CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – A University of Northern Iowa professor has been relieved of teaching duties for the rest of the semester. Biology professor Steve O’Kane’s rule to require masks in the classroom went against the policies put in place by the Board of Regents in January. If O’Kane fails to comply next semester, the university says further action will be taken. That could include termination. MONTEZUMA, IA (IRN) -The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Poweshiek County Sheriff say that an adolescent’s body was found at about 2 p.m. Thursday near Montezuma. A farmer was doing fieldwork when they came across human remains. They discovered clothing that was similar to what 11-year-old Xavior Harrelson was wearing when he went missing, though they have not confirmed it was Xavior. Xavior went missing on May 27. He was last seen riding his bike in Montezuma, where he lived with his mother. WINNESHIEK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two 18-year-olds and several juveniles are facing numerous charges after a string of burglaries, thefts and property damage at several Winneshiek County businesses and country clubs. They face multiple counts of felony burglary, theft and arson. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – The director of a Waterloo nonprofit is being investigated over alleged embezzlement of funds. A search warrant was served at the Jesse Cosby Neighborhood Center. It comes after the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said it received information alleging the misuse of funds by the center’s director, Jesse Henderson. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The hunt for a COVID-19 test in the Des Moines metro will soon get easier, thanks to the local school district. Des Moines Public Schools announced it will offer free drive-thru COVID-19 testing at Hoover High School and the Kurtz Opportunity Center starting Monday.

DYERSVILLE, IA (IRN) – A business led by Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas has purchased a controlling interest in the Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville. Go the Distance Baseball, LLC, made the announcement Thursday morning. The iconic Field of Dreams Movie Site hosted the first Major League Baseball game played in Iowa in August and a second game between the Reds and Cubs was announced for next year. Terms of the sale were not being made public. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The “full force” of Iowa’s hospital systems and state and local health officials came together Wednesday to send a single, unified message to pregnant women: get vaccinated now against COVID-19, both for yourself and your unborn child. Across the state, doctors are seeing a flood of unvaccinated pregnant women in the ICU, preterm babies in the NICU and stillbirths and pregnant mothers lost to the virus. ELDRIDGE, IA (IRN) – A former eastern Iowa police officer for the town of Eldridge has been arrested for sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl while he was on duty. 24-year-old Andrew Denoyer was arrested Tuesday night. He admitted to the crime. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A national conservation organization is suing the Iowa Department of Natural Resources over a proposed northeast Iowa cattle confinement. The Iowa DNR approved Supreme Beef for a cattle confinement of more than 11,600 cattle animals near Bloody Run Creek. The Sierra Club is suing the DNR, saying the state agency violated its own rules when approving the nutrient management plans. CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Heartlanders, eastern Iowa’s newest hockey team, is asking for help naming its new mascot. The mascot’s costume is a deer with antlers. One suggestion–Deery McDeerFace–has already been rejected. The team’s first game will be on Friday, October 22 at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The longtime president of the Des Moines police officers’ union sexually harassed women inside and outside the department but was allowed to retire without discipline or criminal charges, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday. Four female employees of the Des Moines Police Department allege that they were sent unsolicited explicit photos by Des Moines Police Bargaining Unit Association President Stew Barnes in 2019 and 2020, including many of himself naked. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa is days away from the arrival of hundreds of refugees from Afghanistan; 125 of them are coming to Des Moines. Agencies like the U.S. Committee of Refugees and Immigrants are working to give them a smooth transition. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A person riding a bicycle was hospitalized on Tuesday afternoon after being hit by a car in Cedar Rapids. The driver stayed at the scene, and it looks like the cyclist will be OK. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The City of Cedar Rapids revealed their Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) on Tuesday. The plan is a response to the City Council’s 2020 climate resolution to address climate change after dealing with climate driven events such as the 2008 flood and 2020 derecho. The major climate hazards include extreme heat, torrential rain, and flooding.

BROOKLYN, IA (IRN) – A number of Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Community School District students walked out of class Monday in protest. They said a classmate with disabilities was sexually assaulted. Video evidence of the incident between a male and female from the school’s surveillance cameras were turned over to the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office says “an investigation was completed, and following discussions with the female student and her family no criminal charges have been filed at this time.” IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – State law enforcement officials are asking for the public’s help with an investigation into a pedestrian death along I-80 in Iowa City. Troopers say that a person was in the eastbound travel lanes of the highway and was hit by an unknown vehicle. The person died of their injuries. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A federal judge on Monday extended a restraining order for 14 days that prohibits Iowa officials from enforcing a law that bans school districts from enacting mask mandates. The order extends the initial order from Sept. 13 until Oct. 11. This means school districts may impose mask mandates and the state cannot stop them. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage in Iowa. Their post-summer blood supply is now at the lowest level it’s been in six years.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – At least 16 people in eastern Iowa have been charged with gun crimes after a two-day sweep by federal authorities. Grand juries met Wednesday through Friday in the U.S. District Court for Northern Iowa and issued the indictments. Most of the indictments were for felons in possession of a firearm or for having a firearm and using drugs. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Keith Barnette Jr., of Des Moines has been arrested for child endangerment causing serious injuries. Barnette was the sole caretaker of a 5-month-old baby when he pulled the baby across the bed by the legs and fractured both the baby’s legs. Barnette said that he was frustrated with the baby and pulled him harder than intended, almost causing the baby to fall off the bed. LINN COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – Two people are dead after a vehicle vs. train accident in Linn County near Fairfax. The vehicle was traveling across a private railroad crossing and was hit by a Union Pacific train. A man and woman died at the scene. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two people were shot on Des Moines’ north side Sunday night. Both are expected to survive. WINTERSET, IA (IRN) – Two friends in their 90s traveled to the Winterset Municipal Airport to go skydiving on Sunday. Art Hessburg, 93, and Gene Cutler, 95, are both military veterans and currently live in a retirement community. Both say they’re not too old to do most things.