DES MOINES COUNTY – A Mediapolis woman was killed in a collision with a semi on Highway 34 Wednesday afternoon. The Iowa State Patrol reports 87-year-old Marilyn Drebenstedt was stopped near a no u-turn sign and began backing up onto the highway. A semi traveling westbound on the four-lane highway hit the Kia Sorento on the drivers side in the attempt to turn around. Drebenstedt died from her injuries. MADISON COUNTY – An investigation is underway for the death of a Saint Charles man involved in an apparent logging incident. KCCI-TV reports 74-year-old Leon Nazworthy was found unresponsive in a rural part of Madison County. The county sheriff’s office believes Nazworthy was clearing timber by himself on Tuesday, but the exact cause of death was unknown at the time of response. IOWA – Severe drought has returned to a pocket of the state, and dry conditions are expected to continue well into October. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor Report shows Harrison and Monona Counties are now rated D2 on the scale showing severity of drought. Up to 23% of the state is now in some form of drought, with 94% rated as abnormally dry. According to the National Weather Service, very little rain — if any, is expected at least over the next two weeks. IOWA – The greatest athlete in Iowa Women’s Basketball history has already etched her name into the record books as a pro. Caitlin Clark was named the WBNA Rookie of the Year, one vote shy of unanimous honors for the 2024 season. The WBNA started just weeks after the conclusion of the NCAA season, when Clark swept all National Player of the Year Honors. Clark led the Fever to the playoffs in her debut season and broke several WBNA records, including most assists in a season and in a single game, and scored the most points and made the most three pointers of any league rookie ever to play.

IOWA – Governor Kim Reynolds has announced a new lieutenant governor won’t be appointed until after the November election. The Des Moines Register reports the governor made the comments during a press conference that followed a ten day trip to India. Adam Gregg stepped down from the Lt. Governor role on September 3rd. He was appointed to the position in 2017 and elected as Reynolds’ running mate in 2018 and 2022. IOWA – Drivers are reminded to stay vigilant on Iowa’s roadways this fall. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says autumn deer behavior during crop harvest raises the risk for collisions. From the middle of October until the third week of November, Iowa bucks become more active in the pursuit of does during the breeding season. Motorists may be distracted by the first deer that crosses, not seeing the pursuing buck. This adds to multiple scenarios of fast moving, unpredictable deer crossing highways. The crop harvest is already in full swing, concentrating deer into remaining cover that is often brushy creeks, trees or fence lines which often intersect with roads. A third factor will be the change away from daylight savings time on November 3, placing more Iowans behind the wheel during the deer-heavy dawn and dusk periods. DES MOINES – March Madness will return to central Iowa in 2028. KCCI-TV reports that the NCAA announced on Wednesday that the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament returns to Des Moines at Wells Fargo Arena. The metro will host the first and second rounds, which welcomes eight teams for six games. Des Moines has been a regular stop for the NCAA, hosting the best basketball teams in the country in 2016, 2019, and 2023. Drake University is listed as the host, meaning the Cyclones, Hawkeyes, or UNI Panthers could all potentially play in their home state.

IOWA – As part of House File 2681 passed during the 2024 legislative session, the Iowa DOT has the authority to approve or deny the use of automated traffic enforcement on Iowa roads. As a result of the law, all jurisdictions who were using, or wishing to use cameras on their roads were required to apply for a permit to the Iowa DOT by July 1st. The Iowa DOT received applications for 348 automated traffic enforcement locations from 28 jurisdictions. Of the 348 location applications received, 154 locations were approved and 194 were denied. A full list of locations, their status, and the reasoning, if they were denied, can be found at the Iowa DOT website. IOWA – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources released its first fall color report of 2024 this week. The annual update from the DNR highlights the best areas to see the annual changing of the leaves. For the vast majority of the state, the best viewing will take place in the middle of this month, with warmer weather delaying some of the color changes. The most vibrant areas right now are in northeast and southwest Iowa, according to the first report. IOWA – An Iowa native and co-host of the popular American Pickers TV show has died. KWQC-TV reports Frank Fritz died surrounded by family, friends, and co-star Mike Wolfe in Davenport Monday night. Fritz suffered a stroke in 2022 and faced several setbacks in recovery since. Wolfe starred on the History Channel show from 2010 to 2021, appearing in over 300 episodes. The show’s home store remains in LeClaire.

CERRO GORDO COUNTY – A Cedar Falls woman was killed in a two vehicle collision reported in Cerro Gordo County Sunday. The Iowa State Patrol says a Kia Forte driven by 29-year-old Adaisha DeAndra Allen was struck by a Ford Expedition operated by 59-year-old Julie Ann Mikkelsen at the intersection of County Roads S-14 and B-43. Allen died from her injuries and Mikkelsen was transported to a nearby hospital. HENRY COUNTY – A teenager was killed in Henry County late last week in a single vehicle incident. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Ford F-350 driven by a juvenile in New London suddenly turned on Friday night just before midnight. Two teenagers were thrown from the bed of the pickup during the crash. Sixteen-year-old Gavin Browning of New London died from his injuries. As of September 30th, the Iowa DOT reported 250 people had died on Iowa’s roadways. IOWA – Harvest season is in full swing, as farmers had nearly a full seven days of suitable fieldwork last week according to the latest report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In terms of soil moisture, the state continues to dry out after a record spring for rainfall, as now 59% of the state has short topsoil moisture and 55% is rated in the subsoil as dry. The vast majority of soybeans and corn are in fair or better condition, with only five percent rated poor or very poor. Eleven percent of the state’s corn is now harvested and 27% of soybeans are harvested as well.

IOWA – U.S. Representative Zach Nunn claims the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is looking into a complaint against a group of political operatives that allegedly recruited third party candidates to run in competitive house districts. The Des Moines Register reports Nunn told a crowed of Republicans over the weekend in Clive that he remains concerned about a report by the Associated Press that accused a group of recruiting spoilers in six races across the country. A complaint has been filed with the Federal Election Commission by Americans for Public Trust. DES MOINES – A group of veterans who died in Central Iowa are now resting at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery, according to KCCI-TV. The twenty former soldiers and five of their spouses were buried at a ceremony last Friday after decades of work to identify the group. The twenty-five people were cremated following their deaths years ago. Hundreds of attendees came out to the event last week. GRANGER – A group of Iowa golfers worked together Sunday to break a world record. WHO-13 reports 62 individuals gathered to play the fastest round of team golf in the Guinness Book of World Records at Jester Park in Granger. The group did it in 11 hours, 41 minutes — 14 minutes faster than a group in South Africa in 2022.