AMES – Emails show more details as to why investigators gathered evidence against student athletes and online sports betting. WHO-13 reports the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation used geofencing to track cell phone activity at both Iowa and Iowa State. DCI agents believed Iowa Code allowed them to use the software, which is already used by the Racing and Gaming Commission. No warrant was ever issued. Multiple agents disclosed their use in a series of emails, but expressed their actions may not have been popular. A lawsuit is ongoing in Story County Court with several athletes seeking damages, believing their constitutional rights were violated. DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill Wednesday at lowers all tax rates in Iowa to 3.8% on income. The Des Moines Register reports this accelerated previous legislation that would have established the flat tax by 2026. The law gives Iowa the sixth-lowest income tax rate among those that have them — nine states do not have one. PERRY (NOT FOR RVR) – Members of the Perry Police Department received Iowa’s Medal of Merit for their actions on January 4th. KCCI-TV reports Representative Zach Nun presented four officers with the recognition for their response to the Perry High School shooting. That included Chief Eric Vaughn, Officer Micaela Zagar, Officer Cameron Martinez and School Resource Officer Josh Moore. ANKENY – The Iowa Beef Industry announced JJ’s Tavern and Grill in Ankeny was the winner of Iowa’s Best Burger Contest. The annual award takes place via vote to get to ten different finalists. JJ’S Smash Burger was its highlight, featuring American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion and pickles

OWELEIN – The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting the Oelwein Police Department with an unattended death investigation. Oelwein Police say they received a report of a possible dead body located in a wooded area. The body has been transported to the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny. Fayette County authorities are also assisting. TAMA – An Iowa man has been charged with first degree murder for his alleged role in the killing of another woman’s husband in 2021. The Des Moines Register reports the Iowa DCI’s Major Crime Unit arrested 26-year-old Huston Danker on Monday. He’s accused of conspiring to shoot and kill Ryan Cooper of Traer nearly three years ago. Cooper’s wife Karina has also been arrested and charged for her role in the death. Investigators described the death as violent. Police claim the two worked together to ultimately kill Ryan. MILLERTON – Another round of severe weather brought large hail to several Iowa communities and a possible tornado near Millerton. Dozens of warnings were issued by the National Weather Service as a series of storms formed in western Iowa and dropped egg-sized hail in Malvern and Cass County and quarter-sized in half a dozen other locations. The active weather period will shift to widespread rainfall Thursday — most of the state should see up to 2″ of rain in a series of rain showers expected. NOT FOR KNIA – PELLA – Thousands of visitors are expected to converge on the Tulip City for its annual heritage festival. The 89th Tulip Time will be held in Pella this Thursday through Saturday. Typically, 150,000 people attend the three-day celebration. Those attending will want to bring umbrellas, especially Thursday, as periodic rainfall is expected.

ANAMOSA – Police are investigating a car that was found occupied and on fire in Anamosa, and resulted in the death of a man from Ryan over the weekend. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Ford Focus was found ablaze with 96 year old Maurice Vincent Hennessy inside, who was pronounced dead. A preliminary investigation shows the vehicle was traveling westbound on the wrong side of the road before leaving and going into a ditch, striking a road sign, recrossing the road, and colliding with a tree. COUNCIL BLUFFS – A Council Bluffs man was to 108 months in prison for Receipt of Child Pornography. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Ivan Dean Joslin, 20, pled guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography. In May 2023, Joslin met a thirteen-year-old minor in Council Bluffs and exchanged phone numbers. At his request, Joslin received over the internet sexually explicit images and videos of the minor. After completing his term of imprisonment, Joslin is required to serve six years of supervised release. HARLAN – Several tornadoes in western Iowa have received their rating from Friday’s tornado outbreak. At least three tornadoes that passed through Pottawattamie were rated as EF-3 on the enhanced Fujita scale. Th worse was the storm that passed through Minden and Harlan, which resulted in three injuries and one death and was on the ground for close to an hour. Additional severe weather chances are in place, especially across central Iowa later today.

MINDEN – A man who was hurt during Friday’s powerful tornado in Minden has died from his injuries. KETV reports the man was unconscious when first responders found him. Three others were injured as the storm ripped through the western Iowa community, destroying nearly half of the town, according to authorities. The National Weather Service in Omaha is still surveying that storm and others that ravaged eastern Nebraska. FORT DODGE – Two Fort Dodge residents have been charged in connection to a homicide investigation. On Friday, the Webster County Telecommunication Center received a report of a body located in a ditch by a mail carrier. Deputies found 55-year-old Dennis R. Jones dead from an apparent gunshot wound. Following investigation and a search warrant, police arrested 26-year-old Alec Jones and 21-year-old Nathan Jones. Alec is charged with first degree murder and Nathan with aiding and abetting first degree murder. MASON CITY – A Mason City man died in a wrong way crash on Interstate 35 late Saturday. The Iowa State Patrol reports 56-year-old Glen Evan Hemming was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes near Mile Marker 194, and collided with a semi heading the right way. Hemming died from his injuries and was not wearing a seatbelt during the collision. The semi was operated by Huseein Ali Haidar of Burnsville, Minnesota, who was uninjured.

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY – Several tornadoes touched down in western and central Iowa Friday, causing damage from Crawford to Union and Ringgold Counties to Polk and Jasper in Iowa. Perhaps the worst hit community was Minden, about 30 minutes northeast of Council Bluffs, with several flattened structures. Gov. Kim Reynolds has already issued a disaster proclamation for Pottawattamie County in response to severe weather that occurred. The National Weather Service will begin storm surveys today, but their work may only be starting, as another round of severe weather is possible across the southern half of the state late Saturday into early Sunday morning, with significant hail and rainfall as the primary threats. DELAWARE COUNTY – One person has died in a multiple vehicle crash in Delaware County. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver of a Polaris Ranger UTV failed to stop at an intersection in a rural part of the county and was struck by a Chevy Silverado. The operator of the UTV has died, but the name is being withheld for now. Both occupants of the truck were injured but not transported to a hospital. DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Adam Gregg will induct the 2024 Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame members and present the Excellence in Mentoring awards to two individuals in a ceremony at the Iowa State Capitol building on Tuesday. Being selected for the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame is the most prestigious state level honor volunteers can receive as recognition of extraordinary donations of volunteer service to their communities. The 2024 Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame inductees are: Robert (Bob) Allbee, Muscatine Celeste M. Lawson, Des Moines Vicki Leonard, Dubuque Daniel L. Lopez, Des Moines Refugee and Immigrant Association, Iowa City SALUD – Multicultural Health Center of Storm Lake, Storm Lake