Friday, October 23, 2015

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled the plea deal in a 2012 Des Moines stabbing death is invalid and has vacated the convictions of the killer. WHO-TV reports Joseph Ceretti pled guilty in 2013 to attempted murder, manslaughter, and willful injury causing serious injury in the stabbing death of 31-year-old Eric Naylor. Ceretti appealed claiming the attempted murder and willful injury convictions should merge with the manslaughter conviction because they share the same intent – to kill. The court agreed and vacated the conviction.

FORT MADISON, IA (IRN) – Two Fort Madison teenagers have been accused of tossing Molotov cocktails into several parked vehicles, according to KCRG-TV. The boys, a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old, were arrested Wednesday. One boy is charged with four counts of arson and one count of criminal mischief. The other is charged with four counts of aiding and abetting arson. No injuries from the fires have been reported.

DAVIS COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Davis County cross country runner was disqualified from the state tournament as an individual–for his good sportsmanship. KCII Radio reports Zach Hougland took first in the state qualifying race at Columbus Junction. After Hougland crossed the finish line, he returned to the course to help a Mediapolis runner who had collapsed. Helping a runner cross the finish line constitutes a rules violation. Davis County qualified as a team so Hougland will still run at State.

OGDEN, IA (IRN) – The Boone County Board of Supervisors has taken a stand against the proposed Bakken crude oil pipeline that would run across Iowa through Boone County. WHO-TV reports the supervisors voted unanimously against the pipeline, saying landowner property rights would be violated and that the environmental risks are too great.

DES MOINES (IRN) – A large number of teachers falling ill Thursday resulted in the cancellation of classes at Des Moines’ Roosevelt High School. KCCI-TV reports 58 teachers or about half of the school’s staff reported being ill. Those who attended a catered lunch Wednesday became ill with what the Polk County Health Department believes to be food poisoning.

DES MOINES (IRN) – Ben Carson has passed Donald Trump as the favorite Republican presidential candidate in Iowa. The Des Moines Register reports Carson is the favorite for 28% of likely Republican caucus-goers, 9 percentage points ahead of Trump’s 19 percent. Moving up into third place is Ted Cruz, at 10% support, followed by Marco Rubio in fourth, with Jeb Bush and Rand Paul tied for fifth place.

DES MOINES (IRN) – The Iowa real estate market had the best third quarter in eight years, with the median sales price up 5.1 percent and home sales up 5.2 percent from the third quarter of 2014, according to the Iowa Association of Realtors. Houses sold in the third quarter were on the market an average of 67 days. Year-to-date sales have outpaced last year’s numbers by nearly 8 percent. The median sales price in September was nearly $140,000.