Week in Iowa, Dec. 15, 2024: Recap of news from across the state

Reynolds names new lieutenant: Gov. Kim Reynolds announced state Sen. Chris Cournoyer as her new lieutenant governor. Cournoyer, a Republican from LeClaire, has served in the Iowa Senate since 2018. She succeeds former Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, who resigned in September to take a job as president and chief executive officer of the Iowa Bankers Association. Cournoyer, 54, was sworn in last Monday as Iowa’s 48th lieutenant governor during a ceremony in the Governor’s Formal Office at the Iowa Capitol.

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Trump sues pollster: President-elect Donald Trump ramped up his legal campaign against news outlets, filing a lawsuit against renowned Iowa pollster Ann Selzer, her polling firm, the Des Moines Register and the newspaper’s parent company, Gannett. The lawsuit alleges the defendants committed consumer fraud by publishing a poll three days before the Nov. 5 election that showed Vice President Kamala Harris leading Trump by 3 points in the GOP-led state. Trump won Iowa by more than 13 points.

They said ...

“It’s an honor and somewhat surreal to be standing at this podium as Iowa’s lieutenant governor. … In other words, this is a humbling responsibility for me." — Chris Cournoyer, Iowa's new lieutenant governor

"To suggest without a single shred of evidence that I was in cahoots with somebody, I was being paid by somebody … it's hard to pay too much attention to it except that they are accusing me of a crime." — Ann Selzer, Iowa Poll director, during an “Iowa Press” appearance before being sued by President-elect Donald Trump.

Odds and ends

Strong work ethic: A Davenport man faces robbery and theft charges after he allegedly stole a car and told police he needed it to get a job. Cody Allan Grimm, 34, allegedly walked up to a parked vehicle, knocked on the window and told the driver his tire was flat. When the victim got out of the vehicle, Grimm pushed him out of the way and got in the driver’s seat, authorities said. The victim tried to get in the rear driver’s side door, and Grimm accelerated backward, knocking him to the ground.

Child porn arrest: The owner of Kona Ice of Davenport, a mobile truck that provides shaved ice desserts, has been arrested for allegedly possessing child pornography. Paul E. Fuller is charged with five counts of possession of a depiction of a minor in a sex act-first offense. According to the arrest affidavit, police received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. During a search of Fuller's computer accounts, police say they found a video and images of child pornography, according to the affidavit.

Water cooler

Need for speed: A Nebraska man allegedly stole a Sioux City Parks and Recreation truck and led officers on a pursuit that exceeded 100 mph. Bill Oquinn, 53, was arrested after he "jumped into" a white 2020 Ram on Interstate 29. "They left it running with hazards on. The guy jumps in and takes off," Sioux City Police Sgt. Tom Gill said.

Pipeline fight: Worth County supervisors have proposed an ordinance placing restrictions on a carbon dioxide pipeline proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions. The ordinance would prohibit hazardous liquid pipelines within half a mile of churches, homes, schools, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, hospitals, public parks and other sensitive areas. Summit has challenged similar ordinances in other Iowa counties in U.S. District Court and won.

More in the news

State won’t allow satanic display: A year after a satanic holiday display in the Iowa Capitol’s rotunda was damaged, state officials denied this year’s event, citing concerns over obscenity and potential harm to children. The Iowa Department of Administrative Services did not approve the Satanic Temple of Iowa’s holiday celebration, which was set to include satanic holiday carols, a satanic altar and a Krampus costume contest. The Satanic Temple of Iowa alleged that the department “forcibly canceled” the event in a statement on the organization’s Facebook page.

Death in custody: State authorities are investigating after a Waterloo man died after being handcuffed following a chase through two counties last weekend. Willie Earl Washington, 42, fled police at speeds up to 90 mph on Waterloo city streets before officers ended the pursuit for safety reasons. Bremer County sheriff’s deputies later pursued Washington and used stop sticks to end the chase. The driver was detained and became unconscious while on the ground. Deputies administered CPR, but Washington later died. The pursuit and arrest were recorded on several vehicle cameras and body-worn cameras.