IOWA (IRN) – A federal appeals court concluded a 2019 Environmental Protection Agency rule that allowed for the sale of a 15% ethanol gasoline blend throughout the year and not just during the summer is contrary to federal law. Friday’s ruling deals a significant blow to the ethanol industry and corn farmers. SAYLORVILLE LAKE, IA (IRN) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reporting a harmful algae bloom at Saylorville Lake and advises people not to drink or swim in the water. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa junior Joe Wieskamp is going to the NBA. Wieskamp announced his decision Friday. He wrote, “Hawkeye Nation…it’s been an incredible 3 years. I can’t thank you all enough for your support throughout my career…at this time, I’d like to officially announce that I will be keeping my name in the 2021 NBA Draft. I’ll be a Hawkeye for life!” IOWA (IRN) – Vibrant colors at sunrise and sunset and hazy skies across the state of Iowa and beyond are due to smoke from spreading wildfires across British Columbia. An unprecedented heat wave has led to record temperatures and dry conditions in Canada and the western U.S. The smoke is now trapped in the upper levels of the atmosphere and winds have transported that smoke to the midwest.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A Fort Dodge man will face life in prison for murdering his wife. Justin Hurdel shot and killed his estranged wife, Maggie, last August, then attempted to take his own life. A witness saw Hurdel wait in a detached garage and confront his estranged wife before pulling the trigger. She was a 38-year-old mother who was well-known for her love of art and helping others. The violence dates back to November. Justin Hurdel was charged then with harassment after telling his wife, “I will kill you if you try to leave” and “you’ll be dead anyways.” ADAIR COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Authorities are investigating after finding a person’s body off a rural Adair County road Thursday and are treating the death as suspicious. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Security officials at an Iowa jail must allow a man charged with killing a state trooper to meet privately with his lawyers, a judge ordered Thursday. Staff at the Black Hawk County jail in Waterloo had refused to allow Michael Lang — who is awaiting trial for murder in the shooting of Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Jim Smith — to meet with his lawyers outside their presence. They argued that taking their eyes off Lang would pose a unique threat given his alleged hatred of law enforcement. CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – Fire crews responded to a fire at a Perkins restaurant in Coralville Wednesday night. Officials said the fire was primarily contained to the roof and crews extinguished it in about 30 minutes. The building sustained heavy smoke and water damage estimated at around $500,000. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Fireworks injuries more than doubled in Iowa in the four years since a 2017 law legalized their sale and use, with far more children getting hurt and more patients requiring amputation, according to a new study. Emergency room visits stemming from fireworks-related injuries rose to an annual average of 147 from 2017 through 2020. That’s a 114% increase from the state average of 69 over the previous four years.

LAMONI, IA (IRN) – A small plane crashed near Lamoni along Interstate 35 this morning. The sheriff’s office said the incident happened around 8 a.m. The plane crashed near the south end of the runway at the Lamoni Municipal Airport on airport property. The Federal Aviation Administration said that preliminary reports indicate two people were on board the single-engine Cirrus SR-22. ANAMOSA, IA (IRN) – One of the two men accused of murdering two Anamosa prison employees during an attempted escape in March will have his fate decided by a judge rather than a jury. Michael Dutcher, 29, requested the bench trial after he was warned by the judge that moving the case due to pretrial publicity might take some time. Dutcher’s trial is scheduled for August 3 in Anamosa. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A woman was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in prison for damaging valves and setting fire to construction equipment along an oil pipeline that crosses Iowa and three other states. Thirty-nine-year-old Jessica Rae Reznicek also was ordered to pay nearly $3.2 million in restitution and serve three years of supervised release after her prison term for conspiracy to damage an energy facility ends. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A former horticulture teacher who oversaw the Des Moines Public Schools’ greenhouse operations, is accused of misspending more than $19,000 – and possibly more – in a report released by State Auditor Rob Sand. That includes more than $18,000 paid to his wife to serve as his assistant and $1,300 in misspent Menards rebates. WASHINGTON, DC (IRN) – President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a mental health bill into law named for Sgt. Brandon Ketchum – an Iowa veteran who took his own life after being denied mental health services in 2016. The ‘Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans’ Mental Health Act’ was written by Iowa congresswoman Cindy Axne. The bill creates new programs within the VA that are specifically targeted at increasing mental healthcare access in rural areas.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Overturning a landmark $1.5 million jury verdict, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that former Gov. Terry Branstad did not illegally discriminate or retaliate against a gay state official. The court found a lack of evidence to show that Branstad discriminated against then-Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Chris Godfrey because of his sexual orientation. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gun deaths are surging in Iowa as a law is set to go into effect Thursday that will allow people to more easily buy handguns and carry them in public without training or a permit. A record 353 Iowa residents died from gunshot wounds in 2020, including 263 suicides and 85 homicides, SIOUX CENTER, IA (IRN) – It’s been less than eight months since the 2020 presidential election, but Republicans considering runs for the White House in 2024 are already coming to Iowa to lay the groundwork for potential campaigns. The latest is Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, who participated in a GOP event in Sioux Center Tuesday night. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The emergency room at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids is seeing an uptick in traumatic-type injuries, and is specifically related to more e-scooters available in the city. Common activities, like bicycling and riding all-terrain vehicles also contribute to the recent increase in patients coming into the ER. VICTORIA, BC (IRN) – Former Iowa State basketball star Bridget Carleton is headed to Tokyo to play for Canada in the Olympics. The Ontario native averaged 5.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in qualifying. This will be Carleton’s first Olympics.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office is opening a new position to help in its response to people experiencing a mental health crisis. The sheriff’s office and two mental health providers in eastern Iowa, Foundation 2 and the East Central Region, will employ a mental health liaison within the department. Dubuque County Sheriff Joe Kennedy said since the pandemic began, more people have been calling saying they feel suicidal, and when someone is in distress, having a mental health professional respond makes sense. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Protesters once again disrupted a Des Moines City Council meeting Monday, resulting in at least one arrest. Police took a demonstrator away in handcuffs. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A disaster proclamation has been issued by Governor Kim Reynolds after severe weather hit three counties this month. Those three counties are Linn, Monroe, and Wapello. Qualifying residents in those counties can now apply for grants up to $5,000 to cover the cost of home or car repairs, replacement of food or clothing, and temporary housing expenses. EUGENE, OR (IRN) – Former Indian Hills Community College sprinter Kenny Bednarek is headed to Tokyo after his runner-up finish in the 200 meters at the Olympic trials on Sunday. Bednarek, 22, was a two-time NJCAA champion while at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa. Bednarek also qualified for the American 4×100 relay team. FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) -The Fort Dodge Police Department said a driver learned the hard way not to ignore road signs after their car became stuck in wet concrete. Officers cited a 37-year-old Webster City woman for failure to obey a traffic control device after she drove past barriers construction crews had placed while they were doing concrete patch repair. The woman said she was just following her GPS directions.