DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s 7-day COVID-19 positivity rate is back up to 5% as rates have been slowly rising in the state over the last week. The Iowa Department of Public Health on Tuesday reported 654 new positive COVID-19 tests and four additional deaths.

CRESTON, IA (IRN) – A Creston police officer is on paid administrative leave Monday after being charged with domestic assault. Eric Dennis Shawler, 48, allegedly assaulted a woman by kicking her and slamming her head against a table. Shawler denied the accusations, saying the woman slipped and hit her head on the table.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A garbage truck rear-ended a Toyota Corolla in Cedar Rapids Monday. The driver of the Toyota was hospitalized, and the driver of the garbage truck, Robert Truax, 61, of Marion, was charged with second offence OWI among other charges.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – There has been a positive COVID-19 test on the ‘Senate-side’ of the Iowa legislature. This is the first positive case in the Iowa Senate. There have been six cases in the Iowa House since the start of the legislative session.

AMES, IA (IRN) – The Ames school board voted 6-1 to join five other non-suburban school districts in leaving the Central Iowa Metropolitan League. Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, Mason City and Ottumwa will leave the conference in the fall of 2022. The non-suburban districts have been unsuccessful athletically, due to socioeconomic disparities and differences in enrollment numbers. The move will leave the CIML composed entirely of suburban teams from the Des Moines metro.