AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State plans to allow some fans to attend its season opener at Jack Trice Stadium on Sept. 12. The Cyclones are expecting approximately 25,000 fans with social distancing and mitigation strategies implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement comes the day Ames was identified as the country’s worst “hot spot” city by the New York Times. Iowa City, home to the University of Iowa, was second while the state of Iowa was tabbed as the worst “hot spot” state.

PALO, IA (IRN) – The Linn County Sheriff’s Office said multiple calls alerted them to a man attempting to break into homes in Palo at around 3 a.m. on Monday. Deputies were in the area when they received another call from a nearby home. Officials said the man had broken into the home and threatened the occupants, but the homeowner shot him. Deputies and medical personnel began CPR, but the intruder was pronounced dead.

JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – A 3-year-old child has died after being hit by a car in Johnston Sunday afternoon. Police are investigating.

DALLAS COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two Waukee residents died Saturday night after attempting to flee law enforcement. The Iowa State Patrol reports that shortly after 5 p.m. Thomas Kennedy, 36, was attempting to elude deputies. He was riding a motorcycle with Rachel Glissmann, 36, as his passenger. The two failed to negotiate a curve. Neither was wearing a helmet.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man was injured during an incident while using a lift to trim trees in Cedar Rapids. Officials located a 22-year-old man on a portable lift that they believe made contact with a power line. He was electrocuted, but was able to respond to directions and stayed put until Alliant Energy crews arrived to de-energize the line. Firefighters were then able to rescue the man from the lift. No word on his condition.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines raised $38.1 million in the first year of a one-cent sales tax increase, but officials expect that to decline significantly in the next year because of the pandemic. City officials said sales tax revenue will be down in the next year because the retail and travel industries have been hit hard by restrictions related to the coronavirus. Typically, spending by visitors accounts for roughly one-third of the city’s annual sales tax revenue.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids city arborist Todd Fagan says the August 10th derecho packed a bigger punch to the city’s treescape than originally thought. Fagan says it’s estimated overall tree loss could be 65% of the tree canopy; originally that estimate was 50%.
That number increased as arborists with the city and other organizations continue assessing and identifying trees that won’t survive.