DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds announced today that she has received Chuck Palmer’s retirement as director of the Iowa Department of Human Services effective June 16, 2017. The retirement comes amid much controversy within the DHS, after two prominent abuse cases that ended in the starvation deaths of two Iowa teens.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A 23-year-old man was stabbed in the chest by another man Tuesday in Mason City. KIMT-TV reports the victim was treated at the scene by officers and medics before being transported to an area hospital. Police have towed a vehicle that may have been used by the suspect as he fled the scene.

MARION, IA (IRN) – The Marion Police Department is looking into newly reported allegations of child abuse at Starry Elementary School. A 16-year-old was previously convicted of three counts of sexual abuse that happened while he volunteered in a classroom in 2016. It’s unclear if the new allegations are related.

LANSING, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man died Tuesday when the roadway just east of the Lansing bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River. KWWL-TV reports 59-year-old James Walleser of Lansing was approaching the bridge that crosses the Mississippi and links Lansing, Iowa to Wisconsin. A witness saw the roadway collapse and the vehicle plunge into the river.

ALTOONA, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s two Republican senators say full repeal of Obamacare is unlikely. KCCI-TV reports Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst say majority Republicans don’t agree on an alternative to Obamacare, and lack the votes to overcome Democratic opposition. A Congressional Budget Office analysis projects that the Republican plan would cause 23 million Americans to lose coverage by 2026 and create prohibitively expensive costs for some in poor health.

WASHINGTON, DC (IRN) – Two eastern Iowans are among the nearly 300 spellers competing to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee this week, according to KCRG-TV. Haebin Han is an 8th grade student at Roosevelt Middle School in Dubuque. Lydia Bitterman of Cedar Rapids, is a 7th grader in the Marion Homeschool Association program. The preliminary rounds are on ESPN tonight, with the finals airing Thursday.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A body was found after emergency crews put out a “suspicious fire” in Davenport, according to WQAD-TV. The witness who called 911 said he or she had seen a human hand and body through the flames.

LEE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A man was killed in a single-car accident north of Fort Madison Monday, according to the Iowa State Patrol. 33-year-old Hoyt Grossman, of Fort Madison, drove off the road to the right, overcorrected and lost control of his 2000 Ford Ranger, driving off the road to the left and striking a culvert, flipping the vehicle on its top. He wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A homeless man went into the Des Moines River to free a boat from debris in Des Moines Monday, but never returned from the water. WHO-TV reports he became separated from the boat, and when he floated under a bridge, the eddy pulled him underwater. He surfaced one time after that and then he went back underneath. His body has not been recovered.

CLAYTON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An 8-year-old girl is in critical condition after falling off a cliff at Backbone State Park. The DNR reports the girl from Jesup was hiking with family and friends Sunday and fell nearly 60 feet. She was skipping from rock to rock and slipped, causing her to fall and fracture her skull.

BLACK HAWK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The search for a missing woman in Black Hawk County is continuing. KWWL-TV reports teams have been searching for 47-year-old Rhonda Apfel along the Wapsi River near Dunkerton after her motorcycle, shoes, socks and jacket were found by the water. She was reported missing Sunday.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Animals at the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines are having a baby boom. KCCI-TV reports the zoo has new baby Bactrian (BACK-tree-uhn) camels, addax (ADD-ax) antelope, elands and a baby black rhino. Perhaps the most popular is the baby black rhino. It weighed 80 pounds at birth and is now at more than 600 pounds. She continues to gain about 20 pounds a week.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline and other programs that provide support to survivors of violence are being eliminated in response to federal and state cuts to victim services, according to the Des Moines Register. The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature voted earlie this year to cut state funding to victim services by 26 percent.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A Sioux City woman has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for forcing another vehicle off the road and stealing the occupant’s purse. The Sioux City Journal reports that 42-year-old Stephanie Dunscomb used her vehicle to force another vehicle off the road, then approached the victim’s vehicle. She reached through a partially open window to open the door and steal the victim’s purse. Police soon found Dunscomb’s vehicle broken down with the victim’s purse inside it.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating an overnight drive-by shooting. WHO-TV reports a witness reported seeing three shots fired into a home. Then, another person down the street fired at the car as it was driving away. Authorities found shell casings at the scene, but don’t believe anyone was hit.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Waterloo police have arrested two men in connection to a string of smash and grabs at businesses. KCRG-TV reports 47-year-old John Bennett and 25-year-old Cody Laughlin face multiple charges, and are accused of ramming stolen vehicles into several businesses. In one burglary they used a forklift to ram into a drive-through ATM, used a grinder to cut open that ATM and take money out of it, and then dumped it in a creek.

WAVERLY, IA (IRN) – A nearly century-old barn was destroyed Sunday in a fire in Waverly. KWWL-TV reports witnesses say even though the barn was old, it still served its purpose, holding equipment, hay and pigs. Fire crews say everything inside the barn was destroyed and they are not sure if the pigs made it out.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – For more than 100 years, some Quad City veterans have lain in unmarked graves. WQAD-TV reports Saturday they finally received long-overdue recognition at a ceremony. Kory Darnall and Coky Powers have spent the past year identifying 21 veterans who are buried at City Cemetery in Davenport without headstones. They then applied to the Veterans Administration for government-provided headstones.They will be installed over the next two months.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Fast food restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill announced Friday that credit card information from thousands of customers may have been stolen by hackers through malware found in the point-of-sale devices in hundreds of its restaurants. Data from across the country may have been compromised, including that from 11 restaurants in Iowa.

KINGSLEY, IA (IRN) – 2,400 hogs were killed in a massive fire near Kingsley in northwestern Iowa Friday. KTIV reports firefighters found the large confinement building completely engulfed in flames, and part of the roof had caved in. Hog farmer Keith Harvey was the only one in the facility when the fire started near a motor in a fan housing. It took only about 10 minutes from his discovery of the fire for the roof to begin caving.

CHARLES CITY, IA (IRN) – Two Cedar Rapids minors are facing criminal charges after a high speed chase where speeds exceeded 120 mph in northern Iowa. KIMT-TV reports a Floyd County deputy tried to stop a vehicle that had been reported stolen and it sped away. Stop sticks were used, and after a brief foot chase the juveniles were apprehended. They are charged with first degree theft, eluding, carrying weapons, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Greater Des Moines Soap Box Derby is up and running again after thieves stole nearly $15,000 worth of equipment. WHO-TV reports the equipment included timers, scales, computers, PA equipment, and cars for those children who couldn’t afford to build their own. The community has raised over $5,000 and is still a few thousand short of being able to replace everything that was taken. However, kids were able to race Saturday.