Category: State News

DES MOINES— Governor Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation setting Tuesday, December 9th as the date for a special election in Iowa House District 7 following the resignation of Iowa State Representative Mike Sexton. He was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as Director for USDA Rural Development in Iowa. Sexton was first elected to the Iowa State House in 2014. He served as chair for the House Agriculture Committee since 2022. Iowa House District 7 includes Calhoun, Pocahontas, and Sac Counties and part of Webster County.

ALBIA – An Albia man faces charges for a motorcycle crash that caused the death of a Des Moines teenager. KCCI-TV reports 23-year-old Kaelin Meinders of Albia has been charged with reckless driving, driving while barred, and no insurance. Meinders is accused of crashing a motorcycle into a pedestrian, identified as 15-year-old Santiago Rhone, on Saturday night. Rhone died from his injuries later at a nearby hospital.

WINDSOR HEIGHTS – A Windsor Heights woman faces felony charges for allegedly taking more than $700,000 in payments from an insurance company intended to be paid to Medicaid. WHO-13 reports 48-year-old Carrie Cather is charged with ongoing criminal conduct and first degree theft following an arrest on Tuesday. Court documents indicate Cather cashed 30 checks written by Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield over a two-and-a-half year period. The money was supposed to go to Medicaid.

DES MOINES – Through the Safe Haven Law, a baby boy, born September 8, is now in the care and custody of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services and will be placed with a foster family until permanent placement is determined. This brings the overall total to 78 infants since the law went into effect more than two decades ago, and the fourth infant in 2025. Iowa’s Safe Haven Act is an option for parents in crisis who determine they cannot care for an infant up to 90 days old. Designated safe havens are locations like hospitals and police and fire stations.

IOWA – The Iowa Department of Education has identified 35 schools in need of comprehensive support and improvement as part of its annual assessment of school performance. The Des Moines Register reports 12 of those identified in the lowest category of achievement are in the Des Moines Independent Community School District, seven others are in Davenport, and three are in Waterloo and Cedar Rapids. The designation of comprehensive support indicates a school is among the lowest scoring of Title I Schools or for secondary programs, have a graduating rate below 66 percent.

AMES – Iowa State Men’s Basketball starting point guard Tamin Lipsey suffered an MCL Sprain to his right knee in practice on Tuesday. Lipsey will be sidelined 4-6 weeks, according to the team. Lipsey was a 2024 All-American and two-time All-Big 12 selection, averaging 10.6 points per game last season. Iowa State opens the 2025-26 season in November.

MARSHALLTOWN – The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services is reporting a second death associated with the Legionella outbreak in Marshalltown. The individual, an elderly adult with multiple underlying health conditions, passed away on September 18. To date, there have been 71 cases of legionellosis, including two deaths. All available evidence continues to indicate cooling towers are the most likely source of the outbreak, although laboratory testing has not confirmed a direct source. Each business center with a cooling tower in the affected area has completed disinfection. Individuals who live, work, or have spent time in north central Marshalltown with a cough, fever, or other symptoms of pneumonia should see their health care provider and ask about Legionella.

NORWALK – A Norwalk woman was sentenced to a maximum of 50 years in prison at the Warren County Justice Center Monday afternoon, after pleading guilty to second-degree murder for the death of her baby. In 2023, Norwalk Police arrested 25-year-old Megan Staude of Norwalk and her 64-year-old father, Rodney Staude, after Megan gave birth, and after days of neglect the pair placed the baby in a trash bag and left it in a ditch. Rodney Staude also entered into a plea agreement for a second-degree murder charge, and has been sentenced to a maximum of 50 years in prison.

KNOXVILLE – The Iowa Attorney General’s Office has concluded that officers involved in a shooting in Knoxville in August acted with legal justification. The investigation was due to an incident that caused the fatal shooting of Steven Funk on August 21st. The Attorney General’s conclusion was based on a review and investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. It found that on August 21st, Sergeant Joseph Weppler and Officer Matthew Eagleton of the Knoxville Police Department responded to a 911 call and encountered Steven Funk allegedly attempting to murder a woman. Sergeant Weppler fired on Steven Funk, who died of his injuries.

DES MOINES— Governor Kim Reynolds announced that Kelly Garcia, Director of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services has resigned and will leave the agency next month after nearly six years of service. Governor Reynolds has appointed Larry Johnson, currently Director of the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, to succeed Garcia at HHS.

MARSHALLTOWN – New cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been reported in Marshalltown, although the number is slowing, according to WHO-13. The Iowa Department of Public Health has reported 70 people were impacted by the bacterial infection since August, including one fatality. While several area cooling towers have been tested and cleaned in Marshall County, the source of the outbreak has not been identified.

WAYNE COUNTY – A Wayne County woman is accused of attempted murder. KCCI-TV reports 36-year-old Halie Spidle allegedly injected pool or break cleaner into someone’s medication, in an attempt to kill that individual. She’s been charged with attempted murder and administering harmful substances, both class B felonies.

OSKALOOSA – The art teacher fired by the Oskaloosa Community School District for a social media post made shortly after the assassination of Charlie Kirk is suing his former employer. The Des Moines Register reports Matthew Kargol is claiming the district violated his First Amendment rights by terminating his contract over protected speech. The Oskaloosa School Board voted last week to fire Kargol after comparing Kirk to a Nazi.

ROCKWELL CITY – A state representative is accepting a role in the Trump Administration. KCCI-TV reports State Representative Mike Sexton of Rockwell City submitted his resignation on Friday. A special election will be announced at a later date. Sexton did not immediately disclose which role he’s been selected for by the Trump administration.

TAMA – A Tama County woman received a life sentence for a first degree murder conviction. KCRG-TV reports Karina Cooper was found guilty in July for the murder of her husband Ryan. He was found dead in his home in Traer in 2021. Cooper was arrested in 2024. Karina received an automatic life sentence once she was convicted for first degree murder, which was made official on Friday.

ANKENY – A former Ankeny Christian Academy teacher has been arrested for sexual contact with a child. WHO-13 reports 50-year-old Michael Scott Burrows was arrested by the Ankeny Police Department this week. Burrows faces several counts of lascivious acts with a child for alleged inappropriate touching of a child between August 2021 and May 2022.