DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man has pled not guilty to murder charges in ambush-style attacks that killed two Des Moines metro police officers last month. KCCI-TV reports 46-year-old Scott Michael Greene submitted his written plea in a court filing Wednesday in which he also asked for a speedy trial. The shootings took place about two miles apart within minutes of each other as both officers were sitting in their patrol cars.
MONONA, IA (IRN) – One person is dead after being hit by a car in northeast Iowa. KIMT-TV reports that a pedestrian crossing the road at an intersection on the southern edge of Monona was hit Tuesday evening by a vehicle. The name of the deceased has not been released.
DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Five teenagers have been charged in connection with a robbery at Tradesmen Community Credit Union in Des Moines yesterday, according to KCCI-TV. Several suspects entered the credit union, one armed with a handgun. They left with an undisclosed amount of cash, but were pulled over quickly and arrested. Some are students in the Des Moines School District. All will be tried as adults.
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Firefighters battled frigid temperatures while trying to put out a fire in Cedar Rapids last night. KCRG-TV reports it started around 7 p.m. at Document Destruction and Recycling Services. Firefighters say the building’s sprinkler system activated, which helped control the fire, which was located in recycled paper bundles. Temperatures were in the single digits with sub-zero wind chills. No one was hurt.
DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A nonpartisan agency estimates Iowa faces a shortfall of about $132 million in its current budget. The Legislative Services Agency estimated Iowa’s revenue intake at roughly $7.2 billion and decreased its budget projections by $96 million. The agency tacked on an extra $22 million in additional Medicaid costs under Governor Branstad’s new privatized Medicaid system.
DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Transportation is trying to get more farmers to join the Standing Corn Program. It’s been around for over 25 years. With the program, farmers build temporary fences made out of corn to help block the wind and snow off the highways, which helps keep drivers safe. Farmers are paid for the corn, and it saves the DOT money on snow fences.