DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds opened the 2026 Iowa Legislative Session with the annual Condition of the State Address on Tuesday. The Des Moines Register reports a $3 billion property tax cut was at the top of her priorities for the next year. She began her speech discussing the two National Guard Staff Sergeants killed in December. Reynolds proposed a $50 million fund to cancer screening, prevention, and treatment. DES MOINES – A new all-time passenger record was set at Des Moines International Airport in 2025. WHO-13 reports just over 3.25 million people used the airport last year, a 2.4 percent increase from 2024. The Des Moines International Airport added six new routes and opened a parking garage last year. A new terminal remains under construction until early next year. DES MOINES – A dispute between two institutions of higher learning in Iowa over marketing has been resolved. KCCI-TV reports an agreement has been reached between Drake University and Des Moines Area Community College over rules about how the letter “D” can be used in marketing. Drake filed a lawsuit against DMACC over a logo that was being used by the community college. DMACC tried to use a standalone “D” in a 2023 marketing refresh, but Drake owns the trademark for the logo in Iowa, according to court records.

INDIANOLA – A former Indianola police lieutenant has been sentenced after pleading guilty to stalking another person. KCCI-TV reports 43-year-old Justin Keller has received deferred judgement and two years of probation following an Alford plea of guilty to stalking. He was arrested in April of 2025 while still working for the Indianola Police Department, but no longer works for them. Court records indicate that Keller was spotted by several neighbors driving around the victim’s house and property since December 2024. The City of Indianola website indicates Keller had been an officer with the department since 2005. BAXTER – New court filings have details about how a police chief was allegedly collecting unearned pay through falsifying timesheets and billing two different cities for the same hours worked. The Des Moines Register reports that former Baxter Police Chief William Daggett was also working simultaneously for the City of Van Meter before later becoming the Mitchellville Police Chief and Interim City Administrator. He was arrested last week and accused by prosecutors of knowingly submitting inaccurate payroll claims for more than a year. A state audit conducted by Rob Sand’s office found the double billing last year, with up to $50,000 potentially tied to the alleged payroll fraud. STORY COUNTY – The U.S. Supreme Court denied a request from Story and Shelby Counties in Iowa for a review of a ruling that county ordinances pertaining to carbon pipelines are preempted by federal law. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports that the lawsuit was between the two counties and Summit Carbon Solutions. In October of 2022, both Story and Shelby Counties enacted ordinances that established several standards for hazardous materials pipelines. Summit sued the counties, and won in federal court. Two different appeals have been denied by higher circuit court judges.

MADISON COUNTY – A Winterset man has died from his injuries after apparently running onto a roadway into traffic late Saturday night. The Iowa State Patrol reports 23-year-old Logan Smith came from the east ditch onto U.S. Highway 169 in Madison County at approximately 10:45 p.m., causing a collision with a Ford F250. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene, and the 18-year-old driver of the truck was uninjured. WEST LIBERTY – One person was injured following an altercation with police officers in West Liberty. WHO-13 reports that West Liberty Police and Muscatine County Deputies responded to a possible domestic disturbance. Police accuse the suspect in the case of charging at officers with a knife. After an attempt to use a taser failed, a West Liberty officer fired his gun, striking the individual. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation will look into the incident. DES MOINES – The 2026 Iowa Legislative Session begins this week. Governor Kim Reynolds will give her Condition of the State address on Tuesday at 6 p.m., which highlights her priorities in the second year of the two-year general assembly. Reynolds will once again enjoy broad support from strong majorities of Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate, although Democrats broke a supermajority of GOP senators since the last session, which will potentially impact nominees by Reynolds.

DES MOINES – A rare stretch of winter warmth and heavy rain that fell across most of the state earlier this week may have prompted high nitrate levels in the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers. KCCI-TV reports the Central Iowa Water Works nitrate removal facility is up and running, which is unusual in January. But a stretch of above average temperatures has kept the ground from freezing, and rounds of melting snow and now heavy rain have increased run-off upstream. DAVENPORT – A property manager in Davenport has agreed to pay a settlement to the U.S. Department of Justice for a sexual harassment lawsuit. The Des Moines Register reports Kurt Williams with Gearhead Properties was accused of harassing female tenants, exposing himself, and requesting sex in exchange for reduced rent, and allegedly moved to remove those who didn’t welcome those advances. The settlement is for $325,000, and Williams is banned from managing residential rental properties. DES MOINES – The Iowa State Supreme Court ruled that officials can’t charge low income defendants for cases that were dismissed in court. WHO-13 reports the justices ruled in favor of Ronald Pagliai, who pleaded guilty to two charges and had two others dropped. However, he was required to pay court costs for all four counts. The case centered on defendants with court-appointed attorneys and low income.

DES MOINES – A man stabbed in Des Moines on Thursday morning has died. WHO-13 reports 25-year-old Peter Thach was found dead from multiple stab wounds by responding police. A man lying in front of the house was then arrested, as 25-year-old Lyhung Thach was charged with first degree murder. The two were cousins, according to officials. BAXTER – The former Chief of Police and City Clerk in Baxter have been arrested in connection with an investigation into the city’s finances by the Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Auditor of State’s Office, and the Jasper County Attorney’s Office. Forty-eight-year-old William Daggett, the former Police Chief, faces a class C felony charge of theft in the first degree and a class D felony charge of felonious misconduct in office. Baxter’s former City Clerk, 29-year-old Katelyn Wilson, has been arrested on an aggravated misdemeanor charge of unauthorized computer access. DES MOINES – An issue that divided politicians beyond political parties may resurface in the 2026 Iowa Legislative Session. KCCI-TV reports new Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh is working on a proposal related to property rights and eminent domain. A bill vetoed by Governor Kim Reynolds that passed both chambers near the end of the 2025 session divided members of the Republican party, with many criticizing Reynolds. Klimesh will propose a bill that widens the corridor pipeline companies can use.