DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Amid a worker shortage, some lawmakers in Iowa’s Republican-controlled Legislature and business groups are backing a bill that would make broad changes to Iowa’s child-labor laws, allowing teens to work in a wide variety of jobs they currently are banned from doing. Opponents say the jobs are too dangerous for teens. PHILADELPHIA, PA (IRN) – Iowa officially lost its first-in-the-nation status for Democratic caucuses after the Democratic National Committee meeting Saturday. After hours of testimony, the DNC rules and bylaws committee approved the change. South Carolina will be going first on Feb. 3, 2024, followed by New Hampshire and Nevada three days later. Iowa Democrats may hold caucuses regardless. GRUNDY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – One person was killed and two others were injured in a UTV accident near Reinbeck Saturday. The driver of the UTV lost control and it rolled. Lori Knaack, 53, was killed. The two others injured in the accident are expected to make a full recovery. SUMNER, IA (IRN) – One person was killed in a crash Sunday near Sumner. The Bremer County Sheriff’s Office says a car driven by 22-year-old Carter Harris of St. Cloud, Florida blew through a stop sign and hit a car driven by 22-year-old Derrius Taylor-Ly of Altoona. Taylor-Ly was killed. WINTERSET, IA (IRN) – People around the Winterset and Truro area may have noticed some film cameras in the area recently. The film is called “Winterset” and it’s the creation of writer, producer, and director Michael P. Blevins who lives in Beverly Hills, but grew up in Kansas City. He spent summers coming to Truro and Winterset to visit grandparents. It’s a crime drama.

OONE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two people died in a car accident in Boone Friday evening. Pamela Mary Borkowski, 55, was stopped at a stop sign when she allegedly pulled out in front of a Ford F250 Super Duty truck. Pamela and her passenger Stephanie Jeanne Borkowski, 32, both passed away from the injuries they sustained during the crash. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A naked man armed with a toilet plunger terrorized guests at the downtown Marriott last week. Naked and armed with a toilet plunger. Trevyn Hill, from Las Vegas, chased victims, destroyed a sprinkler system, and pulled multiple fire alarms around the hotel. He was restrained by firefighters. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) said she intends to lower the state’s income tax rate to 2% while trying to get to 0%. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa legislature is considering a bill that aims to limit the use of electronic devices while driving. A bill advanced Monday that would only allow hands-free or voice-activated use of cell phones and other electronic devices while driving.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A man has been arrested after police said he shot a woman in the leg in Waterloo early Friday morning. 33-year-old Demario Latrell Rucker shot the victim during an argument. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – On a 34-15 vote, Senate lawmakers passed a plan Thursday to increase public education funding by 3%. The proposal would send an additional $106.8 million to Iowa public schools next year. The House is set to take up public school funding next week. Democrats say it’s well below the rate of inflation. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A Cedar Rapids man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with a cold case from 2016. Christopher Johnson, 49, is accused of killing Donald Preston in December 2016. Preston’s body was located in a field southwest of Fort Dodge on December 26, 2016. Investigators said he died after being shot in the head and abdomen. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – At Wednesday’s media availability at the University of Iowa, Hawkeye head football coach Kirk Ferentz says he will not make changes to the staff, despite the team’s lackluster offensive effort this year. Kirk Ferentz’s son, Brian, is the Offensive Coordinator. The Hawkeyes ranked next to last in the country in total team offense this past season. The year before, Iowa ranked in the bottom ten. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Caitlin Clark scored 42 points and Monika Czinano had 28 as No. 6 Iowa defeated No. 8 Maryland 96-82 on Thursday night in Iowa City. Clark, who entered second in the nation in scoring at 27.1 points per game, was 13 of 19 from the field, including 6 for 11 on 3-pointers. She also had seven rebounds and eight assists.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – One of the top vocalists in country music is set to perform in Des Moines this summer. Chris Stapleton has added a show at Wells Fargo Arena to his tour. The Kentucky-born musician will take the stage on June 22. Stapleton is an eight-time Grammy award winner and was most recently named CMA Male Vocalist of the Year for the sixth time. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Republicans at the Iowa Statehouse are resurrecting a plan that would require school districts to provide parents with a list of all instructional materials that their child will use in each class throughout the school year. Democrats say it’s a waste of time and money and will require schools to hire additional non-instructional staff. URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – An Urbandale man is accused of stalking his ex-wife after GPS devices were found in her vehicle. Cameron Herriott, 32, is being held in the Polk County Jail on charges of stalking-unauthorized use of GPS, third-degree burglary, and violating a protective order. URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center in Urbandale is facing a $10,000 fine for mistakenly pronouncing one of its residents dead. A funeral director came to pick up the woman, saw no signs of life, zipped her up in a cloth bag, and dropped her body off at the Ankeny Funeral Home and Crematory. A funeral home employee unzipped the bag and saw the woman’s chest moving. Then the woman in the bag gasped for air. EMS responded, and they were able to record a pulse and breathing, but there was no eye movement and no verbal response. The woman died less than two days later with her family at her side. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Raptors women’s team is getting ready to kick off its first-ever indoor home game. The team is the first indoor semi-pro women’s soccer team in the state.

POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A college bus carrying multiple passengers flipped on its side Wednesday along Highway 163 in Polk County. The bus belonging to Iowa Wesleyan University was carrying 10 passengers. Five people were transported to a hospital and most of the injuries are minor. None of the injuries are considered life-threatening. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A proposed plan limiting how schools and teachers can talk to students about gender identity in Iowa was moved forward in the House Education Committee. House File 9 is a Republican-backed bill prohibiting school districts from “facilitating any accommodation that is intended to affirm a student’s gender identity if that gender identity is different than the sex listed on the student’s official birth certificate.” The bill also prohibits school leaders from withholding information from parents on a student’s gender identity or sexual orientation. Critics say it will require teachers to “out” students. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A Russian hacking group called “KillNet” has claimed to have taken down the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics website, along with the websites of dozens of other hospitals nationwide. UIHC has acknowledged its website is down Tuesday afternoon, and its IT staff is investigating the cause. It’s unclear if any of the attacks would hamper hospital operations or expose patient data. CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Falls police arrested a Denver man after he told several residents that he was an undercover cop with the Waterloo police department. Mitchil Thuesen, 21, was taken into custody and charged with impersonating a Public Official. OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – The owners of a long-time Ottumwa business are getting ready to close the doors. O’Hara Hardware is closing after 83 years in business. The owners say they plan to retire and thank their customers for decades of support. The business will close later this year.