DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An early Monday morning house fire in Des Moines was set intentionally. KCCI-TV reports 34-year-old Kyle Robert Lincoln is charged with arson and second-degree theft. Lincoln allegedly set fire to a home owned by his father, then left the scene in a vehicle owned by a family member. He’s in jail. CLARKE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A 23-year-old man who admitted to sexually abusing a 13-year-old child walked out of jail a free man Monday because a county attorney failed to show up for his plea hearing. KCCI-TV reports the ruling comes after Clarke County Attorney Michelle Rivera missed the man’s plea hearing while being arrested for public intoxication. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Homelessness in Iowa is down in 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Their annual report found that more than 2,700 Iowans experienced homelessness for at least one night throughout the year. That’s a slight drop since last year. Meanwhile, homelessness among veterans rose 14.6 percent. IOWA (IRN) – Two rural Iowa school districts will require middle school students to take a firearms safety course this spring. The Des Moines Register reports students from Clarksville and North Butler will learn how to safely handle a gun during a physical education course focusing on hunter safety. Superintendent for both districts Joel Foster says he hopes the course will also prepare students to react in the event of an active shooter situation. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa congressman Rod Blum likely violated a number of ethics rules in his private business dealings, including his ownership in a company that used false claims and House resources to promote itself, according to the Office of Congressional Ethics. Committee leaders say they won’t take any further action against Blum, who is leaving Congress after losing his bid for a third term to Democrat Abby Finkenauer in the Nov. 6 election.

WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – The Waukee school board has accepted the resignation of Chief Operating Officer Eric Rose after a closed-door meeting this morning. Rose turned himself in to the Dallas County jail Sunday and was booked on three charges, two counts of solicitation to commit a felony and one count of felonious misconduct. This comes after a state auditor’s report uncovered $130,000 of misspent tax payer money, including $80,000 on retreats and $20,000 on office furniture. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids woman has died after a fire. KCRG-TV reports emergency crews rescued Sharon Garnett, 43, from a fire Friday, and she died Saturday. Firefighters made entry into the apartment and quickly extinguished the kitchen fire. They found Garnett suffering from smoke inhalation, and say a medical condition made it difficult for her to flee the fire. The cause was unattended cooking. IOWA (IRN) – Two-thirds of Iowa’s Republican voters say they would definitely vote to re-elect President Trump if the general election were held today, according to a new CNN/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll. Trump earned an 81% approval rating for his policies. IOWA (IRN) – On the Democratic side, former Vice President Joe Biden leads among likely 2020 Democratic caucus goers, with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke joining him as the only possible candidates in the field with double-digit support. The poll finds 32% of likely caucus goers saying they back Biden as their first choice, 19% Sanders, 11% O’Rourke, 8% Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, 5% California Sen. Kamala Harris, with the rest of the 20-person field testing below 5% support. DAYTONA, Fl (IRN) – An Iowa football team is national champion. Trent Solsma threw a 16-yard scoring strike to Connor Niles with less than 90 seconds to play to help Sioux City’s Morningside College beat Benedictine 35-28 Saturday for its first NAIA championship. Before wearing Morningside maroon, they were stars at Bishop Heelan, leading the Crusaders to a state championship.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Rescue personnel pulled the body of a man from the Des Moines River near Grand Avenue in downtown Des Moines Saturday after witnesses said he went into the water but didn’t resurface. KCCI-TV reports witnesses saw the man wading in the water about 30 feet from the west bank before going under. CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – An Iowa inmate has died in custody of unknown causes. The Iowa Department of Corrections says inmate Paul Kissel was pronounced dead Friday at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center. He was 52. His death is not considered suspicious. Kissel had been serving a 25-year sentence for attempted murder out of Pottawattamie County. His incarceration began in 2009. WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – The Waukee School District’s COO Eric Rose turned himself into police on Saturday after being charged with three felonies, according to KCCI-TV. The charges come following a report from the state auditor accusing the district of $130,000 in questionable spending. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders top the list of potential presidential candidates preferred by Iowa’s likely Democratic caucus goers, reflecting their belief that it will take political experience to defeat President Donald Trump in 2020. Thirty-two percent of respondents say Biden is their first choice for president. Sanders follows with 19 percent. The results are part of a new Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids woman suffered life-threatening injuries in a fire in her apartment Friday. KCRG-TV reports emergency workers had to perform CPR on the 43-year-old woman at the scene before taking her to the hospital. There’s no word on her condition. CLARKE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Clarke County Attorney is back in jail, this time for OWI. KCCI-TV reports Michelle Rivera was arrested Friday morning for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. In October, Rivera was arrested after allegedly showing up to court drunk. She lost her re-election bid in November. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines will build a long-awaited $15.6 million railroad transfer station on the city’s southeast side next year. The Des Moines Register reports the facility will be a boon to the economy, lowering shipping costs for Des Moines companies while luring businesses that sidestep central Iowa for Omaha and Kansas City, which have more robust rail systems. The facility could have a $4.8 million annual economic impact and create 50 new jobs. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa college football team is playing for a national championship today. Morningside faces Benedictine, Kansas in the NAIA title game. It’s the school’s second appearance in the national title game.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – Council Bluffs police arrested a woman for attempted murder. KETV reports police responded to a shots fired call at a house. They found 56-year-old Tammy Smart injured by a gunshot wound to the head. She was taken to a hospital where she was placed on life support for a bullet to the brain. Prior to being put under, she was able to identify 38-year-old Jessica Elvins as the person who shot her. Elvins was placed under arrest for attempted murder. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A nationwide series of bomb threats Thursday hit Iowa, according to KCCI-TV. Seven separate threats were reported in the Des Moines area, some of which prompted building evacuations, including at the science center and Guide One Insurance. Threats were also sent by email to Drake University, Blank Park Zoo, Eyerly Ball, Joseph’s Jewelers and the Animal Rescue League. The sender demanded money and bitcoin. ESTHERVILLE, IA (IRN) – Eight Estherville area families are fighting back against a company they say is strangling the community with the overwhelming smell of dead, rotting hogs. The Des Moines Register reports the lawsuit urges Emmet County leaders to take action against Central Bi-Products for failing to address putrid odors emanating from the rendering plant. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa announced four fraternities will not be allowed to operate on campus following an investigation into incidents involving hazing and alcohol. The Kappa Sigma, Delta Chi, Sigma Nu, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapters are no longer allowed to operate at the University of Iowa. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A second Atheist holiday banner is now on display at the State Capitol. It marks the first time in state history that two secular displays will stand together. The American Atheist banner reads, “This season, no matter what you celebrate or why, Happy Holidays! From your Atheist neighbors.” The banner joins a display that the groups “Freedom From Religion Foundation” and the “Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers” created. It features the founding fathers looking down on the Bill of Rights in a manger.