Iowa
Iowa man criminally charged, fired, still entitled to unemployment, judge rules
A former state corrections officer has been awarded jobless benefits after being arrested for an alleged drunken incident involving his 6-week-old child and a firearm.
According to Iowa Workforce Development records, Caleb Carl, 31, of Burlington worked for the Eighth Judicial District Department of Corrections as a residential corrections officer for less than a year, helping incarcerated offenders transition into the community, before he was fired in late October.
Police records show that in the early morning hours of Oct. 8, 2023, when Carl was at home and off duty, his wife called the Burlington police and reported he had been drinking and was not acting normally.
More: Fired Iowa prison guard, accused of selling contraband to inmates, wins jobless benefits
The police arrived and, according to their reports, Carl was in an upstairs bedroom, holding his 6-week old son in his arms while reclining on the bed and showing signs of intoxication. He asked officers to remove his wife from the residence and after they refused, Carl allegedly became agitated and demanded the officers leave.
The officers complied but were sent back to the home within minutes to assist with an escalating situation. The officers spoke with Carl again but left after he again demanded that they do so, according to the police reports.
Within minutes, officers were dispatched a third time to the residence and were advised that Carl had a firearm and was making suicidal statements and holding the gun to his chest while in possession of the child.
More: Iowa unemployment ticks down in December, but so does labor force participation
According to the police reports, officers stood outside the building and asked Carl to come downstairs, to which he allegedly replied, “I have a gun.” Carl eventually came to the stairway without a gun and was detained by officers through an involuntary hold due to mental illness. The officers reported they found a gun just inside the doorway of the bedroom.
Judge finds that conduct wasn’t during work hours, grants unemployment
According to Iowa Workforce Development records, the Department of Corrections placed Carl on leave two days after the incident, and Burlington police criminally charged Carl with child endangerment. He has pleaded not guilty and a trial is scheduled for March 6.
On Oct. 30, the Department of Corrections fired Carl for allegedly failing to conduct himself in a professional manner that maintained respect for the department, for actions that may adversely affect the public confidence in the state’s criminal justice system, and for failing to obey all laws and departmental policies.
After the department appealed the state’s decision to award Carl unemployment benefits, a hearing was held and Administrative Law Judge Carly Smith ruled Carl was fired for reasons that do not disqualify him from benefits ― noting that disqualifying misconduct consists of substantial and willful wrongdoing or repeated carelessness or negligence.
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Smith found that Carl had a “a serious mental impairment and lacked the mental capacity to deliberately disregard the employer’s interests.”
She also found that the Department of Corrections failed to prove intentional wrongdoing or show any connection between Carl’s conduct and his employment. She noted that while Carl admitted he was intoxicated, he was at home and off duty on the night in question.
Find this story at Iowa Capital Dispatch, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions:kobradovich@iowacapitaldispatch.com.
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Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 8 drawing
37-47-49-51-58, Mega Ball: 16
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Midday: 0-5-8
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Midday: 0-2-7-3
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14-16-21-43-51, Bonus: 03
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Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Iowa editor. You can send feedback using this form.
IOWA — Iowa’s new restrictions on SNAP benefits are drawing concern from advocates who say the changes could make it harder for families to buy food and could put future summer assistance for children at risk.
The state’s SNAP waiver took effect January 1, 2026, limiting what items can be purchased based on Iowa’s taxable food list. While that includes widely discussed restrictions on soda and candy, the policy also affects certain prepared foods, creating confusion for shoppers.
“Something as small as whether or not a utensil is included in a food item actually impacts whether or not you can continue to purchase that item using your SNAP benefits,” Paige Chickering, Iowa State Manager for the Save the Children Action Network, said.
Advocates say the rules can be difficult to navigate, especially for people relying on quick meals. Items like prepackaged salads or sandwiches may or may not qualify depending on how they are packaged.
At the same time, new legislation slated for the next session at the statehouse could make those restrictions more permanent by requiring Iowa to continue seeking federal approval for the waiver.
That’s raising additional concerns about the future of Summer EBT, also known as “Sun Bucks,” which provides food assistance to children when school is out.
“This makes that food assistance dependent on a decision made in Washington, D.C. that is just arbitrary and not really dependent on the needs of Iowans and Iowa children,” Chickering said.
The program is expected to help around 220,000 children in Iowa during the summer months. Advocates worry leaving it up to federal approval of the waiver could jeopardize that support if policies change. They also point out that SNAP plays a major role in addressing hunger compared to other resources.
“We know that for every one meal provided by an emergency feeding organization, SNAP provides nine,” Chickering said.
Advocates say they support improving nutrition but argue there are more effective, evidence based ways to do that without limiting food choices.
For now, organizations across Iowa are working to help families understand the new rules, while also pushing lawmakers to reconsider how the policy could impact food access moving forward.
Scoop: Iowa Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek snagged a major endorsement for his Senate bid from former Sen. Tom Harkin.
Harkin, who retired in 2015, was the last Democrat to represent Iowa in the Senate. Turek is locked in a competitive primary with state Sen. Zach Wahls in a race that has divided major factions of the Democratic Party.
“I have a pretty good idea of what it takes to win an election, and then to faithfully represent all Iowans, not just those who voted for you,” Harkin said in his endorsement. “That’s why I’m supporting Josh Turek.”
Harkin served in the Senate for 30 years and is the author of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Turek, who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, was 11 when the ADA was enacted.
Harkin is a widely sought after endorsement in the Hawkeye State. His decision to wade into the race is notable because Harkin also has a relationship with Wahls.
Wahls called Harkin “one of my closest political mentors,” and said the former senator officiated his wedding in 2021.
Iowa’s Senate primaries are June 2.
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