IOWA – The Iowa State Patrol reported at least six traffic fatalities occurred just after the Christmas holiday. Four different incidents involved the death of someone driving, including in Lyon, Worth, Poweshiek, and Mills Counties from December 26th through the 28th. As of Friday, the Iowa DOT reported 344 people had died on the state’s roads, near the five-year average of 342. Of those, 105 people were not wearing a seat belt when available for use. KEOSAUQUA – Remains found nearly three years ago along the Des Moines River is southern Iowa have been identified. KCCI-TV reports Timothy Fortney went missing in 2019. In February of 2022, the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office found a femur bone just outside of a riverbank. Authorities partnered with Southeast Missouri State University and determined it was a match to Fortney’s DNA profile. The case remains under investigation by the Ottumwa Police Department. IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa is set to close several departments related to gender studies and programs related to race and religious education. KCRG-TV reports the university is combining several departments and programs related to African American, Jewish, Latino, Native American, and Gender Studies, and create a new major in social and cultural analysis. This comes after the Iowa Legislature has started passing bills to restrict education of some of those areas, and a new Iowa House Committee has been formed to further review programming offered at the state’s three Regent Universities.ORLANDO – Rallying from a 10-point second-half deficit, No. 18 Iowa State outlasted No. 15 Miami 42-41, in a high-scoring Pop-Tarts Bowl Saturday afternoon at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. When the game was on the line, the Cyclones went to quarterback Rocco Becht, who delivered his fourth game-winning drive of the season. The 11 wins are the most in Iowa State football program history.

POWESHIEK COUNTY – One person has died and several others were injured in a crash on Interstate 80 that closed both lanes of traffic Friday evening. The Iowa State Patrol reports an unidentified individual from Chicago died from a crash that involved a car rear-ending a semi, which forced the larger vehicle over the median and into oncoming traffic. In addition to the death, four people were injured — all of whom live out of state. DUBUQUE – A Loras College graduate who became one of the most recognized broadcasters in the country over the past five decades has died. CBS Sports reports that Greg Gumbel passed away Friday following a battle with cancer. Gumbel hosted coverage for NBC and CBS during several Super Bowls, the Olympic Games, and perhaps most famously, March Madness. Gumbel graduated from Loras in Dubuque in 1967, where he also played baseball.GLENWOOD – A Glenwood man died in a single vehicle crash Thursday afternoon. The Iowa State Patrol reports 38-year-old Kevin Deitchler was traveling alone near Silver City when he lost control of his Volkswagen and crossed the other lane before colliding with a driveway embankment, flipping over and landing the car on its top. Deitchler was pronounced dead on scene. CLIVE – Two Iowans won $250,000 lottery prizes over the holidays. Jessie Funk of Davenport won the fifth top prize in the Iowa Lottery’s “Payline” scratch game, while Darla Carpenter from Northeast Iowa won the second top prize in the “Winter Winnings” contest.

DES MOINES – A Des Moines woman wounded in a Christmas Day shooting that left her husband dead has also died. The Des Moines Register reports the update comes after an initial release indicated an off-duty Des Moines Police officer heard gunfire at a home. Upon police arrival, they determined a 60-year-old man shot the woman and then himself. Their full identifications are being withheld due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.BURLINGTON – A Burlington man faces a charge of first degree murder for an alleged shooting on Christmas Night. WQAD reports 46-year-old Eric Christopher Rios is accused of killing 44-year-old Anthony DeCarlo Campbell, who was found dead on Wednesday evening. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting local police.IOWA – Dense fog will persist through Friday morning across virtually the entire state of Iowa. Along with the fog, periods of rain will develop as well, according to the National Weather Service. Drier air moving in from the west to clear skies on Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures will remain on the mild side thru the period with highs in the 40’s and 50’s. IOWA – Both the Hawkeye and Cyclone football teams are preparing for their bowl game destinations. Iowa will take on #19 Missouri in the Music City Bowl in Nashville on December 30th, while #18 Iowa State is gearing up for the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando on Saturday afternoon against #13 Miami.

KOSSUTH COUNTY – A Webster City man died in a crash involving a semi in Kossuth County on Monday evening. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Ford Edge operated by 51-year-old Andres Garcia Exposito was traveling on a rural road and crossed into the other lane and collided head-on with a Freightliner Cascadia. Exposito died from his injuries. The driver of the semi, 46-year-old Daniel Eugene Murray, was injured and transported to a nearby hospital by ambulance. IOWA – Areas of fog and drizzle will persist or redevelop statewide through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Over northern Iowa, enough cold air may result in freezing drizzle that may create slick and icy spots on lesser travelled roadways, bridges, and overpasses. On Friday, periods of light rain with at least a 60% chance are forecast with the rain coming to an end on Saturday. Conditions will be mild for the last week of December, with highs at least 10 degrees above normal. IOWA CITY – Another remarkable accolade has been added to the trophy case of Iowa native Caitlin Clark. The Associated Press awarded the former Hawkeye standout and two-time unanimous national collegiate player of the year with the Female Athlete of the Year award. A group of 74 sports journalists gave Clark 35 first-place votes, finishing ahead of Olympic gold-medalist Simone Biles. Clark is the fourth women’s basketball player to be honored by the AP since 1931.

DAVENPORT – Governor Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation today setting Tuesday, January 28th, as the date for a special election in Iowa Senate District 35 following the resignation of former Senator Chris Cournoyer, who was serving her second term in the Iowa Senate before Reynolds appointed her lieutenant governor on December 16th. Senate District 35 is located in Clinton County, as well as parts of Jackson and Scott Counties, and includes Clinton, DeWitt, Camanche, Wheatland, Maquoketa, and Princeton.DES MOINES – One of the most accomplished coaches in the history of NAIA football was named the latest head football coach at Drake University just days after winning a national title. Joe Woodley comes to Drake after spending the last 17 years across town at Grand View University. Woodley guided the Vikings to an undefeated season in 2024, punctuated by winning Grand View’s second NAIA national championship last Saturday. Todd Stepsis, the previous Drake coach, left to lead the UNI program after the retirement of longtime leader Mark Farley. IOWA CITY – Former University of Iowa women’s basketball player and radio color analyst, Jamie Cavey-Lang passed away on Saturday after a battle with cancer. The 41-year-old stepped away from assisting Rob Brooks with the radio call after the 2022-23 season. She had been a part of the radio team since the beginning of 2016-17. Cavey-Lang lettered at Iowa from 2001-05 and was a part of four postseason squads.