MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – Two people barely escaped their Mason City home after their bedroom caught fire New Year’s evening. KIMT-TV reports firefighters saw flames coming from the home when they arrived. The fire was extinguished quickly, and the cause is being investigated. GRANGER, IA (IRN) – Autopsy results have determined the body found in a pond Dec. 17 is 17-year-old Sam Kemp, according to KCCI-TV. The cause of death was fresh water drowning. The manner of death was certified as an accident. Other significant conditions were alcohol and marijuana intoxication. Kemp was last seen at a party between Grimes and Granger with 150-200 people in attendance. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A 15-year-old has been charged with shooting another 15-year-old inside a residence in Des Moines Thursday. WHO-TV reports police were dispatched to a local hospital to investigate a report of a shooting victim. Police were told the victim came to the residence already injured and asked to be taken to the hospital. Police later determined that the teen was shot inside the home and an arrest was made. The teen is expected to survive. LOS ANGELES, CA (IRN) – The University of Iowa football team was crushed 45-16 by Stanford in the Rose Bowl Saturday. Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey took the first play from scrimmage 75 yards for a touchdown, and Iowa never recovered. McCaffrey finished the game with 368 all purpose yards, setting a Rose Bowl record. He set another Rose Bowl record becoming the first player in the game’s history to gain 100 yards both rushing and receiving. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Nine-year-old Avery Heiar of Dubuque had an unusual item on his wish list for Santa this Christmas–money to give to the poor. KCRG-TV reports when Avery discovered a crisp $100 bill under the tree Christmas morning, he brought it to the Dubuque Rescue Mission. Mission staff say the 100 dollars will provide 50 meals for men, women and children who come to the mission. Avery’s Grandfather matched the donation, and when others heard of Avery’s gift, contributions started rolling in, and so far over $3,000 has been donated.

DES MOINES (IRN) – The number of Des Moines homicides in 2015 was as high as it has been in two decades. KCCI-TV reports for the first time since 1995, there have been more than 20 homicides in one year in the city. In 2015, there were 21 homicides. In all but one homicide this past year, the killer and the victim knew each other. The one exception was a bar fight. All homicides have been solved, except for one that occurred this past weekend. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A car crash on Thursday led to a police chase in Cedar Rapids, according to KWWL-TV. Someone called officers saying a driver hit their car and drove away. When police found the driver he ran away. A police K-9 had to track the suspect down in the woods. The K-9 ended up biting the man. The man was arrested and faces multiple charges. He has not been identified. CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – Three people had to be taken to the hospital following a New Year’s Eve incident in Cedar Falls. KWWL-TV reports police responded to a fight outside the Voodoo Lounge around the same time a car was leaving the area. At least one person was hit by the car. It’s unclear if the other two were injured by the car or in the fight. All three victims are males in their 20s. They are expected to survive. DES MOINES (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating a gunshot wound in a 14-year-old boy’s chest reported Thursday. The victim had approached a house asking for help. Residents of the house took the boy to a hospital, and he is expected to survive. Police have no suspects, and the shooting remains under investigation. DES MOINES (IRN) – The number of people killed on Iowa roadways dropped this year, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. If there are no more fatal crashes in Iowa this year, it will be the fewest fatalities reported in Iowa since World War II, when 310 died in car crashes. In 2015, 316 people died in traffic accidents on Iowa roads, down five fatalities from last year. 42.6 percent of the fatalities in 2015 occurred when people were not wearing their seat belt. JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – Iowa National Guard soldiers have been deployed to Missouri to provide assistance in flood response. Approximately 45 members and 20 vehicles from the Iowa Army National Guard are deploying to High Ridge, Mo. to provide water purification and water transportation services. These soldiers and their equipment will arrive in Missouri on New Year’s Day and begin transporting and producing potable water that same day.

JOHNSON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A person fell through the ice in rural Johnson County Thursday morning. KCRG-TV reports Swisher’s fire chief confirms rescuers responded to a report that someone fell through the ice at the Hawkeye Wildlife Area. After a brief search the subject was located and pulled from the water by personnel donning cold water rescue suits. When rescued the man was cold and wet but otherwise uninjured. He was identified as Jared Bushell, 25, of Hills. STORM LAKE, IA (IRN) – A 30-year-old woman has been accused of stealing from a Storm Lake sign business when she worked there. KCCI-TV reports Rachel Wunder, of Storm Lake, is charged with theft. Police say she stole more than $3,300 from The Sign Shed & Graphics. Employees of the business reported that Wunder made unauthorized purchases and account withdrawals while employed there. SLOAN, IA (IRN) – An apartment fire in the northwest Iowa town of Sloan kept crews busy all day Tuesday. KCAU-TV reports everyone got out of the building alive, but two women were taken to the hospital after they jumped from the second floor to escape the fire. Fifteen residents were affected. The building is a total loss. DES MOINES (IRN) – State auditors say more than $13,500 was improperly spent from Garwin Ambulance Service funds since 2010. The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier reports improper spending included cash withdrawals by Karen Boege, the ambulance service’s former secretary and payments to her husband, Steve Boege, the former ambulance service president. Garwin, a city of 525 people, is in Tama County. The Boeges resigned after the mayor requested a state audit. DES MOINES (IRN) – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller has a surprising statement that’s grabbing national attention, according to KCCI-TV. Miller is known for fighting with tobacco companies, but now says electronic cigarettes are safer than people claim, and can be helpful to people quitting tobacco. Public health officials disagree with Miller, saying e-cig use is harmful. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – An Iowa woman is breathing a little easier after she discovered a missile in her basement was inactive, or inert. KWWL-TV reports Carol Hora found the missile while cleaning her basement in Waterloo. She called police moments after finding it, and they were able to confirm it wasn’t a hazard. Hora says the missile must have been the property of her deceased husband.

CHEROKEE, IA (IRN) – A Cherokee woman tried to kill herself and a passenger by causing an auto collision. KCAU-TV reports that 29-year-old Melissa Ebert stated that she would kill both her passenger and herself prior to causing a head-on collision in September. Ebert was traveling with Damien Johnson when the two got into an argument. Ebert accelerated and veering directly toward an oncoming vehicle driven by Dustin Boll. Boll and Johnson were seriously injured. Ebert is charged with two counts of Attempted Murder, two counts of Serious Injury by Motor Vehicle, and 2nd Offense OWI. KEYSTONE, IA (IRN) – An eastern Iowa man working in a grain bin has died. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports the accident happened Tuesday at a storage facility in Keystone. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office says that investigators think a wall of corn collapsed on the man while he was vacuuming corn into a semitrailer. The man’s name hasn’t been released. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Blood supplies in Iowa are at a critical low. KCCI-TV reports LifeServe Blood Center in Des Moines is asking for donors to give now after blood supplies for 110 hospitals have dipped to a critically low level. There is less than a one day supply of most blood types. FAIRFAX, IA (IRN) – One person is dead and others were injured after a multi-vehicle accident in Linn County. KWWL-TV reports the crash happened Tuesday near Fairfax when a car crossed the centerline on a viaduct and ran into another car. Another vehicle swerved to avoid the accident, but crashed into the car driven by Terri Skalsky, who was killed in the accident. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Waterloo police are investigating a report of gunshots Tuesday afternoon. KCRG-TV reports someone fired several shots at a group of people. Police said they weren’t aware of any injuries. They found a small amount of blood and several shell casings at the scene. No arrests have been made. WEBSTER CITY, IA (IRN) – Family members of the 6-year-old girl killed in a Christmas Day car crash said they are thankful to all who have supported them during a time of tragedy. 20-year-old Ruth Tomlinson drifted across the center lane and struck a truck head-on near Webster City. Justin Henry, his fiance and their three children were in the truck. “I saw the Jeep coming at us. I was just waiting for it to go back to its lane, it just never did,” Henry said. 6-year-old Payton died in the crash. A GoFundMe page for the family has raised more than $27,000. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Hawkeye fans now have even more to cheer about this week. WHO-TV reports the Iowa men’s basketball team defeated previously-unbeaten No. 1 Michigan State by a score of 83-70 on Tuesday night. The Hawkeyes never trailed in the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena and held a double-digit lead the entire second half. The last time Iowa beat a No. 1 ranked team was in 1999 when they defeated the defending-champion UConn Huskies at Madison Square Garden.

HORNICK, IA (IRN) – The state auditor announced Tuesday that an audit on a western Iowa town of fewer than 230 people found nearly $134,180 of improper and unsupported disbursements. WHO-TV reports the audit was requested by Hornick city officials after the new city clerk identified concerns of finances processed by two former city clerks between July 2003 and June 2014. No charges have been filed, but the investigation continues. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A federal appeals court is upholding lengthy prison terms for two Sioux City brothers convicted in the armed robbery of two drug dealers. KCCI-TV reports the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld a life sentence issued to 24-year-old Jamal Dean and a 30-year term for his older brother, Levon Dean Jr. The brothers traveled together from Nebraska to Iowa and conspired to rob local drug dealers. DES MOINES (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday that the order canceling all live bird exhibitions due to avian influenza will be lifted on January 1, 2016. The Department issued the order prohibiting poultry exhibitions on May 21 in the midst of the outbreak of the avian flu. Iowa is now considered free of the virus. Over 31 million birds were affected in Iowa. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa City is considering a mandate for apartment buildings to recycle. The Iowa City Press Citizen reports the issue could go before City Council in early 2016. While landlords have been required to provide trash services since the late 1970s, the city has not updated its code to include recycling. The change would affect more than 1,000 apartment and condominium buildings in town. IOWA (IRN) – Iowans are recovering from Monday’s major snowfall. The National Weather Service reports the winter storm that impacted nearly all of Iowa yesterday will depart today. Snowfall totals of 5 to 7 inches were common. The town of Otho in Webster County received 10.5 inches of snow. Any additional snowfall accumulations should be minor. Quiet weather and seasonal temperatures are expected for the remainder of the week. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A 14-year-old boy was injured after he was pinned under a car following a one-vehicle crash in Dubuque. KCRG-TV reports Caleb Sweat was ejected from a vehicle that lost control Monday morning. The car, driven by the boy’s father, 45-year-old Jason Sweat, entered a ditch and rolled. The boy was hospitalized with injuries to his legs. Weather conditions attributed to the crash. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Waterloo Police are investigating a shooting early Sunday that sent one man to the hospital. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports police were called to UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital about 2 a.m. Sunday where Gary Lynn Lewis Jr. was being treated for a non-life threatening gunshot wound. Police said Lewis did not cooperate with investigators, and the investigation continues. DES MOINES (IRN) – Monday’s snowstorm was a challenge for many Iowans, but some young men in Des Moines were delighted to see it. WHO-TV reports the teens are members of the Forest Avenue nonprofit group, and make money for group activities by doing lawn care and shoveling snow in one of the roughest neighborhoods in town. Ralph Chiodo is founder of the group, and the goal is to teach the teens how to start and run a business. “I am in awe of these 13-year-old boys,” says Chiodo, “I wish I had their discipline and work ethic back when I was 13.”