CRESCENT, IA (IRN) – A motorcyclist lost control of his bike and crashed in an interstate ditch Tuesday night on Interstate 29 in western Iowa. KETV reports 43-year-old Doyle Lacefield of Council Bluffs was taken to an Omaha hospital.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A religious icon was found smashed in Dubuque early Tuesday morning, according to KWWL-TV. Staff from the Dubuque Rescue Mission say they noticed the statue of the Virgin Mary was in pieces when they arrived. The staff says they think someone tried to take the statue, as they found it about a block away from the gardens. At 150 pounds it may have been too heavy for the thief or thieves to carry for long.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police used a stun gun Tuesday to stop a hammer-swinging man bent on destroying sculptures at the Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens downtown. KCCI-TV reports the man was using a hammer to destroy the sculptures. Witnesses say he shouted the phrase “one good and one no good,” but it’s unclear what he meant.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – It’s been five days since Governor Terry Branstad signed the new collective bargaining bill for public workers into law. WHO-TV reports Joe Brown Sr., the Superintendent of the Fairmont School District in Minnesota says Iowa teachers will feel a warm embrace in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” He says he’s already received seven applications from Iowa teachers who want to move to Minnesota. There is no question about it, he says. “We are going to gain teachers and Iowa is going to lose them.”

MAQUOKETA, Iowa – U.S Senator Joni Ernst held a roundtable discussion at Maquoketa’s city hall to talk about veteran care, but the hundreds that packed inside had their own agenda. WQAD-TV reports it was not a friendly reception. Like others around the nation it brought out members of the community angry about the Republican agenda. Ernst took it in stride.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Constant police calls from two feuding Cedar Rapids businesses prompted police to cite both as public nuisances. KCRG-TV reports a feud between Jerseys Downtown and Harold’s Chicken has to stop. Employees at both businesses have called so many times to report complaints against each other it’s cost the city about 150 man hours to investigate. From now on they will be charged $94.00 per officer hour to investigate a complaint.

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The entire West Des Moines Wells Fargo campus was closed this morning as crews dealt with a 3-alarm fire. KCCI-TV reports crews used fans to remove the smoke from the building. A security guard reported heavy, black smoke.

IOWA (IRN) – Iowa has cut nearly 2,100 full-time state government jobs since Terry Branstad was re-elected in 2011. The departments cut most deeply have been publicly scrutinized for their handling of high-profile cases involving child neglect, and prison security that has resulted in injured guards. Also contributing to the job cuts were the closure of 36 unemployment offices, two mental health facilities, and the Iowa juvenile home in Toledo.

LETTS, IA (IRN) – A motorcyclist died from injuries he sustained in a crash near the eastern Iowa town of Letts, according to WQAD-TV. 58-year-old Charlie Chelf from Grandview was airlifted but later died from his injuries. Eight months ago another motorcyclist was injured in a crash at that same location.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Union members have filed a lawsuit against a new law that drastically changes collective bargaining rules in Iowa, affecting more than 180,000 public employees. KCCI-TV reports the lawsuit claims the law establishes two classes of public employee bargaining units, thus denying equality to citizens. The bill signing was not a public event because of concerns of protests. The Governor signed it in front of staff and lobbyists.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Dubuque will not force landlords to lease to people who get federal rental assistance, or Section Eight vouchers, according to KCRG-TV. The discussion comes at a time when there’s a high demand for the low-income units. The city currently has more than 900 people using the vouchers. More than 600 people are on the voucher waitlist.

FORT MADISON, IA (IRN) – The new warden at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison believes she was destined to run a prison, according to KGAN-TV. Patti Wachtendorf says, “Since junior high, I’ve just been obsessed with prisons — I love prisons.” She began taking tours of correctional institutions while still in high school. As the first female warden of Fort Madison, she began serving as a corrections officer there in 1983.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – At least 78 Iowa businesses received letters this week from Iowa Workforce Development that mistakenly directed their questions about unemployment insurance payments to a phone sex hotline. KGAN-TV reports the letter asked recipients to call the number for answers. But instead of answers, callers to the number get a seductive female voice sharing less than work-friendly sentiments. The number was a typo.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A man charged with the 1995 slaying of an Iowa City woman has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after making a Alford plea deal with prosecutors. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports Steven Klein killed 38-year-old Susan Kersten, whose body was found in her burned-out car near Iowa City. An autopsy showed Kersten died of blunt force trauma to the head before the car fire. Klein was romantically linked to Kersten.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating an overnight shooting after a man showed up at the hospital early this morning with a gunshot wound. WHO-TV reports the man came to Mercy Hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest just before 4:30 a.m. The man’s name and condition have not been released, and police have not been able to find a crime scene.

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An inmate in the Pottawattamie County Jail is facing charges after officials say he threw his urine at a detention officer, according to The Daily Nonpareil. 52-year-old Charles Perkins is HIV positive. Perkins had intended to throw the urine on another inmate. The officer is now being evaluated for HIV exposure.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two people were taken to the hospital Sunday morning after their vehicle slid into the Des Moines River in Polk County, according to KCCI-TV. The van was traveling on Interstate 80 when it swerved to miss a deer. It slipped into a ditch and then eased into the river. One person was able to escape before rescue crews arrived. The other two were rescued via boat.

URBANA, IA (IRN) – Seven fifth grade girl scouts at Center Point-Urbana Intermediate School in eastern Iowa put in more than a dozen hours each to earn the Bronze Award, according to KCRG-TV. It’s the highest award a junior scout can earn. Troop 8645 came up with something positive–a brightly colored mural. Scout Madalyn Staggs says “If anybody walks by this wall, they will feel instantly happy. If they’re having a bad day, it will cheer them up.”

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – One man has been shot to death and another man has been arrested in Davenport on Friday. The Quad-City Times reports 33-year-old Lasabian Walker, of Rock Island was killed. 27-year-old David Levy, of Davenport, was arrested and is being held in Scott County Jail on a charge of first-degree murder. Neighbors heard four shots and saw a car speed away.

DUBUQUE, IA, (IRN) – One is dead following a motorcycle crash in Dubuque, according to KWWL-TV. The crash took place just after 9 a.m. on Saturday. Police say the person lost control of the vehicle. The victim’s name has not been released and the investigation is ongoing.

ANAMOSA, IA (IRN) – Two are being treated for smoke inhalation following a fire yesterday in Anamosa. KCRG-TV reports flames broke out in an apartment above the Thou Art studio. A man from one of the apartments jumped from a second-floor window to avoid the flames. Firefighters helped a woman from the other apartment escape as she fled down the stairs. Thou Art studio holds after school activities for kids. They get to draw, make arts and crafts, and learn about art history. The building is a total loss.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Over 10,000 bacon lovers packed Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines for the 10th annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Fest on Saturday, according to WHO-TV. This year’s event was called The Good, the Bad, and the Bacon, and has grown since its start ten years ago with just 200 people in attendance. The event featured 14 bands, 33 food vendors, and, of course, thousands of pounds of bacon.