ANKENY, IA (IRN) – An Ankeny man who enticed and sexually abused a child was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Monday. The Des Moines Register reports 58-year-old Jeff Lee Altmayer approached two girls in Colfax and offered them $100 bills if one of them would get in his car and come to his home in Des Moines to do yard work. One girl declined and the other 11-year-old girl agreed to go with him, but later escaped. He faces similar charges in other counties.
OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – The vice president of the Ottumwa School Board has resigned. KTVO-TV reports Alex Barr stepped down after he was arrested for drunk driving earlier this month. It was Barr’s fourth drunk driving arrest since 2001. Following his latest arrest, the board asked Barr to resign. One board member confronted Barr during their last meeting, saying she’s not interested in giving him a second chance.
IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Dozens of students walked out of Iowa City classrooms Monday in an effort to send a message to lawmakers: school shootings must stop. The Iowa City Press citizen reports by 11:45 a.m., more than 200 students were gathered and chanting in front of the Old Capitol, and more were arriving. At noon, students began marching through the streets of downtown chanting “The NRA has got to go” and “Not one more.”
JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – A former accounting clerk for the city of Johnston is facing seven charges, including five felonies, for stealing from the district. WHO-TV reports 52-year-old Teresa Osburne allegedly didn’t deposit more than $13,000 in city funds.
DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two bills that could help winter weather driving become safer have cleared the Iowa Senate. One would require all snow plows to have flashing blue safety lights. Current law only requires the plows to have orange lights. The DOT says the blue safety lights would help reduce collisions with plows. The second bill would require all drivers to turn on their headlights whenever there’s fog, snow, sleet, or rain. Current law only requires drivers to turn on their lights if they can’t see 500 feet in front of them.
DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowans soon will be able to own a piece of one of the state’s most iconic landmarks: the state Capitol building’s golden dome. For $100 each, the Capitol Planning Commission is selling the bricks used in the dome’s original construction to raise money to renovate monuments around the Capitol complex. The bricks date back to 1880.