WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – An audit by state auditor’s office of the Waukee Community School District has identified more than $130,000 expenditures “which were not in the best interest of taxpayers.” The approximately $129,000 of costs identified include $83,000 spent on retreats for the District’s administrators, $18,000 of purchases made with procurement cards, and $28,000 for lounge chairs and furniture purchased for the Superintendent’s office.
BLOOMINGTON, IL (IRN) – A semi truck driving the wrong way crashed with a school bus carrying a girls basketball team, killing two people just outside Bloomington, Illinois, according to CNN. The crash was reported Wednesday. The driver of the semi truck, a 34-year-old man from Iowa, and Charles Crabtree, 72, a school volunteer traveling with the team, were killed in the crash. The semi truck’s driver has not been named pending next of kin notification.
DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Both occupants of a reportedly stolen sedan that crashed in Des Moines on Monday have now died. The Des Moines Register reports the driver of the sedan, Jair Sanchez-Banos, 17, died Wednesday. Passenger Emilio Esteban Garcia, 16, died earlier. Police said the two were tied to an earlier drive-by shooting.
CRESTON, IA (IRN) – Beth Kulow, a former dean at Southwestern Community College in Creston, is facing criminal charges for allegedly stealing from the school. WHO-TV reports Kulow is accused of approving the use of school funds for private expenses including travel and her wedding. Kulow resigned in October.
DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Sen. Chuck Grassley says he will not support any Republican challenger to President Donald Trump in the primary ahead of the 2020 election. Grassley says anyone is welcome to campaign in Iowa, but he won’t be appearing with them. Outgoing Ohio Gov. John Kasich says he’s seriously considering challenging Trump for the 2020 GOP presidential nomination.
MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A stunt done to get some laughs in Mason City did just that – but it also caused an increase of calls to the Mason City Police Department. KIMT-TV reports Joe Paulsen, owner of Kllen Sweep Construction, placed a dummy that looked like a man in trouble hanging from a gutter and reaching for a ladder on the front of his business. Paulsen was trying to replicate the famous scene by Clark Griswold in the movie Christmas Vacation. Police weren’t happy, and Paulson took it down. He still thinks it’s funny.