Category: State News

DUBUQUE COUNTY – A school principal was among those killed in a UTV crash in Dubuque County on Saturday night. KCRG-TV reports 33-year-old Joshua Tack of Union served as an administrator in the BCLUW district since 2023. He and a 10-year-old were killed in a collision with a car, which remains under investigation.

WINTERSET – A Madison County man accused of killing his mother has pled not guilty. WHO-13 reports 23-year-old Theodore Corkrean faces a count of first degree murder in connection to the June 21st shooting death of 60-year-old Tammy Corkrean. She was found the next day by police following a welfare check. The son is demanding a speedy trial as part of the court process.

DES MOINES – The Iowa State Fair returns this week. KCCI-TV reports more than one million people are expected to attend the event August 13th through the 23rd on the east side of Des Moines. There are 11 Grandstand headlining acts and 80 new food items this year.

DUBUQUE COUNTY – The Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were killed and five others were injured on Saturday night in a crash involving a UTV. KCRG-TV reports 33-year-old Joshua Tack of Union and a 10-year-old child died when a car collided with a utility vehicle. The child was pronounced dead at the scene, while the six others involved were transported to a nearby hospital.

LINN COUNTY – An Olin man died after crashing in what the Iowa State Patrol described as an eluding incident. The crash occurred at the intersection of Wright Brothers Blvd and Lefebure Road, and 34-year-old Robert Oppenheimer died from his injuries. He’s accused of fleeing from Linn County deputies on Saturday night, and was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash.

NEWTON – Leapfrogging Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell on pit road, Ty Gibbs led the rest of the way in front of a packed house at 0.875-mile Iowa Speedway in Newton on Sunday to win the NASCAR Iowa Corn 350. The race was the third consecutive sold-out Sunday for the event showcasing the best stock car racing in the country.

KOSSUTH COUNTY – A fire in the final days of the Kossuth County Fair destroyed an RV and killed a pet. WHO-13 reports that several emergency crews responded Friday evening to the blaze likely started by an air conditioning unit in a camper. The vehicle belonged to employees of the carnival, and their cat died in the blaze, according to the sheriff’s office.

IOWA – An Iowa Department of Natural Resources update shows 16 beaches with recommendations to avoid swimming. KCCI-TV reports the list has grown due to e. Coli, as the state department tests more than 40 locations weekly during the summer months. A few of the beaches are having issues with algae.

MARSHALLTOWN -A federal jury in Des Moines convicted a Marshalltown man of possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents, 55-year-old Christopher James Moore was the subject of a methamphetamine investigation by the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force. On March 25, 2025, police stopped a vehicle in which Moore was a passenger. During the traffic stop, Moore possessed over half of a pound of methamphetamine. A subsequent search of his trailer located over 300 grams of the drug. Currently, Moore faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison. 

WEST DES MOINES – Attorneys representing a woman accused of killing a real estate agent in 2011 are claiming prosecutors are withholding evidence. WHO-13 reports the legal team for Kristin Ramsey filed a motion on Thursday that claims the state did not provide certain items as part of the ongoing discovery process. Ramsey is accused of killing Ashley Okland in 2011, and was arrest this past March.

SIOUX COUNTY – Two people were killed in a crash in Sioux County on Thursday. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver of a Dodge Charger attempted to pass a car on a two-lane highway, and collided with another head-on in the opposite lane. The collision impacted three vehicles, with the Charger becoming fully engulfed in flames. Among those killed were 19-year-old Lazaro Misael Martin of Orange City and 53-year-old Jeffrey Lee Lahr of Westfield. Dense fog was present at the time of the crash, according to police.

NEWTON – NASCAR announced its return to Iowa Speedway in 2027 will take place during the 4th of July weekend. KCCI-TV reports the announcement made ahead of their visit to Iowa this weekend will have the series returning July 2nd through the 4th next year. It comes after the Iowa Corn 350 this year sold out, the third such occurrence since 2024.

Des Moines — The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reports the first West Nile virus infection identified in 2026. The individual is an adult 18-40 years old from eastern Iowa and the infection was confirmed through a test at the State Hygienic Laboratory. Warm summer weather means Iowans are spending more time outside, which increases the risk of mosquito bites. Bites from infected mosquitos are the primary method in which humans are infected with the virus.

CLARKE COUNTY – A Des Moines resident was killed in a motorcycle crash on Wednesday in Clarke County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 22-year-old Jordan James Wilson attempted to pass a truck and trailer on Interstate 35 before making contact. Wilson died from his injuries.

JOHNSTON, IOWA – As hospitals across Iowa and the nation continue to face concerning blood shortages, Governor Kim Reynolds, members of her staff, and other state officials donated blood at LifeServe Blood Center in Johnston on Wednesday to encourage Iowans to make blood donation a priority in the coming days and weeks. According to LifeServe, blood donations declined significantly in July and there is only a two day supply of type O-negative, O-positive, and A-negative blood available in central Iowa.