IOWA – A former Secretary of Agriculture in Iowa has died unexpectedly. Governor Kim Reynolds ordered flags be flown at half-staff for Bill Northey, who served in the role from 2007 to 2018 and then later in the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2018 to 2021. Northey was most recently serving as president of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa. He died at the age of 64. CASS COUNTY – A Griswold man was killed in a two-vehicle crash Monday morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports a GMC Sierra operated by 43 year old Vincent Samuel Trabona of Louisiana was westbound on Highway 6, and for unknown reasons, crossed the center line and collided with a Chevy Silverado driven by 59 year old Gregg Scott Cohrs, who died from his injuries. DES MOINES – Three additional schools were threatened by violence in the past week. KCCI reports Des Moines Public, Ankeny Centennial, and Perry were among the targets. The call in Ankeny disrupted this past Saturday’s State speech competition as well. Police are concerned this is a growing trend.

IOWA – Record highs and rumbles of thunder are possible later this week across the state. In a week that will feel a lot more like April, the National Weather Service says current forecasted highs on Wednesday and Thursday will have a great chance to break several records for heat as temperatures climb into the upper 50s and low 60s. With the warmer temperatures will also come another aspect of spring not usually seen in early February — thunderstorms. An increasing possibly for lightning is also on the horizon Thursday. MADISON COUNTY – An Adel man died in a single-vehicle crash in Madison County on Sunday. KCCI reports deputies responded to the scene at 4 a.m. near Earlham. Jonathon Taylor, 42, was a passenger and pronounced dead; the unidentified driver was injured. CEDAR RAPIDS – A Cedar Rapids woman has been charged for the homicide of a man last week. KCRG-TV reports 30-year-old Charmisha Pirtle faces one count of second degree murder in relation to the death of 29-year-old Anthony Fitts. The man was found injured outside of a Cedar Rapids apartment, and later died at a hospital. Pirtle initially told police she heard Fitts call for help and found him with stab wounds. Upon further investigation and after more discussion, Pirtle allegedly told police she was the one who stabbed Fitts.

KEOKUK COUNTY – A Keokuk County man faces murder charges in relation to the discovery of a dead person’s remains. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation with the Ottumwa Police Department and Keokuk County Sheriff’s Office, served a search warrant near Ollie. The search warrant was part of an effort to locate, who was reported missing on January 20, 2024. During the search, investigators found the remains of an adult, who they believe to be 40-year-old Craig Smith, although his condition made it impossible to find out immediately. This afternoon, DCI agents charged 44-year-old Jeffrey Gautreaux with Murder in the First Degree and Abuse of a Corpse. SAC CITY – A reward for information leading to the location of an Iowa man missing for two months has increased. KCCI-TV reports $25,000 will be given to someone by Sac County to find David Schultz, who was last seen on November 20th. Volunteers have searched more than 100,000 acres to find the man declared missing after his wallet and phone were left behind in his semi-truck, which was found north of Sac City. CORALVILLE – State wrestling champions were crowned on Friday night at Xtream Arena as the second ever Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union girls tournament was hosted over two days. Wrestling remains the focus in Coralville, as the Iowa High School Athletic Association state dual tournament will be decided today in the same location.

IOWA – In the midst of increasing criticism about how the organization has handled a sports betting investigation, the Iowa Department of Public Safety released a statement this week about the process. KCCI-TV reports the statement details the roles of DCI agents in enforcing wagering laws and the sections of Iowa Code used to justify those actions. Lawyers for athletes targeted by the investigations have claimed that special agents had no reason to track the use of sports wagering apps through the use of geofencing without a warrant in both Iowa City and Ames. DAVENPORT – A Davenport man was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for distribution and receipt of child pornography Thursday. The Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. According to public court documents, Benji Clark Engesser, Jr., 23, was identified by law enforcement when a parent reported that they found their minor child exchanging sexual pictures with an adult. The phone number associated with the adult was traced to Engesser. DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds proposed new legislation that would strictly define woman, man, and sex, just one day after a Republican house committee rejected a proposal to eliminate gender identity in Iowa civil rights code. KCRG-TV reports House Study Bill 649 was submitted this week, with the Governor’s office releasing a statement alongside its public notification. The changes would impact a wide range of state documents and would essentially force transgender Iowans to include their birth genders and their new identities on various forms.

DES MOINES – One of two versions of legislation proposed by Governor Kim Reynolds to overhaul the Area Education Agencies in Iowa has been paused in the Iowa Legislature after public hearings held Wednesday. Iowa Starting Line reports House Study Bill 542 has been tabled following strong opposition from a wide range of educators, parents, and students who utilize the services of the AEAs. Governor Kim Reynolds remained defiant and released a statement to praise an Iowa Senate education subcommittee for advancing Senate Study Bill 3073 — although members who voted in support of the measure intended to further amend the Governor’s proposal heavily that would currently move AEAs to state government control and significantly reduce funding and services to those agencies as written. GUTHRIE COUNTY – A Guthrie Center man has died from a crash that involved a pickup truck and a bicycle Wednesday evening. The Iowa State Patrol reports they were called to assist the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office with the fatal collision near Guthrie Center at 5:38 p.m. on Highway 44. According to the state report, a Ford F-150 operated by 83-year-old Francis Junior Flanery of Panora was westbound, and a bicycle ridden by 69-year-old Wayne Wesley Haynes was also in that lane. The pickup struck the bicyclist in the travel portion of the roadway. Haynes was transported to Guthrie County Hospital, where he died from his injuries. The crash remains under investigation. IOWA – As a wild January wraps up today that included heavy snow, a blizzard, snow squalls, freezing rain, subzero wind chills, and just about everything that winter has to offer, February will start with a stretch of well-above average temperatures. According to the National Weather Service, daytime highs will range from 40s to 50s statewide well into next week, with mainly dry conditions coupled with the mild air. While not quite record breaking, most of these temperatures are 15-20 degrees above the typical daytime high in early February. CORALVILLE – Coralville will become the mecca of Iowa High School Wrestling over the next three days. The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union welcomes hundreds of wrestlers for their second-ever state tournament today and Friday at XTREAM Arena. That will be followed up by the 2024 Iowa High School Athletic Union team dual championships Saturday, also in Coralville.