Gazette Daily News Podcast: Thursday, January 25, 2024

– ISU officer fired after hitting two vehicles in car chase

– Iowans speak out against bill making it easier to fund pregnancy centers

– Families could monitor Iowa nursing home residents under bill

Episode Transcript

You are listening to The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast on Thursday, January 25. This podcast gives quick bites from the latest headlines coming out of The Gazette newsroom. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Up first, an ISU officer is fired for engaging in a high-speed pursuit that led to the officer hitting two vehicles. And later, a look at recent activity within the Iowa legislature.

An Iowa State University officer has been fired for engaging in a high-speed pursuit against department policy. During the chase, McKenna Rich, hit two vehicles, including one that then struck an apartment building.

On October 9th, Rich heard on the police radio about a pursuit of a vehicle heading the wrong way on Highway 30. The ISU police captain radioed out instructions to not get involved unless requested.

When a dispatcher asked Rich if she was in the area, Rich said she was and would quote “stage” end quote at a nearby intersection. There, Rich saw the suspect and Story County deputy in pursuit. Rich asked the deputy if he needed assistance and she reported hearing the deputy ask for assistance in blocking the suspect.

The deputy tried to stop the suspect with a maneuver that would force the vehicle to spin out and leave both vehicles temporarily stopped at the intersection. Records show Rich quote “approached the vehicles at a high rate of speed and had to switch lanes to the outside lane to avoid the vehicles” end quote. Rich was unable to stop and collided with an uninvolved vehicle.

As the chase continued, a second sheriff’s deputy arrived and quote “activated his air horn to attempt to get her to move so he could get past and assist” end quote. But Rich took the horn as meaning she should continue pursuing and left the struck vehicle without providing instructions. Later in the pursuit, she hit another vehicle that then hit an apartment building. Then Rich stopped engaging in the pursuit. The chase lasted about three minutes.

An internal ISU police investigation was conducted and Rich was fired for violating direct orders, running red lights before turning on her lights and sirens, not checking intersections before entering, forcing vehicles from their lanes, speeding without slowing to make sure intersections were clear and hitting two cars.

The chase was not the first of Rich’s alleged violations with the department. Rich was involved in a pursuit in April 2023. After that incident, ISU determined Rich had violated department directives and state law by quote “not operating her patrol vehicle with due regard to public safety.” end quote. Rich had to meet with an Iowa Law Enforcement Academy driving instructor but wasn’t told her job was in jeopardy if she violated policies again.

On September 23, ISU received a complaint about a search Rich had conducted. An investigation found Rich engaged in an unconstitutional detention. Additionally, Rich coerced the person into producing incriminating evidence by threatening to conduct an unconstitutional search. That investigation was open when the October chase occurred.

Rich has been ordered to return the $2,328 in unemployment benefits she collected after being placed on administrative leave the day of the chase. Rich declined to comment.

Next, Iowans are speaking out against advancing legislation that would make it easier for the state to funnel money to pregnancy crisis centers. For context, in 2022 the legislature pass the “More Options for Maternal Support” or MOMS program into law. This program provides state dollars to pregnancy resource centers that promote alternatives to abortion. Last year, lawmakers approved $2 million for the program. Twice, the state has failed to find a third-party administrator for the network of crisis pregnancy centers. Pregnancy resource centers are not fully licensed medical facilities. The centers are usually religious-affiliated organizations that discourage abortion and promote childbirth or adoption. Abortion rights advocates oppose state funding for these centers.

Earlier this week, an Iowa House subcommittee advanced House File 2057 which would remove the requirement for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to hire a third-party administrator. Subcommittee members approved the bill 2-1 with Rep. Heather Matson, a Democrat from Ankeny, voting against it. Matson noted that the program exists to exclude groups like Planned Parenthood that provide reproductive health care, including abortion. Opponents of the bill say it would loosen accountability requirements for the state and third-party contractors administering the program and could result in quote “illegitimate organizations” end quote being eligible to receive millions of taxpayer dollars.

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa Public Affairs Director Mazie Stilwell told lawmakers quote, “My concern here is that when we are unable to find a suitable administrator for the program, I don’t believe that answer is making it easier to become the administrator,” end quote.

Tom Chapman of the Iowa Catholic Conference spoke in favor of the bill and said it provides a way to allow the stalled MOMS program to move forward with the state taking on the role of program administrator.

Read the full story by Tom Barton at The Gazette dot com. Find the story linked in this episode’s description.

Next, families of nursing home residents could use cameras to monitor their rooms under a bill advanced by Iowa lawmakers on Tuesday. According to one of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Joel Fry, House File 537 has been in development for years but privacy and confidentiality concerns have stalled progress. Scrutiny over Iowa’s nursing homes has increased after multiple reports in the last year of deaths, abuse and neglect at long-term care facilities.

The bill aims to improve family member’s ability to monitor the safety of their loved ones. The bill requires a nursing home resident to consent before monitoring could begin, unless a health care provider deems the resident unable to understand the nature of the monitoring. If the latter is the case, an attorney or legal guardian would be able to consent for them.

If the resident is in a shared room, the roommate would also need to consent. If the roommate does not consent, the nursing home would have to accommodate the request by offering one of the residents a different room.

Rep. Timi Brown- Powers, a Democrat from Waterloo, has concerns about who can access the videos, how long the videos would be saved and how to protect the privacy of roommates. Brown-Powers said quote, “ I think we need to do something. I think doing nothing is not an option at this juncture, but I do have some questions to make sure that we are giving the best care, the most dignity to these folks and keeping people safe all at the same time.” end quote. The proposal was passed unanimously by a subcommittee. Next, House File 537 heads to the House Health and Human Services Committee.

Follow The Gazette’s coverage of the Iowa Legislature at The Gazette dot com slash state hyphen government.

Finally, let’s take a look at today’s weather in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Today, expect a mix of snow and rain. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 35 degrees and low of 33 degrees. Friday, temperatures will stay in that range. Anticipate cloudy skies.

Thank you for listening to 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