DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Hot air balloons filled the skies over Des Moines this morning ahead of the National Balloon Classic in Indianola this weekend. However, the planned flights did not go without a hitch. One balloon pilot made an emergency landing in a backyard. No one was injured. CERRO GORDO COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A crash in Cerro Gordo County on Friday killed two people and injured another. The driver lost control of the vehicle and rolled. The driver and a passenger were killed. Another passenger was life-flighted to the hospital. CENTRAL CITY, IA (IRN) – A Coralville man is behind bars after stabbing a man in the chest on Saturday in Central City. The victim is also on a police hold for a warrant for escape and violation of probation. WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A road bucking due to extreme heat shut down a portion of Interstate 80 in West Des Moines on Saturday. The road buckle occurred westbound on I-80 near the Jordan Creek Parkway entrance ramp. The westbound lanes were shut down for several hours while law enforcement and Iowa DOT repaired the road. NEWTON, IA (IRN) – Pato O’Ward is the winner of Sunday’s Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 race at the Iowa Speedway. O’Ward finished second in Saturday’s race, the Hy-Veedeals.com 250. Josef Newgarden, the winner of Saturday’s race, led for the majority of Sunday’s race and looked like he was headed for a weekend sweep until he spun out and crashed on lap 236.

MAQUOKETA, IA (IRN) – Four people are dead in what investigators say was a triple homicide at Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground yesterday. The DCI says 23-year-old Anthony Sherwin, of La Vista, Nebraska, killed three people before shooting himself. The victims are 42-year-old Tyler Schmidt, 42-year-old Sarah Schmidt and 6-year-old Lula Schmidt. The family was from Cedar Falls. Investigators say they were staying in a tent during their visit to the park. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Democrat challenging Senator Chuck Grassley for his Senate seat is now challenging him to a series of debates. Michael Franken said he wants to hold four debates with Grassley before the general election in November, with one debate being held in each congressional district. Senator Grassley’s campaign informally accepted the challenge of debates but not the specific number or locations. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – It’s become slightly more difficult to find a place to swim in Des Moines this year. The Des Moines Parks and Recreation does not have enough lifeguards to fully staff all five of its pools. As a result, the department has closed one pool every week to spread the staff they have around. CARROLL, IA (IRN) – Van Meter has done it again. The Bulldogs blanked ELC 10-0 in 6 innings Friday to win the 2A State Championship at Merchants Park in Carroll. Van Meter is now just the fourth team ever to win four straight state titles.

DES MOINES, IA IRN) – Iowa’s casinos are seeing record profits. The state reports for this fiscal year, table games and slot machines have taken in more than $1.7 billion in gross revenue. Sports betting brought in another $139 million. More people are visiting Iowa’s casinos, too. They report nearly 18 million admissions so far this year. That’s up more than 1 million from last year. STATE CENTER, IA (IRN) – A State Center man has died after a fire inside a mobile home. Authorities arrived on scene and found 31-year-old Wyatt Michael Varnum of State Center inside the mobile home. He received medical attention on scene but was later pronounced dead. Authorities haven’t confirmed what caused the fire. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police in Des Moines have arrested one of the men they say is responsible for the terrifying robbery of a metro woman. The incident happened early Tuesday morning after the victim won two jackpots at the Prairie Meadows casino totaling more than $10,000. The woman was driving home when her car was forced off the road by two vehicles. Police said 30-year-old Timothy Spencer, of Berwick, was driving one of the vehicles. Spencer had a handgun when he exited the vehicle, and struck the driver-side window of the victim’s vehicle, shattering it. He then opened the door, grabbed the victim’s purse, and fled. MARION, IA (IRN) – Marion Police said several blocks near downtown Marion were vandalized early Thursday morning. Businesses, houses, and public property were spray painted, some with messages of hate, swastikas, and white supremacy. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 2.6% in June. The U.S. unemployment rate remained at 3.6%.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines nurse’s license is suspended after being accused of stealing drugs from patients at multiple nursing homes. The Iowa Board of Nursing says Kathlene Roush has had a history of drug addiction over several years. Documents allege she stole medication from nursing homes in Mitchellville and Des Moines before being fired. State records show she has to be sober for one year before she can apply for reinstatement. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A deadly crash occurred Wednesday in Des Moines. First responders found a 39-year-old motorcyclist with critical injuries. Medics initiated life-saving measures and transported the patient to a local hospital. The motorcyclist has since died of his injuries. A car had turned in front of the motorcyclist and they collided. This is the 11th traffic-related fatality of 2022 in Des Moines. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa City police have arrested two people in connection to a robbery and shots fired incident on Tuesday. Police arrested Joey Smith, Jr., 31, and Marcia Smith Buckhalter, 29, both of Iowa City. Smith is facing charges of first degree robbery, going armed with intent, intimidation with a dangerous weapon and control of a firearm by a felon. Smith Buckhalter is facing a charge of first degree robbery. IOWA (IRN) – The heat and are here through the end of the week. For most of Iowa, each day we’ll have temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s with high humidity. The worst of the heat will likely be Saturday as we push well into the low 90s and heat indices likely 100-105+. That heat and humidity will be the fuel for potential strong storms late in the day as a cool air front arrives. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A little is going a long way in Dubuque. The city’s Little Free Food Pantry program is working with residents to build miniature food pantries all across the city. The newest addition to their miniature pantry line-up are 10 converted newspaper dispensers, putting the total number of pantries to 24 spread across the city.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A child was killed in a crash Tuesday on Interstate 80-35 near the Highway 69 exit to Ankeny. Three vehicles were involved, including a tractor-trailer. Traffic was backed up for a crash, and the tractor-trailer was unable to stop and hit an SUV, which slammed into another car. Inside were 42-year-old Luis Venales Graterol and 11-year-old Ian Venales. Ian Vanales was killed in the crash. JOHNSON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Johnson County Public Health is reporting the first confirmed case of monkeypox in the county. Monkeypox infections occur through skin-to-skin contact, body fluids, or touching shared items that have been in contact with bodily fluids and or monkeypox rashes/sores. The virus can also spread through respiratory secretions that occur during kissing, cuddling, or sex. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A former lottery computer technician convicted in a scheme to rig computers to win jackpots for himself, friends and family, has been paroled after serving more than five years in an Iowa prison. Eddie Tipton, 59, was released Friday. MAHASKA COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office and firefighters rescued a man from the Des Moines River near Oskaloosa on Tuesday evening. The Mahaska County Sheriff says the man was floating down the river for four hours. He survived, thanks to his life jacket. The 71-year-old man went to the hospital as a precaution and is expected to be OK. HUMBOLDT, IA (IRN) – A pilot landed in a farmer’s soybean field in Humboldt County on Tuesday morning. The pilot was flying home to Colorado after attending a wedding in Wisconsin. He ran out of gas and had to make an emergency landing. Someone gave the pilot some gas and he took off again on a nearby gravel road. The pilot and passenger are OK. The pilot will pay back the farmer for the damage.