SYRIA – Two Iowa National Guard soldiers were killed in an apparent terrorist attack in Syria, and three others were injured. The Des Moines Register reports Major General Stephen Osborn said the group was attacked by a lone ISIS gunman on Saturday. The family of Nate Howard of Marshalltown identified him as one of the two soldiers killed in the attack. IOWA – One fatal crash was reported out of 88 that the Iowa State Patrol responded to during snow on Saturday. For several hours, Interstate 80 east of Iowa City was shut down due to multiple crashes and a pileup. Many communities in the state received between 3-5 inches of snowfall. Much warmer conditions return to the state by Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. BLOOMFIELD – A surge in cases of Whooping Cough has caused several school districts to close. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports the Davis County School District in Bloomfield was among those. The disease also known as pertussis is highly contagious and can cause a cough for several weeks or months. The Moulton-Udell School District was out for both December 9th and 10th due to illness.

CLARKE COUNTY – An Iowa man was charged for his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run crash that killed a teenager riding on a horse-drawn buggy in November. WHO-13 reports 41-year-old Jacob Wright of Grand River faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death, driving while suspended, and failure to provide insurance. The Clarke County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a heavily damaged vehicle about five miles away from the site of the collision. Wright is accused of abandoning the car and telling others about the crash. DES MOINES – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a 13-count indictment Wednesday, charging a Des Moines man with offenses related to sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of children. As alleged in the Indictment, 31-year-old Tyler Boyd Pavlick produced sexually explicit visual depictions of minor victims at two cross-country meets for middle school and high school athletes in September held in Marshall and Clarke counties and one arts and crafts festival in October in Polk County. He’s accused of using hidden cameras in porta-potties and on a toilet. IOWA – Extremely dangerous cold will impact the state on Sunday morning. Wind chills as low as 35 below zero are possible in the northern third of the state. According to the National Weather Service, frostbite can occur in as little as 15 minutes in those conditions. Much warmer air returns on Monday, with highs climbing into the 40s by the middle of next week for many.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Revenue Estimating Conference released its annual December update to revenue projections for state government on Thursday. According to the Des Moines Register, the state will have a nearly $1 billion shortfall between money coming in and what’s going out, with the three-member panel showing the state will take in $8.5 billion in Fiscal Year 2027. It’s the number legislators will use to craft the next budget in the upcoming session, which starts in January. Governor Kim Reynolds says state reserves will be used to cover the difference. DES MOINES – A ceremony was held on Thursday to honor former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad with the Iowa Award. Governor Kim Reynolds hosted the event at the Iowa Capitol. It’s considered the state’s highest citizen honor, with the Des Moines Register reporting the award has gone to former President Herbert Hoover, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Norman Borlaug, and Artist Grant Wood, among others. IOWA – After one clipper storm impacted many in the state on Thursday with 1-3″ of quick-hitting snow, another similar blitz is set up on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Following that precipitation, extreme cold will settle across Iowa this weekend with coldest temperatures on Sunday morning. Wind chill values of -20 to -30 are in the forecast. AMES – A 13-point first-half deficit was overcome by the No. 4 Iowa State men’s basketball team, as the Cyclones used a 19-0 run between the end of the first half and start of the second to rally past rival Iowa to win, 66-62. Though the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk series was secured with the women’s basketball team winning, Iowa State secured its first-ever single-season sweep across volleyball, football, wrestling, and men’s/women’s basketball against the Hawkeyes.

IOWA – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 3.7 percent in September — the most recent data available due to the federal government shutdown. The state’s jobless rate was 3.3 percent one year ago. The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent in September. An update for the following months will come in January. ADAIR COUNTY – A ribbon cutting was held for a new EMS station for Adair County on Wednesday. WHO-13 reports county first responders believe the move is a symbolic way to mark Greenfield’s rebuilding since the 2024 tornado that devastated the community. The new facility has room for three ambulances, and includes bedrooms and a training room for staff. IOWA – The ACLU of Iowa released a report this week that indicates several concerns with the use of license plate readers in the state. KCCI-TV reports the research done by the University of Iowa’s Technology Law Clinic shows there are more than 500 devices in Iowa, with more than $200,000 spent monthly on their use. The ACLU is calling for more state regulations on the use of automated license readers, citing issues with privacy. AMES – A clash of unbeaten women’s basketball teams went the way of the Iowa State Cyclones, as the No. 10 team in the nation defeated No. 11 Iowa by a 74-69 victory on Wednesday. The victory clinches the overall title for the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series, as ISU has won in football and wrestling. The No. in the nation Cyclones and Hawkeyes men clash in Ames at Hilton Coliseum tonight at 7 p.m., with the matchup featuring new Iowa Head Coach Ben McCollum.

ODEBOLT – Republican Wendy Larson won a special election on Tuesday that maintains the supermajority held by the Iowa House. The Des Moines Register reports Larson fills the seat vacated by former Representative Mike Sexton, who has moved to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Larson won the seat by nearly 40 points over Democrat Rachel Burns. ZEARING – The final defendant in a kidnapping case in Zearing has pled guilty. KCCI-TV reports Danielle Graham is guilty of second-degree kidnapping, two counts of willful injury, and dependent adult abuse, and subsequently sentenced to 55 years in prison late last week. Gary Graham was sentenced to life in prison, and family member Aaron Williams awaits sentencing. They were all arrested after another family member was found with life-threatening injuries in severe malnourishment in 2023. GUTTENBERG – The Iowa Department of Education accuses leadership with the Iowa Virtual Academy of discrepancies in records. KCRG-TV reports three of the Clayton Ridge Community School District’s administrators, who operate the academy, face accusations of violated state law. Superintendent Shane Wahls, Dean Wade Marlow, and Principal Terri Thompson are alleged to have had issues with mandatory reporter obligations and in regards to false information. DES MOINES — Des Moines has been selected as a stop on the U.S. Navy Blue Angels’ 2027 national schedule, marking the return of a major air show to Central Iowa for the first time since 1991. The Iowa Air Show: Fields of Thunder will take place May 8 and 9, 2027, at the Iowa Air National Guard base at the Des Moines International Airport.