IOWA – More records for heat fell Thursday across the state. According to the National Weather Service, high temperatures broke 25 year old records in Des Moines, Waterloo, and Mason City as some locations saw thermometers climb into the mid 60s. While a bit cooler starting today, well above average conditions will continue over the next week. NEVADA – An Iowa man is facing multiple charges after he allegedly threw an adult woman into his car and sped off while she dangled out of an open door. WHO-13 reports on Monday that police responded to an SUV driving with the back door open and a woman yelling for help. Leroy Carl Vanhoff is accused of showing up at the victim’s house, throwing her into his car, and speeding off with the door open, court documents state. The victim told police she eventually fell out of the vehicle on a gravel road while Vanhoff was traveling at high speeds. Vanhoff was charged with third-degree kidnapping, assault causing bodily injury or mental illness, and other violations. DES MOINES – Iowa’s libraries remain a target of conservative lawmakers in Des Moines. The Gazette reports House Study Bill 678 aims to dismantle independent library boards that oversee operations at facilities across the state, and passed in a subcommittee over dozens of objections of both in-person and online public comments. The measure introduced by Republicans appears to be a response to their opposition to content shared housed by libraries statewide, and would give direct control to city councils. The legislation comes after Pella voters defeated a measure that would have given the council control over library affairs.

DES MOINES – A Des Moines man was sentenced to 32 years in federal prison after a jury convicted him of charges related to firearms straw purchasing and illegally possessing firearms and a machinegun. According to court documents, 27 year old Dontavius Rashawn Sharkey, a member of the C-Block gang, open-fired with two firearms into a crowd of people attending a baby shower at a Des Moines apartment complex, believing them to be members of a rival gang. Three teens were struck by Sharkey’s bullets, causing serious injuries to each. Following the shooting, Sharkey, a convicted felon, recruited an individual to illegally purchase him multiple firearms from various gun stores in the Des Moines area. One of those firearms was recovered by law enforcement in 2022. During that search warrant, Sharkey ran from police with this loaded firearm, which he had converted to a machinegun with an auto-switch. KEOKUK — A Keokuk man has been charged for seriously injuring his father in a dispute over food. WHO-13 reports the Keokuk Police Department responded to a disturbance on January 22nd. Officers on scene found 85 year old Gary Rockenbach suffering from serious injuries. Officers learned that Gary had been assaulted by his son, 43-year-old Craig Rockenbach, after a disagreement over food. At that time Craig was arrested and charged with assault causing bodily injury. He was later booked into the Lee County Jail. Officers learned Gary suffered from internal injuries connected to the assault. The Lee County Attorney’s Office increased the charge to willful injury causing serious injury, a class C felony. Gary has since passed away at a medical facility. WOODBURY COUNTY – A sentencing date has been set for a Woodbury County woman found guilty of over dozens of counts of election fraud. KTIV reports Kim Taylor is scheduled on April 1st. Taylor, the wife of Woodbury County Supervisor Jeremy Taylor, was convicted of 52 counts of election fraud. Kim faces a possible penalty of five years in prison per count. PERRY – Governor Kim Reynolds has issued an extension of a proclamation that authorizes the use and deployment of all available state resources, supplies, equipment, and materials to continue to assist Dallas County and the Perry Community in their response to and recovery from the tragic January 4th shooting at Perry High School. The proclamation extension is effective immediately and continues through March 6th. The Department of Public Safety, the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and other state agencies have been supporting the community since the shooting on January 4th. The proclamation activates the emergency authorities of all state agencies, prompts enhanced coordination processes at the State Emergency Operations Center, and removes any administrative barriers to providing state resources and assistance in the days and weeks ahead.

DES MOINES – A bill introduced by Governor Kim Reynolds to define a man and woman in state law is on the fast track to approval. Republican leaders in the Iowa Hosuse passed HSB 649 on Tuesday in both subcommittee and full committee, despite protests by transgender rights activists, according to WHO-13. While some provisions were removed, the bill requires birth certificates to have a person’s gender at birth based on reproductive systems. WASHINGTON D.C. – Iowa’s four congressional representatives all voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in what was a failed effort to do so by GOP leadership. The Des Moines Register reports four House Republicans joined Democrats to attempt to remove Mayorkas, who is responsible for enforcing security measures at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Des Moines Register reports Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson, Zach Nunn, and Randy Feenstra all moved to impeach. JEFFERSON – A Jefferson man who is accused of kidnapping his son has pled not guilty to the crime. Raccoon Valley Radio reports 34-year-old Brandon Duong’s court-appointed attorney Mark Rasmussen entered a not guilty plea in Greene County District Court on Monday to the Class B Felony charge of second degree kidnapping-armed with a dangerous weapon. Brandon is accused of taking his seven-year-old son Bryson from Greene County Elementary School on January 30th without permission. A statewide Amber Alert was issued, and according to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, law enforcement found Brandon’s vehicle in Plymouth County, where a chase ensued. CEDAR RAPIDS – A pair of Iowa couples are suing a company after they claim defective products ruined efforts to get pregnant through in vitro fertilization. KCRG-TV reports the pairs from Cedar Rapids and Stanwood are suing CooperSurgical over defective culture media, the liquid in a petri dish where fertilization occurs.

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.