AMES – Iowa State University will return to classes Monday after a fire knocked out electricity used to cool the campus. KCCI-TV reports a Thursday fire at the Iowa State Power Plant had the campus switch to virtual classes Friday. The system was restored in under 24 hours.

DES MOINES – A Des Moines man faces three decades in prison for a street race that killed a toddler. WHO-13 reports Robert Miller the III was found guilty in June of vehicular homicide, reckless driving, and operating while intoxicated. Miller lost control of his car while racing and collided with a van head-on, killing four-year-old Marcos Faguada. Miller was sentenced on Thursday to 30 years in prison.

BUTLER COUNTY (IRN) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved a request from Governor Kim Reynolds for disaster assistance related to flooding this past spring. Seven Iowa counties were approved for the resources, including Allamakee, Clayton, Des Moines, Dubuque, Jackson, Lee and Scott. The program helps state and local governments, along with certain private nonprofit organizations, repair and replace disaster-damaged facilities and infrastructure.

ALTOONA (IRN) – The Altoona City Council approved plans to conduct a special census in June 2025 at its August 21 meeting. The United States conducts a census every 10 years, with the most recent census occurring in 2020. Between the 2010 and 2020 census, Altoona recorded a population growth of 34.5% from 14,541 in 2010 to 19,565 in 2020. The Federal Government allows cities to opt to complete one special federal census per decade to possibly record an increase in their population growth. They join at least three other Des Moines area Metro communities in having its council approve a special census, including Grimes, Pleasant Hill and Waukee.