve talked to businesses. It’s been a game changer. It’s palpable,” Reynolds says. “…We believe by lowering taxes and regulations and just being a partner with businesses, they’ll locate here and expand here and that will help our overall revenue.” House Speaker Pat Grassley says an initial reduction in state tax receipts was expected, so G-O-P lawmakers budgeted cautiously over the past several years to beef up the state’s reserves.

“You have $6 billion in reserve accounts…that we built in there on purpose,” Grassley says, “and put mechanisms in place to start pulling money out.” Grassley made his comments during taping of “Iowa Press” which airs tonight (Friday) on Iowa P-B-S. Senator Janet Petersen, the top Democrat on the Iowa Senate’s budget committee, says Iowans need to be reassured these withdrawals won’t turn out to be a yearly occurrence.

“Just wanting to make sure that we’re not using the savings account for ongoing expenses,” Petersen says. Nearly all of the 700 million dollars would come from the state surplus and cash reserve. About 15 million dollars would be withdrawn from the state’s Economic Emergency Fund – to help Iowa victims of last year’s federally-declared flood and tornado disasters. Reynolds is asking for authority to make similar withdrawals when the legislature isn’t in session, with the approval of other statewide elected officials.

“Give us more flexibility through the Executive Council, so it’s not just me deciding, but I could draw down some additional funds and help get these funds to local governments quicker,” Reynolds says. The state’s Economic Emergency Fund has a current balance of over 230 MILLION dollars.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, Richard Dean Putnam, 62, was found in possession of more than 85 grams of methamphetamine and 200 grams of marijuana at his Council Bluffs residence in March 2024. Putnam also possessed nearly $10,000, two pellet guns, and two rounds of ammunition. Putnam had previously been convicted of felony drug offenses and domestic abuse assault charges in the Iowa District Court for Pottawattamie County, both which prohibit him from possessing firearms and ammunition.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Putnam will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings where local staff will provide updates on recently completed hunting and trapping seasons, discuss possible changes to hunting and trapping rules and regulations, and address other topics as requested.

“We want people to come out to these meetings, listen to the seasons reviews, ask questions and hear directly from our staff,” said Todd Bishop, chief of the Iowa DNR’s Wildlife Bureau. “Part of the meeting will be devoted to discussing potential rule changes and collecting feedback as we work through the rules process.”

The meetings are open to the public. Comments collected from these public meetings will be considered along with other related comments received by the Iowa DNR prior to proposing changes to hunting rules and regulations. Proposed rules will be presented to the Natural Resource Commission during a regular public meeting for consideration and additional public comment.

Area Meeting dates, times and locations

• Glenwood, Feb. 17, 6:30 p.m., Southwest Iowa Sportman’s Club, 22869 Jamett Road
• Creston, Feb. 20, 6 p.m., Performing Arts Building multi-purpose room (124), 1201 West Townline Street

Any person attending the public meeting that has special requirements, such as those related to mobility or hearing impairments, should contact the Iowa DNR or ADA Coordinator at 515-725-8200, Relay Iowa TTY Service 800-735-7942, or Webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov, and advise of specific needs.