IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A social worker has left the Iowa Department of Human Services months after a judge found she repeatedly gave false testimony against a mother and father who were unfairly stripped of their parental rights. Department spokesman Matt Highland says Chelsie Gray left the agency Sept. 23, two weeks after The Associated Press inquired about her status.

Highland said that Gray wasn’t fired or forced to resign, and the agency cannot disclose any information about her departure under Iowa law. The agency refused to release the findings from a review conducted of Gray’s cases after her false testimony came to light last spring.

A judge ruled in June that Gray delivered fabricated reports and trial testimony that helped convince a court to terminate the legal rights of a mother and father of four children in northern Iowa.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a Waterloo brother and sister set up a sham marriage so he wouldn’t have to leave the United States. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that Selmir Salkanovic and his sister, Salena Dedic, were arrested Thursday and pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. Salkanovic also pleaded not guilty to marriage fraud.

Court records say Salkanovic is a Bosnian who overstayed his tourist visa. He’d promised to leave the country in June last year but instead, with his sister’s help, married a U.S. citizen after making a $5,000 deal with her. Federal law lets immigrants who marry U.S. citizens to receive conditional residency status, which can be upgraded to permanent residency after two years and then citizenship five years after that.

The records say Salkanovic and the woman never consummated the marriage and never lived together. It’s unclear whether the woman’s been charged.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports a Union County man was arrested Friday evening on an Adair County warrant. 36-year old Chad William Johnson, of Creston, was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation. Johnson was released from custody a few hours later, on a $2,000 cash bond. Two other people were arrested in Adair County, and later released on citations to appear in court. 31-year old Curtis Clayton Roe, of Davenport, was arrested at around 11:17-p.m. Oct. 3rd on Interstate 80, for OWI/1st offense, after he was pulled over for excessive speed. He was released to his wife less than an hour later.

And, at around 4-p.m. Oct. 5th, 38-year old Brad Lee Lemon, of Creston, was arrested for Carrying Weapons (a pistol), following a traffic stop on Highway 25. Lemon said the gun was in his door before the traffic stop, but he moved it to between the front seats while pulling over. The pistol was loaded, with a round in the chamber. Authorities say Lemon does not have a permit to carry. He was released with a citation at the scene.

The Iowa Department of Transportation has clarified an earlier press release pertaining to the temporary closing of Interstate 80 at Exit 51. Scott Suhr, DOT District 4 Planning Coordinator, told KJAN News the earlier announcement should have specified Exit 51 is in Council Bluffs along I-80/29, not the Marne Exit, as we had earlier reported.
The westbound interstate will be closed overnight Wednesday and Thursday at Exit 51 in Council Bluffs from 10-p.m. Until 6-a.m. Each day, so that crews may change overhead signs along the interstate.
Again, this does NOT affect I-80 westbound at the Marne interchange.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Warnings and watches for mostly minor flooding have been issued for several Iowa rivers. The National Weather Service posted or continued warnings Tuesday for the Cedar, Iowa, Maquoketa, Mississippi, North Raccoon, Rock and Wapsipinicon rivers. More rain is expected to fall on already saturated ground and eventually flow into already swollen streams and rivers.

Cedar Rapids is preparing its Cedar River flood defenses for a Sunday crest of more than 6 feet (2 meters) of above flood stage. Davenport is closing a street to install flood protection along the rising Mississippi River.