Category: State News

Arnolds Park – Sixty-four year old Zhong Jie Teng of Sioux Falls, died from injuries suffered from a boating collision on West Lake Okoboji on August 2. Teng and five minors were boating near Lime Kiln Point on West Lake Okoboji, when their 19-foot Triton fishing boat collided with a Cobalt cabin cruiser operated by Brian Rohlfsen of Spirit Lake, around 1 p.m. Teng was transported to Lakes Regional Healthcare, where he was pronounced dead. The condition of the five minors is not currently available. No injuries were reported from passengers in the second boat.

FORT DODGE— The U.S. Department of Education approved the nation’s first Workforce Pell Grant program in Fort Dodge. Eligible students at Iowa Central Community College can now use federal Pell Grant dollars to enroll in the Emergency Medical Technician program — a 14-week program that prepares students for key public safety jobs. Governor Kim Reynolds, alongside U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling, announced the program’s approval for federal Pell Grant support during a visit to the Iowa Central Community College. 

IOWA – Iowa’s sales tax holiday returns this weekend. On Friday and Saturday, shoppers won’t pay sales or local option taxes on clothing and shoes individually priced under $100. The holiday was established in August to assist with back-to-school shopping.

ILLINOIS – An Illinois man is accused of driving under the influence in a crash that killed three Des Moines residents on Friday night. WHO-13 reports 22-year-old Carson Rehkopf faces six counts of aggravated DUI involving death and other offenses, according to Illinois State Police. The victims have been identified as 61-year-old James Witter, 38-year-old Amy Witter, and a four-year-old girl. Rehkopf is accused of causing a head-on collision on Route 71 in Illinois.

IOWA – Most places in Iowa will have some amount of rainfall from through Wednesday night, which could cause more localized flooding across the state. According to the National Weather Service, the highest rain totals are forecast to be focused over central and southern Iowa, where 1 to 3 inches of rain are likely, with, locally higher amounts of 4 to 5 inches possible in a few areas. If the higher end amounts occur, particularly over an urban area, isolated flash flooding may also be an issue.

IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family’s Children’s Hospital has announced its 2026 Kid Captains. KCCI-TV reports the annual tradition allows those child highlighted during the Iowa Hawkeyes 2026 season. Each individual will tour Kinnick Stadium on August 15th, and then have a special feature tied to their story throughout the fall season.

ARNOLDS PARK— The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a fatal boating collision that occurred Sunday afternoon on West Lake Okoboji in Dickinson County. Two boats collided on the lake, near Pillsbury Point, resulting in one fatality. Five other passengers from the same vessel sustained injuries. Three with serious injuries and two with minor injuries were transported to Lakes Regional Hospital and Spencer Hospital. All were wearing personal flotation devices. No injuries were reported from passengers in the second boat. Alcohol has been eliminated as a contributing factor in the incident.

DES MOINES – A Maryland woman and Ghanaian national was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for money laundering, stemming from her participation in a nationwide romance scam. According to public court documents, 43-year-old Nana Takyiwa Adonu played an integral role in exploiting victims for financial gain. Adonu operated “Han-Dak LLC,” a company that she used to receive over $1.6 million from victims, including over $55,000 from a victim living in the Southern District of Iowa.

WATERLOO – Waterloo Police are investigating a fatal shooting over the weekend. KCRG-TV reports one person is dead following the incident. Police believe it was an isolated incident, but are seeking more details as the investigation unfolds.

IOWA CITY – The suspect in a shooting in Iowa City is arguing his actions were made in self-defense. WHO-13 reports 17-year-old Damarian Jones faces five counts of attempted murder and several other charges related to an April incident on the Pedestrian Mall that injured five people. Jones and his legal team filed a notice of defense justification this week. He’s being tried as an adult due to the forceable felonies he’s accused of. The next hearing is scheduled for August 7th.

JOHNSTON – An Iowa teen who pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter received 20 years in prison for the death of Ellipsis group worker. KCCI-TV reports 17-year-old Jovahn Karhim Deon Mathis was initially charged with second degree murder for the death of Kathleen Galloway-Menke in May of 2024. Mathis was 15 years old when he shoved past Galloway-Menke, and she died from the subsequent fall.

CLEAR LAKE – A Meservey man died in a boating collision on Clear Lake. The Iowa DNR reports 59-year-old Dennis Ritter died from injuries suffered in the incident on Thursday morning. The boat he was on was struck from behind by another vessel operated by a Muscatine man. Alcohol has been ruled out as a contributing factor. Another passenger was also injured in the crash.

URBANDALE – Urbandale Police identified the person found in Halice Lake last week. WHO-13 reports 37-year-old Eric Dinges of Des Moines died from apparent drowning on July 24th. He was found unresponsive by the Urbandale Fire Department. There was no evidence of foul play.

DES MOINES – An ongoing outbreak of a parasite has impacted the state of Iowa with additional new cases. KCCI-TV reports 226 cases of cyclosporiasis in 48 counties, according to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report the outbreak has now impacted 45 states since May 1st. The parasite is linked to iceberg lettuce.

DES MOINES – A federal court has reversed a decision that blocked an Iowa law regulating the sale of e-cigarettes. The Des Moines Register reports that Governor Kim Reynolds signed House File 2677 in 2024 that directed the creation of a vapor products directory for allowable e-cigarette products. A coalition of vape product manufacturers challenged the law in federal court. The U.S. Eighth Circuit Court overturned a decision that blocked the law in 2025.