GREENE COUNTY – The actions of police in an officer-involved shooting in Greene County were legally justified by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. WHO-113 reports Officer Marshall Moore in Boone attempted to pull over Camryn Stonehocker, who proceeded to lead police on a chase, including at multiple points, into oncoming traffic. Police alleged that he pointed a knife at one of the officers once the pursuit had ended, with Moore shooting Stonehocker, who died from his injuries. DES MOINES – Iowa lawmakers are pressing the Iowa Board of Regents to sign onto an educational compact with eight rules to maintain federal funding. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports Representatives Taylor Collins and Lynn Evans wrote a letter to ask the three schools to join the Trump Administration’s Compact for Excellence in Higher Education. The rules impact admissions, hiring, finances, and political discourse on campus. Colleges that participate would have to freeze tuition for five years, cap the number of students who come in with visas, and define specific genders to align with the administration’s viewpoint. IOWA – A former U.S. representative attempting to reclaim his seat has dropped out of the race less than a month after announcing his intent to run. The Des Moines Register reports Rod Blum is suspending his bid for the now-open 2nd Congressional District race. Blum announced his intent to run to replace Ashley Hinson on September 18th — Hinson is running for the open U.S. Senate seat following the impending retirement of Senator Joni Ernst at the end of her term.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services is announcing upcoming changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. These changes will take effect on January 1st. Under the new guidelines, eligible SNAP purchases are determined by the state’s non-taxable food items list, as well as some prepared foods, seeds for food-producing plants, and food-producing plants. As part of the updated rules, certain items will no longer be eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits, including soda and sugary beverages containing less than 50% fruit or vegetable juice, candy and items coated in candy, and some in-store prepared foods. HUMBOLDT – The Humboldt Community School District faces a lawsuit from parents the allege a cover-up related to sexual abuse committed by a middle school teacher. KCCI-TV reports parents claim the school district knew about the abusive actions of Samantha Meyer-Davis, who pled guilty to sexual exploitation for incidents in 2022 and 2023. Meyer-Davis was recently sentenced to 20 years in prison. DES MOINES – Members of the Des Moines School Board have not shared any details about what they knew about former Superintendent Ian Roberts’s qualifications before his hire. The Des Moines Register reports that Roberts claimed he had a doctorate, but the firm the district hired for background checks found that he did not obtain a degree from a school he attended for five years. The board voted unanimously to hire Roberts after he fixed a resume following discovery of the omission. The report did not detail whether or not the board members knew about the change.

DES MOINES – Three Republican state senators have called on the State Auditor to investigate the Des Moines Public School District. KCCI-TV reports Jesse Green, Kerry Gruenhagen, and Lynn Evans sent a letter to Rob Sand to look into the district following the federal immigration arrest of Ian Roberts, the now former superintendent. Sand says he needs the district itself to request the audit. The letter appears to be political in nature, according to the report, as it criticizes Sand’s efforts to investigate the state’s Education Savings Account plan. CRESTON – A high school English teacher in Creston has sued the Creston Community School District for its attempt to fire her following comments she made about the killing of Charlie Kirk. The Des Moines Register reports Melissa Crook claims the board is violating her own First Amendment rights, citing social media posts made by Superintendent Deron Stender and School Board President Don Gee that encouraged political activism. Stender and Gee did not comment on the report or the allegations. ATLANTIC – The former director of the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce face several felony charges for alleged misallocation of organization funds. WHO-13 reports 33-year-old Bailey Lynn Smith is accused of ongoing criminal conduct, 1st degree fraudulent practice, 1st degree theft, and unauthorized use of a credit card. For more than five years as director, Smith is accused of making 761 personal transactions with chamber funds, resulting in nearly $27,000 in losses. Additionally, she allegedly made 47 bank transfers among the different accounts for the chamber totaling $76,000.

MUSCATINE COUNTY – One person died and four others were injured in a crash in Muscatine County. The Iowa State Patrol reports the unidentified individual was a passenger in a collision on Highway 70 on Thursday morning. The head-on crash resulted in one of the vehicles becoming fully engulfed. Residents from Cedar Rapids, Conesville, and Lone Tree were among those injured. DES MOINES— Governor Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation setting Tuesday, December 30, as the date for a special election in Iowa Senate District 16 following the death of Iowa State Senator Claire Celsi.Iowa Code section 69.14 outlines the authority given to the governor to set a special election.Celsi passed away on Monday, October 6. She was first elected to the Iowa State Senate in 2018 and served on several legislative committees, including the Senate Government Oversight Committee as its ranking member. Iowa Senate District 16 includes parts of West Des Moines, Clive and Windsor Heights.WEST POINT, IA – A large dog breeding operation is now operating under a new license in West Union. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports Stonehenge Kennels had faced several concerns and even federal investigation for potential violations. However, the new license gives the space a clean regulatory record. The dealer’s license has changed hands from Steve Kruse to Christine Snakenburg; Kruse was accused of several violations, and his facility was accused of being one of the largest puppy mills in the United States, with as many as 700 dogs on site.

IOWA – Governor Kim Reynolds signed an executive order that requires state agencies to verify employment eligibility, specifically relating to immigration status. The move on Wednesday comes in response to former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts and his arrest by federal immigration officers. State agencies will now be required to either use E-Verify or SAVE to confirm the status of the potential candidates. DES MOINES – Military personnel are about to go unpaid in the ongoing government shutdown. WHO-13 reports the Blue Star Mothers of Iowa are aiming to support members of the Iowa National Guard, who are set to lose their pay after October 15th. In previous government shutdowns, congress had passed measures to ensure military members kept getting paid. The Iowa National Guard released a statement, saying they stand ready regardless of the actions on Capitol Hill. WATERLOO – A member of the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors has been charged with sexual abuse. KCRG-TV reports 45-year-old Christopher Schwartz was arrested by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation on Wednesday. He’s accused of two sexual assaults in 2023. Schwartz is in his third term on the board.