Category: State News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A driver is in custody after a high-speed chase through Polk County on Sunday. The Iowa State Patrol says it started around 5 near Bondurant on Highway 65. The pursuit ended in the Smokey D’s parking lot on Des Moines’ north side. No one was hurt but officials say the driver topped 150 mph during the chase. Authorities are looking into whether the driver was drunk.

WILLIAMSBURG, IA (IRN) – A man died after being buried in about ten feet of corn in a grain bin near Williamsburg Friday morning.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa agriculture officials said Saturday they have confirmed another case of bird flu in a flock of commercial pullet chickens. The outbreak in Franklin County is the seventh found in Iowa this month. The department says this latest outbreak affects about 250,000 birds.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Food banks and pantries across Iowa are preparing for an uptick in clients as expanded SNAP benefits come to an end by April 1. SNAP benefits were increased by a minimum of $95 a month at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to address food insecurity. That’s about $27 million dollars of Federal money coming into the state that will stop.

HUBBARD, IA (IRN) – Nearly 100 people gathered in the Hardin County town of Hubbard Friday night to stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian refugees. Nineteen area farmers brought tractors to the South Hardin middle school. The tractors were arranged to form a peace sign.

WILLIAMSBURG, IA (IRN) – A man died after being buried in about ten feet of corn in a grain bin near Williamsburg Friday morning.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – On Monday, January 31, 2022 police were notified of a suspect using someone else’s identity to receive medical services at a local hospital. Police say after an investigation, they uncovered 34-year-old Kaycee Stickley had been using another person’s identity at a minimum of two medical facilities in Cedar Rapids.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa agriculture officials said Saturday they have confirmed another case of bird flu in a flock of commercial pullet chickens. The outbreak in Franklin County is the seventh found in Iowa this month. The department says this latest outbreak affects about 250,000 birds.

HUBBARD, IA (IRN) – Nearly 100 people gathered in the Hardin County town of Hubbard Friday night to stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian refugees. Nineteen area farmers brought tractors to the South Hardin middle school. The tractors were arranged to form a peace sign.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids man has been charged with a multitude of abuse charges for inappropriate sexual contact with children. 35-year-old Dustin Burns has been charged with crimes against two alleged victims while he was living in the same household with them.

ANKENY, IA (IRN) – The Ankeny Community School District is expanding again. On Friday, ground was broken on what will be the district’s eleventh elementary school.

CHICAGO, IL (IRN) – The Miami Hurricanes were too much for the Iowa State men’s basketball team in Friday night’s Sweet 16 matchup. The Hurricanes took down the Cyclones, 70-56, at the United Center in Chicago.

GREENSBORO, NC (IRN) – The Iowa State women’s basketball team’s defense couldn’t stop Creighton. The Bluejays scored 76 points, shooting 44 percent from three-point range, eliminating the Cyclones from the NCAA Tournament. The Cyclones nearly completed a comeback, making it a three point game with 37 seconds left. But a missed layup and a turnover sealed the win for Creighton.

LEWIS, IA (IRN) – The small town community of Lewis, Iowa, just can’t understand who would steal their church bell. Prayers at the United Congregational Methodist Church focus on some certain sinners. 84-year-old church member, Bob Jobe, says “Thou shalt not steal. So why can’t people live by that?” The church is offering a $5,000 reward for the return of the bell. Stamp says, “we want that bell back!”

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Gov. Reynolds announced that the State of Iowa is donating 146 protective helmets and 714 ballistic vests to Ukraine. The donations are excess, expired equipment from the Iowa Department of Public Safety and 18 other police departments across the state. The State is working with the Consulate General of Ukraine in Chicago in order to properly facilitate shipping the items to Ukraine.

BUENA VISTA COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Bird flu has hit another commercial turkey operation in northwest Iowa, the third outbreak in Buena Vista County and the sixth in the state since the beginning of March. The facility has nearly 54,000 turkeys that are being destroyed to prevent the spread of the highly contagious disease. The virus can wipe out a flock within 48 hours. This comes a day after the state banned bird exhibitions.

CHICAGO, IL (IRN) – The Cyclones men’s basketball team is one win away from history. A win tonight against Miami will give them 23 wins on the season, a 21-win improvement from last season. That would tie the NCAA record for biggest year-to-year win improvement. A win would also put Iowa State in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2000.

GREENSBORO, N.C. (IRN) – For the first time in more than a decade, the Iowa State women’s basketball team is one of the final 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament. The team will have a chance to extend their season tonight and make it to the Elite 8 with a win against Creighton.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship yesterday announced an order canceling all live bird exhibitions at fairs and other gatherings of birds due to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The order also prohibits live birds from being sold or transferred at livestock auction markets, swap meets and exotic sales. The Department’s order begins immediately and is effective for a minimum of 30 days, and until 30 days has passed without a confirmation of a new infection of HPAI in domestic poultry in the state of Iowa.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A jury’s verdict for an Iowa family is the largest in state history for a medical malpractice case. It’s $97.4 million, with the largest portion for future medical costs for the child who is at the center of the lawsuit. That child has brain damage and will need round-the-clock care for the rest of his life.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Statehouse Republicans are getting closer to making changes to Iowa’s unemployment law. Those in support say it would encourage people to go back to work. Those against it say it would only hurt Iowans. Republicans would shorten the unemployment benefits period and lower the wage required to take a job offer. Currently, people can receive unemployment for up to 26 weeks a year. That would be cut down to 16 weeks.

WAVERLY, IA (IRN) – Wartburg College students carried on a Waverly tradition of acknowledging the experiences of others who live with limited access to freshwater on Tuesday, which was World Water Day. The students walked to the Cedar River, filled five-gallon cans with water, and brought them back to campus. This is meant to help them experience what many communities in east Africa with water insecurity deal with and help raise awareness.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – For the third time in seven years, the road to the Final Four will go through Des Moines. Wells Fargo Arena will host first and second round games for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in 2023. The arena previously hosted first and second round matchups in both 2016 and 2019.