IOWA – A powerful blizzard closed major highways in the state and caused major pileup crashes across Iowa on Wednesday. The Iowa Department of Transportation and Iowa State Patrol both reported dozens of incidents, especially in the western half of the state that caused significant damage to vehicles and injured at least nine people. Wind gusts up to 70 MPH were recorded in many Iowa communities, coupled with 2-5 inches of snowfall in many of those same locations. An additional round of moderate snow is possible late tonight into Thursday, especially along and north of Interstate 80.

DUBUQUE – The Dubuque County Sheriff defended the hire of a deputy who was accused as a teenager of sexual abuse. KCRG-TV reports Sheriff Joseph Kennedy says a felony charge against Matthew Pothoff came up during a background check, but claims it was dismissed without prejudice. Pothoff was accused of drugging a fellow teenager and abusing her in 2017, according to a Dyersville Commercial Report. His father is also a member of the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors and former Sheriff’s Deputy. Lawyers defending Pothoff during a lawsuit and the criminal case say the girl involved was the aggressor and changed her version of the narrative.