DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – After the resignation of Senate Majority leader Bill Dix after video surfaced of him flirting with and kissing a lobbyist, Iowa Senate Republicans elected new leadership this morning. Sen. Jack Whitver is the new Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Charles Schneider is the new Senate President, Sen. Amy Sinclair is the new Majority Whip and Sen. Jake Chapman is the new Assistant Majority Leader.
OSKALOOSA, IA (IRN) – An Oskaloosa man has been charged with 2nd Degree Murder in the death of William Penn student Marquis Todd. Oskynews.com reports 23-year old Luke VanHemert allegedly stabbed Todd during a fight.
DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A semi truck carrying more than 100 hogs rolled over on Des Moines’ northeast side this morning. The Des Moines Register reports the driver was not injured in the incident, but the approximately 140 hogs had to be extracted from the vehicle and 10 had to be euthanized.
DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A controversial fetal heartbeat bill is no longer under consideration at the Statehouse, according to KCCI-TV. The bill, which would have banned abortions as soon as a fetal heartbeat is detected, will not be brought up for a vote. Before the abortion bill died, protesters lay on the Statehouse floor in silence and surrounded by hangers to represent women who died from having abortions when they were illegal.
DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The Dubuque man convicted of stabbing his girlfriend to death is claiming bullying in the jury as a reason he should get a new trial, according to KCRG-TV. Fontae Buelow allegedly stabbed Samantha Link to death during a fight but Buelow claims Link stabbed herself. In the appeal, the defense claims two jurors bullied others into finding Buelow guilty during deliberations.
WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A West Des Moines donut shop is refunding money to dozens of customers whose credit cards were charged without their knowledge. WHO-TV reports the Dunkin’ Donuts store says a computer glitch in its credit card processing system charged customers’ cards on days they didn’t purchase anything.
IOWA (IRN) – Iowa is number one–but not in a good way. Insurify, an insurance comparison website, reports that Iowa is number one in speeding tickets. 23.2 percent of Iowa drivers have reported getting a speeding ticket. That’s the highest percentage in the country, even though Iowa has the lowest number of law enforcement officers per capita in the top 10 speeding ticket states.