Author: Iowa Radio News

URBANDALE – Urbandale Police identified the person found in Halice Lake last week. WHO-13 reports 37-year-old Eric Dinges of Des Moines died from apparent drowning on July 24th. He was found unresponsive by the Urbandale Fire Department. There was no evidence of foul play.

DES MOINES – An ongoing outbreak of a parasite has impacted the state of Iowa with additional new cases. KCCI-TV reports 226 cases of cyclosporiasis in 48 counties, according to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report the outbreak has now impacted 45 states since May 1st. The parasite is linked to iceberg lettuce.

DES MOINES – A federal court has reversed a decision that blocked an Iowa law regulating the sale of e-cigarettes. The Des Moines Register reports that Governor Kim Reynolds signed House File 2677 in 2024 that directed the creation of a vapor products directory for allowable e-cigarette products. A coalition of vape product manufacturers challenged the law in federal court. The U.S. Eighth Circuit Court overturned a decision that blocked the law in 2025.

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY – Two people died in a crash on Interstate 29 on Wednesday morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Kenworth Tractor Trailer was traveling northbound and left the roadway for an unknown reason. The vehicle struck the median support column of the Rosewood Road Bridge. Both occupants were not wearing seatbelts and died in the collision, including 64-year-old Charles Leroy Grandpre of Kansas and 49-year-old Angela Dawn Blackwood of Oklahoma.

DES MOINES – A Grinnell man was sentenced to prison after a guilty plea to charges related to the death of a Des Moines East High School student. WHO-13 reports 23-year-old Kaelin Meinders will serve up to 12 years in prison and pay $150,000 in restitution to the family of Santiago Diaz Rhone II. Meinders struck the 15-year-old with his motorcycle on September 20th of 2025.

IOWA – Thunderstorms are expected to return across the state tonight into Friday. These storms will bring the potential for heavy rainfall, with swaths of 2 to 4 inches of precipitation possible across most of Iowa. As a result, flash flooding is possible, with the greatest risk in urban areas.

AMES – An Iowa community is delaying a proposed data center as several towns in the state grapple with requests and proposals. KCCI-TV reports the Ames City Council voted to postpone a project by nine months, which is a proposal by Des Moines-based Lightedge Solutions. Council members are working to determine regulations on noise levels, water use, and allowable zoning.

IOWA – The state of Iowa is part of a federal emergency order issued by the U.S. Department of Energy. WHO-13 reports the Southwest Power Pool Region is dispatching generation units to maintain grid reliability until at least August 3rd. The Department of Energy is responding to an extended period of extreme heat across the country.

CORALVILLE – An inmate serving a life sentence for a double homicide has died. KCRG-TV reports Gregory Dean Conner was in the hospice unit at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville and passed away at the age of 77. He shot and killed Charles and Lorena Martin in 1991, dousing them with gasoline and setting their house on fire. He was convicted of two counts of first degree murder.

DES MOINES – Central Iowa Water Works has stopped operation of its nitrate removal facility, which has lifted water restrictions on its customers. KCCI-TV reports the operation had been in place for 193 days, which was a record for the water provider. The decision to stop the facility was a reduction in nitrates in the source water, which are rivers and streams. Central Iowa Water Works is working on a $25 million project to expand nitrate reduction capabilities.

DALLAS COUNTY – The prosecution is pushing back against a request to dismiss a first degree murder charge related to the killing of Ashley Okland. WHO-13 reports Kristin Ramsey’s attorneys requested dismissal of the case, arguing a violation of constitutional rights during grand jury proceedings, alleging that an eyewitness changed a story and issues with presenting evidence. Prosecutors argue disputes over witness credibility and interpretations of evidence should be argued at trial. Ramsey’s trial is currently scheduled for January.

IOWA CITY – The Iowa Board of Regents could approve a new policy banning the University of Iowa from asking its medical personnel to sign noncompete agreements upon hire. The Gazette reports House File 2254 was passed by the Iowa Legislature and only targeted the university, meaning other Iowa hospitals can use noncompete clauses. The new rules will only apply to doctors and other staff hired after June 2nd.

JEFFERSON – One person is dead following an officer-involved shooting in Greene County early Sunday morning. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says Jefferson Police engaged in a pursuit, with that driver losing control into a ditch along a rural road. That individual is accused of pulling a knife and stabbing a police officer after he was shot by law enforcement. The suspect was pronounced dead, and the officer was treated for injuries.

WOODBURY COUNTY – One person is dead after a missing plane was located during a search on Saturday evening. WHO-13 reports the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office received a call that a single-occupant private aircraft was overdue for arrival, with last contact near Lawton. According to KTIV, 64-year-old Dennis Elkins was leaving Oshkosh, Wisconsin from an aviation event. Police later found the plan following its apparent crash on Thursday.

IOWA – Dangerously hot and humid conditions will persist for much of Iowa again today, though some relief will begin to arrive over northwest Iowa. High temperatures will be in the 90s with heat index values in the 100 to 115 degree range. According to the National Weather Service, some Iowa communities had feels-like temperatures approach 120 on Sunday afternoon. More seasonable temperatures will arrive by Tuesday.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services is investigating possible cases of cyclosporiasis that may be tied to the ongoing national outbreak. KCCI-TV reports there were 184 cases reported of the parasite in 2026, compared with 61 at this time last year. State officials say a positive laboratory result with consistent symptoms qualified as reportable in their update.