DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Polk County has committed at least $5 million, and up to $7 million, toward construction of a professional soccer stadium in downtown Des Moines. Pro Iowa and Krause+, the real estate development arm of the company that owns the Kum & Go convenience store chain, plan to build a 6,300-seat stadium as the home of a USL Championship league team at the former Dico Superfund site, between Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and the Raccoon River. The Krause-owned Des Moines Menace would move from the fourth to the second tier of U.S. professional soccer.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A state commission has scheduled three virtual public hearings in September pertaining to Iowa’s proposed new electoral maps. The five-member Iowa Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission voted Monday to hold the hearings on Sept. 20, 21, and 22. The first redistricting maps will be delivered on Sept. 16, beginning the process for redrawing political boundaries for legislative and congressional districts.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Four people and their pets are safe after a fire in their Cedar Rapids home Monday night. Crews located a fire in the kitchen and were able to quickly put it out. Crews searched the home and found one dog and five cats inside, all of which were unhurt. Turns out the fire was an unintentional grease fire.

AHSTW, IA (IRN) – COVID-19 is shutting down a southwest Iowa school district before the school year can even get started after an outbreak was reported among staff. The AHSTW Community School District, which covers Avoca, Hancock, Shelby, Tennant and Walnut had to cancel open house and delay the start of school until at least Monday, Aug. 30.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The band Florida Georgia Line will no longer stop in Des Moines due to COVID-19 concerns. The Iowa Events Center announced Monday that the country group’s Oct. 14 concert at Wells Fargo Arena is canceled.