DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa House passed a bill that would ban combined fire and police departments, like the one in Cedar Falls. House File 683 allows cities, townships and counties to establish emergency response districts for fire protection. But it also says a city with an institution of higher education governed by the state board of regents, must maintain a professional fire department that is separate from the city’s police department.

ANAMOSA, IA (IRN) – The Anamosa State Penitentiary was overcapacity Tuesday during a deadly attack. Two inmates killed nurse Lorena Schulte and Officer Robert McFarland during an attempted escape. The Iowa Department of Corrections reported that the Anamosa prison could hold 911 inmates, but had 945 as reported on Wednesday. Other prisons in the state that are overcapacity include Fort Madison, Clarinda, Mount Pleasant, Newton and Rockwell City. Staffing is down 40% since 2009. Experts predict more violence.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A teenager was shot near Hoover High School on Wednesday. He’s expected to survive.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Emergency crews rescued a University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics staff member that fell down a maintenance hatch and into a tunnel system on Thursday. Officials say the staff member fell approximately 20 feet from a ladder accessing the maintenance tunnels.

LORIMOR, IA (IRN) – Natural gas bills in the Union County town of Lorimor are three to four times higher than normal for this time of year. Customers are used to their winter gas bills being about $250 a month. But last month those bills were between $800 and $2,000. Clayton Energy supplies gas to the community and says a cold snap in February is the reason.