MIDWEST (IRN) – Unmanned mass surveillance balloons launched from South Dakota will temporarily fly over Iowa and other Midwest states this month, the Guardian reported Friday.
The Pentagon is testing the high-altitude, solar-powered balloons across six states, the British newspaper reports. The stated purpose of the project, according to an FCC filing, is to “provide a persistent surveillance system to locate and deter narcotic trafficking and homeland security threats.”

OELWEIN, IA (IRN) – A man is facing an attempted murder charge after Oelwein Police said he fired a shot at someone. KCRG-TV reports Ian River Cashen 39, of Oelwein, is in jail.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids man has won a $7.36 million judgment after suing a Cedar Rapids doctor and a medical clinic. Doctors performed a procedure on 65-year-old Fredrick Duitsman that uses a hot needle to block nerves from sending pain signals. After the procedure, Duitsman lost feeling from the waste down.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Bicycle thefts have reached a three year high in Des Moines, according to WHO-TV. So far there have been 188 bike thefts reported to Des Moines police this year. That’s 32 more than this time last year.

OTTAWA, IA (IRN) – Two Iowans helped break a skydiving world record July 26 in Illinois, according to KCCI-TV. Jake Sparks and Brandon Stevens were two of the 84 people who formed a star with their feet facing earth and their heads facing the sky. The record was broken at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Illinois. Sparks says the formation is the most difficult form of flying.