CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – The cancellation of one important college wrestling tournament may be leading to the spark that starts another. Just hours after Northwestern University announced the cancellation of the 2021 Midlands Championships because of Covid concerns, Think Iowa City president Josh Schamberger says Coralville’s Xtream Arena will now host the “Hawkeye Open” – a two-day open tournament for any post-high school wrestler (men and women) on January 1 and 2.

IOWA FALLS, IA (IRN) – The Iowa attorney general’s office says the deadly police-involved shooting of an armed stalking suspect in Iowa Falls was justified. On Dec. 8, officers saw Jared Risius ram a woman’s SUV in Iowa Falls. They saw Risius had a gun, and he wouldn’t comply with officers’ commands to drop his weapon. Iowa State Trooper Jeremy Schaffer fired the fatal shot at Risius when he got into the woman’s SUV and appeared to try and drive away. Officers said they felt Risius posed a risk to a nearby school and neighborhood.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A teenager facing charges in Polk County has managed to avoid capture since escaping from custody Monday night in northeast Iowa. 17-year-old Simon Agar managed to escape from juvenile custody in Waterloo. He’s charged with multiple crimes out of Johnston including attempted murder, going armed with intent, and willful injury.

IOWA (IRN) – The National Weather Service has confirmed 12 additional tornadoes from Dec. 15. This brings the total of tornadoes to 43. The events of Dec. 15 have been categorized as a derecho, which is the first recorded derecho in December in United States history.

RUDD, IA (IRN) – While the tornado that hit the northern Iowa town of Rudd caused considerable destruction, it could have been worse. The pole for the town’s only storm siren blew down as winds picked up. The trigger mechanism for the siren no longer worked correctly, and Tyler Hicks, a volunteer firefighter with the Rudd Fire Department, had to hold the button down and ride out the storm outside to keep the siren working. He says he’s no hero. He was just doing his job.