DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines woman faces felony charges after police say she beat two young children so badly that one of them jumped from a second story balcony to escape her. The Des Moines Register reports that 30-year-old Rasheena Perry allegedly threw items at and hit the girls, both under the age of 14. Police say she wrapped a shower curtain around the face of one of the girls, before she escaped and jumped off the balcony. The other girl was covered with bruises, including marks on her neck where Perry had choked her.

ANKENY, IA (IRN) – Quick thinking by a newspaper delivery driver may have saved two young women from an alleged sex trafficking ring. WHO-TV reports an Illinois woman is accused of bringing other women to the Des Moines metro to meet up with potential “johns.” Lavon Franz was delivering newspapers early Sunday morning in Ankeny when a woman in distress waived her down. She picked the woman up, drove to a convenience store, where a clerk called 911. Police were then able to uncover the sex trafficking ring.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The lawyer for former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has asked a judge to set aside a jury verdict that concluded Branstad discriminated against a gay former state official. Jurors on July 15 awarded former Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Chris Godfrey $1.5 million, concluding he was the victim of discrimination and retaliation when Branstad tried to force him to quit in 2011 and then cut his pay.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The citizens of Cedar Rapids are concerned by graffiti that has been spotted all over the city for the past year. KCRG-TV reports people are particularly puzzled by the signature of “JDeezy.” No one seems to know who “JDeezy” is or what it means.