Author: Iowa Radio News

GREENFIELD – It’s been two years since a deadly tornado ripped through a southwest Iowa community. WHO-13 reports the community of Greenfield has been recovering, but signs of the May 21st, 2024 EF-5 tornado remain tow years later. The storm with winds briefly topping 300 miles per hour killed five people and injured 35 others. City officials said recovery efforts are approximately 85% complete.

DES MOINES – Iowa’s unemployment rate remained steady in April, according to the latest from Iowa Workforce Development. KCCI-TV reports the percentage remains at 3.3% in Iowa and 4.3% nationally. The number of those not working and seeking employment dropped a bit, and 55,000 open positions are currently listed.

MARION – A Springville woman was sentenced to three years in federal prison on Thursday. KCRG-TV reports 67-year-old Debra Vaughn pled guilty in December to bank fraud for stealing $500,000 from a small business owned by a veteran in Marion. She stole the money from her employer’s bank account through embezzlement, according to court records. She must pay $158,000 in restitution, as the remaining balance was taken from a civil case.

DES MOINES – The National Weather Service confirmed at least 25 tornadoes impacted the state during an active stretch of severe weather this past weekend. KCCI-TV reports damage surveys released on Wednesday highlighted 23 of those on Sunday night, mostly in northwestern Iowa. None of the storms rated higher than an EF-1, and the amount confirmed this weekend has brought the 2026 total to 51 so far this year.

DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Emmet, Hancock, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Winnebago, Woodbury, and Worth Counties in response to severe weather that occurred on May 15th Governor Reynolds’ proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Advocacy Program for those counties. The proclamation is effective immediately and will remain in effect for 30 days unless terminated or extended.

GILBERT – U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attended a bill signing by Governor Reynolds on Wednesday. The legislation known as Iowa’s Make America Healthy Again bill was officially made law at Gilbert Elementary, which allows ivermectin to be purchased over-the-counter, and forces the state to obtain waivers from the federal government to establish its own guidelines for SNAP benefit purchases.

DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds signed a measure into law that restricts access to abortion-inducing medications through telehealth and mail-order services. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports House File 2788 will take effect on July 1st and centers on mifepristone. The drug had been briefly restricted by federal courts as ongoing litigation continues about its ability to be sent through mail. The Iowa law requires the pill to be prescribed in person.

FORT DODGE – A Fort Dodge man faces up to 60 years in prison after being convicted of over a dozen charges of physical abuse to a child. WHO-13 reports 25-year-old Austin Prewitt was accused of hitting a child under the age of two with objects for nearly a year. He was arrested last September. Prewitt was convicted on 27 charges, including assault, neglect, and child endangerment.

ALGONA – More than two years after his death, the family of Algona Police Officer Kevin Cram is working to keep his memory alive through a scholarship. KCCI-TV reports the project is providing two local students with $5,000 toward an education in agriculture. The family says the officer loved his farm and hopes that students will find that same joy. They are working to make the scholarship gift a regular project.

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa – A Missouri Valley man faces murder charges in connection to a person who went missing nearly three years ago. On Monday, agents with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation arrested and charged 52-year-old Joseph Langford of Missouri Valley for Murder in the First Degree and for the Abuse of a Corpse. On June 29, 2023, 35-year-old Jesse George of Missouri Valley was reported as a missing person to the Missouri Valley Police Department. In April 2026, Law Enforcement searched a rural location four miles northwest of Missouri Valley and located human remains, identified as George.

DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds has signed an overhaul to the state’s property tax system into law. KCCI-TV reports Senate File 2472 will limit most local governments to tax revenue increases of two percent annual, with some exceptions. It also increases the homestead credit for most homeowners and creates savings accounts for first-time homebuyers.

OTTUMWA – An Ottumwa High School senior was killed in a crash on Sunday night. WHO-13 reports 18-year-old Ashlin Knuth was traveling on a rural road and was hit on the driver’s side of her vehicle by another. Knuth just graduated as part of the Class of 2026 at Ottumwa High School.

BUFFALO CENTER – Iowa’s longest-serving governor took a trip home on a road named in his honor. Governor Terry Branstad traveled to his hometown of Leland along Highway 9, along a 36-mile section of the road named after him. KCCI-TV reports the 36 miles reflects his 36 years serving in public service. He was governor for 22 years, retiring to work in the first Trump Administration.

DES MOINES – The CEO of Iowa Public Employees Retirement System has resigned. WHO-13 reports that Greg Samorajski’s resignation was submitted to Governor Kim Reynolds on May 1st, following more than a month on paid leave. He resigned following allegations of misconduct in March. Officials with the IPERs system believe the situation does not risk the pension plan’s investment portfolio.

DYERSVILLE — The Field of Dreams Movie Site announced a partnership with the Northwoods League, bringing a permanent tenant baseball team to the Field of Dreams Ballpark beginning with the 2027 season. The Field of Dreams Ballpark opens in June of 2026. The Northwoods League is the largest organized collegiate baseball league in history. Now in its 33rd season, the league features 26 teams and has established itself as the premier development circuit for elite college baseball players.