DEEP RIVER – The first fatal crash of 2026 reported to the Iowa Department of Transportation occurred on Monday. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a Ford Escape traveling near Deep River on Highway 85 left the roadway on a curve due to icy conditions, overturning several times. Kara Westhpal of Deep River was pronounced dead on the scene and was the lone occupant in the vehicle that rolled. CLAYTON COUNTY – A farm equipment accident resulted in the death of a northeast Iowa man just before the end of 2025. WHO-13 reports the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office indicates that a victim was working on a farm before he became entrapped in a piece of agricultural gear. The victim’s identity and further details about the cause remain unreleased to the public. DES MOINES— Governor Kim Reynolds signed an executive order establishing the Iowa Nuclear Energy Task Force to advise her, the General Assembly, and relevant state agencies on the development and advancement of nuclear energy technologies and infrastructure in the state. The governor has appointed Iowa native Dr. Mark Nutt, Director of Nuclear Energy Programs at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to serve as chair of the task force which will include at least 11 members who represent utilities, power production companies, local government, academia, the Iowa Utilities Commission, and the General Assembly.

DUBUQUE— The Dubuque Police Department says that two people are now dead after an officer-involved shooting at a Dubuque bar. KCRG-TV reports that an officer saw a physical fight outside of a Dubuque bar just before 1 am Sunday morning. According to the Dubuque Police Department, the officer saw an adult male, who was identified as the offender, shoot another person with a handgun. The officer then shot at the offender, who then ran into the bar, where he was found suffering from a gunshot wound. Both the offender and the victim were treated by police but were pronounced dead at different hospitals. The officer, who was uninjured in the altercation, has been put on Critical Incident Leave per department policy. Names of those involved have not yet been released as the investigation is ongoing and families are being notified.  FORT DODGE— An investigation is underway after a man sustained multiple gunshot wounds Sunday morning, according to the Fort Dodge Police Department. WHO-13 reports that the Webster County Telecommunications Center received a call of a male being shot in Fort Dodge around 12:30 am Sunday morning. Officers arrived on scene and located a 36-year-old male that had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. First aid was administered by officers until the Fort Dodge Fire Department arrived and transported the man to a Fort Dodge hospital. Authorities say the man was eventually transported to Des Moines for treatment and was in stable condition as of noon on Sunday. Fort Dodge Police say that the Criminal Investigation Division has been called in to assist in the incident. Authorities say the investigation is on-going. AMES— The expectation became reality for the Iowa State Football team on Sunday, as multiple players announced their commitment to rejoin former Cyclones coach Matt Campbell at Penn State. Iowa State had more than 50 players enter the NCAA transfer portal this offseason. As of Sunday evening, 19 of those players had announced their commitment to other programs, with 14 of those athletes rejoining Campbell at Penn State. Among the notable players to become Nittany Lions are quarterback Rocco Becht, running back Carsen Hansen, tight ends Ben Brahmer and Gabe Burkle, and linebackers Caleb Bacon and Kooper Ebel, and defensive back Marcus Neal.

TAMA COUNTY— Officials in Tama County report that they have been in contact with Arkansas authorities after a vehicle linked to an Eastern Iowa man was found in Johnson County, Arkansas. KCCI-TV reports that a 2012 Mini Cooper belonging to 22-year-old Nicholas Collins was located at an abandoned trailhead in the Ozark National Forest without its license plates Thursday morning. According to a press release from the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, Collins has not been seen or heard from since December 19th. Anyone with information on Collins’ whereabouts is urged to call the Tama County Sheriff’s Office. SIOUX CITY— A teenager has been accused of fatally stabbing another person in Sioux City on New Year’s Day. KTIV-4 reports that the Sioux City Police Department was called to a home for the report of a disturbance between family members at around 11:20 am on January 1st. According to Sioux City Police Sergeant John Sanders, a 17-year-old boy, identified as JK Athreee, was taken into custody and booked on one count of first-degree murder murder. According to court documents, Athreee told his family there was a dead body in a car found in a nearby alley. Upon arrival, officers found Jermel Ellington of Sioux City in a vehicle with 16 stab wounds. Ellington was taken to the hospital for treatment, but was declared deceased. Court records indicate that witnesses and family members told law enforcement that Athreee had come inside the home shortly after 11 am, and asked for assistance in helping hide things. Athreee allegedly told law enforcement in an interview that he and Ellington had issues with each other over the past month. DES MOINES— The Des Moines Police Department says preliminary data for 2025 shows a decline in the number of homicides and traffic fatalities in the city compared to 2024. WHO-13 reports that detectives in the Crimes Against Persons section investigated 10 homicides in 2025 compared to 15 in 2024. The Des Moines Police Department Traffic Unit investigated only 12 traffic fatalities in 2025 compared to 18 in 2024, and in total, police reports were down by over 1,000. A comprehensive report of the 2025 data will be released to the public at a later date.

BONDURANT— Authorities say that two people were injured in a barn fire in Bondurant, which resulted in the barn being deemed a total loss. WHO-13 reports that deputies and multiple fire departments were called to the scene of the fully engulfed structure north of Bondurant at around 5:30 pm on Thursday. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, two adult females sustained minor injuries due to the fire and were transported to a local hospital by ambulance for treatment. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. MARION— A former business owner in Marion was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for gun charges on Tuesday. KCRG-TV reports that 28-year-old Cordell Mayfield, of Cedar Rapids, was convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to court documents, Mayfield stored a gun with an obliterated serial number inside his used appliance business located in Marion in September of last year. A concerned parent contacted local law enforcement to check on their child, who was with Mayfield at his business. During the welfare check, officers found the gun in Mayfield’s hand. Mayfield was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and fined $2,000. He was also ordered to forfeit the firearm seized from him. MITCHELLVILLE—The city of Mitchellville has been left without local law enforcement, after the city’s entire police force resigned effective Thursday. KCCI-TV reports that this is not the first challenge to face Mitchellville this year, as two police chiefs resigned and a city administrator was fired. City mayor Tony Jensen recently held a special town hall meeting to address recent controversies. The city of Mitchellville is now working with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to provide law enforcement, which is vital since the city houses the Women’s Correctional Institution. While Mitchellville and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office are working together to provide protection for the city, no formal deal has officially been agreed to.

DES MOINES— In a special election that was held on Tuesday, Democrat Renee Hardman was elected to the Iowa State Senate. KCCI-TV reports that Hardman bested Republican Lucas Loftin by an overwhelming margin to win the seat representing parts of Des Moines’ suburbs. The seat became vacant after the death of Democrat State Senator Claire Celsi on October 6th. Hardman, who is the CEO of the nonprofit Lutheran Services of Iowa and a member of the West Des Moines City Council, is the first Black woman elected to the Senate. Hardman’s election denied Republicans’ bid to reclaim a supermajority, or two-thirds control of the Senate. Democrats had flipped a Republican seat in a special election in August, giving Democrats 17 seats to the Republicans’ 33 seats. SIOUX CITY (KTIV) – A pet food company in Sioux City is recalling two of its products due to the possibility of Salmonella contamination. KTIV-TV reports that a recall notice posted on the FDA website stated that Consumers Supply Distributing of Sioux City is recalling their four-pound bags of Country Vet Biscuits- Original Meaty Flavor and Heartland Harvest Dog Biscuits – Meaty Flavor with Chicken. According to the notice, the products have expiration dates of September 6th, 2026, and were sold in stores in Iowa, Nebraska, and five other states. There have been no reported illnesses related to the issue that was discovered by FDA sampling, and customers that bought affected bags can return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. TAMPA, FLORIDA—The Iowa Hawkeyes closed out 2025 by earning their first win over a ranked opponent since 2021. Quarterback Mark Gronowski totaled three total touchdowns in leading the #23 ranked Hawkeyes past #14 ranked Vanderbilt in a 34-27 victory in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve. The win gave head coach Kirk Ferentz his 11th career bowl win, giving him the most bowl wins in Big Ten History. Iowa finishes the season with a 9-4 overall record, marking the 11th time Iowa has won at least nine games since Ferentz took over the program.