DES MOINES – An Iowa magistrate faces potential sanctions from the Iowa Supreme Court for alleged use of a racial slur. The Des Moines Register reports David J. Hanson is accused of using the language that refers to undocumented Mexican nationals living in the United States, and he claims he was unaware of the connotations. He had a contentious exchange with the Iowa Supreme Court late last week. The Iowa Judicial Qualifications Commission has recommended a suspension for the part-time magistrate in Fayette County. CEDAR RAPIDS – A second term state representative has resigned effective immediately to serve on the Linn County Board of Supervisors. KCRG-TV reports Sami Scheetz will fill a vacancy at the county level. He was one of 17 applications for the position. Scheetz is a Democrat who served in the Iowa House since 2022. A special election will be called for that new vacancy. WINTERSET – The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is looking into possible misconduct in Madison County. WHO-13 reports the county sheriff forwarded a complaint on about a consulting firm hired by County Auditor Teri Kaczinski. The auditor hired Craig Bergman of the Robert Morris Group and paid out just over $7300 for 29 hours allegedly worked at the courthouse. The move was not approved by the Madison County Board of Supervisors, which caused public outcry due to ongoing budget cuts. Sheriff Jason Barnes says there are concerns about what access Bergman had to voting machines and records of citizens.

ATLANTIC – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made her first official stops in Iowa on Monday. She was joined by Governor Kim Reynolds, Senator Joni Ernst, Representative Zach Nunn, Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig at a biofuels production facility in Atlantic, a crop and hog farm in Waukee, and a soybean producer in Colfax. Rollins was the keynote speaker at the Iowa Ag Leaders Dinner in the evening. DES MOINES – The Iowa Attorney General’s Office announced that two Des Moines police officers who shot and killed a man earlier this year were justified. WHO-13 reports Officers Neal Shaffer and Titus Deford responded to an incident involving a suspicious person. The report indicated that 43-year-old David Leroy Kintz had lunged at officers with a screwdriver when they stopped him for questioning. DES MOINES – Iowa’s high school graduation rate climbed nearly a full percentage point, reaching 88.3% for the graduating class of 2024, according to figures released by the Iowa Department of Education. A total of 34,158 Iowa students earned their high school diplomas in the class of 2024. Iowa’s four-year graduation rate experienced by students with disabilities is 70.3%, representing an increase of 2.4 percentage points. The graduation rate for students from low-income backgrounds as determined by eligibility for free or reduced-price school meals is 80.2% which is a 1.5 percentage point increase from the previous year.DES MOINES – The newly-hired Men’s Basketball coach at the University of Iowa was recognized for his efforts at Drake University this past season. Ben McCollum was selected as the Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year, according to KCCI-Tv, given to the best Division I first-year head coach in the country. McCollum guided the Bulldogs in his first and only season the NCAA Round of 32.

IOWA – The new U.S. Secretary of Agriculture is making her first visit to Iowa today. The Des Moines Register reports Brooke Rollins is visiting an ethanol facility, hog farm, and soy bean producer before speaking in Ankeny this evening. Governor Kim Reynold and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig will host the event tonight. MINNESOTA – The Federal Aviation Administration is leading an investigation into a plane crash in Minnesota for an aircraft that departed from Des Moines on Saturday. All who were aboard the single-engine turboprop were killed as the crash hit a suburban Minneapolis home, according to KCCI-TV. The plane was registered to a U.S. Bank executive. The National Transportation Safety Board is handling the investigation. IOWA – This week to close out the month of March and begin April, it’ll be another with active spring weather, including a few windy days Tuesday and Wednesday. In addition on Tuesday, light rain with some rain/snow mix enters northern Iowa with strong to severe storms forecast Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds signed 11 bills into law on Friday. KCCI-TV reports that includes increasing the penalties for grooming minors to include tier one sex offender registration, expansion of open container laws to include THC, and allowing essential EMS funding to be used for Emergency Medical Care providers. Sport betting winnings are now considered taxable income. IOWA – Drought conditions improved in the latest weekly report. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows just over one-third of the state remains in moderate conditions, down from 56% last week. However, 79% of Iowa remains abnormally dry after below-average snowfall this past winter. Marginal chances for severe weather exist locally this weekend over the southern half of the state.

AMES – A fourth person has been arrested in connection to a homicide investigation in Ames. A press release from the department indicates 19-year-old Nashawn K. Green of Ankeny has been charged with first degree murder. On Wednesday the U.S. Marshals Service – North Star Fugitive Task Force arrested Green on the outstanding murder warrant. Green is being held in the Dakota County Jail in Hastings, Minnesota. Green is accused of murder charges with Zoe Anderson of Boone, Abraham Guhnics of Missouri, and Destiny Skurdal of Ames for the death of 25 year old Parker Stoneburner of Boone.WASHINGTON COUNTY – A Keota teenager was killed in a single vehicle crash Thursday afternoon in Washington County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 18-year-old Alaina McNurlen was traveling northbound on Highway 1 near mile marker 64 when the Saturn Ion she was driving crossed the centerline. In an attempt to get back into the proper lane, the crash report indicates she overcorrected and lost control. McNurlen was not wearing a seatbelt and died from her injuries. DES MOINES – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment and labor force participation rates held steady in February amid modest job growth across many private industries. Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in February, equal to January and up from 2.7 percent one year ago. The labor force participation rate was unchanged at 67.0 percent. Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate increased to 4.1 percent in February. DES MOINES — The Iowa Department of Education announced statewide voting is now open for Iowans to help select the state’s next education license plate design. Replacing the current decades-old design, these new license plate designs feature original artwork from 16 student semifinalists from across the state. A committee representing art teachers from across the state reviewed and selected the 16 semifinalists from over 100 qualified designs submitted by Iowa K-12 art classes.