CENTERVILLE – A Centerville man was killed and two Arizona residents were injured in a crash Saturday evening. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Ford F-150 was traveling in the wrong direction on Highway 2 when it collided with a Kia Telluride. Sixty-three year old Jeffrey Underwood of Centerville, the driver of the Ford, died from his injuries. FORT DODGE – An assistant principal in Fort Dodge died in a recent crash, according to the district. KCCI-TV reports Aaron Miller was recently promoted the 35-year-old to the administrator role following several years as a teacher. The crash was a single-vehicle crash early Saturday morning, according to the Fort Dodge Messenger. DES MOINES – A Des Moines man wanted in connection to a pair of shootings in the East Village of the city was arrested on Friday after a 10-month search. The Des Moines Register reports an incident on March 29th involved injuries from two people, with witnesses claiming 26-year-old Cori Jayvon Shields shot them and fled the scene. A criminal complaint said Shields was in the area, where a family member was caught on video punching a woman. Both people shot suffered injuries but survived the attack.

IOWA – Corn for grain production in Iowa for 2024 was estimated at 2.63 billion bushels, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Crop Production Annual Summary. Current year production was up four percent from the previous year’s 2.52 billion bushels. Iowa’s corn for grain yield was estimated at a record 211 bushels per acre. Area harvested for grain was estimated at 12.5 million acres, 100,000 below 2023.CLAY COUNTY – The conviction of a day care provider for her role in the death of an infant was reversed by the Iowa Supreme Court on Friday. The Des Moines Register reports the trial of 41-year-old Alison Dorsey of Massena was improperly moved to another county, according to the ruling. Dorsey was charged with first-degree murder for the 2019 death of a baby found with injuries consistent with being shaken. Her first trial ended in a hung jury, and proceedings were moved to Pottawattamie County, where she was convicted of second degree murder. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that Dorsey was improperly denied the right to a trial in her home county. According to the Register, a third trial is possible. HILLS – The mayor of Hills wrote in a regular newsletter to residents about a dispute with the Iowa City School District after the closure of an elementary school. KCRG-TV reports Mayor Tim Kemp is upset and stopped just short of using profanity to react to a decision by the school district not to sell the land of Hills Elementary. Demolition is set to begin soon on the facility, and the superintendent expressed the need to maintain the land for a potential new building if Hills resumes growth.

IOWA – The Iowa Supreme Court reselected Justice Susan Larson Christensen as chief justice. Christensen’s new term started on January 1st. A chief justice serves for two years. The Harlan resident was first selected in 2020. She succeeded Chief Justice Mark Cady, who passed away suddenly in 2019. Christensen is the second woman to serve as chief justice of Iowa’s highest court.FLORIDA – Governor Kim Reynolds announced she returned to Mar-a-Lago for the second time since the November election. Reynolds told the Gray Media Capitol Report that she had dinner with several other Republican governors just days before President-elect Donald Trump is set to reassume office for a second term. The previous visit was alongside Senator Joni Ernst at the election victory party held in November. CLIVE – The Iowa Supreme Court made a recent ruling that could shift liability of sidewalk defects from property owners to municipalities. KCCI-TV reports the court holds homeowners responsible for clearing snow and ice from walkways, but any structural issues with the pavement itself could fall on the cities if they don’t notify about potential repairs. Some cities in Iowa have updated their code to better reflect the change in liability.

DES MOINES – A Des Moines man was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a child and for possessing child pornography. According to court documents, in 2005 and again from at least 2013 to 2015, 62-year-old Jeffrey Walter Gray, exploited and attempted to exploit dozens of minors to produce child pornography on more than one hundred occasions. Gray did so through the photography business he owned and operated in the Des Moines area. Unbeknownst to clients, Gray placed hidden cameras in the dressing areas at Wicked Imagery’s photography studios to capture videos of minor children undressing. To date, investigators have identified over 20 children impacted. TAMA COUNTY – A Dysart teenager was killed in a collision Wednesday evening. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Volkwagen GTI driven by 19-year-old Jason Thomas Payne was southbound on Highway 21 when it collided with a towing trailer in the northbound lane. Payne died from his injuries and Mark and Jeanne Bagenstos, who were both in a Ford F-150 carrying the trailer, were both injured.DES MOINES – In an ongoing dispute among Polk County leadership, Supervisor Tom Hockensmith is accused of trying to fight with fellow supervisors after County Administrator John Norris was placed on administrative leave. The Des Moines Register reports the Polk County Sheriff’s Office has a report on file related to a confrontation and attempted firing of Norris. There are several ongoing legal disputes as part of what is described as a power struggle in Iowa’s largest county. Norris claims newly-elected Republican supervisors Jill Altringer and Mark Holm asked Norris to resign from the role. Supervisor Chair Matt McCoy says the board has decided to fire the administrator.

DUBUQUE COUNTY – One person died and three others were injured in a three-vehicle collision in Dubuque County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a head-on collision occurred on U.S. Highway 52 on Tuesday afternoon, which prompted a third car to get involved. The driver who died was 36 years old, according to the report. The crash is the first fatal accident reported the Iowa DOT of 2025, according to their daily tracker. IOWA CITY – Police identified a woman considered a suspicious death by the Iowa City Police Department. Thirty-three year old Victoria Skarda was found dead on Camden Road Monday morning. The Johnson County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting an investigation. Police are asking citizens for any possible leads. IOWA – Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announced the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services has approved the State’s extension of postpartum coverage for new mothers. The current coverage for mothers is just 60 days, but the new law expands coverage for twelve months post-birth for families within the 215% federal poverty level. Implementation of the postpartum coverage was set to begin this month, but due to delays in approval from the federal government, the implementation date is still forthcoming.