Author: Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES – Iowa House Republicans, even with significant opposition from within their own party, passed a version of legislation that would make substantial changes to Area Education Agencies that will head to the Senate for their education subcommittee to consider. The bill varies greatly from a proposal started by Governor Kim Reynolds that would have significantly changed the relationship between the entities and public and private schools across the state. The Iowa Senate has not passed a full bill yet; the House version keeps several key structures in place for AEAs, including special education funding, but moves most of their controlling operations to the Iowa Department of Education.

WAPELLO COUNTY – A body found in the Des Moines River earlier this week has been identified. WHO-13 reports 53-year-old Lee Alan Lukehart of Ottumwa was found inside of a truck spotted by a passerby Monday near Rock Bluff Park. The Wapello County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation.

TAMA – UPDATE: An endangered person advisory that was issued by the Tama Police Department and Meskwaki Nation Police Department for a missing seven-year-old girl has been cancelled. According to the advisory, seven-year-old Milla Keahna was reported missing yesterday. KCCI-TV reports the girl was last seen with her mother, Starla Mae Marie Lincoln, or possibly her father, Redmond Keahna. She has since been safely located.

IOWA CITY – The greatest women’s college basketball player of her generation will take her talents to the professional level after this spring. Iowa Hawkeyes Superstar Caitlin Clark announced on social media she will declare for the WBNA draft after the conclusion of the 2024 NCAA tournament. Clark broke another all-time scoring record, passing Lynette Woodard for the major college high mark. She passed the NCAA’s best scoring mark for women earlier this month, and is 18 points away from Pete Maravich and his all-time best for the NCAA men.

Much warmer conditions return to Iowa this week beginning today. High temperatures today will be in the 50s, followed by near record highs again by this weekend. Along with the warmer air, an extreme fire danger returns to the state. This all comes after some communities reported a nearly 60 degree drop in 12 hours or less by Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

A Delaware County sheriff’s deputy is being awarded a Medal of Valor for his bravery. Deputy Matt Menard intercepted a shooting suspect in Hopkinton in November, tried to arrest him peacefully, but ended up shooting the man — but then rendered him first aid. menard was nominated by Deputy Travis Hemesath.

All American Caitlin Clark passed Lynette Woodard to become the all-time major women’s college basketball leading scorer Wednesday as the sixth-ranked Iowa dropped Minnesota, 108-60. Iowa improved to 25-4 this season and 14-2 in conference play. Clark garnered her sixth triple-double of the season and 17th of her career with 33 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds.

WHEATLAND – A juvenile died in a rollover UTV accident near Wheatlead. The Iowa State Patrol reports an 11 and 10 year old were riding a UTV when they lost control and it flipped Tuesday evening. The older of the two, a passenger, died on scene.

WAPELLO COUNTY – The Wapello County Sheriff’s Office found a dead man inside of a submerged vehicle earlier this week. Several attempts were made on Tuesday to get the body removed after a vehicle was found by a fisher on Monday. The unidentified person has been transferred to the State Medical Examiner.

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and a delegation of farmers and other agricultural industry leaders returned this week from a trade mission to Mexico that was held February 18 through 24. The mission, coordinated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, was focused on increasing exports of manufactured products and agricultural goods. Iowa companies exported $4.2 billion in goods to Mexico in 2023, a new record.

CARROLL – A Glidden woman died in a two-vehicle crash in Carroll County Monday morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports a westbound Chevy Equinox driven by 56-year-old Lisa Feilmeier was on Highway 30 near Deluxe Animal Hospital before striking the rear-passenger door of a Ford Fusion operated by 41-year-old Eric Hahn of Carroll. Feilmeier died as a result of injuries, and was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.

HUMBOLDT – A Humboldt Middle School teacher is accused of having a sexual relationship with a student. A press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office detailed that police were made aware of a possible sexual relationship between 31-year-old Samantha Meyer-Davis of Rutland and a Humboldt High School student last fall. The student/child was under the age of sixteen (16) at the time of the initial report. Police claim the acts began on or about June of 2022 when the student was fourteen (14) years old. Meyer-Davis turned herself in to the Humboldt County Law Enforcement Center on Monday and faces charges of sexual abuse in the 3rd degree (Class C Felony) and sexual exploitation by a school employee (Class D Felony).

IOWA – Several records for heat were broken across the state on Monday. The all-time mark in Des Moines was tied for February at 78 degrees, and many locations approached 75-80 degrees. A dramatic change is in store for most Iowans, as temperatures will drop as much as 60 degrees from those marks on Monday, and another warm day is in store today for the southern half of the state before the strong cold front moves through, according to the National Weather Service.

POLK COUNTY – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has identified two people that were both killed in a shooting incident Friday in Des Moines. The victim has been identified as 33-year-old Francisco Leonel Rivera Cosme (33) of Des Moines, who worked for the business where the incident took place. The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Alexis Manuel Lopez Rivera of West Des Moines. Police believe Lopez Rivera shot himself after killing Rivera Cosme.

EAGLE GROVE – Police are investigating a shooting that resulted in a death in Eagle Grove. The local police department reports they received a 911 call early Saturday morning. An unidentified man has died, but Eagle Grove Police say there is no ongoing threat to the public. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and Wright County Sheriff’s Office are assisting.

SCOTT COUNTY – A rare gray wolf was found dead on the median of Interstate 80 near Davenport last week. The Des Moines Register reports a state conservation officer discovered the animal near the I-280 interchange. A diagnostic lab at Iowa State University has received tissue samples to determine the wolf’s population of origin. The state has seen five wolves pass through the state in the past five years, according to the Iowa DNR.

IOWA – Several records for heat across the state are possible today and Tuesday. According to the National Weather Service, multiple high marks are expected to be broken as temperatures climb above 70 in many communities on both days. This will come with breezy winds, and the vast majority of Iowa is under a Red Flag Warning, which is issued when risks are increased for outdoor burns to spread rapidly.