DES MOINES – Two campaigns for Iowa governor have been fighting over whether one of the candidates should have appeared on the primary ballot in June. KCCI-TV reports Eddie Andrews has had his nominating papers challenged, which has been directly linked to his opponent Adam Steen. The latter has admitted that his campaign is directly challenged the candidacy of Eddie Andrews with the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office. Andrews remains on the ballot in June. IOWA – According to the National Weather Service, breezy conditions, paired with dry grasses, low relative humidity, and gradually warming temperatures will lead to critical fire weather conditions today. Burning of any kind is not recommended. CHICAGO – A bevy of large players made rebounding difficult for the Iowa State Cyclones, as they fell in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament late Friday night. ISU fell to Tennessee 76-62. The Cyclones found themselves deep in the tournament despite missing All-American Justin Jefferson, who was unable to play Friday. The Iowa Hawkeyes continue their tournament journey in the Elite 8 this evening, taking on Illinois at 5:09 p.m.

HOUSTON – March Madness continues with a Cinderella-type run for the #9 seeded Iowa Hawkeyes. But it wasn’t an unfamiliar foe that the Hawks knocked off, as it was a 77-71 win over conference rival Nebraska to qualify for the school’s first Elite Eight Appearance since 1987. The Iowa State Cyclones will look to join their in-state rivals in the same round, seeking their 30th win of the season and first Elite Eight bid since 2000 against Tennessee. Tip-off is at approximately 9:10 central time on TBS.DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds signed a temporary health maintenance organization tax increase into law on Thursday. House File 2739 narrowly passed both chambers to help address a budget gap in the state’s Medicaid budget. Health insurance companies have indicated they plan on passing the increased costs to consumers. DES MOINES – The Iowa Environmental Council and Harkin Institute related a report this week that connects environmental factors to spiking cancer rates in Iowa. KCCI-TV reports that the three most common pesticides used in the state have links to cancer, and that the state’s rate of use is higher than most. Eighty percent of the top 25 counties with high cancer rates are largely rural.

ANKENY – A total of 15 children were injured when a vehicle left the pickup line and struck them at St. Luke’s Catholic School in Ankeny on Tuesday. WHO-13 reports nine of those were transported by ambulance and six others were taken by their families to Des Moines-area hospitals. Seven remained hospitalized as of late Wednesday night. Ankeny police say a vehicle jumped the curb outside of the school and struck a group of students ages seven to 11. An investigation is ongoing. CEDAR RAPIDS – A Chicago felon was convicted of several theft crimes in relation to a scheme involving the use of fake U.S. Treasury checks at eastern Iowa financial institutions. KCRG-TV reports 34-year-old Tryone Harris was convicted on five counts of theft of government property, and additional identity theft and money laundering charges. In 2023, Harris is accused of trafficking five stolen U.S. Treasury checks valued at more than $300,000.DES MOINES – The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is urging lawmakers to advance a bill that would make animal torture a felony on the first offense. KCCI-TV reports the Iowa House passed a measure unanimously, but it is now listed under unfinished business at the Iowa State House. The Iowa Senate would need to schedule the measure for discussion or debate. The state ranks 45th out of 50th for animal protection laws, according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

ANKENY – Nine children were injured after being struck by a vehicle at a private school in Ankeny on Tuesday. WHO-13 reports that a vehicle jumped the curb and hit multiple students in a pickup line after school. Several nearby agencies responded and that the driver is cooperating with police. The Ankeny Police Department said it initially did not appear to be an intentional act. DES MOINES – A bill aiming to address the state’s Medicaid shortfall passed through to the governor’s desk on Tuesday. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports House File 2739 passed 26-19 in the Iowa Senate, which would retroactively increase taxes on health maintenance organizations for a nine month period this year and moves approximately $350 million from the state’s taxpayer relief fund to make up for revenue loss. Iowa’s Medicaid program is expected to face a $90.6 million deficit. Opponents have argued the bill would increase health care premiums. WEST DES MOINES – A former West Des Moines teacher was sentenced to 25 years in prison for pleading guilty to assaulting a teenage girl. KCCI-TV reports Danny Hoyt picked up a 13-year-old from Knoxville, forced her to wear a blindfold before driving her to a rural Warren County home and sexually assaulting her. He was placed on administrative leave following the arrest last spring.

DES MOINES — The name of the victim involved in a deadly shooting last week in Des Moines was released Monday morning. WHO-13 reports that the Des Moines Police Department identified William Lee St. Peter Jr. as the man that was shot to death in the early morning hours of March 19th. Police said that St. Peter was shot in the head during a drug deal last Thursday. 18-year old Juan Hernandez-Sarceno has been charged with first-degree murder in the case, and is being held in the Polk County Jail on a $1 million cash bond. A preliminary hearing for Hernandez-Sarceno is scheduled for March 30th. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. POCAHONTAS — Two teenagers have been arrested following an armed robbery in Pocahontas on Saturday. KTIV reports that the Pocahontas Police Department received a call about a young male that was armed with a handgun and threatening a person near the Pocahontas Elementary School at around 3:30 pm Saturday. Witnesses identified two people in connection to the crime, a 16-year-old from Humboldt and 18-year-old Gideon Ayafa of Pocahontas. The victim, who isn’t being identified, told police that he was robbed at gunpoint by the two suspects and was then assaulted. Authorities have arrested both suspects. Ayafa is being held in the Pocahontas County Jail, while the 16-year-old is being held in the juvenile detention center in Cherokee. BETTENDORF — Scott County officials report that no one was hurt after a train and semi-trailer crashed on Monday afternoon. KWQC reports that the Scott County Sheriff’s Department was notified about a collision between a semi-trailer and train at a Bettendorf intersection just before 3 pm. Officials learned that the semi-trailer was crossing the railroad tracks just south of Great River Road when the back of the trailer on the driver’s side was hit. Officials said that the semi-driver, 70-year-old Jonathan Turnage, and railroad personnel were not injured in the accident. Turnage was cited for failure to properly stop at a railroad crossing.