Category: State News

DES MOINES— President Donald Trump has approved Iowa’s request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration for Iowa counties that sustained significant damage from severe weather, heavy rainfall, and flash flooding between July 1 and July 4. The declaration activates the Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance Program for Jasper, Polk, Story, and Warren counties. The Public Assistance Program provides funds that can be used for the restoration of damaged utilities, debris removal, and other emergency protective measures, including but not limited to sheltering, essential needs, and movement of emergency supplies.

DES MOINES – Des Moines police are investigating the death of a Minnesota man that may have resulted from injuries suffered in Iowa’s capital city. KCCI-TV reports 26-year-old Dimitri Craig-Lee English was found dead in Minneapolis on July 14th. Police believe he was involved in an altercation in Des Moines on July 5th and returned home after. English is a Des Moines native who graduated from Roosevelt High School and Iowa State University.

DES MOINES— Governor Reynolds was presented with the National Guard Association of the United States’ highest honor during their 148th General Conference & Exhibition in Indianapolis, Indiana. For over four decades, the organization has recognized civilian and military leaders who have made contributions to the defense and the security of the United States with the Harry S. Truman Award for Distinguished Service. Reynolds was nominated by the Iowa National Guard Officers Association for her support for veterans, retirees and military families, including state funding for the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, military tax breaks, home ownership assistance and workforce employment initiatives.

DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds and state law enforcement and health officials held a press conference Tuesday about kratom and its risks. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports that kratom is marketed as a natural or herbal supplement for pain and anxiety at gas stations and convenience stores. State Medical Director Robert Kruse cited growing concerns about synthetic versions of the drug. There have been 45 deaths associated with kratom since 2024 in Iowa.

GRINNELL – A Dixon man was flown to a hospital Tuesday following a crash involving his semi truck and a train near Grinnell. KCCI-TV reports the collision occurred just before 4:30 p.m., with emergency responders finding a semi tractor-trailer on the south side of railroad tracks. Marvin Scharff was found inside with injuries. The Iowa State Patrol is investigating the cause.

BOONE – As national participation in high school sports hit another all-time high and increased for a fifth consecutive year, Iowa solidified its place as the No. 1 ranked state for participation per state population according to the annual NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey. The Iowa High School Athletic Association oversees boys’ activities and featured 83,415 participants while seeing an increase in participants in all 11 sanctioned sports. The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union governs girls’ sports and had 62,315 participants for its 11 sports, topping 60,000 for the first time since 2008-09.

BOONE – Boone Police found two people dead inside of a home on Tuesday morning. WHO-13 reports officers responded to a call of a deceased male, and upon arrival, found two individuals, identified as Gregory Evenson and Ronette Bonnell. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting and autopsies are planned to determine the cause of death.

DES MOINES – One person died and another was injured in an early morning house fire in Des Moines today. KCCI-TV reports the Des Moines Fire Department responded to a call at 2 a.m. for the blaze that was extinguished after that response. Investigators are determining the cause of the flames, which sent one person to the hospital for treatment.

IOWA – . Ninety-four percent of Iowa’s corn crop has reached the dough stage, which is three percentage points ahead of last year, according to the latest USDA and Iowa Department of Agriculture weekly report. Sixty-eight percent of corn reached the dent stage, which is eight percentage points ahead of last year. Six percent of corn has reached maturity. Corn condition rated 77 percent good to excellent.

HARDIN COUNTY – Emergency responders found a woman safe following an hours-long search of a river. WHO-13 reports Eldora Fire and Rescue crews were dispatched Saturday evening or the report of a missing person near a Hardin County bridge. Several nearby agencies deployed drones and a K-9 unit. The missing woman was found at around 11 p.m. and treated by EMS personnel on scene.

IOWA – A hot and humid week is settling in across the state, and the National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for portions of central and southern Iowa, where heat is expected to be most prolonged throughout the week and persistent through the overnights. Several consecutive days of afternoon highs in the mid 90s are possible, along with heat index values from 100-103 and near-record warm overnight low temperatures in some locations.

POLK COUNTY – An Ames woman is accused of crashing into the vehicle of a Polk County deputy while traveling the wrong way on Interstate 235 on Sunday morning. KCCI-TV reports 41-year-old Mary Gaither faces charges of OWI, child endangerment, and false imprisonment. Court documents indicated that Gaither was allegedly traveling in the wrong lanes of I-35 and that a responding deputy was hit in a head-on collision in I-235. A 14-year-old child was in the vehicle, and the Iowa State Patrol claims to have video of the individual trying to escape the vehicle.

LEE COUNTY – Multiple people were injured in a school bus crash in Lee County on Friday. WHO-13 reports the Iowa State Patrol responded to the incident when a Keokuk School District bus let the road for an unknown reason. The driver and four juveniles were injured in the incident, with one flown to the University of Iowa hospital. Counseling services will be available for students on Monday in Keokuk.

WAUKEE – Two Waukee School District buildings were on an external lockdown Friday due to reports of someone outside of the school with a firearm. KCCI-TV reports Waukee High School and Prairieview Freshman Campus were both secured just before 8 a.m. as Waukee Police responded and determined there was not a threat. No individual was located with a gun, according to the department.

OSAKLOOSA – A plea deal was reached with an Iowa mom accused of trying to sell her infant. WHO-13 reports Tiffany Smith pled guilty to attempted sale of an individual and willful injury. In January, Smith was arrested after trying to sell her one-month-old for $10,000. After being released, she’s accused of stabbing a man. Multiple charges from both cases were dismissed as part of the agreement, with sentencing scheduled for Sept. 25th.