RIDGEWAY, IA (IRN) – A single-vehicle crash in rural Winneshiek County killed two teenagers and seriously hurt three others Friday night. Two were killed in the rollover crash, while the remaining three in the vehicle were taken to a nearby hospital via air ambulance with serious injuries. WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The West Des Moines-based supermarket chain Hy-Vee intends to expand into four new states and build its third distribution center in Nashville, Tennessee, while opening more than 20 new stores in the next four years.The Tennessee distribution facility will initially service seven new stores in Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky, in 2023. KNOXVILLE, TN (IRN) – An Iowa-based convenience store chain has completed the purchase of 40 stores from Knoxville, Tennessee-based Pilot Corporation. Casey’s General Stores, Inc. announced in a news release that it had closed the sale as part of a three-year strategic plan to add 345 new stores nationwide. DURHAM, N.C. (IRN) – No. 2 Morningside beat No. 3 Grand View 38-28 to win its third NAIA football championship in four seasons on Saturday.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Polk County Health Department announced a case of the COVID-19 omicron variant detected in Polk County Friday. Since then, the state announced 18 omicron cases in sevem counties. IOWA (IRN) – Five West Des Moines students and six Sioux City students have been charged with making terroristic threats against schools on Friday. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office on Friday announced a new system for handling open record requests, a day after three media organizations filed a lawsuit that alleges she has repeatedly violated the state’s open records laws by ignoring requests for government records, some for more than a year. The new system is supposed to be faster. IOWA (IRN) – The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls confirmed two additional tornadoes Friday night following Wednesday’s severe weather outbreak. This brings the statewide total from Wednesday up to 21 tornadoes. If this number holds steady, it would be the 6th biggest tornado outbreak in Iowa state history.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The National Weather Service has confirmed the intensity of five tornadoes in Iowa during Wednesday’s storms. The tornado that stretched from Atlantic to Exira was an EF-2 tornado and stretched 26.1 miles. Near Harcourt and Duncombe was an EF-2 tornado that extended 26.7 miles. An EF-2 tornado from Bayard to Jefferson traveled 24 miles. The tornado between Fansler and Winkelmans was an EF-2 and traveled 17.4 mph. The tornado near Lakeview has not been identified yet, but traveled 18.8 miles. The tornadoes all had winds between 115 mph and 120 mph. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Wednesday night’s storm system that brought widespread damage and tornadoes to Iowa is officially being declared a derecho. The National Weather Service has confirmed 13 tornadoes hit Iowa. Six of them were considered strong, with winds of up to 120 mph. Behind the initial line, winds gusted up to 74 mph. That’s the highest non-thunderstorm wind gust ever recorded in Des Moines. IOWA (IRN) – Iowa schools are responding to nationwide, anonymous social media threats that are being shared on social media outlets–mostly on Tik Tok. The general threat toward all U.S. schools declares Dec. 17 as “American School Shooting Day.” WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – West Des Moines police on Friday announced five students will be charged in a series of threats made at Stilwell Junior High. Since Dec. 10, police have been investigating several social media and spoken threats of possible violence. According to police, two students have been charged with felony terrorism and three more have been charged with first-degree harassment. WARREN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Warren County man is in the hospital after accidentally rupturing an underground propane tank in his front yard. The Northern Warren Fire Department responded to an explosion in the Greenbrier subdivision west of Maffitt Lake just after 6 p.m. Thursday. The man was attempting to clear fallen trees from his yard with a skid loader when the machinery struck the propane line buried beneath the grass. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Law enforcement in eastern Iowa arrested three people on Wednesday after they allegedly stole clothing from Old Navy in Evansdale and made a run for it. The driver refused to stop and a chase ensued, with speeds exceeding 100 mph. Stop sticks were deployed to stop the vehicle.

IOWA (IRN) – There is widespread tornado damage throughout Greene county, including major damage on the south side of Jefferson. Two tornadoes were reported. Buildings are flatted in Jefferson. No injuries have been confirmed. A tornado hit the town of Rudd in Floyd County. A tornado was also spotted in Atlantic. The driver of a semi was killed near the town of Walford in Benton and Linn counties. He was blown off Highway 151 and thrown from his semi. He wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. Numerous semis were blown off of I-80. An open air classroom was destroyed in Johnston. Tornado and wind damage was extensive across west and central Iowa. IOWA (IRN) – Nearly 10,000 Iowans were still without power Thursday morning. Officials say it could take days for power is restored across the state. IOWA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for 43 counties in response to Iowa’s Dec. 15 severe weather. The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. ELDORA, IA (IRN) – Iowa must pay $4.9 million in fees and expenses to lawyers who successfully sued the state over mistreatment of students at the Boys State Training School in Eldora. The judge said harsh discipline methods used at the school amounted to “torture.” DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa is posting 823 COVID-19 hospitalizations and 130 more deaths as virus activity remains high throughout the state. The vast majority of those hospitalized are not vaccinated. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Many Iowans have contacted local authorities with concerns of smelling smoke. The National Weather Service says the smoke is coming from Kansas wildfires.

FAIRFIELD, IA (IRN) – Two teens accused of killing their Spanish teacher in Fairfield both want their trials in juvenile court. Jeremy Goodale’s attorney filed the request in Jefferson County Court. It comes after the lawyer for Willard Miller, the other teen charged in the case, filed the same motion last week. The two 16-year-olds are accused of killing Nohema Graber. Police found her body on Nov. 3 in Chautauqua Park in Fairfield after her family reported her missing earlier in the day. IOWA (IRN) – The National Weather Service is warning of severe winds and possible tornadoes across the state today. Many school districts have already issued closings and early dismissals ahead of the severe weather. Wind speeds could pick up to 70 mph Wednesday afternoon and evening. Tree damage and fallen power lines with outages will be possible. Travel will be especially difficult for high-profile vehicles on interstates and highways. LIBERTY CENTER, IA (IRN) – There’s a development in the ongoing investigation of a missing Liberty Center man. Andy Wadle, 37, has not been heard from since Nov. 16, when he reportedly left his family a bizarre phone call. Blood was found by his truck on a trail at Otter Creek Park. Court documents show Wadle has been accused of sexually abusing a child over a several-year period. The charges were filed Nov. 29, nearly two weeks after Wadle was last seen and heard from. IOWA (IRN) – It has been one year since COVID-19 vaccination shots have been available in Iowa. This week, 80% of Iowa’s COVID-19 patients in ICU’s are not vaccinated. ANKENY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division released its annual financial report and showed that $415.8 million were made in liquor sales in the 2021 fiscal year – a massive 13.2% increase over the previous year. The top five selling brands? Black Velvet Canadian Whisky, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey, and Hawkeye Vodka.