DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A one-year-old dog was left tied to a pole outside the Des Moines International Airport, according to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. The ARL said the incident happened Thursday. The organization said some airline workers reported the dog was unable to board a flight home with her owner because the owner did not have a kennel. The airline workers told the ARL the dog’s owner left the airport with the pet, but returned alone and boarded their flight. The dog, who the ARL has dubbed “Allie,” was later found tied up outside the airport. Allie is now under the care of the ARL. Police are investigating the incident. GRINNELL, IA (IRN) – Grinnell Police are investigating a shooting that sent one person to the hospital early Thursday morning. Officers responded to reports of shots fired around 1:40 a.m., and when they arrived, they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital and is in stable condition. According to police, a verbal argument broke out among several adults. The argument eventually turned physical, and a handgun was drawn and fired. STORY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Part of Highway 30 near Nevada was blocked off on Thursday after a deadly crash involving a wrong-way driver. The Story County Sheriff’s Office says a pickup truck was driving west in the eastbound lanes when it struck a utility van head-on. Both drivers died at the scene. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa City Water Division says that no harmful contaminants were detected in the Iowa River after the explosion at the C6-Zero plant in Marengo. The analysis was to see if any products like gas or diesel fuel were found in the water that might be a public health hazard. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Caitlin Clark scored 24 points, McKenna Warnock added 19, and No. 12 Iowa defeated Purdue 83-68 on Thursday night. Monika Czinano added 12 points to surpass 2,000 for her career, reaching that milestone for the Hawkeyes (11-3, 3-0 Big Ten Conference) one game after Clark did. In not-so-good news, the Hawkeye men’s team was pounded 66-50 at Nebraska.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A material witness in the homicide of a Des Moines Public Schools employee has been found dead. On Dec. 12, 51-year-old Natasha Lue Jean Williams was found dead in her home by officers who were called there for a welfare check. Her death is being investigated as a homicide. On Dec. 16, a material witness warrant was issued for 54-year-old Scott Lowery. Police believe Lowery had critical information that would move the case forward. Lowery was found dead on Dec. 26 in a garage. His death is being investigated as a suicide. A handgun was recovered at the scene. MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – A woman has been arrested for allegedly lighting a house on fire earlier this year. According to the Marshalltown Fire Department, Kristi Franklin, 64, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with second-degree arson. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Transportation says roads were a little safer in 2022 compared to last year but still far deadlier than they’d hoped for. With just three days to go in 2022, 335 people died on Iowa roads this year. That’s down from 348 in 2021 but still five more than the five-year average. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – JUUL Labs Inc. has agreed to pay $5 million over the span of four years, as well as revamp its advertising, in a settlement with Iowa to resolve potential violations of Iowa’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act. In a press release, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said, “This agreement strikes a balance in truthful advertising and promotions of JUUL devices and pods.”

NORTH LIBERTY, IA (IRN) – One person along with their three pets are dead after a fire in North Liberty. The cause is under investigation. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Michigan man who was found with a large amount of marijuana in his vehicle in Dubuque County has taken a plea deal. Graham Musial was stopped for a traffic violation in 2019. A K9 detected substances in the car. Deputies found more than 146 pounds of marijuana and THC product inside. As part of the plea deal, Musial will serve 2 years of probation and have a 5-year prison sentence suspended. The street value of the drugs was between $250,000 to $300,000. IOWA (IRN) – Iowa schools are increasingly facing ransomware attacks. Recent attacks on schools include those in 2022 that hit the Cedar Rapids Community School District, the Glenwood Community School District, the Linn-Mar Community School District and the Davenport Community School District. Many schools haven’t disclosed details of their ransomware attacks, including how much ransom was paid. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – With the school year only at the midway point, Des Moines Public Schools have seen the number of students who are homeless increase in recent weeks. District officials at Iowa’s largest and most diverse school district identified 947 students who were homeless right before the winter break, which began on Dec. 22. That’s an increase from early December, when the number was 926.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A 16-year-old male was shot and killed by police after de-escalation efforts failed early Monday morning. Des Moines Police were called to a home to a report of a domestic dispute involving a weapon. When officers arrived they found the 16-year-old armed with a handgun. The apartment was also occupied by other family members. Officers began to de-escalate the situation. Several pleas were made for him to put the weapon down but the teenager raised the handgun in the direction of officers causing more than one officer to shoot at the teen, killing him. CEDAR RAPIDS (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids man is accused of using a replica pellet gun to threaten a man outside of the Kwik Star. Matthew Falco-Tirado is now charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree harassment, and two counts of assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. Falco-Tirado allegedly walked up to someone’s vehicle at 4 a.m. on Christmas morning, pulled out a replica pellet gun, threatened to kill a man inside, and pulled a minor girl out of the vehicle. IOWA (IRN) – Snowfall into Monday morning added another 2 to 3 inches to snow packs around much of Iowa. Temperatures dipped into the low single digits again overnight into Tuesday, but south winds are about to change things around quickly. Highs will climb into the 40s on Wednesday, with even a few 50-degree highs possible on Thursday. IOWA (IRN) – Average gasoline prices in Iowa have been holding steady, rising just one cent per gallon in the last week. Prices are now averaging $2.87 per gallon. Prices in Iowa are 40 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 15 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A man was shot and killed in the early morning hours of Christmas Day in Fort Dodge. First responders tried to save 46-year-old Montreail Dungy’s life, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. ​​WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – An 18-year-old was shot in the back in Waterloo on Christmas Eve day. They went to the hospital with “non-life-threatening injuries.” WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Consumer banking giant Wells Fargo agreed to pay $3.7 billion to settle a laundry list of charges that it harmed consumers by charging illegal fees and interest on auto loans and mortgages, as well as incorrectly applying overdraft fees against savings and checking accounts. No executives went to jail. SPRINGVILLE, IA (IRN) – The director of a farm animal rescue in Springville says recovery from a fire won’t be able to begin until Tuesday because of the Christmas holiday. A fire Friday night damaged the farmhouse at Hercules Haven in Linn County. Director Alison Stone was sleeping in the home and says an electrical issue sparked the fire. Stone and her team evacuated animals with special needs that were in the home and all the animals got out safely. Hercules Haven is a farm sanctuary for abandoned or abused animals, mostly farm animals.