GRIMES, IA (IRN) – A Grimes child care provider faces charges Friday after admitting to dropping a 3-month-old child in her care out of frustration. Brady Jean Weible, 43, is charged with child endangerment causing serious injury. The child suffered multiple subdural hematomas, or brain bleeds, on Dec. 9 while in Weible’s care. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Fall 2020 enrollment statistics for Iowa’s 327 school districts show a decrease of nearly 6,000 students or 1.21%. According to Iowa Department of Education data released on Friday, the drop was the first time in ten years certified enrollment decreased from the previous year. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s budget panel predicts slow growth for the state for the coming years, but members urged caution as this year’s unprecedented events — the pandemic, shut downs, high unemployment and a derecho — have left the economy with an uncertain future. Holly Lyons, director of the fiscal services division of the Legislative Services Agency says, “I think all of us will be glad to see the year 2020 behind us.” IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Luka Garza surged in the second half and finished the game with 34 points in just 17 minutes, lifting the No. 3 Hawkeye men’s basketball team over Iowa State 105-77 on Friday night.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health reports 77 additional COVID-19 deaths since 10 A.M yesterday for a statewide death toll of 3,197. There are 141 COVID-19 outbreaks among long-term care facilities in the state. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two 17-year-olds were shot during a home invasion Thursday on Des Moines’ east side. Police say the suspects forced entry into the home and several shots were fired, wounding two 17-year-old males inside. One was critically injured and the other suffered a serious injury. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids Police arrested a 16-year-old with a handgun early Thursday morning. Officers received a report of suspicious activity where two individuals were using flashlights to look into vehicles. When officers arrived, they found a garage door partially open, as well as a vehicle that was parked in the driveway with a broken window and items missing. Around the same time, officers located a suspect that matched the description of one of the individuals looking into vehicles with a flashlight. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Board of Pharmacy says fraudulent prescriptions are being faxed into pharmacies. These faxes appear to be targeting pharmacies in Central and Southeast Iowa. The faxes are prescriptions for antibiotics and promethazine with codeine. WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – The Waukee Community School District announced Thursday that the school board has voted to return to school. During a special school board meeting, members voted to return to the hybrid model. Students will be allowed to learn full-time in-person or full-time online.

WASHINGTON, D.C. President-elect Joe Biden officially announced Tom Vilsack as his Secretary of Agriculture on Thursday. The former Iowa governor served as the Secretary of Agriculture for all eight years of the Obama-Biden administration. Senator Chuck Grassley approved of the selection saying, “I felt he did a good job the eight years that he was Secretary of Agriculture under Obama, and I would look forward to four more years of working with him.” EARTH (IRN) – Facebook is facing a new challenge to its decade-long dominance of social media. 45 state attorneys general, including Iowa’s Tom Miller, are filing an antitrust lawsuit against Facebook, accusing the Silicon Valley giant of illegally acquiring competing companies and taking other anti-competitive actions against smaller rivals. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Hy-Vee announced Wednesday that it will offer rapid antigen COVID-19 testing at 47 stores in the Midwest. Starting today, rapid antigen testing will be provided at 18 drive-thru pharmacy locations, including Des Moines, Urbandale, Mount Pleasant and Iowa City. Additional locations will begin testing later in the month. Results will be received in as little as one to two hours. CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – The Cedar Falls City Council voted to put a hold on paid parking fees in municipal parking lots until April 1st, 2021 during a special meeting Wednesday night. The suspension of fees came at the request of business owners who have been financially hurt by the pandemic. SIOUX FALLS, SD (IRN) – An important non-conference college basketball matchup between Iowa and Gonzaga in mid-December will be played without fans. It features the nation’s top ranked team, Gonzaga, with #3 Iowa. The game is taking place on a neutral court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on December 19 and will be televised.

ALBIA, IA (IRN) – Police in Albia are looking for the suspect involved in a hit-and-run that left a man seriously injured Sunday night. Law enforcement officers are looking for 44-year-old Joshua Burk of Lovilia. He’s accused of intentionally hitting a 36-year-old man with his vehicle. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to apply for another waiver for online learning during the pandemic, even though participation by students is declining. Elementary school participation is 87%, middle school participation is 80%, and only 70% of high school students are participating. School district leaders say they are torn by a desire to bring students back to the classroom while keeping them safe. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – More than 20% of Iowa children are missing routine vaccinations this year, according to new data from Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. It’s a trend that has the country on track to miss an estimated 9 million child vaccines in 2020, putting them at risk for disease. Officials blame Covid-19. WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden has selected former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to be Secretary of Agriculture. Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa, served as Secretary of Agriculture during the Obama administration. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The No. 3 Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball team toppled the No. 16 North Carolina Tar Heels Tuesday with a 13-point victory. After coasting to three blowout wins over smaller schools, Iowa aced its first true test of the season Tuesday night by beating North Carolina 93-80.

IOWA (IRN) – Hy-Vee is hiring 500 pharmacy technicians in Iowa to expand access to COVID-19 testing and eventual vaccine distribution. The West Des Moines-based grocer announced it will fill 1,000 licensed pharmacy technician positions across the Midwest, about 500 of which will be in Iowa. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack could return to his old job as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Politico reports that Biden is leaning toward asking Vilsack to lead the USDA. Vilsack served as Secretary of Agriculture for eight years under President Obama. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Authorities filed attempted murder charges in a Sunday shooting that occurred during a rally for President Donald Trump at the Statehouse. St. Charles resident Michael McKinney, 25, is in custody. McKinney admitted to firing the gunshot that struck and injured a 15-year-old girl during the rally. The victim was inside a car when the shooting occurred but was not involved in the rally. Camera footage shows the car with the victim inside back into a pickup truck before the shot is fired. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Waterloo Fire and Rescue responded to a fire at a townhouse apartment just after midnight. Six people have been taken to the hospital. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – One person was injured in a structure fire in Des Moines Monday. Two men were living in the remodeled church while running a business there. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – President Donald Trump awarded the Medal of Freedom to Dan Gable in the Oval Office Monday, making him the first wrestler in history to receive the honor. Gable won three state high school championships for Waterloo West and two NCAA titles for ISU. He won gold at the 1972 Olympics, where he won six matches and didn’t allow a single point. As a coach, Gable led the Iowa wrestling program to 21 straight Big Ten titles and 15 NCAA team championships. He produced 152 All-Americans, 46 national champions and 12 Olympians who combined to win eight Olympic medals — four gold, one silver and three bronze.