FORT MADISON- The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has filed criminal charges against two inmates at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. Twenty-nine year old Dennis Lawson and 23-year-old Anthony Bauer are each charged with two counts of Attempted Murder) and one count of Possession of Weapons in a Correctional Institution. The charges stem from a January 21st assault on two Department of Corrections employees. Those injured were treated at a local hospital and have since been released.FAIRFIELD – A high school teacher in Fairfield faces charges of sexual exploitation after allegedly inappropriately contacting a student. KCRG-TV reports Fairfield police have arrested 57-year-old Vannen “Rusty” Crabtree, Jr. of Richland. An investigation started in late January when a parent contacted police about Crabtree and his social media messages to their daughter. He faces charges of sexual exploitation by a school employee, lascivious acts with a minor, and grooming. IOWA – Record high temperatures are expected across a large swath of the state. According to the National Weather Service, daytime highs are expected to approach the mid-60s over the southwest half of Iowa. The previous record for February 9th is 61 degrees in Des Moines, set in 1976. Above-average temperatures are expected well into the month of February, with expected highs in the 40s and 50s through February 17th.

CHARTER OAK – A Crawford County man had died in a grain bin incident in northwest Iowa. KTIV reports 83-year-old Robert Kroll of Charter Oak was found trapped inside of a structure Thursday morning. More than a dozen Crawford County agencies responded and attempted life-saving procedures, but Kroll was pronounced dead at the scene. DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds is proposing an increased tax on tobacco and vaping products in the state. KCCI-TV reports that Reynolds is submitting a bill and made the announcement at a press conference that followed a presentation about findings of ongoing research to see key drivers of cancer in Iowa. The initial findings of a study commissioned by the legislature shows that smoking and obesity are key factors for Iowans in having the second highest cancer rate in the nation. APPANOOSE COUNTY – Two men arrested by Centerville Police as part of an undercover operation related to alleged child predators have pled not guilty to their charges. WHO-13 reports 62-year-old Todd Bratz of Centerville and 54-year-old Brian Leager of Moulton were both arrested after trying to meet undercover police officers posing as minors online. Each were charged with felonies relating to grooming and enticement.

DES MOINES – An Iowa House bill would eliminate vaccination requirements for students attending Iowa’s schools. The Gazette reports House File 2171 advanced on party lines in a subcommittee, and eliminates public health requirements that have been in place for nearly 50 years. Supporters frame the bill as a matter of parental choice, while the vast majority medical organizations in attendance opposed the measure, claiming the vaccines prevent potential disease outbreaks. IOWA CITY – A man is facing multiple drug charges after the Iowa City Police Department claims he caused an explosion in a winter shelter bathroom. KCRG-TV reports 44-year-old Abdiqani Haji Mohamud was arrested after an incident on December 4th. Police found no active fire in the shelter’s bathroom, but there was charred splatter found on surfaces in the space. Officers say the found methamphetamine in the suspect’s sock after the incident. ATLANTIC – A school board meeting in Atlantic was cancelled on Wednesday morning. KCCI-TV reports the special meeting was stopped before it started, and a crowd that had gathered expressed frustration with the district. Those in attendance told the TV station that the meeting was for allegations against a staff member. No charges have been filed with Atlantic police.

DES MOINES – The first proposal for school funding has advanced through a subcommittee in the Iowa Senate. KCCI-TV reports the proposal increases per pupil funding by 1.75% from the previous fiscal year. Several speakers who showed up criticized the funding, as it again falls below year-to-year inflation. Republicans on the subcommittee argued the number is what the state can afford against other priorities. Both the Iowa House and Senate must agree on a funding number before sending it the governor. DES MOINES – A new survey of governors in 50 states shows that Kim Reynolds remains the most unpopular. KGAN-TV reports a Morning Consult survey from October to December of 2025 included registered voters state-by-state. Reynolds showed the highest disapproval rating of 49%, tied with Alaska’s Michael Dunleavy. The governor is not seeking re-election. CEDAR RAPIDS – MercyOne has announced more layoffs in the state. KCRG-TV reports a third round of employees were notified at the MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City that they would be losing their jobs. That round included 34 people and will take effect on March 17th. Earlier this year, MercyOne announced the closure of a clinic in Ottumwa and a workforce reduction of 67 people in Des Moines.

FREMONT – A Fremont man was arrested for first-degree murder charges related to a Sunday shooting. WHO-13 reports the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office arrested 45-year-old Michael Joseph Lee. He’s accused of killing 45-year-old David Michael Dyke of Rose Hill at the Casey’s store in town. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting. DES MOINES— Governor Kim Reynolds has ordered all flags in Iowa to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset today in honor and remembrance of Robert W. Pratt, a former lawyer and federal judge who served in the U.S. Southern District of Iowa from 1997 to 2023. Judge Pratt died Wednesday, January 28, at the age of 78.MONTICELLO – A former high school cheerleading coach is expected to plead guilty in a sexual exploitation case in eastern Iowa. KCRG-TV reports 38-year-old Jessica Rubin is charged with sexual exploitation by a school employee in connection to an alleged relationship with a student. Rubin was the cheerleading coach at Monticello and is accused of having sexual contact with a student several times in 2021. IOWA – A warm up is on the way for many Iowans in early February. After a blast of arctic air dominated the last half of January, a brief taste of spring is on the way for many, according to the National Weather Service. Some Iowans may see their thermometers top 50 degrees on Thursday, with an above average forecast expected for the next several days.