AN ATTORNEY SAYS WOODBURY COUNTY CORRECTIONS OFFICERS HAVE CONTINUALLY VIOLATED CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF FEMALE SUSPECTS BY CONDUCTING UNWARRANTED STRIP SEARCHES IN THE COUNTY JAIL.
DAVE O'BRIEN IS REPRESENTING SEVERAL WOMEN WHO HAVE OR ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SUING THE COUNTY AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THE STRIP SEARCHES.
SHANNON PETERS AND NICOLE CLAY HAVE PENDING LAWSUITS, WHILE MAUREEN RATTRAY, LISA LAMBERT AND LORI MATHIS HAVE RECEIVED SETTLEMENTS FROM WOODBURY COUNTY TOTALLING A COMBINED 385-THOUSAND DOLLARS.
O'BRIEN SAYS DESPITE THOSE PAYMENTS, STRIP SEARCHES OF WOMEN ARE CONTINUING BEFORE MALE OFFICERS:
O'BRIEN QUOTED OPERATING GUIDELINES FROM THE JAIL HANDBOOK REGARDING LAWFUL ORDERS, BUT SAYS HIS CLIENTS WERE GIVEN UNLAWFUL DEMANDS BY JAILERS.
HE READ TESTIMONY FROM A CASE DEPOSITION BY LT. LYNETTE PHILLIPS, THE JAIL ADMINISTRATOR, REGARDING THE STRIP SEARCH OF CLAY AND PETERS:
O'BRIEN SAYS A DEPOSITION FROM THE MALE OFFICER IN CHARGE WHEN CLAY WAS BROUGHT IN FOR PUBLIC INTOXICATION, JORMA SCHWEDLER, WAS SHOCKING.
O'BRIEN SAYS CLAY WAS FORCEFULLY STRIPPED IN FRONT OF HIM AND OTHER MALE OFFICERS AFTER REFUSING TO UNDRESS:
O'BRIEN SAYS HIS CLIENTS WERE BROUGHT TO JAIL FOR LEGITIMATE REASONS, BUT SAYS THAT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THEIR RIGHTS TO BE VIOLATED.
HE SAYS THE WOODBURY COUNTY JAIL NEEDS A TOP TO BOTTOM OVERHAUL, AND THE ONLY WAY THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS IF THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY DEMAND IT.
WOODBURY COUNTY'S CURRENT SHERIFF, DAVE DREW, WAS NOT THE SHERIFF WHEN THE ALLEGED STRIP SEARCH INCIDENTS OF FEMALE INMATES BY COUNTY JAILERS OCCURRED.
DREW SAYS HE CAN'T COMMENT ON THE PENDING CASES, NOR MEET WITH ATTORNEY DAVE O'BRIEN, WHO REPRSENTS THE WOMEN SUING THE COUNTY:
DREW SAYS LT. LYNETTE PHILLIPS REMAINS AS JAIL ADMINISTRATOR ALTHOUGH SOME CHANGES AND REVIEWS ARE IN PROCESS:
DREW SAYS THE JAILERS HAVE A TOUGH JOB, BUT PEOPLE MUST BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY.
THE MEMBERS OF THE IOWA RACING AND GAMING COMMISSION ARE LOOKING OVER A LETTER SENT BY PENN GAMING ASKING THEM TO RECONSIDER THEIR DECISION TO AWARD A LAND BASED CASINO IN WOODBURY COUNTY TO SIOUX CITY ENTERTAINMENT FOR THEIR HARD ROCK PROPOSAL.
COMMISSION SECRETARY BRIAN OHORILKO GOT THE LETTER LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON:
OHORILKO SAYS COMMISSION CHAIRMAN JEFF LAMBERTI AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WILL REVIEW THE LETTER AND WILL DECIDE ON THE NEXT COURSE OF ACTION:
THE LETTER STATES THAT THE COMMISSION VIOLATED ITS OWN RULES DURING THE APPLICATION PROCESS IN AWARDING THE BID TO SIOUX CITY ENTERTAINMENT.
IT ALSO ACCUSES DAVID BERNSTEIN OF THE NON-PROFIT MISSOURI RIVER HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP OF NEGOTIATING WITH NEW OPERATORS BEFORE HE WAS LICENSED TO DO SO.
BERNSTEIN SAYS IN AN E-MAIL TO KSCJ THAT HE IS DENYING THE ALLEGATION.
IT'S BEEN SEVERAL WEEKS SINCE SIOUX CITY ACHIEVED BLUE ZONE HEALTHY CITY STATUS, BUT THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING FOR THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROJECT.
CHRIS LIBERTO OF THE CITY BLUE ZONE STAFF SAYS HE HOPES RESIDENTS THAT MADE THEIR INITIAL PLEDGE ARE FOLLOWING UP BY LIVING HEALTHY LIFESTYLES.
HE'S ENCOURAGING MORE PEOPLE TO SIGN UP AND TAKE PART IN THE WELLMARK INSPIRED EFFORT:
LIBERTO SAYS A LOT OF PLANNING IS GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES FOR BLUE ZONE ACTIVITIES:
A BLUE ZONES COMMUNITY INPUT MEETING IS SET FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 4TH AT 5:30PM IN THE SIOUX CITY CONVENTION CENTER.
