Category: State News

GRUNDY COUNTY – The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation with an officer-involved shooting that occurred along Highway 20 in Grundy County, Iowa. At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, members of the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol and several other area law enforcement agencies attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by a wanted male subject out of Waterloo. During a pursuit, the subject’s vehicle was disabled and came to a stop. The subject is accused of exiting his vehicle and firing a gun at officers. Deputies with the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office and a Trooper with the Iowa State Patrol returned fire, striking the subject. He was pronounced dead.

URBANDALE – Urbandale Community School District Superintendent Dr. Rosalie Daca is under investigation by the Iowa Board of Education Examiners. KCCI-TV reports Daca is accused of falsifying compliance reports, failing to follow laws, and departing from educational standards. Daca has been on medical leave for several weeks. The case has also been referred to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

PLYMOUTH COUNTY – Additional details have been released regarding a bus crash involving the Remsen St. Mary’s Basketball team. WHO-13 reports the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office has noted three girls sustained what they described as major injuries in the incident, which included two young athletes flown by helicopter and all three transferred to large medical centers in Omaha or Sioux Falls.

PLYMOUTH COUNTY – Several high school girls basketball players were injured in a crash in Plymouth County over the weekend. WHO-13 reports members of the Remsen St. Mary’s basketball team were riding a bus near Hinton on Saturday, which crashed, and at one point, became fully-engulfed. Hinton Fire and EMS declared the seen a mass casualty scene due to the number of injuries. No fatalities have been reported, and additional details are expected to be released.

DES MOINES – Several state leaders shared condolences following the death of a well-known developer and philanthropist. KCCI-TV reports William C. “Bill” Knapp died Saturday morning at the age of 99. Knapp is the namesake of the home arena of Drake University, which he donated $3 million toward the creation of. Knapp was also a big supporter of honor flights for veterans. Governor Kim Reynolds highlighted those efforts in a statement this weekend.

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY – A county attorney has filed to remove a county supervisor from his seat. KETV reports that Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilber has accused Scott Belt of going to a bar and drinking before attending a Board of Supervisors meeting. Belt was apparently slurring words and became combative with others at the November 5th meeting. Wilber alleges that Belt has been intoxicated in an official capacity at least seven times in the last year.

CLARKE COUNTY – The vehicle located in a fatal hit-and-run in Clarke County has been located. WHO-13 reports the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office says they have found a car that matches the description given by witnesses and it is being processed for evidence, but no information has been released about a possible suspect. The crash earlier this week killed 16-year-old Elmer Borntrager of Murray, who was operating a horse-drawn buggy.

KEOKUK COUNTY – The driver of a hayrack ride that crashed in rural Iowa is out on bond as part of an appeal of a guilty conviction. KCCI-TV reports Daniel Brubaker was sentenced to 15 years of prison in September for drinking before a crash that injured several children. Brubaker is appealing a child endangerment conviction, and is out on bond.

MARSHALLTOWN – A Marshalltown school employee has been arrested after an alleged inappropriate relationship with a student. KCRG-TV reports Stacy Galema is charged with sexual exploitation and lascivious conduct with a minor. She’s accused of having a relationship with a student from 2014 and 2020. Galema is listed as an assistant soccer coach on the school district’s website.

CLARKE COUNTY – A hit-and-run crash involving a horse-drawn buggy in Clarke County is the fourth fatal incident involving both types of vehicles in the last ten years. WHO-13 reports 16-year-old Elmer Borntrager died after a vehicle struck the rear of his buggy south of Murray on Wednesday evening. The Iowa DOT reports this is the 83rd crash between a motor vehicle and a horse-drawn buggy in Iowa since 2015. As of early this morning, the suspect remained at-large.

IOWA – Iowa families who reply on SNAP benefits will have their benefits restored as soon as today. KCCI-TV reports the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announced that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding should be available now. Recipients are encouraged to check balances before making purchases.

IOWA – While the usual crop progress report was unavailable for several weeks during the harvest season during the federal government shutdown, the Iowa Department of Agriculture believes that time is coming to a close. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports that Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says the first snowfall of the season this past week marked the end of the growing season and that based on observations from his staff, that the corn and soybean harvest is wrapping up this week.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – Two Quad Cities men were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a racketeering conspiracy. According to public court documents, the racketeering conspiracy involved the Fifth Street gang, which operated as a criminal enterprise responsible for numerous acts of violence, including murder and attempted murder in the Quad Cities. Rasheem Damonte Bogan was sentenced on October 9 to 27 years in federal prison and Kylea Dapri Cartwright, Jr., was sentenced on November 6 to 30 years in federal prison. In total, 14 defendants, were convicted of federal crimes related to the Fifth Street Gang’s criminal conduct between April 2006 and February 2024.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa remain at half-staff from sunrise to sunset today in honor and remembrance of former Iowa Senator and Iowa Board of Regents member Larry McKibben. A Marshalltown native, McKibben served in the Iowa Senate from 1997 to 2010. McKibben died Sunday from Alzheimer’s Disease. Flags on the State Capitol Building, flag displays in the Capitol Complex, and on all public buildings, grounds and facilities statewide are currently at half-staff in honor of former Vice President Dick Cheney.

SAYLOR TOWNSHIP – An Iowa distillery has filed a federal lawsuit for alleged mishandling of a permit and costing the company millions of dollars. The Des Moines Register repots Red Boot Distillery is suing the United States government, claiming an agency with the U.S. Treasury was negligent in handling documents. An issue occurred when the distillery changed ownership just before obtaining a federal permit, with the government agency claiming it was not property operating. The Saylor Township company is suing for at least $3.5 million.