Category: State News

WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst needed assistance from a fellow senator after choking on her lunch Thursday. NBC News reports Senator Rand Paul performed the Heimlich Manuever on Iowa’s junior senator during a Republican event. Ernst did not require further medical attention.

IOWA – A major publisher and state association are uniting in a lawsuit against the state around a law banning books in school libraries. WHO-13 reports Penguin Random House and the Iowa State Education Association are challenging Senate File 496, claiming the new law violates the 1st and 14th Amendments. Several popular authors have joined the suit as well, and are aiming to block enforcement of the bill before it goes into effect January 1st.

CLIVE – A Clive man has pled guilty to federal charges of wire fraud. According to court documents, Zachary James Flaherty used his position as an insurance agent and annuity salesperson to defraud elderly individuals out of their retirement savings. Flaherty admitted to engaging in a scheme to defraud some of his clients. Flaherty told one of the victims he would invest proceeds from the sale of her house on her behalf and for her benefit. That individual wrote two checks, totaling $170,000, to a company Flaherty owned, which he used to purchase a boat and other automobiles.

SAC CITY – The search continued Wednesday for an Iowa man who went missing under mysterious circumstances in Sac County. David Schultz was declared missing last week after his hog truck was found stopped in the middle of a highway in northern Iowa, according to WHO-13. A search has spanned several miles near Rockwell City and Sac City.

IOWA CITY – An Iowa City man was arrested Wednesday following an incident at an elementary school. KCRG-TV reports 31-year-old Brandon Jones was charged with carrying weapons on school grounds and harassment after he threatened multiple staff members at Grant Wood Elementary School. The building was placed on temporary hold shortly after Jones left his weapon and fled the facility.

DES MOINES – Drake University needs to cut millions of dollars to stay in good financial position, according to a Des Moines Register report. A recent faculty senate meeting detailed the issues, which shows a $4.3 million deficit in the current fiscal year, which could grow by as much by $6 million next year.

IOWA CITY – One of the nation’s best special teams college football players has announced significant fundraising toward a non-profit cause. Tory Taylor, the veteran punter of the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Big Ten’s specialist of the year, has raised more than $50,000 for Count the Kicks since 2021, according to KCCI-TV. Taylor has pledged to donate NIL funds from a partnership with Raygun apparel to support the stillbirth prevention program.

DES MOINES – Some Iowa families are suing the state over a law that limits what educators can teach and expands the ability to restrict materials in school libraries. KCRG TV reports seven families filed a suit in federal court alongside the ACLU and other organizations over Senate File 496. The groups and participant allege discrimination and a violation of constitutional rights; Governor Kim Reynolds was critical the move, claiming young children have access to explicit content as it stands, although she did so without direct evidence in a statement Tuesday.

URBANDALE – An educator in Urbandale claims she’s being wrongly punished. WHO-13 reports Teacher Amanda Delzell received a letter of reprimand and other disciplinary action after she claims she brought forward evidence of possible abuse of a student. Delzell claims she reviewed school security video of another teacher’s interaction with a special needs child.

SIOUX CITY – A Woodbury County supervisor mired in controversy over alleged voter fraud has agreed to leave his vice president position, but still remain active otherwise. KTIV reports Jeremy Taylor is no longer vice chairman of the county government organization, but calls continue for his full resignation. Taylor’s wife Kim was found guilty of 52 counts of voter fraud earlier this month. Taylor said he’d step down as vice chair if the majority of the board asked him to leave, but remains committed to finishing his term until 2026. The majority of the board has called for his full departure and Woodbury County Auditor Pat Gill has called for a state investigation into his alleged wrongdoing. Jeremy is accused of promising votes in exchange for campaign donations.

GRINNELL – A Grinnell man has been arrested in connection to a deadly crash in August. WHO-13 reports Benjamin Kelne has been charged with reckless driving, possession of alcohol, and involuntary manslaughter in connection to the death of 17 year old Chloe Hutchcraft. The two were in a vehicle driven by Kelne, and he lost control in rural Jasper County.

ROCKWELL CITY – A search continues for a man who left his home with a full load of pigs in a semi truck and never returned. KCCI-TV reports 53 year old David Schultz was missing as of last Tuesday. His wife Sarah told the TV station his truck with a load of pigs was parked in the middle of the road, and his wallet and cellphone were both found. Nearly 200 volunteers have assisted in a search of the area.

CEDAR RAPIDS – A Cedar Rapids man has been sentenced to more than two decades in prison for sexual abuse of a minor. The Gazette reports Jeffery Beaman was charged with three counts of sexual abuse and pled guilty to one count. He admitted during his plea to abusing a child under the age of six years old multiple times over a two year span. He faces up to 25 years in prison.

CEDAR FALLS – Both the Iowa State and UNI Volleyball teams have returned to the NCAA tournament. The Des Moines Register reports the Cyclones are a seven-seed and open against Hawaii this Thursday in Oregon in the school’s 17th ever appearance. The Panthers will travel to Madison, Wisconsin, to take on the Miami Hurricanes. This is the school’s 25th NCAA bid.

AMES – An Ames man died in a crash involving a semi over the weekend. The Iowa State Patrol reports 24 year old Jacob DeVries was traveling north on NE 112th Street in Polk County and failed to stop, and was struck by the trailer heading eastbound on Highway 163 based out of Mount Sterling, Illinois.

WEST CHESTER – One person died in a crash in rural Keokuk County Saturday. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Chevy Silverado operated by 47 year old Kathy Wagaman of Brighton crossed the center line on a two-lane road and struck a Ford Explorer operated by 79 year old Marsha Patterson of West Chester. Frank Patterson, a passenger in the second vehicle, was not wearing a seat belt and died from injuries suffered in the crash.

AMES – It’s now 19 victories in a row for the black and gold in an annual sporting competition that drew national attention over the weekend. The 4th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes Men’s Wrestling team edged the 8th ranked Iowa State Cyclones 18-14 at a sold out Hilton Coliseum Sunday afternoon. The event was televised on ESPN — the first of its kind ever on the main network.

LOWDEN – Many Iowa communities received the first snow of the winter season, which impacted travel on many state roadways this holiday weekend. According to the National Weather Service, most of the southeastern half of the state received 2-3 inches of snowfall. The highest amount reported to the National Weather Service in the state was 4.4″ in Lowden.