Des Moines School Board Takes Responsibility For Hiring Former Superintendent
(Des Moines, IA) — The Des Moines School Board is claiming responsibility for hiring former Superintendent Ian Roberts. The chair of the board told lawmakers on Wednesday they were misled by Roberts, a citizen of Guyana who pleaded guilty to immigration and gun charges in January. Board Chair Kimberly Martorano says the background checks they performed would not have revealed his immigration issues until after his arrest in September. The district hired a Texas-based consulting firm to screen candidates and they did not find any concerns either. The board is seeking litigation against the company and said they will use E-Verify going forward to perform background checks.
Sioux City Man Detained By DHS After Chase
(Sioux City, IA) — A man is facing charges after a car chase in north Sioux City on Wednesday. A Department of Homeland Security unit arrested Raul Torres Olivares after he crashed into a Ford Expedition driven by a DHS officer. The arrest was filmed by a bystander and posted to social media. In 2000, Olivares pled guilty to failure to have a valid license while operating a motor vehicle, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle and failure to obey a traffic control device. Last year, he pled guilty to driving under a suspended license.
Suspect In Monona County Fairgrounds Arson Arrested
(Onawa, IA) — Monona County authorities say they found the man accused of setting the fairgrounds grandstand on fire. David Bryan is facing charges of second-degree arson, among other charges. He was arrested three other times in January and in one instance, sentenced to 10 days in jail. Authorities say Bryan is seen in surveillance footage walking toward the fairgrounds entrance about 20 minutes before the fire was reported on January 28, and no other people are seen in the footage at that time. Two other suspicious fires that happened that week are still under investigation.
Sioux City Bishop John Keehner Issues Statement Against ICE
(Sioux City, IA) — A local Bishop says his congregation is living in fear over federal immigration enforcement activities. Sioux City Bishop John Keehner issued a statement on Wednesday saying that people of goodwill should “stand in solidarity with immigrant families who contribute so much to the life of our parishes and communities.” He also called on lawmakers to enact responsible immigration reform. The statement also said that parishes will remain places of welcome. Keehner has served as Bishop since May 2025.
State House Considers 3 Bills To Reshape Education Guidelines
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa state House is considering three bills to reshape education guidelines in the state. The first bill would prohibit partnerships between public schools and libraries to ensure certain books are kept away from children. The second would end certain vaccine requirements for students attending public schools. The third would prohibit instruction on sexual orientation and “gender theory” in middle and high schools. All three bills advanced out of committee by 14-to-nine votes and are eligible for debate on the House floor.
