IOWA – A medical center in Des Moines is working to combat a shortage of obstetrics care in rural areas with a new service. The Des Moines Register reports MercyOne has created a Maternal Transport Team, aiming to deploy to help women struggling with labor and delivery. Nearly 1/3rd of Iowa’s hospitals have closed their labor and delivery units since 2000. The Register says the unit has been deployed three times in the short window the service has been available.

SPENCER – One person died from apparent self-inflicted wounds following a police pursuit in Spencer. KCAU reports the Clay County Sheriff’s Office attempted a traffic stop on Tuesday afternoon for an allegedly stolen pickup truck. The driver took off and led police on a pursuit through the Spencer community, and is accused of showing a firearm and shooting outside of a window. The driver, 30-year-old Andrew Phillips of Spirit Lake, allegedly caused significant damage in a construction zone before stopping at First Christian Church, where the sheriff’s office says he took his own life.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) is teaming up with law enforcement agencies across Iowa to promote road safety during the Thanksgiving holiday season. Drivers can expect to see increased police presence on Iowa roads through December 1st. Last year, during Thanksgiving week, 34 people died or suffered severe injuries on Iowa roads— 40% were not wearing seatbelts. A total of 306 people have been killed on Iowa’s roadways so far in 2024 — just above the five-year Iowa DOT average.