Category: State News

DES MOINES – An Iowa airman killed in a B-52 plane crash last month was honored on Friday during his final journey home. WHO-13 reports 35-year-old Major Brad Hovey returned home for funeral services, with community members lining the streets to honor his service. Hovey was among eight people killed in a test flight in Edwards Air Force Base in California on June 17th. He was born in Algona and raised in Adel, graduating from ADM before attending Iowa State University.

AMES – Iowa State University Athletic Director Jamie Pollard announced this upcoming academic year will be his last leading the Cyclones. KCCI-TV reports Pollard is the nation’s longest tenured Power Four Conference director, and has been at the helm of the program since 2005. Iowa State has won 24 Big 12 team titles and 11 bowl games in football.

DES MOINES – A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture restore land-access grants for two Iowa non profit organizations. The Des Moines Register reports Iowa Valley RC&D and Sustainable Iowa Land Trust were part of a lawsuit with 22 other organizations who had their awards under a USDA program terminated. The funding was approximately $4.3 million for those two groups.

DES MOINES— Governor Kim Reynolds has ordered flags in Iowa lowered to half-staff at sunrise today until sunset on Friday, July 17, in honor and remembrance of Iowa native, U.S. Air Force Maj. Brad Hovey. He was a pilot with the 419th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base in California, killed during a B-52 flight test mission on June 15.

IOWA COUNTY – Two people were killed in a two-vehicle crash in Iowa County on Thursday. The Iowa State Patrol reports a vehicle failed to stop at an intersection and caused the collision. A 33-year-old from Amana and 14-year-old from North Liberty died, and their names were not immediately released.

DES MOINES – The federal trail of a former Des Moines radio personality for a ticket-flipping scheme begins next week. KCCI-TV reports Marty Tirrell is accused of stealing money from investors from February 2024 to January 2025, claiming his connections in the sports industries would gain him access to tickets he could sell at higher prices. Those who participated lost $1.5 million. Tirrell was previously convicted of mail fraud in 2019.

SOUTH DAKOTA -An Indianola man faces eight charges in relation to a crash that killed a nine-year-old in South Dakota last week. WHO-13 reports that 38-year-old Zachary Berger was accused of driving a Polaris Ranger that crashed and rolled near Pierre, killing a nine-year-old girl and injuring a 16-year-old boy. Berger is charged with vehicular homicide, second degree manslaughter, abuse of a minor, and driving under the influence.

DES MOINES – The state of Iowa confirmed its first measles case of 2026 this week. KCCI-TV reports the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services notified the pubic about a vaccinated adult who lives in Polk County and recently traveled overseas. The positive test was confirmed on Wednesday night, and that individual was in several locations this week with the highly contagious disease.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Fort Madison woman was sentenced this week to 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography. According to public court documents, 27-year-old Metallie Leigh Gillette created and distributed child sexual abuse material by sexually exploiting a minor. Law enforcement seized an electronic device during a search of Gillette’s Fort Madison residence. The individual Gillette sent the child sexual abuse material to was 30-year-old David Enrique Remigio of Burlington, who was sentenced in March 2025 to 16 years in federal prison for receipt of child pornography.

MADISON COUNTY – A judge is holding a Madison County man without bail while he awaits trial for a murder charge related to the death of his mother. WHO-13 reports 23-year-old Theodore James Corkrean had asked the court to review his $5 million cash-only bond, only for the judge to rule there would be no bail due to probable cause that he committed the offense. Madison County Sheriff’s deputies found 60-ear-old Tammy Corkrean dead on June 21st, having been killed in execution-style.

WAUKEE – A Waukee woman accused of using false information and forged documents to get hired and who was released on parole is allegedly doing the same activity again. The Des Moines Register reports 36-year-old Priscilla Heronemus has a written complaint against her, claiming she’s used fake credentials to pose as a social worker. Her resume contains detail about degrees from Grand View University, and she has been working at Choices Therapy Services since March of 2024. Heronemus reached a plea agreement in 2019 after receiving previous deferred judgements in 2014.

DES MOINES – More than 80 new foods arrive at the Iowa State Fair next month. KCCI-TV reports the annual contest and top 11 finalists for the Best New Food will be revealed later, but the 2026 new foods list was released. The 2026 Iowa State Fair is August 13th through the 23rd.

WASHINGTON D.C. – More than 100 Iowa National Guard soldiers are being deployed to Washington D.C. this week. WHO1-3 reports that 120 troops will support ongoing events related to America250 and Freedom 250 as part of a six-month deployment, going under Title 32, Section 502 F status protecting the capital. A private send-off ceremony will be held on Friday.

IOWA – Many Iowa communities are cleaning up flood damage after excessive rainfall fell before the Independence Day holiday. KCCI-TV reports residents in Polk, Story, and Jasper Counties received nearly a foot of rainfall over a short two-day period, and that has left a lot of cleanup. Governor Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation on Monday related to flood damage.

CLAY COUNTY – A western Iowa nursing home has been fined for refusing to summon an ambulance for a resident. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports it forced the family to take that person to the hospital in their car. The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing has cited the Spencer Post Acute Rehabilitation Center in Clay County for a fine of $6,750. The facility is accused of forcing the family to take the resident to the hospital, claiming the situation was not urgent.

FREMONT COUNTY – An international soccer fan in the United States who led police on a chase on July 3rd may avoid charges in the matter. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office arrested 33-year-old Nestor Morantes Segura, a Colombian citizen who was visiting the U.S. for the FIFA World Cup. A press release detailed a high-speed chase in the southbound lanes of I-29. After receiving his Miranda warning, he told deputies he saw emergency lights but could not hear the siren and thought he could continue driving. The Fremont County Attorney’s Office filed a motion to dismiss on Monday.