From the Associated Press:
GRUNDY CENTER, Iowa (AP) — A man charged with killing an Iowa State Patrol trooper in 2021 plans to plead self-defense. Michael Lang is scheduled to stand trial May 9 for first-degree murder in the death of Patrol Sgt. Jim Smith at Lang’s home in Grundy Center. In a court filing on Tuesday, Lang’s attorneys said he intends to plead self-defense. Prosecutors filed a motion asking the judge to prevent testimony supporting Lang’s self-defense claim or about Iowa’s “stand your ground” laws. Smith was shot on April 9, 2021, when he led a tactical team into Lang’s home to arrest him. Lang was wanted for assaulting a police officer after a traffic pursuit earlier that day.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The attorney for an Iowa 17-year-old accused of helping a classmate kill their high school Spanish teacher has argued that his case should be moved from adult to juvenile court. Such a move could allow Jeremy Goodale to dodge a long prison sentence; He would be released at age 18. Goodale’s attorney requested the move during a hearing Thursday. Goodale and classmate Willard Miller are charged with murder in the beating death of Fairfield High School Spanish teacher Nohema Graber in November. Goodale was 16 at the time. Miller, who is 16, also wants his case to be sent to juvenile court.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governors from eight Midwest states asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Thursday for a permanent waiver that will allow each state to continue selling ethanol blended gas year-round without restriction. The EPA’s decision last week to suspend restrictions of summer sales of the lower-carbon, lower-cost E15 gasoline is temporary and only applies to the 2022 summer driving season. E15 is usually prohibited between June 1 and Sept. 15 because of concerns that it adds to smog in high temperatures. The bipartisan group of governors from Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin sent a joint letter to EPA Administrator Michael Reagan formally requesting the waiver.
CENTER, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota-based power cooperative and an Iowa company have announced an agreement to co-develop carbon dioxide storage facilities. Minnkota Power Cooperative, which operates out of Grand Forks, and Ames, Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions say the CO2 storage facilities would be located in western North Dakota, near the town of Center. Minnkota and Summit say they have been working independently on the development of their respective carbon capture and storage projects. The groups say the partnership “will more quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively advance their projects to commercial operations.”
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa-based grocery chain Hy-Vee says it will ask up to 500 of its employees to move from corporate-level jobs to retail positions at its stores. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that the move comes after the company already eliminated 121 corporate-level positions in March. The company says 102 of those employees were offered retail positions. In addition to shifting employees’ jobs, the company said it will be pausing several projects, including a new warehouse in Cumming, Iowa. The company blamed, among other things, rising inflation, increasing fuel and construction costs and supply chain disruptions for the moves.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa will become the first U.S. state to require that gas stations have pumps selling fuel with at least 15% ethanol. Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed the bill that received final legislative approval Tuesday, and when she signs it into law, the measure will boost corn growers and the ethanol industry. Ethanol production consumes roughly half the state’s corn crop, and Iowa leads the nation in corn and ethanol production. Most gas sold in nationwide is blended with 10% ethanol. The bill includes exemptions for gas stations selling less than 300,000 gallons of fuel a year, and stations with old storage tanks can get waivers.
