Week in Iowa, Sept. 1, 2024: Recap of news from across the state

Lieutenant governor resigns: Iowa Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg resigned Tuesday after serving more than seven years in office to take the helm of the state bankers association. Gregg said in a statement that “my time in public service must come to a close.” Gregg will become president and CEO of the Iowa Bankers Association effective Oct. 1.

Mpox in prison: The Iowa Department of Corrections confirmed it is responding to cases of the highly contagious viral disease mpox at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility. Officials would not say how many inmates or staff are infected. The illness usually is mild, and most infected individuals recover within a few weeks without treatment.

Ballot battle: An Iowa judge ruled that the state must not certify ballots for the Nov. 5 general election until the courts consider a challenge from three Libertarian candidates for Congress who argue they were improperly removed from the ballot by a state panel.

They said ...

"This season of my life needs to be focused on my family. My kids are growing up too fast, and statewide elected offices force me to miss more of their lives than I can accept. While difficult, the decision to resign from this role allows me to honor my most important commitment — my family.” -- Iowa Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg

“Adam has been a tremendous partner and an important part of my team over the last seven years, and I greatly appreciate his service to Iowans.” -- Gov. Kim Reynolds, commenting on the resignation of Iowa Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg

Odds and ends

UI embezzlement: A state audit found the former manager of the machine shop at the University of Iowa’s Department of Physics and Astronomy deposited nearly $1 million that should have gone to the university into his own personal accounts.

Stabbing in Iowa City: A juvenile was stabbed Wednesday evening during a fight at the Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center in Iowa City, according to police. The fight involved a group of juveniles, one of whom suffered a stab wound. The injured juvenile was treated at the scene and released.

ISU lawsuit: Months after agreeing to a $124,000 “separation payment” as part of a surprise split with its relatively new Senior Vice President for Operations and Finance Shawn Norman, Iowa State University is facing a lawsuit accusing it and Norman of sex and age discrimination. Christine Maduro, 57, of Indianola, recently filed a lawsuit in Story County District Court accusing ISU and Norman of discrimination in her June 2023 firing.

Water cooler

Director ousted: After an unusual meeting to publicly discuss the job performance of an employee, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to fire its executive director who’s been in the position for about 18 months — saying, in the words of a critic, he was harsh and disrespectful. Supervisors Rod Sullivan, Lisa Green-Douglass and Royceann Porter voted to immediately terminate Executive Director Guillermo Morales, who was hired in March 2023. Supervisors V Fixmer-Oraiz and Jon Green dissented, saying the action was out of line with county procedures.

All abuzz: April showers bring May flowers, and a few months later mosquitoes. In Iowa, the biting bugs have come out in droves over the last month and will continue biting through September. Summer flooding and increased rainfall have provided ideal breeding conditions.

More racist threats: A Hampton man arrested in August for posting racist flyers on Hispanic businesses in his Franklin County community was charged with distributing similar anti-immigration material at the Cedar Falls Public Library. Police charged 38-year-old Daniel Alan Embree with third-degree harassment.

More in the news

Mom charged with murder: A Little Rock mother was charged with murder in connection with the death of her 6-week-old son. Agents arrested Sydney Schneidermann, 25, on charges of first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death. Her husband, Brenan Schneidermann, 27, was arrested on a charge of child endangerment resulting in death.

Back in jail: An Iowa City man who fled to Jordan to avoid prosecution of attempted murder and other charges in May 2023 — and then surrendered last week in Chicago — was formally charged with escape Tuesday in Johnson County District Court. Ali Younes, 21, was extradited from Chicago after a self-surrender process following his plane landing from Jordan at O’Hare International Airport.

Fatal crash: A woman was killed in a fiery crash near Nora Springs in northern Iowa early Wednesday. The driver reportedly lost control of a 2022 Kia Telluride on the roadway and entered the median, then struck a bridge pillar and was quickly engulfed in flames.