NORTH LIBERTY, IA (IRN) – One person along with their three pets are dead after a fire in North Liberty. The cause is under investigation.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Michigan man who was found with a large amount of marijuana in his vehicle in Dubuque County has taken a plea deal. Graham Musial was stopped for a traffic violation in 2019. A K9 detected substances in the car. Deputies found more than 146 pounds of marijuana and THC product inside. As part of the plea deal, Musial will serve 2 years of probation and have a 5-year prison sentence suspended. The street value of the drugs was between $250,000 to $300,000.

IOWA (IRN) – Iowa schools are increasingly facing ransomware attacks. Recent attacks on schools include those in 2022 that hit the Cedar Rapids Community School District, the Glenwood Community School District, the Linn-Mar Community School District and the Davenport Community School District. Many schools haven’t disclosed details of their ransomware attacks, including how much ransom was paid.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – With the school year only at the midway point, Des Moines Public Schools have seen the number of students who are homeless increase in recent weeks. District officials at Iowa’s largest and most diverse school district identified 947 students who were homeless right before the winter break, which began on Dec. 22. That’s an increase from early December, when the number was 926.