DEWITT – Democrats have flipped an Iowa Senate Seat in eastern Iowa following a special election on Tuesday. The Des Moines Register reports Democrat Mike Zimmer defeated Republican Kate Whittington in District 35. The seat opened up following the appointment of Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer. Zimmer worked in public education and as a the Central DeWitt School Board President. He will serve in the set for the next two legislative sessions. IOWA – Non-profit groups around the state are struggling to determine the impact of a federal funding freeze issued by President Donald Trump. KCCI-TV reports a memo issued by the Office of Management and Budget implied the halt on grants would allow for a review of how that money was being spent. A federal judge blocked the order, but several non-profits in central Iowa that rely on federal funding did not have access to those resources on Tuesday. IOWA – Multiple record temperatures were broken on Tuesday for warmth. The National Weather Service says highs in Mason City and Waterloo jumped into the mid-50s, the warmest on record for January 28th in both locations. Above average temperatures will continue for most of the week, until a possible winter storm system impacts the southern portions of the state late Thursday into Friday, although much of it is expected to fall as rain early.

STORM LAKE – A man was shot and killed by police following a standoff that went early into the morning hours on Monday. During a Sunday morning traffic stop, police claim the driver, Daniel Joseph James Palenik, was uncooperative, made threats towards law enforcement, and fled at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement located Palenik at his Storm Lake residence a short time later, where he subsequently barricaded himself inside. He allegedly fired at officers several times, striking vehicles and law enforcement equipment. Shortly before 3:00 Monday morning, Palenik again shot at law enforcement. Officers returned fire, striking Palenik, who died at the scene. OTTUMWA – An Illinois man and former U.S. servicemember was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for enticement and attempted enticement of an Iowa-based minor. According to public court documents, in 2020, Anthony Alan Anderson, while serving in the United States Air Force, was convicted via general court martial of two counts of attempting to commit a lewd act with a person he believed to be a child. In 2023, Anderson, while registered as a sex offender, communicated with a 14-year-old child from Ottumwa. Anderson convinced the child to produce and send him explicit images. In September 2023, Anderson traveled to Ottumwa, where he picked the child up from her residence and took her to a hotel, where they engaged in sex and recording the incident. ODEBOLT – A former Iowa High School and University of Iowa Standout is playing for a Super Bowl championship. OABCIG and Hawkeye Football Graduate Cooper DeJean is a starting defensive back with the Philadelphia Eagles in their quest to stop a Kansas City Chiefs threepeat. DeJean was a unanimous consensus All-American in 2023 for the Iowa Hawkeyes and an Elite All-State Football Player and two-time state champion for his hometown Falcons. Cooper has racked up 66 tackles and three fumble recoveries between the regular season and playoffs for the Eagles.

STORM LAKE – A man was shot and killed by police following a standoff that went early into the morning hours earlier today. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has been requested in relation to the incident that started with a pursuit Sunday morning. During the traffic stop, police claim the driver, Daniel Joseph James Palenik, 45, was uncooperative, made threats towards law enforcement, and fled from the traffic stop at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement located Palenik at his Storm Lake residence a short time later and subsequently barricaded himself inside. He allegedly fired at officers several times, striking both occupied vehicles and law enforcement equipment. Shortly before 3:00 a.m., Palenik again fired at law enforcement. Officers returned fire, striking Palenik, who died at the scene. CEDAR FALLS – A Cedar Falls doctor has agreed to surrender his license following accusations of misconduct. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports 59-year-old Ted Bonebrake received a fourth sanction rom the Iowa Board of Medicine, which issued an emergency order to suspend his ability to practice medicine. While working at UnityPoint in Cedar Falls, Bonebrake was given several warnings replaced to incomplete medical charts. In the 2000s, he was accused of several substance abuse issues that led to a permanent probation following reinstatement of the medical license in 2013. ORANGE CITY – The annual RAGBRAI route has been announced and will be focused on northern Iowa this summer. The stops this year for the 52nd annual bike ride across the state starts in Orange City, continues through Milford, Estherville, Forest City, Iowa Falls, Cedar Falls, Oelwein, and ends in Guttenberg. This is the second shortest route in RAGBRAI history and sixth-flattest ever. The event will be held July 19th through the 26th.

DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds released details about a bill to restrict students’ cell phone use during instructional time. The bill establishes a minimum standard that all Iowa school districts will be required to adopt by July 1st. The Iowa Department of Education will provide sample policies with room for potential exemptions. In partnership with the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Education will also provide guidance and support for schools that need to update their school safety plans. The legislation also requires “effects of social media” training for 6th-8th grade students. IOWA – Iowa’s labor force participation rate rose to 66.4 percent in December amid an influx of recent graduates entering the workforce, while the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 3.2 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate decreased to 4.1 percent in December. The number of unemployed Iowans increased to 53,900 in December from 53,000 in November.

HARDIN COUNTY – A fatal crash was reported at a railroad crossing in Hardin County. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver of a Toyota Prius failed to yield to a northbound train, which collided with the rear side of the car. The driver was taken to life flight in Des Moines, where that individual was later pronounced dead. That’s the third fatal crash reported to the Iowa State Patrol this week, which included the death of 77-year-old Jimmy Kent Offen of Martelle for an incident in Jones County, and of an unidentified driver in Jackson County. WATERLOO – After receiving backlash from advertisers and viewers over a move to reduce local meteorologists on staff, the owner of two Iowa TV stations and dozens around the nation has indicated a reversal in that decision. The Waterloo Courier reports Allen Media Group will keep those staff members on board now. Last week, the owner of The Weather Channel wanted to use that national center and produce local forecasts from Atlanta — which would have seen dozens of meteorologists lose work, including at KWWL in Waterloo and KIMT in Sioux City. FAIRFIELD – A judge may weigh in on a dispute between a county sheriff and attorney, a first of its kind case, according to the Ottumwa Courier. Jefferson County Attorney Chauncey Moulding placed Jefferson County Sheriff Bart Richmond on a Brady/Giglio list. That group includes police officers with “questionable” judgement, according to the report. Richmond used a newly-revised Iowa law to petition for a judge to review that decision. The dispute also calls into question whether the revised bill aimed to further protections for law enforcement is constitutional, although the Iowa Supreme Court has declined to weigh in for now.