DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds briefly discussed new court documents released about a Iowa Division of Criminal Investigatio whistleblower who accused the department of wrongdoing relating to a gambling investigation. Reynolds told Radio Iowa on Thursday that, “This is their job to do that,” and that the DCI did not need to run anything by her office. Reynolds then said she would not comment further due to the ongoing investigation. Earlier this week, court documents revealed Special Agent Mark Ludwick has accused his supervisors of unfairly targeting student athletes who have been charged with gambling at both Iowa and Iowa State. DES MOINES – An Iowa lawmaker who previously blocked a bill that would remove gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights code is now letting legislation to move through a subcommittee. The Des Moines Register reports Judiciary Committee Chair Steven Holt of Denison has scheduled a subcommittee hearing for House File 2082 after blocking a similar measure in 2020. Holt says it’s time to have a conversation about removing gender identity from civil rights law and add gender dysphoria to the definition of a disability. IOWA – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has sued the Biden administration at least a dozen times during her first year in office. The Des Moines Register has been tracking the first year Republican who took over from Tom Miller, a Democrat who held the office for more than 40 years. Bird has challenged several laws outside of the State of Iowa, largely ranging over Republican policy measures in different states and against federal agencies.

SIOUX CITY – A Churdan woman was killed in a multiple vehicle crash that ended a police pursuit in Sioux City Wednesday afternoon. An Iowa State Patrol report shows 40 year old Melissa Thede was fleeing from state troopers when she rear-ended two other vehicles. Thede died as a result from injuries sustained, and one of the other drivers was injured. BUENA VISTA COUNTY – A three way crash that involved three tractor trailers resulted in one fatality in Buena Vista County Tuesday evening. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Mack semi driven by 63 year old Humberto Aladro-Valdes of Storm Lake failed to stop at the intersection of U.S. Highway 71 and Iowa Highway 7, crashing into the two other freight vehicles. Aladro-Valdes was ejected from his cab and died as a result of injuries. DES MOINES – A Des Moines man has been arrested after police say they found him with 30,000 pills of fentanyl. WHO-13 reports Sharmarke Omar Mohamed was pulled over by the Iowa State Patrol in Decatur County. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, a search warrant led to the discovery of the counterfeit pills. AMES – An Iowa State University police officer was let go from the force following several incidents of alleged misconduct in 2023. The Des Moines Register reports McKenna Rich was fired in November. Last spring, Rich was involved in a pursuit, and while doing so, violated state law, according to the university. Rich is also accused of threatening to perform an unconstitutional search in September. The final incident was a chase on October 9th, when she joined a pursuit of a wrong way driver on Highway 30 in Story County. Rich is accused of crashing into an unrelated vehicle at two different points.

AMES – A veteran Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Agent has accused superior officers of improper conduct as it related to a widespread investigation related to college athletes in the state and gambling. WHO-13 reports Special Agent Mark Ludwick was part of an deposition with legal representation of Iowa State Wrestler Paniro Johnson in Story County court, in which Ludwick asked to get off of the case due to apparent deception by his supervisor, Agent Troy Nelson. Ludwick believed the target of the investigation was the gambling sites and apps involved, and not the athletes themselves, until he was asked to get a confession from Johnson. The agent also accused the DCI of obtaining illegal evidence through geofencing without a warrant — and he claims several of his fellow colleagues refused to work the case. A total of 25 athletes from Iowa and Iowa State were charged, 16 of whom have entered plea agreements and seven who are challenging the accusations in court. IOWA CITY – New University of Iowa Athletic Director Beth Goetz held her first official press conference Tuesday. The first female leader of the department at the school was greeted by several student athletes and coaches, and addressed topics related to Name, Image, and Likeness changes, ongoing coaching searches in various programs, and the future of Hawkeyes athletics as a whole. IOWA – While warmer temperatures have been welcomed, new modes of winter precipitation have come with it, causing more travel headaches and school cancellations across the state. The National Weather Service has issued several advisories this week for freezing rain, sleet, and fog and active systems continue to push across the state. The potential for freezing roadways will remain in place throughout the week, before an even bigger warm up arrives by next week.

CARROLL – A Carroll man and a juvenile died in a single vehicle crash Monday morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports that Ford F-150 driven by 41-year-old Joshua Shelton was traveling southbound on Highway 71, and attempted to pass another car. Shelton lost control and entered the west ditch, hitting an electric pole. Shelton and an unidentified juvenile, both from Carroll, died from injuries. ANAMOSA – A teenager has died from injuries suffered in a January 20th sledding accident in Anamosa. The Iowa State Patrol reports 13 year old Adam McWherter was on a sled and entered Buffalo Road at 11:30 that morning. A GMC Envoy driven by David Thomas of Anamosa hit the sled as it entered the road. McWherter was transported with injuries to the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, and was pronounced dead over the weekend. PLEASANT HILL – The City of Des Moines will receive $34 million from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant program to complete the Southeast Connector Project from SE 30th in Des Moines to US 65 in Pleasant Hill. The program was authorized in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Specifically, this grant will advance plans to construct the final section of the Southeast Connector providing a direct and continuous travel route between SE 30th Street in Des Moines and US 65 in Pleasant Hill and offer improved access to US 65 and the metros three Interstate highways.

LAURENS – While assisting the Laurens’ Police Department with a single vehicle fatality crash Friday, an unrelated vehicle hit both an Iowa State Patrol and Lauren’s patrol car before fleeing the scene. After the suspect was located driving on Hwy. 10, the Pocahontas Police Department was able to successfully deploy stop sticks. The driver continued revving their vehicle until a fire started. The suspect, who has not been identified by police, attempted to flee on foot before being taken into custody, and now faces several felony charges. DES MOINES – The work of a Des Moines community activist filled up the gas tanks of hundreds of people Sunday afternoon. KCCI-TV reports Rob Johnson led what’s become an annual project to fill cars with $28,000 worth of gas. Johnson’s gas giveaway was about half that amount last year. COLUMBUS – The biggest star in college basketball is okay after a collision post game Sunday. ESPN reports National Player of the Year Caitlin Clark and an Ohio State fan ran into each other as the Buckeyes crowd stormed the floor after upsetting the No. 2 in the nation Hawkeyes. Clark says she was shaken up but is not injured after the incident.