WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Early voting is underway in Iowa, and some have already mailed their ballots in — but they can’t be counted. KWWL-TV reports both Dubuque and Black Hawk Counties say some people who are mailing in their absentee ballots are missing an important step. They’re forgetting to sign the back of the envelope. Both counties plan to contact the voters that did not properly sign their return envelope. FOREST CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa farm worker died earlier this week after falling roughly 30 feet inside a silo. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports the fatal fall happened Monday morning at Branstad Farms near Forest City. 46-year-old Julian Martinez died at the farm after the fall. The sheriff’s office says the death appears to have been an accident. The farm is owned by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad’s brother, “Monte” Branstad. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Investigators are searching for clues in the shooting deaths of a Davenport couple early Wednesday. WQAD-TV reports police found the bodies of 58-year-old Kevin Freese and his wife, 57-year-old Donna Freese inside their house. 20-year-old Sean Freese has been arrested and charged with two counts of first degree murder. His relationship to the deceased has not been released by authorities. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A former Iowa State Patrol trooper accused of stealing drugs has pled guilty. KIMT-TV reports 32-year-old Michael Haugen of Forest City removed prescription medication from evidence bags and then altered the label on the bags to cover up the theft. AMES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Board of Regents will review whether Iowa State University President Steven Leath and other employees have been following policies that bar the use of equipment and official travel for personal business. According to the Associated Press, Leath acknowledged that he flew one of the planes himself on four trips that mixed personal and official business. While returning home from one vacation last year, he suffered a hard landing that caused damage to the plane. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – For Des Moines police, the creepy clown scares started Tuesday with an online round of threats targeting Harding Middle School. KCCI-TV reports police quickly identified the student who sent it and determined there was no real threat. The incident sparked copycats and officers looked into at least six similar cases Wednesday. Police say they are wasting a lot of resources investigating.

FOREST CITY, IA (IRN) – A man died after falling from a silo in north Iowa Monday morning. KIMT-TV reports a 46-year-old male fell from a silo near Forest City. No additional information has been released. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An early morning chase in a stolen vehicle landed a woman in the Polk County Jail Wednesday, according to WHO-TV. 34-year-old Christine Bolanos was arrested after she tried to elude officers. Bolanos is facing theft charges as well as carrying weapons, possession of a weapon as a felon, eluding, possession of methamphetamine, traffic charges, and more. BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – A judge sentenced a Burlington man to 50 years in prison for the beating death of his 3-week-old son.The Hawk Eye newspaper reports 24-year-old Randall Payne was sentenced to a mandatory 50 years in prison before he will become eligible for parole. Payne didn’t speak at his sentencing but told a pre-sentence investigator he “needed to serve some time, but 50 years is ridiculous.” BOONE, IA (IRN) – Boone police and the ATF have made two arrests in connection with a narcotics investigation. KCCI-TV reports methamphetamine, several thousand dollars and a stolen handgun were seized. 33-year-old Dallas Forkner and 35-year-old Alicia Jo Fucaloro were arrested and charged with failure to affix drug stamps, possession of a firearm by a felon, trafficking in stolen weapons, possession with intent to deliver, and conspiracy to deliver meth. RICEVILLE, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says a fish kill on the Wapsipinicon River south of Riceville can be traced to runoff of liquid fertilizer applied to a nearby farm field. Staff traced high ammonia levels to the field where waste from Big Ox Energy was applied. Big Ox processes industrial food and agricultural wastes into methane, and liquid fertilizer is a byproduct of the process. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Real or perceived threats from people dressed as clowns are increasingly common. KWWL-TV reports the University of Iowa Police have received reports of clown sightings around campus, but they have not received reports of clowns harming or threatening anyone. However, they want people to call and let them know if they see a clown on campus.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A woman suffered a stab wound in a group fight in Davenport, according to WQAD-TV. Police said “an unknown object” caused the woman’s stab wound. The injury was not life-threatening, but she was taken to the hospital for treatment. 18-year-old Sandra Cisneros from Moline, and one juvenile, were charged with disorderly conduct. More arrests are expected. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – More information about a deadly plane crash that killed two Des Moines residents has been released, according to WHO-TV. Vincent Basile and his daughter Kelly died last month when their plane went down as it was attempting to land in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Witnesses say the plane touched down once then went back into the air. It then made a sharp turn about 300 feet off the ground, and then crashed. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man serving a life sentence for a 1974 murder has died of colon cancer while an inmate at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. 71-year-old Atwell Conner was convicted along with George Nowlin in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Maureen Connolly in Cedar Rapids. Connolly and a friend had run out of gas and were walking along a road when Conner and Nowlin picked them up. Nowlin died in prison in 1989. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The mother of a Dubuque boy who accidentally shot himself in the face has pled guilty to child endangerment. KCRG-TV reports 26-year-old Raven Harris faces up to 10 years in prison. Her son was playing with a handgun in January when it went off, wounding him in the jaw. He was only two at the time, and has since recovered. The boy’s father, Willie Horsely, also faces charges. KEOKUK, IA (IRN) – A man suspected of killing a woman in Keokuk was found dead in the basement of his home. KWWL-TV reports officers investigating the weekend shooting death of Carrissa Rivers found 39-year-old Russell Tallman dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. 29-year-old Rivers had been shot to death in an alley. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Terry Branstad is planning a trade mission with Iowa business representatives to China and Japan in November that will focus on Iowa’s beef and pork exports. Stops include Beijing and Tokyo. Branstad says the trip will allow Iowa companies involved in meat processing to expand their markets abroad. China recently announced plans to lift a 13-year ban on beef imports from the United States. WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – West Des Moines Police Officer Shawn Miller was posthumously promoted Monday night, according to WHO-TV. Miller was killed in a motorcycle accident while on the job in August. He was a 26-year veteran of the department and was preparing to be promoted to the rank of sergeant. He was also in the process of earning a Master’s Degree at Drake when he was killed. The university is planning to award the family his degree.

SANDUSKY, IA (IRN) – Thirty protesters were arrested Saturday at the Dakota Access oil pipeline’s southeast Iowa construction site, according to the Des Moines Register. About 200 protesters were at the site near Sandusky, Iowa Saturday, where they dismantled part of a fence surrounding the construction site. The activists oppose construction of the pipeline, which will cross Iowa to transport oil from North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields to Illinois. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson is expected to testify in a civil trial, according to KCCI-TV. Cheryl Bronson filed a $20 million suit against Ryan Foley and Thomas Foley in Polk County. Bronson alleges she was injured in a drunken driving crash. Ryan Foley pled guilty to OWI first and failure to yield in the crash. Bronson is Johnson’s aunt. Johnson is expected to testify about how the crash has affected her aunt’s quality of life. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man is behind bars following a weekend stabbing. KCCI-TV reports 67-year-old Donald White was arrested early Sunday and charged with willful injury. Police say he stabbed a man in the back. The victim is expected to survive. White tried to get away, but police found him just two blocks away from the location of the stabbing. He’s in jail. CERRO GORDO CO., IA (IRN) – Thousands of hogs died in a major hog confinement fire overnight near Ventura in Cerro Gordo County. KIMT-TV reports approximately 250 female hogs, and 2,500 piglets were lost in the fire. The building was a total loss. No human injuries were reported. LINN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A 44-year-old Marion man was killed in a crash between a train and his pickup truck south of Alburnett in Linn County Sunday. KCRG-TV reports a 2005 Ford pickup, towing a flatbed trailer loaded with a skid steer, drove into the path of a Canadian National freight train. The truck caught on fire from the impact, and the man died at the scene. KEOKUK, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting the Keokuk Police Department with a homicide investigation. Just after midnight Sunday morning the Keokuk Police Department responded to shots fired in an alley. When officers arrived on scene, they found 29-year-old Carissa Rivers unresponsive. Rivers was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead. JOHNSON COUNTY, (IRN) – A man died after he was hit by multiple cars in Johnson County, according to KWWL-TV. It happened just before 9:00 p.m. Sunday evening on U.S. Highway 218, just south of Interstate 80. A 2001 Pontiac hit the pedestrian, as did two other vehicles following the Pontiac. The crash is under investigation. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Several of Iowa’s federal politicians use private email accounts for personal matters and campaign contacts. U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, as well as U.S. Reps. Steve King, David Young and Dave Loebsack, told The Des Moines Register they have private email accounts in addition to their official government accounts. Rep. Rod Blum didn’t respond to requests for information. Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been heavily criticized for her use of private email accounts as Secretary of State.

URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – A car crash victim is finally awake after 28 days in a coma, according to KCCI-TV. Amber Martinez says she’s tired and sore and in a lot of pain. She suffered a broken neck, broken arm and a shattered wrist and ankle after Scott Grimes, a fugitive on the run from the FBI for assault on a peace officer, burglary, and possession of controlled substance, slammed into her car in Urbandale during a police chase. OELWEIN, IA (IRN) – An Oelwein man charged with two counts of 3rd degree sexual abuse has been arrested in Florida. KCRG-TV reports 35-year-old Randy Eschen had been granted pretrial release with a GPS monitor. Eschen deactivated the device, and fled. U.S. Marshals captured him in Cocoa, Florida. SABULA, IA (IRN) – A treacherous bridge across the Mississippi River is getting replaced, according to the Des Moines Register. The Illinois Department of Transportation will debut an $80 million replacement in 2018. The new bridge is being constructed 100 feet downriver from the old one, and connects Savanna, Illinois with the island community of Sabula, Iowa. As of last week, crews had several of the piers up. The old bridge was built during the Great Depression. IOWA (IRN) – Northwestern scored 21 straight points in the second half to win at Kinnick Stadium 38-31 yesterday. The Hawkeyes had won nine straight games in Big Ten play and were facing a team with a 1-3 record. In Ames, Iowa State lost when No. 13 Baylor rallied from 14 down in the the fourth quarter to win 45-42. And the University of Northern Iowa crushed Southern Illinois 42-21 for Homecoming.