COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – The Diocese of Des Moines suspended indefinitely a Council Bluffs priest Tuesday over an allegation of unwelcome advances. KETV reports Father Carlos Pineda Gomez serves as the vicar for the Corpus Christi Parish in Council Bluffs. The diocese took action against the priest after a hearing over an allegation of a “serious violation of boundary issues related to unwelcome advances toward an adult.”

BLACK HAWK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Investigators have found the body of a Waterloo man who was reported missing earlier this week. KCCI-TV reports the body of 23-year-old Denis Maric was found in a wooded area near the Turkey Ridge Wildlife Area. No foul play is suspected.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Smoking led to the death of a man in a Cedar Rapids apartment fire Saturday, according to KCRG-TV. Smoking materials ignited a chair, and the apartment caught fire. 57-year-old Thomas Jones was found close to the chair when firefighters made entry. Jones was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with severe burns where he later died.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two women were pulled from a fully engulfed house fire in Des Moines last night. KCCI-TV reports one woman was taken from the home in a stretcher and given CPR. The other woman was uninjured. Investigators say the home had been without utilities for quite some time, raising suspicions as to whether or not the occupants legally lived in the home.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – An overnight chase Monday ended with a cruiser on fire in Fort Dodge. The Messenger reports police chased a stolen vehicle through cornfields before it crashed into a ravine. 32-year-old Bradley Baumann of Fort Dodge was taken into custody. A parked patrol vehicle caught fire.

CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Valley Dental Associates in Cedar Falls just got a new “assistant.” KWWL-TV reports Maya is a 4-month-old chocolate lab mix. She’s a rescue puppy from Missouri. She was in a litter of 6, and they were found in Missouri malnourished and out in the cold. Maya is training to become a therapy dog, and the goal is for Maya to eventually be able to sit with patients, and to help ease any anxiety they might have. Staff say Maya is the perfect addition for a dentist with the motto, “We cater to cowards.”

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.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man was killed in a fire in Cedar Rapids, according to KGAN-TV. 57-year-old Thomas Jones was the only occupant of Shamrock Apartments where the fire originated and was contained. When firefighters arrived they were advised that an occupant was trapped inside a burning apartment unit. He was severely burned and died later at the hospital.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating what caused an early morning shooting at a southside bar. WHO-TV reports it happened at the Overboard Sports Bar around 1:30 Monday morning. Someone traveling in a white Buick that police suspected fired the shots fled the scene, and West Des Moines police later caught up with car. Two are in custody. No one was injured.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A man is in jail after he led police on a high speed chase that started in Moline, Illinois and ended in Davenport Sunday. WQAD-TV reports 25-year-old Lashawn D’James Hensley is being held on felony charges of carrying a dangerous weapon, eluding, and felon in possession of a firearm. The chase started after Moline police received a 9-1-1 call from a driver who said Hensley pointed a gun at them.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Fire officials are investigating what caused a vacant meatpacking plant to burn down Sunday morning in Cedar Rapids. KCRG-TV reports the fire was at the old Sinclair meatpacking plant. Firefighters arrived to find the building fully engulfed. The plant has been empty for several years.

CLINTON, IA (IRN) – Archer Daniels Midland plans to invest $196 million in its grain processing plant in Clinton. The Quad-City Times reports the project will update machinery and expand the facility. The mill produces a variety of corn products, including corn sweeteners, beverage alcohol, ethanol and animal feed. The plant employs more than 750. The project will receive more than $8 million in state and local tax credits.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The state champion wrestlers have been crowned, and the memories will last forever, according to KCCI-TV. PCM’s Lucas Roland won his championship match, then raced to his mom, who is battling breast cancer. Brody Teske of Fort Dodge and Alex Thomsen of Underwood each won their fourth-straight state titles. And Fort Dodge finally won the 3A team title after finishing second the past two years.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Patrol responded to numerous crashes Saturday on the Interstates due to a quick moving snow system that caused roads to become snow covered and icy. I-35 in Polk County was closed for 2 hours for a 70 car pile-up. Approximately 11 people were transported to local hospitals for injuries. 20 vehicles crashed on I-80 in Jasper County, and 30 on I-80 in Iowa County. A majority of the crashes were caused by motorists travelling too fast for conditions and not allowing enough following distance.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A Fort Dodge man is in jail after he allegedly stabbed a woman at an apartment complex. WHO-TV reports 46-year-old Luciano Benitez Castro assaulted a woman, then stabbed another. Castro claims the stabbing was in self defense.

GARNER, IA (IRN) – A Lake Mills man is facing charges of 1st degree burglary and domestic abuse assault in Hancock County. KIMT-TV reports 24-year-old Jesus Roman Gallardo followed someone home from a party. When the victim arrived, Gallardo forced his way into the home and assaulted her. The assault lasted over five hours, and involved grabbing, slapping, pushing, throwing, and restraining.

CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – A community theater group in northeast Iowa is making progress toward its fundraising goal of $1.5 million to renovate a 108-year-old mainstay in the historic downtown area. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that the Cedar Falls Community Theatre has raised nearly $650,000 for improvements at the Oster Regent Theatre. The venue attracts about 35,000 patrons each year.