Gazette Daily News Podcast: February 3 and 4, 2024

– Cedar Rapids police respond to swatting call at Jefferson High School

– Cedar Rapids woman charged with murder, domestic abuse

– Attorney: Pundits on search for missing trucker have ‘demoralizing effect’

– Capitol Notebook: Lawmakers advance bill allowing Iowa county attorneys to be armed at all times

– ‘Something Rotten!’ coming to Theatre Cedar Rapids stage

Episode Transcript

Welcome to the Weekend Edition of The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast. This podcast gives quick bites from the latest headlines coming out of The Gazette newsroom. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Up first, Jefferson High School receives a false threat

And later, the search continues for a missing Iowa trucker

Plus, Something Rotten is coming soon–the musical, not decaying food

A threat was reported at Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids Friday morning, but it was a false alarm. Cedar Rapids police department believes the threat was a swatting call. Swatting calls are false reports of a serious crime with the intent of drawing a large law enforcement response and creating chaos.

CRPD and firefighters responded to the reported threat at 10:45 Friday morning. Safety protocols and a school lock down were enacted while police swept the premises. No active threat was found and the lock down was lifted as of 11:25 a.m. Students were allowed to leave the school if desired. On January 17, several swatting calls were made at roughly the same time at schools across Iowa, including Marion High School. This was the same day Iowa House lawmakers advanced a bill making it a felony to make a false report of a serious crime to law enforcement.

Up next, A Cedar Rapids woman is facing murder and assault charges. 30-year-old Charmisha Pirtle is accused of the murder of 29-year-old Anthony Fitts of Cedar Rapids. Fitts died at a hospital Jan. 24. Police found Fitts injured outside an apartment building at 1258 15th St. SE.

Pirtle was arrested Friday on charges of second-degree murder and assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. Fitts’s cause of death has not been released.

Next, 53-year-old David Schultz vanished two days before Thanksgiving.

Now, Sac County plans to use $25 thousand of pandemic relief funds for a reward for information leading to Schultz.

Sac County Attorney Ben Smith said from his reading of the law and U.S. Treasury Department regulations, the funds can be used in this way. Sac County received less than $1.9 million in total relief money.

The reward is not yet active but Smith said the Sac County Sheriff’s office has been quote “working diligently to set up a process capable of facilizing the intake of this information” end quote.

On the investigation front, Smith said the online criticism directed at investigators has had a quote “demoralizing effect” end quote on those involved. In December, Sac County Sheriff Ken McClure said, quote, “I don’t mean this to sound critical, but we’re getting a whole bunch of keyboard detectives and Perry Masons out here who are like, ‘Well did you check this?’ This isn’t Day One, if you know what I mean.” end quote. McClure went on to say that received tips are sorted and prioritized.

The Sioux City Journal previously reported that Schultz’s red with white stripes Peterbilt semi-trailer truck was found the afternoon of Nov. 21. The truck was parked in the middle of the northbound lane of County Road N-14. The trailer had pigs in it, but David was missing. The truck and its lights were shut off and the key was in the ignition. Deputies found David’s wallet and cellphone inside. On the opposite side of the road, a towel, cellphone charger and pocketknife were found with a coat.

Anyone with information about Schultz’s disappearance should contact the Sac County Sheriff’s office at 712-662-7127 or the Iowa DCI at 712-262-1873

Next, Iowa lawmakers advanced a bill that would allow county and assistant county attorneys to apply for professional weapon permits. House File 2083 would allow Iowa county attorneys who are issued a permit to go armed anywhere in the state at all times, including on school grounds. The bill outlined that permits issued would be valid for the duration of employment as a prosecutor, unless otherwise canceled.

With a professional permit, county attorneys would have the same authority to carry a gun as police officers, security guards, bank messengers, correctional officers and private investigators.

Iowa County Attorneys Association executive director Jessica Reynolds said while serving as a Story County attorney, an assistant county attorney was assaulted in a courthouse hallway by the brother of a defendant. Rep. Lindsay James, a democrat from Dubuque, was the only subcommittee member to vote against the bill. James said, quote, “I certainly want to make sure that we have a safe, you know, court spaces, and I would like to see something like an investment in more court security if this is really a concern.” end quote.

The Iowa Judicial Branch is registered as undecided on the bill.

Now, for a spot of entertainment news. A musical scored with rock and roll music and set in the Renaissance is coming to Cedar Rapids.”Something Rotten” will take the Theatre Cedar Rapids stage February 9 to March 3. The story is set in South London in 1595. Don’t worry, it leaves the Shakespearan language behind. The protagonist Nick Bottom pays a fortuneteller to learn what the next big thing will be so he can get a head start. The answer, of course, is musicals. So, Nick sets out to write the world’s first musical and to one-up his friend-turned-nemesis, Shakespeare. Tickets range from $25 to $59 and be bought at the TCR box office or a theatrecr.org.

You can find a link to each of the stories featured in today’s episode in this episode’s description or at the gazette dot com.

Finally, let’s take a look at today’s weather in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Today will be sunny with a high of 43 degrees and low of 30 degrees. Temperatures will rise Sunday. Expect a high of 46 and low of 28. Sunday will be partly cloudy.

Thank you for listening to the weekend edition of The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast. Stay up to date with the latest news from Eastern Iowa at the gazette dot com. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Comments: bailey.cichon@thegazette.com