DES MOINES – A statewide audit of 2.3 million voting records was conducted this year by Iowa’s Secretary of State. The office of Paul Pate released a statement showed 87 people self-reported they were not citizens after they voted and 67 who were not after registering to vote. Both are considered Class D felonies, and those names have been shared with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. This represents less than a tenth of a percentage point of the total votes cast. The office used an Iowa DOT database to crosscheck voter registration in an attempt to find those who voted illegally. EAGLE GROVE – An Iowa man battling pancreatic cancer is spotlighting a shortage of medical equipment caused by the recent major hurricanes to hit the southwestern United States. KCCI-TV reports 27-year-old Jared Beecher travels from Eagle Grove to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and relies on being fed through an IV. However, a saline solution shortage caused by damage from Hurricane Helene has led to a situation in which Beecher’s home infusion company will not take him back if he’s admitted to the hospital. The family is concerned about the impact on a more widespread basis and if they will continue to receive weekly shipments of his total parenteral nutrition solution. IOWA – One case of e. Coli has been reported in Iowa as part of a nationwide outbreak believed to be caused by onions in McDonald’s quarter pounders. The Des Moines Register reports the menu item has been pulled from some stores in the state after 50 people were sickened across the country. The Centers or Disease Control and Prevention has not officially identified the ingredient responsible, but McDonald’s reported their initial investigation found it was related to onions from a supplier that serves three distribution centers. The restaurant has stopped using the beef and onions used for quarter pounders in several states.

SIOUX CITY – An investigation is under way after an officer-involved shooting incident in Sioux City Sunday evening. A press release issued by the police department states they responded to a call of a female who was allegedly threatened by a man with a loaded pistol. Upon response, the individual is accused of running from officers and pulling the firearm from his pocket, shooting at police. The department returned fire. Later in the evening, Sioux City Police attempted to apprehend the man with their SWAT team, only for the group to open fire after they claim the subject refused to surrender. The individual was transported with life-threatening injuries to a nearby hospital. No officers were injured and the case remains under investigation. IOWA – It’s “The Well” no more, at least by next July. The Iowa Events Center held a press conference on Monday to announced that their 20-year naming rights agreement will end with Wells Fargo, and the 17,000-seat arena will be known as the Casey’s Center, pending approval, starting July 1st, 2025. The venue is host to the annual state boys wrestling and boys and girls high school basketball tournaments and dozens of events each year, from concerts to Monster Jam to comedians to NBA preseason and NCAA postseason basketball games. The Polk County Board of Supervisors will vote on the proposed new name at their scheduled meeting today. IOWA – Row crop harvest remained ahead of average as Iowa’s farmers, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included harvesting corn and soybeans, fall tillage, and applying manure and fertilizer. Dry conditions resulted in field and equipment fires being reported during harvest. Topsoil moisture condition rated 41 percent very short, 40 percent short, and 19 percent adequate . For the second straight week, most of the state received no measurable precipitation. Harvest of the corn for grain crop reached 68 percent complete, five days ahead of last year and ten days ahead of the five-year average. Farmers in south central Iowa remained behind that mark, with just 50 percent of their crop harvested. IOWA – Fall colors are reaching their peak along and south of Highway 30 across the state of Iowa, according to the latest report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The warmer, drier October has delayed the annual change across most trees in the state — even as peak viewing winds down in the northern tier of counties. A few chances for light rain in the next few days will do little to knock leaves of f of the trees, according to the National Weather Service, although brief wind gusts up to 20-25 MPH remain possible today as a cold front pushes through Iowa.

CALHOUN COUNTY – A suspect wanted for murder in Texas was found and arrested in northwest Iowa Sunday morning. A press release by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office indicates they responded to a call from a resident of Pomeroy who had kicked a man out of his house following a conservation in which that individual admitted to being on the run for killing his own brother. A Calhoun County deputy found 39 year old Kyle Andrew Coolack along a highway walking alone shortly after. Coolack has a warrant in Houston for an alleged murder that occurred in July 2022. IOWA – Nearly three-fourths of the state are now once again in moderate drought, according to the latest national report. The short term moisture shortage comes after one of the wettest springs and early summers on record for many Iowa communities — according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the entire state was drought free three months ago. An extended period of above average temperatures and little-to-no rainfall in the autumn season has led to the conditions. The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center shows warmer, drier air should still dominate most of the forecast until closer to Halloween, in which a shift to slightly above average precipitation is possible heading into early November. AMES – The Iowa State Cyclones remain a top ten team in the country after a late, come-from-behind win over UCF Saturday night at Jack Trice Stadium. The Des Moines Register reports the Cyclones football team dropped from 9th to 10th in the AP Top 25 poll after the 38-35 victory. Iowa State remains 7-0 on the season and 4-0 in the Big 12, now considered the best start in program history.

IOWA – Tax revenue in the state of Iowa is expected to drop by more than $1.1 billion by the end of fiscal year 2026, according to the October meeting of the state’s Revenue Estimating Conference. The Des Moines Register reports the result is tied to a 3.8% flat tax law signed by Governor Kim Reynolds this past spring. Reynolds claims the state’s fiscal state is still strong. Director of the Iowa Department of Management Kraig Paulsen cites a $1.9 billion surplus and $3.75 billion in the state’s Taxpayer Relief Fund as to why he believes there are no risks short term to state spending. DES MOINES – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 2.9 percent in September amid a labor force that remained largely static despite job reductions. The state’s labor force participation rate held steady at 66.3 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate decreased to 4.1 percent in September. The number of unemployed Iowans increased to 49,400 in September from 48,400 in August.

PERRY – The Dallas County Attorney’s Office released a report about the shooting that killed two people at Perry High School in January. Details surrounding the circumstances of the attack were included, which involved 17-year-old student Dylan Butler entering the school with a shotgun, revolver, knife, and improvised explosive device concealed from view at 7:12 a.m. on January 4th. Butler began live streaming just before his attack at 7:35 a.m., when he opened fire and killed sixth grade student Ahmir Jolliff. A school emergency alert was issued just ten seconds after administration heard the first shots fired. Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger was shot multiple times in an attempt to stop Butler from his assault. He later died from his injuries. A press conference has been scheduled today in Perry by law enforcement to discuss the details from the document. DES MOINES – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a three-count indictment this week, charging Shawnna Marie Cunningham with offenses related to her possession of a firearm as a drug user and her aiding and abetting the possession and disposal of a firearm to a person she knew was a felon. According to court documents, on September 16th, Cunningham was a passenger in a vehicle that refused to stop when law enforcement attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The driver, Joshua Dean Green, a convicted felon, produced a nine-millimeter pistol and fired at Des Moines Police officers. One officer was struck in the head and another officer was struck in the arm. Officers returned fire and Green ultimately died from his injuries. Cunningham was searched immediately following the traffic stop. If convicted, Cunningham faces a sentence of up to fifteen years in prison on each count. DUNLAP – An Iowa resident has won the state’s Best Pork Tenderloin Contest for a second time. The Des Moines Register reports Dairy Sweet, owned by Lori and Greg Thomsen in Dunlap, was the winner in 2024 in the contest held by the Iowa Pork Producers Association. The restaurant is the first in the 22 year history of the contest to earn the top honor twice. This year’s 2nd place finisher was Ruby’s Bar & Grill in Stuart.