INDIANOLA – A former West Des Moines teacher living in rural Indianola was arrested on Friday with six felony charges for the alleged abuse of a minor. According to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, 57-year-old Danny Allen Hoyt faces one count of kidnapping, a Class A Felony, three counts of 2nd degree sexual abuse, delivery of a controlled substance to a minor, and possession with intent to deliver. Court documents indicate Hoyt is accused of driving to Knoxville to pick up a juvenile female, refusing the let the girl out of the vehicle and blindfolding her upon arriving to his residence in rural Warren County. He then allegedly sexually assaulted the victim and forced her to drink a THC-infused beverage at the home,. The West Des Moines School district confirmed that Hoyt was suspended in April of this year. DELAWARE COUNTY – A motorcycle riding along the RAGBRAI route in Delaware County hit a cyclist in Delaware County on Saturday. KCCI-TV reports that a 59-year-old Manchester resident was riding a Harley-Davidson and accelerated up a hill, encountering a roadway filled with bike riders. Witnesses claim the motorcyclist was yelling and screaming at bicycle traffic before hitting a rider from behind. The 37-year-old from Texas sustained minor injuries. No criminal charges were detailed in the report. IOWA – More than half of the state is under an extreme heat warning today, with some communities potentially seeing heat index values as warm as 115 degrees this afternoon. Multiple rounds of heavy rain again pummeled many in Iowa last week, and that excess moisture, coupled with a healthy corn crop, as oppressive air in the forecast through Tuesday evening. Much cooler air is expected to arrive by Wednesday night.

INDIANOLA – An Indianola couple was sentenced to decades in prison for the kidnapping and attempted murder of a Des Moines woman. The Des Moines Register reports 42-year-old Jordan Mangum received 45 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of 22 years, and his partner Jessica Wheeler was sentenced to 35 years, required to serve half. Both kidnapped Kitara Cox, who addressed a Polk County judge Thursday and Friday during sentencing hearings, despite being permanently scarred and with back injuries. She was the former partner of Mangum, and described a pattern of years of abuse. AMES – Iowa State University will increase ticket prices due to an anticipated budget deficit. WHO-13 reports the department is expecting nearly $150 million of impact over the next six years without additional funding. The State Board of Regents is looking at other cost-cutting measures at their meeting next week. IOWA – Heat and humidity values will increase across much of Iowa beginning today and continuing into early next week. Heat index values are expected to pick in the 90s today and into the triple digits in most places Sunday through Tuesday. An Extreme Heat Watch has been issued for western & central areas of the state. Relief appears to be on the way by Thursday, with much more mild conditions expected.

OTTUMWA – Two people were arrested on a warrant this week in Ottumwa for allegedly staging a robbery at a Des Moines Git N Go. Thirty-five year old Blake Allen Christy and 38-year-old Samantha Lynn Buchman communicated ahead of a call for an armed robbery on July 6th. Christy is accused of pointing a gun at Buchman at the Git N Go, and she emptied the cash register and safe and gave the cash over. Christy then fled on foot, threatened self harm, and left the cash behind. Both Christy and Buchman were seen on video the night before at the store. The man was charged with first degree robbery and felon in possession of a firearm, and Christy was also wanted in Dubuque County on the Iowa Sex Offender Most Wanted List. LE MARS – A northwest Iowa school district will no longer allow events held by religious organizations of any kind. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports the Le Mars Community School District will no longer allow those types of events after a complaint the district received about partnering with an organization for the national day of prayer. Le Mars partnered with a Side by Side Ministries and shared photos of adult employees with members of the group on social media. Adults not working for the school also advocated for students to participate in praying.

ESTHERVILLE – Two riders on the RAGBRAI route this week have died. KCCI-TV reports a cyclist was found unconscious Tuesday morning in Estherville, and transported to a nearby hospital. The unidentified individual was pronounced dead there and transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny for a cause of death. On Monday, a cyclist died when crossing over into Minnesota. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call after the rider had collapsed. A doctor and other medical personnel responded immediately, but 54-year-old Kelly Paul of Texas was later pronounced dead. ANKENY – A mother and son were both arrested for their alleged involvement in a home invasion earlier this month in Ankeny. WHO-13 reports 45-year-old Merrelita Kintz and 27-year-old Gemiere Goodwin are both charged with attempted murder, burglary and robbery in the 1st degree, willful injury, and 2nd degree theft. Ankeny Police claim the pair beat and strangled an elderly victim, stealing cash, a gun, and other documents during the incident. IOWA – Another day, another chance for heavy rain across the state. An active summer is set to continue through Saturday for many Iowans, according to the National Weather Service, with another 1-3 inches of precipitation possible. Some Iowa communities have received over a foot of rainfall in the last month. However, only one flood warning was active for a river in Iowa just west of the Iowa City metro. FORT DODGE – State Champions will be crowned today and tomorrow as the Iowa High School sports year comes to an end. The boys and girls of summer of Iowa will be competing in championship games in Fort Dodge for softball today and tomorrow and in Carroll and Sioux City for baseball squads. Following this game, a family week with no activities schedule returns before fall sports practices begin in early August.

IOWA – The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has confirmed a case of measles in an adult resident of Western Iowa and is notifying the public of potential exposure locations. The individual is fully vaccinated and has no known link to the previous measles cases in Iowa, nor any recent travel outside the state. Iowa has a total of eight confirmed measles cases in 2025. As of July 15th, a total of 1,309 confirmed measles cases have been reported in the United States. Of these, 1,204 (92%) were unvaccinated, and 105 (8%) had received at least one dose of MMR vaccine. Breakthrough cases typically experience milder illness and are less likely to spread the virus to others.DES MOINES – Portions of a new state law aimed at regulating Pharmacy Benefit Managers have been partially blocked. KCCI-TV reports U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie Rose decided to block the impacts of the law for the businesses involve din the suit, which includes six parties as plaintiffs. They argue Senate File 383 goes too far and does lot align with existing federal law. IOWA – Hot and humid conditions are expected across Iowa today, with temperatures expected to reach into the low to mid 90s, and heat indices reaching up to 100-105 degrees. Residents and visitors spending time outdoors should drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks in air conditioning to lessen the potential for heat illness.