NEWS BRIEFS: Nominations sought for district court judge job; After redistricting, Loebsack buys home in Iowa City; more

Nominations sought for district court judge job

Applications are being accepted to fill the Judicial District 8A court judge position vacated by Judge Michael Mullins who was appointed to the Iowa Court of Appeals in June.

Each person who wishes to apply for nomination can obtain an application from the District Court Administrator?s Office for the 8th Judicial District by visiting 211 E. Fourth St., Ottumwa, emailing cathy.reck@iowacourts.gov or calling 641-684-6502, ext. 110.

Completed applications must be received by the court administrator?s office no later than 4:30 p.m. July 18.

Applicants must be members of the Iowa Bar, a resident in Jefferson, Van Buren, Appanoose, Davis, Keokuk, Mahaska, Monroe, Poweshiek, Wapello or Washington counties and be able to serve an initial and one regular term of office before reaching the age of 72.

After screening and interviews with the Judicial Nominating Commission, the commission will submit the names of two nominees to Gov. Terry Branstad, who will appoint one person to fill the vacancy.

After redistricting, Loebsack buys home in Iowa City

IOWA CITY (AP) ? Democratic U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack says he?s purchased a home in Iowa City so that he can run in next year?s elections to continue representing his newly-redrawn district.

Under a redistricting plan approved in April, Loebsack?s home in Mount Vernon fell in the same district as that of a fellow Democrat, U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley of Waterloo.

Rather than run against each other in a primary, Loebsack said he would move south in hopes of representing the newly-drawn 2nd Congressional district covering southeastern Iowa.

Loebsack told the Iowa City Press-Citizen on Tuesday he has closed on a home on Iowa City?s east side. He says he could have moved anywhere in the district, but chose Iowa City in part because his daughter, son-in-law and grandchild live there.

Three rescued after boat overturns

OTTUMWA (AP) ? Three people are safe after their boat overturned in the Des Moines River in Ottumwa.

Emergency crews rescued the three boaters about 9:30 p.m. Monday.

The boat overturned and then floated upside down through the Des Moines Hydro Dam as viewers waited for the Fourth of July Fireworks to begin.

No one was hurt and the names of the people who were rescued had not been released.

Two found dead in Urbandale

URBANDALE (AP) ? Police in Urbandale say two people have been found dead in a duplex, and authorities are treating the deaths as suspicious.

A news release from Urbandale Officer Jeff Casey says police received a call from a landlord around 12:20 p.m. Tuesday to report the deaths. Police arrived to find a man and a woman dead in the duplex. Authorities are not yet releasing their names pending notification of their families.

Casey says autopsies will be conducted.