DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Online retail giant Amazon announced Friday it will start charging Iowa state sales tax on purchases starting Jan. 1. KCCI-TV reports Iowa became the 31st state in which orders made on amazon.com must include a state sales tax. A spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Revenue says the tax should drive online shoppers to local brick and mortar businesses, and generate $18-$24 million in state tax revenues.

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The parents who allegedly kidnapped, starved and neglected a West Des Moines teen appeared for the first time in court Friday. KCCI-TV reports Nicole and Joseph Finn were arrested Thursday in the death of their 16-year-old daughter, Natalie. Among the charges are first-degree murder, child endangerment, kidnapping, and neglect of a dependent person. Three younger children have been placed in DHS custody.

OAKLAND, CA (IRN) – A Fort Madison native was one of 36 people killed in a warehouse fire in Oakland, California. Authorities identified 35-year-old Jason McCarty as one of the victims. Childhood friends told KRON-TV in San Francisco that McCarty was an impressive artist. About 100 people were inside the building when the fire started. The cause is under investigation.

TAMA COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Tama County man has been charged in the cold-case file of the year 2000 disappearance and murder of Cora Okonski. The DCI has charged 50-year-old Tait Otis Purk with first degree murder. The 23-year-old Okonski was reported missing in Tama by her boyfriend in April of 2000. Purk is now in federal prison on unrelated drug and gun charges, and is scheduled to be released in April.

CHICAGO, ILL (IRN) – The Chicago Cubs’ World Series trophy is hitting the road. The team announced the tour will make stops in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. Among the Iowa cities the trophy will visit before opening day are Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Mason City, the Quad Cities, Sioux City, and Waterloo. It will arrive in Mesa, Arizona in time for spring training.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police say the bones found in a Des Moines lake are human, according to KCCI-TV. A police spokesman said Thursday that experts think the bones are from an education cadaver, but that’s not been confirmed. A kayaker spotted what he thought was a human jawbone as he left the water in November at Gray’s Lake.

OELWEIN, IA (IRN) – The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a deadly fire in Oelwein. KWWL-TV reports investigators believe the victim is a 62-year-old woman. Authorities say she died after her camper caught fire. The 911 call was made by her husband, who said she was stuck inside. When firefighters arrived, the camper was engulfed in flames.

PERRY, IA (IRN) – A child died in a house fire near Rippey yesterday, according to Raccoon Valley Radio. A four year-old boy was upstairs in his room, his mother and a baby were on the first floor, and an adult male was on the front porch when the fire started. The mother, baby and adult male made it to safety, but the four year-old didn’t. The mother attempted to get to the boy, but the home was filled with too much smoke and flames.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A Sioux City police officer shot and killed a South Dakota man during a traffic stop Wednesday. KCCI-TV reports an officer pulled over a car carrying two people. One was Daniel Riedmann, who had an outstanding warrant and was considered to be armed and dangerous. The officer reported seeing movement from inside the stopped car and fired his gun, killing Riedmann.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – President-elect Donald Trump returned to downtown Des Moines Thursday as part of his “Thank You Tour.” WHO-TV reports Trump praised the people of Iowa, and commended them for helping deliver his victory over Hillary Clinton. He also called Governor Terry Branstad a “great governor.” If confirmed, Branstad will serve as the U.S. Ambassador to China under Trump.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Hawkeyes stunned 25th-ranked Iowa State in basketball 78-64 on Thursday, snapping a three-game losing streak against its instate rival. The Hawkeyes are now 5-5 on the season, and the Cyclones fall to 6-3.

PERRY, IA (IRN) – A child died in a house fire northwest of Perry this morning, according to Raccoon Valley Radio. The name of the child hasn’t been released.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A missing mother and her twin children from Des Moines have been found safe and healthy. KCCI-TV reports Jennifer Abbott-Brickles and her 10-month-old twins, Akire and Erika, were found Wednesday afternoon. Police didn’t say where the women and her children were found. They had been missing since December 1.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A former Des Moines tax preparer has been charged with tax fraud. Lony Tap Gatwas faces 18 counts of preparing and presenting false tax returns, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Officials with the Department of Justice say Gatwas devised a scheme which claimed dependents on taxpayers’ returns when he knew the dependents did not meet IRS requirements.

NEW YORK, NY (IRN) – President-elect Donald Trump nominated Gov. Terry Branstad Wednesday to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to China, and Branstad has agreed to serve. If Branstad is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds will become Iowa’s first female governor. Trump is in Des Moines today for a rally.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A judge has determined that a Dubuque woman is now mentally fit to stand trial for the beating death of her ex-husband. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports the Iowa District Court ordered Wednesday that 62-year-old Dolores Flynn stand trial on a charge of second-degree murder in the January death of 72-year-old Gary Breckenridge. Police say Flynn beat Breckenridge to death with a baseball bat.

POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A man is behind bars following a short high-speed chase in rural Polk County Tuesday night. A State Trooper tried to stop the vehicle, but instead of pulling over the driver fled the scene, leading officers on a chase reaching speeds of nearly 100 mph. Deputies played it safe and called off the chase, but the vehicle eventually crashed. 26-year-old Alexander Brunker faces multiple charges.

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – West Des Moines police are warning the public that pick-pockets are targeting victims while they eat. KCCI-TV reports there are multiple reports of wallets being stolen. One victim said she was sitting down at a restaurant when her chair was bumped, and she didn’t notice her wallet was gone until after she left the restaurant.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Governor Terry Branstad has accepted the post of U.S. Ambassador to China. Branstad says he will serve America by ensuring the countries with the two largest economies and two largest militaries in the world maintain a collaborative and cooperative relationship. Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds will become the first female governor in Iowa History.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines Police Department is trying to locate a missing mother and her twin children. Police say 33-year-old Jennifer Abbott-Brickles was last seen December 1 in Des Moines. She and her 10-month-old twins have not been seen since.

LONE TREE, IA (IRN) – One person has died and two were injured in a crash this morning in eastern Iowa. According to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the two-vehicle crash happened near Lone Tree. An SUV and a semi were involved.

CLARKE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Three teens missing from Osceola were found dead in rural Clarke County Tuesday, according to KCCI-TV. 16-year-old Elaina Critz, 16-year-old Lauren Barker and 19-year-old Jesse Robinson were found dead after a car they were in went off the road and into a creek. A road worker spotted the car upside down in the water. Authorities aren’t sure if they drowned or were killed in the crash.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids police officer who shot a man in the neck during a traffic stop, paralyzing him, will not face charges. KWWL-TV reports a grand jury decided not to indict Officer Lucas Jones. Jones pulled Jerime Mitchell over last month for not having working lights, and smelled marijuana. Mitchell tried to flee, and after a brief struggle, Officer Jones says he felt he was in danger, and shot Mitchell.

BRITT, IA (IRN) – An Iowa fourth-grader is now a reporter for an international magazine. KIMT-TV reports over 300 kids from around the world submitted their work to Scholastic to possibly become a kid reporter, and only 39 students were picked, which includes Brandon Peterson of Britt. His first article is on Britt’s Hobo Days, and he’s now working on one about NASA satellites. Brandon hopes to come to Des Moines tomorrow to interview President-elect Donald Trump while he’s in town.