DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health reports a record 47 additional COVID-19 deaths while six more of the state’s long-term care facilities confirm virus outbreaks. The health department reported 3,435 new statewide coronavirus cases Wednesday. The previous record of 40 deaths was reported Nov. 18. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A man has been arrested in connection with the September shooting at a private club in Waterloo that left two people dead and several others injured. Willie Edward Saffold Jr., 21, was booked Monday. Six others had gunshot wounds and survived. Several others were injured by debris or hurt in the chaos. FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – An officer was assaulted by an inmate yesterday at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility. As the officer was taking an inmate to their cell, the inmate punched him in the face. More staff arrived to stop the fight and another officer suffered minor injuries. The inmate wasn’t injured. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Thanksgiving typically marks one of the busiest travel times of the year, but not this year. Warnings from the CDC not to travel due to COVID-19 have contributed to less travel nationally. Data shows the Des Moines International Airport had 43% fewer customers flying out of Des Moines compared to 2019. The airport expects about half the normal numbers of flyers this Thanksgiving. The Eastern Iowa airport expects about half the number of travelers as well. JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds urged Iowans to be mindful of safety on the Thanksgiving holiday and asked them to limit the size of their gatherings to 15 people or less. U.S. Rep. Steve King — the Fourth District Republican from Kiron who lost re-election — criticized his party’s leader. King tweeted about Reynolds’ “magic # Covid rules,” saying his household will use their own judgement. U.S.A (IRN) – The Iowa State Cyclones and Iowa Hawkeyes made the first College Football Playoff Top 25 of the season. The CFP Top 25, released Tuesday, lists Iowa State at No. 13 and Iowa at No. 24. Alabama is No. 1, followed by Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A slim lead held by a Republican candidate for an open congressional seat in Iowa has gotten even smaller as counties recount their votes. Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks led Democrat Rita Hart by 47 votes in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District in unofficial results before recounts began last week. Miller-Meeks’ lead has shrunk to 36 votes out of more than 394,000 cast as the recount continues. So far, 15 of 24 counties have completed recounts and sent their new unofficial totals to the state. None of the four counties Hart won have reported new numbers. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Corrections announced Monday that a ninth inmate died due to COVID-19 complications. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Transportation reports there has been an 11% decrease in travel on roads statewide this year. Gas tax revenues going to the department are down 3%, which may result in over $50 million in losses for the department’s road building fund. OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – An Ottumwa police officer is on administrative leave after being arrested and charged with Domestic Abuse. Officer Jordan Woodward was arrested in Monroe County and is accused of choking a woman. The alleged victim reportedly had red marks on her neck and was having trouble breathing when officers arrived. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A University of Iowa student-athlete has been named a Rhodes Scholar, one of the highest academic honors in the world. Marissa Mueller is a Biomedical Engineering student, who is also a thrower on the track and field team. She’s the 22nd Rhodes Scholar from the University of Iowa, and the first woman from the school to win that honor in more than 30 years.

CHARITON, IA (IRN) – Two teenagers were killed in a crash in Lucas County. The wreck happened Sunday night on Highway 34 in Chariton. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver of a Jeep turned in front of a pickup. Two passengers in the Jeep were killed. They were identified as 15-year-old Katilynn Spicer, of Des Moines, and 16-year-old Chase Lavely, of Chariton. The Jeep and the pickup drivers were rushed to a hospital in critical condition. CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – A cell phone sale went wrong in Cedar Falls Sunday. A 24-year-old man was attempting to meet a 21-year-old woman he had met on Facebook Marketplace to sell her an iPhone. She drove away with the phone without paying, and he fired on the vehicle with three people inside. Both are in jail. MARION, IA (IRN) – A 31-year-old Colorado woman is behind bars after leading police on a chase Sunday night in Marion. The car was stolen. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Another 13 people with COVID-19 have died in Iowa, the state reported Monday. The statewide death toll is now 2,205. Of Iowa’s 99 counties, 92 report 14-day positivity rates above 15%. Only one Iowa county, Lucas County, reports a 14-day positivity rate below 10%. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Hy-Vee announced it will be bringing back special hours for customers who are high-risk as COVID-19 cases rise in Iowa. Customers over 60 years old, pregnant mothers and those with underlying health conditions are welcome to shop from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Other customers are asked to shop after 8 a.m.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – COVID-19 outbreaks continue to spread in Iowa’s long-term care facilities. The state has reported four more facility outbreaks, bringing the statewide total to 120. MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – A Muscatine man was killed early Saturday morning following a car-pedestrian accident. A 51-year-old woman called police to report that she believed she had hit someone. After officers arrived, they discovered the dead body of 33-year-old Cody Robert Terpenning along the side of the highway. AMES, IA (IRN) – The Ames Police Department said an incendiary device was discovered at a park Saturday morning. The device was a homemade ‘glitter bomb,’ which are often used to express personal messages of congratulations. Police say they are very dangerous. AMES, IA (IRN) – Jim Hallihan, a former Iowa State assistant men’s basketball coach who was a member of Johnny Orr’s staff for 12 years, died on Friday. He was 75. Hallihan was Orr’s top assistant from 1982-94. He helped the Cyclone men’s basketball program to six NCAA Tournament berths and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 1986.

POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Polk County Health Department is calling on school districts to stop high school sports until cases decrease. The letter sent by the director of the Polk County Health Department to athletic directors, superintendents and the high school sports union said they need to slow the trajectory of COVID-19. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Twenty-five people were arrested and illegal drugs, guns and cash were seized in a large law enforcement sweep of more than 40 locations in central Iowa. Search warrants were executed Wednesday at 45 locations in Des Moines, Windsor Heights, Clive, Waukee, West Des Moines and Adel. In addition to the arrests, state and federal officers seized 37 firearms, 3 pounds of cocaine and 18 pounds of marijuana, among other drugs. Agents also seized $50,000 in cash. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A driver hit two parked cars before causing a rollover accident on the south side of Des Moines on Friday afternoon. Witnesses say it ran a stop sign before hitting the two vehicles and flipping on its side. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A group of Iowa Pastors are calling for Governor Reynold to reverse her mask mandate. That’s even though churches are exempt. Pastor Sam Jones of Faith Baptist Church in Hudson is part of a group of pastors pushing against the mandate anywhere. He says, “It is something that is forcibly covering the image of God…And that’s often used throughout history to put people and nations into submission to a governing authority.”