COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man was sentenced Friday for possession of child pornography. KETV reports 41-year-old Mitchell Obrecht of Carter Lake was sentenced to over eight years in prison. The charge resulted from an investigation into the posting of a video and an image, each depicting child pornography, on a social networking site. A search of Obrecht’s home found two computers that contained over 1,000 of images of child pornography.
SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A Sioux City teen has been arrested and charged with a felony after police said he intentionally shot his 3-year-old sister twice in the face with a BB gun, severely injuring her. The Sioux City Journal reports that the 17-year-old shot the preschooler Wednesday, breaking her jaw and requiring surgery. Doctors say one BB was removed during surgery, but the other BB entered near her eye and lodged next to her brain. Doctors say it was too risky to remove, so has been left in place.
IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – In a landmark sexual harassment case, the University of Iowa agreed to pay Tracey Griesbaum $1.5 million Friday to end a legal battle that began nearly three years ago with the firing of the former field hockey coach. In addition, the school will pay $2.3 million to Griesbaum’s partner, Jane Meyer, and $2.7 million to the Des Moines law firm that represented them both, bringing the total payment to $6.5 million.
IOWA (IRN) – This weekend could be Terry Branstad’s final one as Iowa’s governor. On Monday, the U.S. Senate will vote on Branstad’s nomination to become the next U.S. Ambassador to China. With Branstad’s appointment, Kim Reynolds’ will become the first woman to serve as governor of Iowa.
JANESVILLE, IA (IRN) – Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers helped an Iowa high school class get out of a final exam. ESPN reports the class made a deal with its teacher, who is a Rodgers fan, that a retweet from the quarterback would cancel the final in a sports literature class in the Janesville School District. Rodgers obliged, tweeting, “I’m sure a sports lit final is very important, but here you go….”