STORY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Just weeks before Christmas, thieves are targeting people who spend their lives helping others in Story County. On Thursday, cars were broken into in the parking lots of two long-term care facilities Bethany Life and Accura Healthcare. Multiple car windows were smashed and purses were stolen. The suspects then went to Walmart where they quickly used stolen credit cards. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Volunteers and visitors will be allowed to enter all Cedar Rapids Community School District buildings beginning on Jan. 3. Masks will be required. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s leading rusher has played his final game as a Hawkeye. Running back Tyler Goodson announced Friday he will skip the bowl game and his senior season to focus on the NFL Draft. Goodson has led Iowa in rushing the past three seasons. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Maurine Nieman is a professor of biology at the University of Iowa. Two years ago, she lost her son JJ to the flu. Inspired by her tragic loss, she teamed up with Families Fighting Flu and her students to create a video game to teach kids about the flu and the importance of vaccination. The game is called “Flu’s Clues,” and is available online.

IOWA (IRN) – The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning or winter weather advisory for much of the northern half of Iowa. Moderate to heavy snow will be possible, especially in the warning area. Winds could cause blowing snow to near blizzard conditions in the northwest. A wintry mix with light icing will be possible from central into northeast Iowa. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – One person has been arrested after an SUV with a four-year-old inside was stolen from a gas station Thursday night in Des Moines. The suspect stole an Infiniti FX35 from a Git N’ Go. The owner of the SUV left it running with the child in the back seat when they went inside the convenience store. After stealing the SUV, the suspect let the child out of the vehicle. Police later found the four-year-old safe and brought them back to their family. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The U.S. Department of Justice has issued a strong condemnation of the way Iowa treats people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, telling the state it must find ways to care for people in community settings and not in institutions. They say the state is violating the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. ​​FORT MADISON, IA (IRN) – The longest-serving inmate in Iowa and the fifth-longest in the country has died of natural causes in Fort Madison. In 1956, Warren John Nutter, 84 was 18 years old when he murdered police officer Harold Pearce in Independence. He had been scheduled to be executed by hanging, but the governor of Iowa commuted his sentence to life in prison. Nutter served 62 years in prison. AMES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State men’s basketball team continued its resurgence Thursday night with a 73-53 pounding of rival Iowa in the annual Cy-Hawk Showdown. No. 17 Iowa State improved to 9-0, and also paid back Iowa for last year’s blowout loss in Iowa City. The loss drops the Hawkeyes to 7-3.

DES MOINES, IA (IR) – The Iowa Department of Public Health and the State Hygienic Lab confirm detection of the first case of the COVID-19 variant, Omicron, in an Iowa resident. The case involves an unvaccinated individual under the age of 18 who resides in Black Hawk County. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A bondsman has been accused of offering female inmates bail in exchange for sex. On Wednesday, the Iowa Insurance Division released details into one of their most recent investigations that included charges against bail bondsman David Ellis. Ellis, who owns Always Affordable Bail Bonds in Des Moines, faces allegations of fraud, theft and prostitution. IOWA FALLS, IA (IRN) – A deadly encounter between police and a man reportedly stalking a woman he used to date led Iowa Falls schools and Ellsworth Community College to cancel classes Wednesday. Officers saw the man run his vehicle into the woman’s car. Police ordered the man to get out of his vehicle. He refused and displayed a shotgun and tried to flee. That’s when police shot and killed him. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police have identified the man who was killed when he and a police officer were struck by a vehicle Monday night. Donald Hill, 31, of Des Moines died Tuesday. Hill allegedly fled on foot from a traffic stop on the city’s south side on Monday. Senior Police Officer Curt Brass gave chase. The two men struggled in the roadway where they were struck by a vehicle. Brass remains hospitalized with serious injuries but is expected to survive. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – 100 nurses and respiratory therapists are being contracted by the state to support hospitals that provide one, two and three trauma level care. Federal funding will help 17 facilities around the state. AMES, IA (IRN) -The Joens sisters, Ashley and Aubrey, each had a double-double for the second game in a row and No. 15 Iowa State edged No. 12 Iowa 77-70 to end a five-game losing streak in the series. The game, a first when both were ranked in the top 15, wasn’t decided until Ashley Joens made three of four free throws in the final 15 seconds.

Knoxville–please don’t read second story–other stations, skip whatever DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Cubs announced early Wednesday that the team has been sold to Diamond Baseball Holdings. DBH is a subsidiary of the global sports and entertainment company Endeavor. The team will remain an MLB affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. KNOXVILLE, IA (IRN) – Two Melcher-Dallas teens were killed in a one vehicle crash southwest of Knoxville last night shortly before 9:00 pm. The victims were 16-year-old Grace DeHeer and 16-year-old Angelina Clark. A 1994 Ford Taurus driven by DeHeer was northbound on 80th Avenue when it crested a hill and rolled, landing on its top. Both were ejected. They were pronounced dead at the scene. Neither teen was wearing a seatbelt. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Jaquez Billy Lamar Pease has pleaded guilty to reckless use of a firearm and assault while using or displaying a dangerous weapon in connection to the shooting that left 18-year-old Robert W. Powell-Moore dead. Police charged both Pease and another teenager with shooting and killing Robert Powell-Moore during a fight in Dubuque in July. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines cleaning company must pay a penalty for falsely advertising long-term protection against COVID-19. Heritage Building Maintenance must pay a $75,000 penalty and refunds to customers after the Attorney General’s Office said that the company falsely claimed its cleaning process would protect against transmission of COVID-19 on surfaces. Heritage sold their cleaning process to about 65 Iowa customers with more than 200 locations or buildings in Des Moines, including schools and medical facilities. IOWA (IRN) – State Auditor Rob Sand announced Tuesday that he will run for re-election in 2022 as State Auditor. The Decorah Democrat had been considered by some as a potential challenger for Governor Kim Reynolds on the 2022 ballot. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is also running for re-election. The Republican was appointed to the position in 2018 after Mike Northey left to serve Donald Trump’s administration. Naig won election in fall of 2022.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A central Iowa nursing home has landed on a list of the nation’s worst care facilities. QHC Fort Dodge Villa was cited in October for a number of federal and state violations. The care center has been fined more than $685,000, but it could be increased if the facility fails to comply with federal regulations. IOWA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health is reporting a dramatic jump in the number of positive COVID-19 tests reported in the state over the last seven days. There have been 12,254 positive tests over the last week. That’s up by 2,548 from the numbers reported on Friday. IOWA (IRN) – Masks will continue to be required in Iowa courtrooms and some proceedings may continue to be held via teleconference under orders issued by the Iowa Supreme Court chief justice. The requirement ordered by Chief Justice Susan Christensen on Monday includes all counties and everyone regardless of vaccination status. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines police officer and a suspect were hit by a car during a foot chase Monday night. Both were hospitalized last night in serious condition. The suspect died this morning. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Governor Kim Reynolds on Monday ordered all flags in Iowa to be flown at half-staff in honor of Senator Bob Dole, who died on Sunday at 98. Reynolds’ order is in conjunction with President Joe Biden’s and will be in effect through sunset on Thursday. Dole was a Republican Senator representing Kansas in Congress for 35 years. He was a World War II veteran, where he suffered and overcame serious injuries and was also a three-time presidential candidate.