Category: State News

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Firefighters responded to an alarm at a restaurant in downtown Cedar Rapids early Tuesday morning. The small fire was found in the second floor kitchen at White Star, but officials said it was held in check by the sprinkler system. No one was at the restaurant when the fire occurred. The building suffered minor damage.

CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – The Cedar Falls Police department has filed charges in the December 4th, 2019 incident in which Grant Saul was shot and killed. On Monday, police charged 20-year-old Keyon Christian Roby and 22-year-old James Wright-Buls with 1st Degree Robbery and 1st Degree Murder. When police were dispatched to the scene in 2019, they found Saul dead in the apartment and the suspects gone. Both Roby and Wright-Buls were inmates at the Black Hawk County Jail when the charges were filed.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa law enforcement officials are teaming up with hotels to help curb human trafficking. All hotel employees in Iowa will be required to complete human trafficking prevention training by Jan. 1, 2022, or the hotel will not be able to accept public funds.

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (IRN) – A federal judge on Monday blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on thousands of health care workers in 10 states, including Iowa, that had brought the first legal challenge against the requirement.

AMES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State men’s basketball team is ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2019. The Cyclones are ranked No. 19 in the latest AP poll released Monday. Iowa State remains undefeated at 6-0 this season.

FAIRFIELD, IA (IRN) – The two 16-year-olds accused of killing their Spanish teacher in Fairfield have pleaded not guilty. Jeremy Goodale and Willard Miller are each charged in the death of Nohema Graber.

GRINNELL, IA (IRN) – A 13-year-old boy is accused of stabbing a man in Grinnell on Saturday. Grinnell police officers responded to a residence just before 8 a.m. to investigate a reported stabbing. Police found a 43-year-old man within the residence suffering from a stab wound to the abdomen. The man was treated at a local hospital and is expected to recover.

USA (IRN) – U.S. bakers say biodiesel producers are gobbling up Iowa’s and the nation’s soybean oil, forcing them to import more soy oil to meet the nation’s demand for sweets, driving up costs and potentially making some products difficult to find. The baking industry wants the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to pause the nation’s renewable fuel blending requirements for a year to reduce demand and lower costs. A proposed pause in the nation’s Renewable Fuel Standard could spell trouble for Iowa, the largest U.S. producer of biodiesel and the second-largest grower of soybeans.

ESTERO, FL (IRN) – Aubrey Joens scored 21 points, all on 3-pointers, older sister Ashley Joens had 13 points and No. 13 Iowa State made 18 3-pointers in a 93-59 rout of Penn State on Saturday at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Florida. For Aubrey Joens, it was a career night. She tied her career high in scoring, had her first double-double and had career highs in rebounds with 11 and 3-pointers with seven.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (IRN) – Minnesota defeated No. 14 Wisconsin 23-13 on Saturday. With the Minnesota win, Iowa will now play in the Big Ten Conference championship game on Dec. 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. They will play Michigan.

GRINNELL, IA (IRN) – A 13-year-old boy is accused of stabbing a man in Grinnell on Saturday. Grinnell police officers responded to a residence just before 8 a.m. to investigate a reported stabbing. Police found a 43-year-old man within the residence suffering from a stab wound to the abdomen. The man was treated at a local hospital and is expected to recover.

JAMAICA, IA (IRN) – An Iowa family home is a total loss following a Thanksgiving night fire in Jamaica. The Jamaica Fire Department said it started in the garage and spread to the home. There were two people in the home at the time, but they managed to get out. There are no reported injuries.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A western Iowa farmer and former county supervisor will end his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Chuck Grassley. Dave Muhlbauer announced Tuesday he would no longer seek the Democratic nomination for Senate. In his announcement, Muhlbauer noted the recent death of a nephew and the “devastating effect” on his family.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (IRN) – Minnesota defeated No. 14 Wisconsin 23-13. With the Minnesota win, Iowa will now play in the Big Ten Conference championship game on Dec. 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. They will play Michigan.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids Police are concerned about the number of guns being stolen from cars. Police say people aren’t only leaving their guns in their cars, they’re leaving their cars unlocked. So far this year, 45 guns have been stolen from cars. The guns were taken in 35 different incidents, and 24 of those times the vehicle was left unlocked. Police say these gun owners aren’t being responsible.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A fight at Cedar Rapids’ Lindale Mall caused scary moments Friday afternoon as unfounded reports of an active shooter situation circulated on social media. Police responded to reports of a disturbance at the mall shortly after 3 p.m. Friday. Police said information was being shared about an active shooter situation that proved to be false. Six people were charged with disorderly conduct.

AMES, IA (IRN) – Breece Hall rushed for 242 yards and scored four touchdowns Friday night in what may be his final game at Jack Trice Stadium, propelling Iowa State to a 48-14 win over Texas Christian and setting an NCAA FBS record for consecutive games with a rushing touchdown. Hall has had 24 consecutive games with at least one rushing touchdown.

LINCOLN, IA (IRN) – Iowa scored 22 unanswered points — most of them in the fourth quarter — to storm back and beat Nebraska 28-21 Friday. The win keeps Iowa (10-2) in the hunt for a spot at next week’s Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis. Iowa still needs Minnesota (7-4) to win its home game against No. 14 Wisconsin (8-3) today.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa motorists will soon have the option of keeping their driver’s license on their phones. State officials have begun a pilot project to make digital driver’s licenses, or “mobile IDs,” available for download via smartphone apps sometime in 2022.

ALGONA, IA (IRN) – Police Officers responded to a disturbance at a Super 8 Motel in Algona Thursday morning at approximately 12:15 am. One officer discharged his firearm as a result of circumstances upon arrival. A high-speed pursuit emerged until the driver lost control of the vehicle. The suspect is under custody.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A western Iowa farmer and former county supervisor will end his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Chuck Grassley. Dave Muhlbauer announced Tuesday he would no longer seek the Democratic nomination for Senate. In his announcement, Muhlbauer noted the recent death of a nephew and the “devastating effect” on his family.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The number of passengers traveling through the Des Moines International Airport during the long holiday weekend may surpass the pre-pandemic total from 2019, officials said. The airport projected more than 21,000 passengers between Wednesday and Sunday. The total over the same period in 2019 was 20,000.

LINCOLN, NE (IRN) – Milton Andrew Munson’s obituary recalled his life as an Air Force veteran, a pharmacist, husband and father, and as a Nebraska football fan. That was evident in one line in the obit: “In lieu of flowers, please place an irresponsibly large wager on Nebraska beating Iowa.” Munson, 73, died Nov. 16.