DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll released Thursday shows more Iowans disapprove than approve of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ handling of coronavirus in the state. The poll shows 47% of Iowans disapprove, while 44% approve of the job the governor has done in handling the virus outbreak. MARION, IA (IRN) – A four-year-old child was hurt in an incident involving a vehicle in Marion on Wednesday. Officers said the child crossed the street in front of a motorist and was struck by the vehicle. The child was taken to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries, which were not disclosed. IOWA (IRN) – Six months into the pandemic, some people are still struggling to collect unemployment benefits. Data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows that from 2019 to 2020, the number of Iowans who waited more than 50 days for their first payment increased from about 200 people to nearly 8,000 people, or an increase of more than 4,000%. EAGLE GROVE, IA (IRN) – The Eagle Grove Community School District is canceling classes Thursday and Friday due to COVID-19 cases. About 100 of the approximately 1,000 students in the district are now in quarantine. The district is reporting 25 staff members being isolated as well. All football and volleyball games have been canceled for the next two weeks. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Drake University is asking students to follow its rules after it traced a high number of COVID-19 cases to off-campus parties. The school says a large number of the students in isolation and quarantine are Greek house residents. There are 278 Drake students currently in isolation or quarantine.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Several Iowa counties continue to report a high coronavirus positivity rate as health experts are looking into a surge of cases in northwest Iowa. The Iowa Department of Public Health on Wednesday reported 856 new positive cases and eight additional deaths. Twelve Iowa counties report a positivity rate greater than 15% over the last 14 days, up from 10 the previous day. GRINNELL, IA (IRN) – Four people face charges in the death of Michael Williams. The 44-year-old Grinnell man’s body was found burning in a ditch in Kellogg on Wednesday. Steven Vogel, 31, is charged with first-degree murder and one count abuse of a corpse. Julia Cox, 55; Roy Garner, 57; and Cody Johnson, 29, are charged with abuse of a corpse, destruction of evidence and accessory after the fact. All four suspects knew and socialized with Williams. No motive is known at this time, but officials say there is no evidence to suggest that Williams, who is Black, was killed because of his race. CLAYTON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Clayton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the suicide of an inmate inside the Clayton County Jail. Laura Johnson, 51, of Olin died on September 9 while she was in custody. Officials aren’t surre how Johnson was able to commit suicide and the investigation is ongoing. LINN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – In less than two weeks, voting begins in Iowa. Linn County auditor, Joel Miller, says masks will not be required on the official election day, November 3 at all polling locations. Miller says people should expect to encounter unmasked voters at the polling place.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The two men vying for the White House are locked in a virtual dead heat just six weeks from Election Day. The newest Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll was released this morning. It shows President Donald Trump and Joe Biden each have 47% support among likely Iowa voters. President Trump won Iowa in 2016. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley said Monday he would not oppose hearings for the replacement of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg despite insisting that no Supreme Court vacancies be filled during an election year in 2016. The Republican senator said he will join in hearings for Supreme Court candidates nominated by President Donald Trump ahead of the 2020 election. AMES, IA (IRN) – Two men are charged with burglarizing four Ames churches last week. Zakery Hyer, 19, and Austin Cox, 18, were arrested on Saturday. Items taken from the churches were found in the suspects’ homes. NEWTON, IA (IRN) – A central Iowa man is facing charges after he allegedly threatened medical staff after refusing to wear a mask at a Newton hospital. Jerad Oldham, 40, of Newton, threatened at least two workers at the hospital after being asked to wear a mask. After he refused to put on a mask, he then told the staff that he would sneeze on the face of anybody who told him to put a mask on. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Iowa greyhound racing regulators have revoked the licenses of two out-of-state dog owners after videos showed them training dogs using live rabbits as lures, a banned practice. They are barred for five years from racing dogs at Iowa’s sole dog track, Iowa Greyhound Park in Dubuque.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – President Donald Trump is expected to nominate a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg this week. According to USA Today, some candidates from Iowa may be on the list. One of those is Joan Larsen, who graduated from the University of Northern Iowa. She was a clerk for the late justice Antonin Scalia. Steve Colloton, from Iowa City was appointed to a federal bench by President George Bush. He is frequently mentioned as a possible pick. Edward Mansfield served as a judge on the Iowa Court of Appeals before being appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court in 2011. FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – The Fort Dodge Police Department is investigating a shooting Sunday that left an 18-year-old woman hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The woman was shot while inside her vehicle by a person in another vehicle. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A woman was shot in Iowa City Sunday morning. Her condition is unknown, and police are investigating. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Democrat Theresa Greenfield narrowly leads Republican Sen. Joni Ernst in the race for U.S. Senate, according to a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll. Greenfield leads Ernst 45% to 42% among likely voters. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Trump Campaign announced Sunday that Lara Trump, the daughter in law of President Trump, will host a ‘Make America Great Again!’ event in Des Moines on Thursday. The event is scheduled to begin at 3:00pm with doors opening at 2:00pm at the Des Moines Downtown Marriott. Lara Trump is married to Eric Trump and is a key adviser with the campaign.

IOWA (IRN) – There were 901 new, confirmed COVID-19 cases from 10 a.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday, according to the state’s dashboard, which brings the state’s total number of cases to 79,128. The state is reporting six additional deaths, leaving the state’s death toll at 1,264. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll places Democratic candidate for Senate Theresa Greenfield in a slim lead ahead of Sen. Joni Ernst. The latest Iowa Poll, published Saturday, shows Greenfield leading Ernst by three percentage points in what the Des Moines Register calls one of the most competitive races in the country. CHICAGO, IL (IRN) – The Big Ten Conference on Saturday released a fall football schedule after reversing course on a decision to postpone the season in August due to coronavirus concerns.The Iowa Hawkeyes will open their season at Purdue and finish the regular season hosting Wisconsin. So far, there will be no ticket sales to the general public. Only families of players on a school-by-school basis will be allowed. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s governor has issued a proclamation to honor the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, according to her office. Gov. Kim Reynolds issued the order saying that all state flags should be flown at half-staff on Saturday, September 19, until the time of Ginsburg’s internment. The long-serving U.S. Supreme Court justice died on Friday at age 87 after battling pancreatic cancer.