BEIJING, CHINA (IRN) – Outgoing U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad said he will help out Republicans campaigning in his native Iowa after returning home next month. Branstad also told Hong Kong’s Phoenix TV that he considered the phase one trade deal between China and the U.S. as the biggest achievement of his three years in China. Branstad, 73, said he would be working on behalf of President Donald Trump, Senator Joni Ernst and others, but not in any official role. KELLOGG, IA (IRN) – Law enforcement is investigating a homicide Wednesday night in Jasper County. Authorities were called to a fire in a ditch near Kellogg. After it was extinguished, firefighters discovered a body. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Police have arrested a man for allegedly stabbing a 34-year-old woman at a bus stop in Cedar Rapids. Jayce Baskerville, 33, has been arrested and charged with violating a no contact order and assault domestic abuse with a weapon causing injury. Investigators say Baskerville followed the woman to the stop, where the stabbing occurred. She suffered multiple stab wounds to the upper body but is expected to survive. Baskerville tried to flee but was held by witnesses until police arrived. EPWORTH, IA (IRN) – The Epworth Police Department is advising people to be cautious as several vehicles were stolen this past weekend. Police say the thieves take the vehicles, go joyriding, and abandon them when they run out of gas. All vehicles had their keys left in them. WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – A Waukee man is suing the city, its mayor and police chief over the city’s new mask mandate. In the lawsuit, Lynn Hakenson said the mayor’s proclamation “inhibits and injures the ability of Hakenson to freely travel through the city limits of Waukee for personal, business, civic and religious purposes.” Hakenson is asking for an injunction to stop the mandate which is set to begin Friday.

IOWA (IRN) – Big Ten football is reportedly on the verge of returning. According to Yahoo Sports, the Big Ten presidents and chancellors decided Wednesday to reverse course and approve the return of Big Ten football amid the COVID-19 pandemic beginning on Oct. 24. The timetable will allow the Big Ten to participate in the College Football Playoff. The current plan is for Big Ten games to be played on campus without fans other than the families of players in attendance, although that could change. EAGLE GROVE, IA (IRN) – The DCI is investigating a shooting that occurred after a deputy was struck by a squad car in Eagle Grove. The Wright County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop and found that the driver, 31-year-old Sean McMillan, was driving while barred and in possession of a handgun. A deputy placed McMillan in handcuffs and sat him in the passenger seat of a squad car. McMillan then “jumped the console of the squad car,” hit the gas pedal and struck the sheriff’s deputy. The deputy fired one round at McMillan, who was later captured. There were no serious injuries. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Emergency responders in Davenport found an unresponsive man laying in the middle of a street early Saturday morning. He later died at a hospital. Police are investigating. NEWTON, IA (IRN) – A Newton bar owner is facing charges for not enforcing social distancing guidelines. On Sept. 4, police found standing room only at the Pour Bastards Pub. Police warned the bar owner Charles King for the second time since August. Officers tried to arrest King when he ripped the report from police. King resisted, but was arrested and faces multiple charges, including drug violations. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation Tuesday to reopen bars in four of the six Iowa counties where shutdowns are underway. Effective today, bars, taverns, wineries, breweries, distilleries and nightclubs in Black Hawk, Dallas, Linn and Polk counties will open once again.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Board of Regents has denied a request from Hawkeye alumni to appear at the board’s Sept. 23 meeting to appeal for the reinstatement of four sports slated to be cut at the university. Iowa athletic director Gary Barta announced last month that he was going to eliminate men’s gymnastics, men’s tennis, and men’s and women’s swimming and diving after this academic year. Barta cited a potential loss of $100 million in revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic as the reason, saying he anticipates saving $5 million annually by not carrying those four sports. He said he will not revisit his decision. DES MOINES, IOWA (IRN) – The Des Moines Police Department said a robbery victim acted in justifiable self-defense when he shot two people early Monday morning. The robbery victim called police and told them he had been approached by two armed men who attempted to rob him, but, in self-defense, he shot them. One of the men died. Both men were armed. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – The Waterloo Police Department is investigating more than 20 tire slashings that occurred over the weekend. They are gathering security video as part of their investigation. IOWA (IRN) – The University of Iowa, ISU, and UNI are making changes to the spring semester calendar in response to COVID-19. Among the changes, spring break is cancelled. AMES and IOWA CITY (IRN) – There is a planned sick-out today for Iowa State University and University of Iowa. Pledges are circulating asking students, faculty and staff to sign up and call in sick to demand 100% online instruction. The organizers said in part, “As students and teachers, we know that in-person classes are not safe during this pandemic. But instead of protecting us from illness, the administrators of our schools have restored to finger-pointing, blaming students and local businesses for their own failures of leadership.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health on Monday reported 406 new coronavirus cases and three additional deaths. As of 10 a.m. Monday there have been 1,221 deaths since the pandemic began. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad is stepping down from his post as U.S. Ambassador to China. Branstad leaves his post days after he upset the Chinese Government with an op-ed he wrote. In the op-ed Branstad said China must offer more freedoms and dialogue with citizens. People’s Daily, the state-run newspaper that rejected the op-ed, accused him of a Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police say a Des Moines man attempted to dispose of his wife’s body after killing her. Datron Simmons, 32, allegedly killed his wife, Connie Simmons, 50, on Sept. 6 at their residence in Des Moines. Authorities said he then attempted to conceal the murder by disposing of her body in a wooded area. GRINNELL, IA (IRN) – A petition has been started by Grinnell College alumni to change the pioneer mascot due to its controversial background. The petition had 749 signatures from students, faculty and alumni as of Sept. 1. According to a report, the purpose behind the petition was to change the mascot due to its association with colonialism as well as the history of genocide in America toward indigenous people. IOWA (IRN) – Big Ten university presidents met Sunday to hear a presentation about playing a fall football season after all — maybe as soon as late October — amid pressure to kick off from parents, players, coaches and the president. There is no timetable for an announcement.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police have made an arrest in the city’s latest homicide. Datron Simmons Sr., 32, is accused of killing his wife, 50-year-old Connie Simmons. Her body was found Friday afternoon in a wooded area. TREYNOR, IA (IRN) – The Trump Campaign announced Saturday that Donald Trump Jr. will Host ‘Make America Great Again!’ events in Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. The Iowa event will be held on Monday, September 14th at the Treynor Community Center in Treynor, Iowa, just east of Council Bluffs. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Seventy-seven Iowa hospitals collected $928.3 million in accelerated and advance Medicare payments that were available as a government stimulus to cover expenses in the COVID-19 pandemic’s early days last spring. AMES, IA (IRN) – Louisiana-Lafayette got kick and punt returns for touchdowns to help secure one of its biggest wins in program history, 31-14 win over No. 23 Iowa State on Saturday.