DES MOINES (IRN) – Governor Kim Reynolds and Attorney General Brenna Bird have filed an appeal to reinstate the newly approved law restricting abortion in Iowa. On Monday, a Polk County judge placed a temporary injunction on the law as an anticipate legal battle started to play out. The appeal goes to the Iowa Supreme Court, which deadlocked on a decision to reinstate a 2018 version of the bill. FREMONY COUNTY (IRN) – A woman was found dead in the Missouri River in southwest Iowa. WHO-13 reports that the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a dead body in the water near Bartlett, Iowa. Authorities were not able to identify the woman initially, and she was taken to the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner for a forensic autopsy. WINTERSET (IRN) – Winterset’s police chief died suddenly Friday. KCCI-TV reports Ken Burk died surrounded by family after an undisclosed, sudden issue. He led Winterset’s police department for more than 20 years. FORT DODGE (IRN) – The end of the 2022-23 sports season took place Friday at the state baseball and softball tournaments across the state. This year’s state softball champions were North Linn, Iowa City Regina, Williamsburg, Winterset, and Ankeny Centennial, while the baseball title winners were Johnson, Western Dubuque, Beckman Catholic, and St. Mary’s, Remsen.

NEWTON (IRN) – A man allegedly attack a nurse at a Newton corrections facility. KCCI-TV reports 34 year old Nathaniel Clark Yeoman has been charged with false imprisonment, solicitation to commit a felony, and interference with official acts. Police say Yeoman, who is serving a 16 year sentence for sexual abuse of a child, confined the nurse to a medical room and refused to follow directions from a correctional employee. JOHNSTON (IRN) – An extended heat wave is becoming more likely next week across the state. According to the National Weather Service, many Iowa communities will approach and even top 100 degrees multiple days, starting on Tuesday. This will be the hottest stretch in an otherwise mild summer across the state. The heat wave will likely impact drought conditions across the state, as for the second consecutive week, 100% of Iowa is abnormally dry and nearly three-fourths are considered in drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. AMES (IRN) -An Iowa State Basketball Hall-of-Famer and one of the greatest shooters in Cyclone program history died yesterday. Dedric Willoughby passed away at the age of 49, according to the Iowa State University Athletics Department. A native of New Orleans, Willoughby was the linchpin on two of Iowa State’s most successful teams in 1995-96 and 1996-97, earning first team all-league honors and leading the team in scoring both seasons.

MARSHALL COUNTY (IRN) – One of the deadliest summers in recent years continued on Iowa’s roadways this week. The Iowa State Patrol reported four fatal crashes since Sunday in Marshall, Cedar, Chickasaw, and Winnebago Counties. As of Wednesday, the year 2023 has outpaced the previous five year average for fatal crashes by 21%, as 194 people have died on the road in the state so far this year. AMES (IRN) – The fiscal year ending June 30 signaled a record level of investment in roads and bridges based on projects awarded through the Iowa Department of Transportation. Since July 1, 2022, over $1.47 billion across 839 projects was awarded to contractors through the Iowa DOT to improve mobility for those who travel throughout the state and to increase the safety of roads and bridges at the city, county, and state levels. BAGLEY (IRN) – A missed deadline means no property tax collection for an Iowa town. KCCI-tv reports the City of Bagley did not file their certified budget on time, causing a $50,000 hit to their general operations, which could have a wide reaching impact. The city council and mayor failed to report their projected expenses and revenues for the current fiscal year this past spring. NEWTON (IRN) – Fresh off of an ESPYs victory, a summer of celebration continues for Iowa’s most famous active athlete. Caitlin Clark has been named the Grand Marshal for Saturday’s Hy-Vee Homefront 250 race at Iowa Speedway. Clark will deliver the message to start engines and participate in other activities–including a meet and greet, according to the Des Moines Register.

DES MOINES (IRN) – Governor Kim Reynolds announced that her administration has now implemented the alignment bill passed by the legislature last session. Senate File 514, which became effective on July 1, reduces the number of cabinet-level departments from 37 to 16 by consolidating agencies with similar functions and centralizing programs that serve similar needs. The legislation also eliminated more than 500 unfilled positions. The governor also introduced a new state logo that will be adopted by executive branch departments. HIGHWAY 20 (IRN) – The Iowa State Patrol announced a partnership with 12 agencies as part of an ongoing effort to patrol Highway 20. The effort started in Iowa has spread to 12 states along the highway for what was the longest stretch of highway in the nation in 1989 at over 3,000 miles long. The Highway 20 Speed Enforcement project is a bimonthly collaborative effort, taking place on a select day with two, two-hour initiatives in the morning and evening. On July 13th, 691 contacts were made with motorists on the highway in 12 states, resulting in 389 citations. CAMP DODGE (IRN) – The Iowa National Guard is joining the Department of Defense in celebrating 30 years of the State Partnership Program this week. The program was developed to pair state National Guards with established European countries during the dissolution of the Soviet Union to facilitate cooperation with all aspects of civil-military affairs and encourage state-level ties. Governor Kim Reynolds and Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, the Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard, are marking the occasion by recommitting their support for the program. In 2011, the Iowa National Guard formed a unique partnership with Kosovo, and earlier this year, Governor Reynolds traveled to Kosovo to meet with President Vjosa Osmani on an international trade mission. DES MOINES (IRN) – Three foods will compete for the title of the best new option at the Iowa State Fair. Fair officials have taken 64 new offerings down to the finals, and according to KCCI-TV, the Bacon Box’s grinder ball, Watcha Smokin’s Iowa Twinkie, and What’s Your Cheez’s deep-fried bacon brisket mac and cheese grilled cheese are the choices. Fairgoers will have the chance to try all three and vote for their favorite between August 10th and the 14th, with the winner announced on Wednesday, August 16th.

DES MOINES (IRN) – A temporary injunction has been placed on a newly-signed bill restricting abortion in Iowa. The Des Moines Register reports the block on the fetal heartbeat law signed by Governor Kim Reynolds reverts the state back to the 20-week law in place after the Iowa Supreme Court split their decision on reviving the 2018 version of the legislation. The temporary block is in place as the litigation process plays out. The law bans nearly all abortions in Iowa, with narrow exceptions for rape, incest, and medical emergencies that threaten the life of the mother. DES MOINES (IRN) – Voters in a Des Moines City Council ward are threatening to sue their representative for not showing up to meetings. KCCI-TV reports that Indira Sheumaker has not made it to a meeting since March 6th. Voters say the council member has not communicated to anyone during that time, including a group that is demanding she return or resign. Sheumaker has been collecting a salary of $28,000 and health benefits. Her term continues until January 2026. WEST DES MOINES (IRN) – A driver killed in a single vehicle crash in West Des Moines has been identified. WHO-13 reports 37 year old Thomas Davis of Des Moines was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed on Interstate 80, when he left the road and hit the Jordan Creek Bridge Sunday morning. Davis was the only occupant of the vehicle and pronounced dead on scene, and no other vehicles were believed to be involved. DES MOINES (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture’s weekly update showed more than half of Iowa’s corn, soybeans, and oats remain in good or excellent condition. As of Sunday, 64% of Iowa’s corn and 58% of the soybean crop is in the top two categories. Hay and pasture remain in the worst shape due to the ongoing drought that has all of Iowa rated abnormally dry or worse — 24% of pasture is in poor or very poor shape. The crop progress for nearly all crops is ahead of schedule when compared to the five year average with the exception of soybeans.