Category: State News

KEOSAUQUA – Ahead of a vote to reopen the government, U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks held an in-person town hall in Keosauqua, facing a crowd frustrated by what’s happening in Washington D.C. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports Miller-Meeks was jeered at by several members of the audience over her positions and votes in the current term. She had been criticized about a lack of voter interaction, but held a remote-town hall on October 15th. Miller-Meeks will run again first in a primary to defend her seat, which has been rated as a toss-up by most major political forecasters.

AMES – The Iowa Board of Regents have selected the next president of Iowa State University. WHO-13 reports David Cook was selected to replace the outgoing Wendy Wintersteen in March. Cook is the president of North Dakota State University and a graduate of Iowa State.

IOWA – Several Iowans had quite the show in the skies on Tuesday night. According to the National Weather Service in Des Moines, multiple photos were sent in for the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights. The phenomenon was last spotted in the state late in the spring of 2024. There will be additional chances for viewing tonight.

IOWA – After many Iowans received their first snow of the year, near record highs are possible by the end of this week. Daytime highs will continue to climb over the next few days, up into the low-to-mid 70s for some by Friday and Saturday. The record highs those days in Des Moines are 73 and 75 respectively.

IOWA FALLS – The Iowa Falls Police Department has identified the three people found dead at a home Sunday morning with gunshot wounds. In a release, a shooting was caused by a domestic situation. The two victims have been named as 42-year-old Jessica Marie Bennett and 51-year-old Alan Jandro Karalius of Garner. Forty-five year old Shawn Michael Bean was also found dead from a self-inflicted wound after shooting the other two and an unidentified third person who was injured.

HUMBOLDT – A Hardy woman was killed in Humboldt in a crash impacted by snow and ice over the weekend. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 60-year-old Debora Lei Ruberg was traveling on Highway 3 before losing control and entering the eastbound lane. The jeep was struck by a tractor trailer traveling in the opposite direction. Ruberg died from her injuries.

ALBIA – An Iowa high school is holding virtual classes today after possible exposure of carbon monoxide to several students and staff. KCCI-TV reports the Albia School District is looking into multiple cases of individuals not feeling well and leaving school Friday, including one who went to the emergency room for exposure to the deadly gas. The Albia Junior-Senior High building had additional carbon monoxide detectors installed, but more students and staff showed signs of exposure on Monday, prompting the virtual learning day.

IOWA FALLS – Three people were found dead and another transported to a hospital in Iowa Falls with gunshot wounds over the weekend. An investigation is underway for the shooting, according to WHO-13, which apparently occurred Sunday morning. Several agencies are looking into possible motive, but there was no danger to the public as a result.

IOWA – An Iowa Capital Dispatch report shows 18 of 43 school bond issues proposed to voters during last week’s election received the supermajority needed for passage. There were 15 elections that had a majority vote yes, but that did not clear the required 60% threshold, with ten of those failing to get above 50 percent. In total, voters had to decided on a combined $1.44 billion in projects.

DES MOINES – The Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa has announced the theme for 2026. The “Iowa Classic” aims to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States as a country, and Iowa’s 180th as a state. The route will be announced in January for the July 18th to 26th bike ride.

IOWA – Governor Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to be lowered to half-staff until sunset on the day of interment in honor and remembrance of Dick Cheney who served as Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 alongside President George W. Bush. Cheney also served in Congress and as Secretary of Defense. Flags will be at half-staff on the State Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex and for all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state.

IOWA – The first measurable snow of the 2025-26 season is possible today across Iowa, especially in the northern half. The National Weather Service is monitoring for slick travel conditions and the potential for light snow, especially along and north of Highway 20. Much colder air is expected, although a warm up back into the 50s is in the forecast by Veterans Day.

IOWA – Some of the most prolific Iowa High School cross country runners are expected to try and qualify for the national stage in Sioux Falls this weekend. Nike is hosting its annual regional qualifier, which will feature several Iowa champion athletes. Pella’s Marissa Ferebee owns the female course record at the event, and the senior will be running this Sunday. Western Dubuque’s Quentin Naumann, a future Oregon Duck, is among the favorites to win the high school boys race. A select number of athletes will qualify for the national meet in December in Portland, Oregon.

DES MOINES – While the Federal Aviation Administration is reducing flights across the country starting today due to the government shutdown, no airport in Iowa is directly on the list. However, KCCI-TV reports direct flights to those facilities could still be impacted. Chief Operations Officers Clinton Torp of the Des Moines International Airport says there is no clear guidance on which flights will be impacted yet, and that the airports scheduled for reduction still fly direct to smaller airports across the country. The reductions are starting at 4% today in order to relieve some pressure on Air Traffic Controllers.

DES MOINES – The former owner of Steer N Stein is filing a lawsuit against the Iowa State Fair after accusations he wasn’t paying employees. WHO-13 reports Michael Krantz is suing the fair’s organizers and the Blue Ribbon Bar and Eatery, the establishment that replaced his. Krantz claims the new restaurant defamed him with employee t-shirts that referred to the alleged issues related to employee pay. He’s suing the Iowa State Fair, its board, and the Blue Ribbon Foundation over breach of contract, conversion of property, and defamation.

BAXTER – State Auditor Rob Sand today released a report on a special investigation into the financial records of the City of Baxter, which shows the potential loss of over $90,000. The special investigation dealt with the city’s financial records from July 1, 2021, through February 29, 2024, and was requested by City officials who had concerns regarding certain financial transactions processed by former employees, Former Police Chief William Daggett, Former City Clerk Katie Wilson, and Former EMS Coordinator Randi Gliem.