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KXEL Morning News for Mon. May 10, 2021

By Jeff Stein May 10, 2021 | 5:00 AM

Someone who bought a Powerball ticket from the New Star Liquor on West 4th St in Waterloo won a $2 million prize in Saturday’s drawing…and the Iowa Lottery says the ticket came within one number of having at least a share of Saturday’s $155.9 million jackpot. New Star liquor will get a $2,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the ticket. Prizes of $2 million must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. This is the second biggest prize in Iowa’s Powerball this year.

Investigation continues after Waterloo police discovered an unoccupied pickup truck partly submerged in Harold Getty Lake in Waterloo. Police first learned of the matter just before 8 o’clock Sunday morning. Emergency crews were dispatched to remove the truck, but say the driver was nowhere to be found. Police say the owner of the truck had called to report the vehicle had been stolen.

A measure that would remove the statute of limitations for filing criminal child sex abuse charges is on its way to Governor Kim Reynolds’ desk. Currently, victims have until age 33 to press criminal charges. The House approved the measure in an 84-2 vote.

A proposed buyer for $32.9 million in revenue bonds to help fund the new Cedar Falls high school’s construction will be considered Monday by the Board of Education. Regions Capital Advantage of Birmingham, Alabama, has submitted a proposal to purchase the sales tax revenue bonds. They would be repaid with proceeds from the district’s portion of statewide 1% sales tax over an 18-year period at an interest rate of 2.14%. That would add $7.78 million in interest by 2039 for total repayment of $40.68 million. Construction of the school, located on 70 acres north of West 27th Street and west of PE Center Drive, will cost an estimated $113 million — $89 million of which has been awarded in builder contracts.

Less than two years after arriving, Hawkeye Community College’s executive vice president is leaving to lead a similar institution in Ohio. Dione Somerville will become president of Owens Community College in Perrysburg, Ohio, on June 15. Her last day with Hawkeye will be June 11. Owens Community College conducted a five-month search to find new leader. She was among three finalists competing for the position, one of whom dropped out of the running in early April. She indicated a desire to be closer to family as a reason for seeking the new job.

To-go alcohol at Iowa restaurants could soon be eligible for delivery pending Gov. Kim Reynolds’ approval. The Iowa House voted 85-1 to allow businesses with the proper permits and licenses to continue selling alcoholic drinks for carry-out. To-go cocktails began last year to help restaurants continue making a profit during COVID-related shutdowns. The bill also allows a gallon of a cocktail to be made ahead of time and packaged individually to fill orders instead of making individual to-go drinks. The bill would take effect July 1 if approved by Reynolds.

A bicyclist was sent to the hospital with serious injuries Friday after investigators say she was hit by a car on Whittier Road in Linn County just after 5:30 p.m. 57-year-old Ann Knupp of Springville was flown to the University of Iowa for treatment. Investigators identified the driver as 26-year-old Cynthanee Heeren of Central City. Heeren was not injured. Knupp was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident, which remains under investigation.

The one-time treasurer of the Tama County Republican Central Committee has been charged with stealing from the organization. 62-year-old Michael Charles Bearden of Gladbrook is also accused of stealing from a daycare center, according to court records. Court records say Bearden took more than 15-hundred dollars from the county Republicans earlier this year, plus more than 10-thousand worth of checks drawn on the Crayon Corner Learning Center daycare.

West Des Moines Police are investigating the death of a woman found on the interstate. Authorities said just before Sunday, officers responded to I-35 northbound near mile marker 70.5 after a passerby said they found what appeared to be a deceased individual off the shoulder of the interstate north of Mills Civic Parkway. Police found a deceased middle-aged female in the area.

A Dubuque woman is now charged with child endangerment, accused of failing to protect her niece from consuming a bag of marijuana gummies inside the apartment where she was caring for the child. The incident happened during the afternoon of February 14th. The 2-year-old girl was placed in the care of Janika Williams, the girl’s aunt, while the child’s mother left to go out of state for the weekend. Investigators say the girl was left unattended in a bedroom with two other minor children. That’s when the child found a bag of gummies and ate the entire bag – 10 gummies for a total of 500 mg of THC. The child was found unresponsive taken to the hospital; she awoke the next day and was placed in her mother’s care.

Officials with the Grinnell-Newberg Community School District say they have punished middle school students who posted a video on TikTok. Grinnell police also are investigating after residents reported the video titled “Hitler Gang.” Those residents believe the video was directed at their son, a Jewish transgender student at the middle school. Police say the 10-second video shows several male students walking through the school hallway “in a goose-step style manner with their arms extended and palms down.” Police say the video also included “several racist and derogatory hashtags.” Grinnell-Newburg Superintendent Janet Stutz says the students involved were punished, but didn’t elaborate.

Des Moines police say a woman was fatally shot, and the man suspected of shooting her died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police found the woman outside an apartment building Friday night. The woman, identified as 39-year-old Christina Marie Dirks, died at a hospital. Witnesses identified a male suspect and told police he had entered the apartment building. Early Saturday, tactical officers entered the apartment and found the man dead. Police on Saturday identified him as 42-year-old Rustin Dean Rice. They say Dirks and Rice had lived together until Dirks moved out the day before the shooting. Investigators believe Rice shot Dirks and later shot himself.

A woman suffered minor injuries after a dog bite this weekend, and police are trying to identify the owner of the dogs. Mason City Police said it was reported Saturday morning after a woman was bitten while walking on Zerble’s Trail. The woman told police she encountered a male with reddish hair and a slender build who had glasses and was in his 30s. The dogs are described as being a Lab mix, one yellow and the other black. The dogs and male were last seen walking from the trail at 18th St. and N. Pennsylvania Ave. Police are seeking to identify the male to help verify the dogs have been vaccinated. Anyone with information is asked to call the police.

If you plan on attending the first Friday Loo Summer Concert Series next Friday, you can also get a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Main Street Waterloo is partnering with UnityPoint Health to host a mobile vaccination clinic at the first Friday Loo of the season on May 14. You do not need an appointment. Both one-dose and two-dose options will be available. The series kicks off from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Lincoln Park in downtown Waterloo with the band Wildcard  performing.

Organizers of Coralville’s 4thFest announced today that Josh Turner will perform at this year’s 4thFest concert. The free summer concert will take place in S.T. Morrison Park on July 3. The country music star will take the stage at 8 p.m. after the Danny Whitson Band performs at 6:30 p.m. Organizers of the 2021 4thFest said they are working to ensure the celebration is safe and aligns with health guidelines.