DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that President Biden has approved Iowa’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration. Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration are now authorized to provide assistance to Clarke, Harrison, Mills, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, and Union Counties that were impacted by severe weather on April 26th. Residents in these counties can now apply for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individual Assistance Program, which provides disaster-affected homeowners, renters, and businesses with programs and services to maximize recovery, including assistance with housing, personal property replacement, medical expenses, and legal services. JOHNSTON – A Des Moines woman has died from injuries after an alleged assault by a juvenile at a youth behavioral center. Fifty-year-old Kathleen Galloway-Menke was a staff member at the Ellipsis facility and found with several injuries when the Johnston Police Department were searching for a minor who had fled the building. Police believe Galloway-Menke was assaulted by the missing juvenile. She died from her injuries on Tuesday. MAXWELL – A couple from Maxwell faces several charges for neglect of their children. KCCI-TV reports the Story County Sheriff’s Office arrested John and Jessica McDaniel following an investigation. Each were charged with four courts of child endangerment. The couple is accused of dosing children with high doses of melatonin and using marijuana in front of the kids. John is also facing a count of assault for alleged physical abuse. IOWA CITY – The head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes Gymnastics team has resigned. KCRG-TV reports Larissa Libby is leaving after a two-decade tenure leading the athletics program following an independent investigation into the team’s culture. Several staff members and athletes had brought forward concerns, prompting the probe in March. Libby was placed on administrative leave during the investigation.

DUBUQUE – A priest accused of abusing boys in Dubuque four decades ago appeared in an Iowa courtroom on Monday. KCRG-TV reports Leo Riley only acknowledged he’s been charged with five counts of sexual abuse, as prosecutors claim he molested multiple altar boys from 1984 to 1986. Riley was arrested last month in Florida, where he is also accused of sexual abuse. DES MOINES – Iowa’s Attorney General claims she spent no taxpayer money as she traveled to New York City to support former President Donald Trump and his ongoing trial. While Bird says politics has no place in court, WHO-13 reports Bird has filed several lawsuits on behalf of the state against the Biden Administration. Bird is expected to return to Iowa today. IOWA CITY – Following back-to-back national runner up finishes, the longtime face of Iowa Women’s Basketball is retiring, and her successor has already been announced. Lisa Bluder ended her four decades as a coach and 24 years at the University of Iowa Monday, winning 528 games with the Hawkeyes and 18 NCAA tournament appearances. Her longtime assistant and associate head coach Jan Jensen has been named the new leader of the Hawkeyes going into the 2024-25 season.

DECATUR COUNTY – Two Iowans were killed in a two vehicle crash in Decatur County. The Iowa State Patrol reports that a Chevy Equinox driven by 55-year-old Robin Reaves of Urbandale failed to stop at an intersection and drove onto Highway 2, striking the side of a Chevy Silverado operated by 36-year-old Levi Merritt of Osceola. Reaves and passenger 46-year-old Lance Reaves of Lineville were not wearing seatbelts and were ejected from their vehicle and pronounced dead on-scene; Merritt and a juvenile passenger were transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. DES MOINES – Prosecutors have requested a nationwide arrest warrant for a sex trafficking victim from Iowa who killed her attacker. Pieper Lewis is missing after she was kicked out of a treatment facility in Georgia, according to KCRG-TV. Lewis was sentenced to probation in 2022 after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter, avoiding prison time. Lewis was taken to a residential facility in November of 2023, but was kicked out in March for several violations of rules. ONAWA – The Monona County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man in relation to a shooting death in Onawa Friday. The Monona County Communication Center received a 911 call for a shooting that occurred, and deputies arrived and located a deceased female, later identified as 47-year-old Stacey Allen. Jamie Allen, 48, was taken into custody without incident by the Monona County Sheriff’s Office and transported to the Monona County Jail. Jamie has been charged with Murder in the 1st Degree, a Class A Felony. The Monona County Sheriff’s Office is being assisted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

IOWA – A rare space weather phenomenon took the entire Hawkeye State, and seemingly, the Midwest, by storm Friday night. Usually reserved for the northern most states, powerful solar activity provided quite the aurora borealis for Iowans border to border for several hours into the overnight. The National Weather Service Space Weather Prediction Center has deemed 2024 one of the most active years on record for solar storm activity. LEE COUNTY – A Burlington resident has died in a two vehicle crash Friday evening. The Iowa State Patrol reports two unidentified drivers collided on U.S. Highway 61 when a Chevy SUV driven by a 19-year-old hit the back of a Chevy pickup driven by a 90-year-old. The driver of the truck died from injuries after being ejected during a rollover. The crash remains under investigation. PERU – An off-duty sheriff’s deputy died while driving a construction vehicle over a private bridge in Madison County, which collapsed. KCCI-TV reports Adam County Deputy Nicholas Koeppe was trying to move an excavator over a bridge on private property near the town of Peru when it, along with Koeppe, fell into a pond below. He was trapped in the cab of the excavator and died, despite rescue attempts.

DES MOINES – The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the State of Iowa over a law that would give the state the ability to arrest certain undocumented immigrants. The Associated Press reports the motion was filed Thursday just days after federal officials warned Governor Kim Reynolds and Attorney General Brenna Bird to not enforce the bill that was passed in the Iowa Legislature. The challenge is similar to one in Texas after that state legislature passed a similar bill. The Department of Justice argues all immigration matters are under federal jurisdiction. WEST DES MOINES – A Michigan man was arrested in West Des Moines after he was found to have violated his sex offender registration by working at an indoor playground. KCCI-TV reports Jeff Gwion was found to be at Kids Empire as an employee. He’s been arrested in both West Des Moines and by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office. Gwion reported to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office with an incorrect address. He is accused of lying to police multiple times throughout the investigation. IOWA – Drought conditions have improved significantly statewide in the latest weekly report. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows a reduction from 70 to 60% in overall dry conditions, including the removal of extreme, or D3 drought, in Iowa. Approximately 19% of the state remains in severe drought, with 1.58 million Iowans impacted by drier than normal conditions. Several rounds of severe thunderstorms have damaged multiple communities but have brought beneficial rainfall in the process.