IOWA – In the first statewide poll conducted by the Des Moines Register following Iowa’s abortion ban going into place, a growing number of Iowans disagree with the move by the Iowa Legislature and signed by Governor Kim Reynolds. The Iowa Poll shows up to 64% of Iowans now think that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, up three percent from the survey conducted last year. That includes 70% of independent voters. A total of 59% of Iowans disapprove of the specific six-week ban passed in a special session last year and allowed by the Iowa Supreme Court this past summer. IOWA – It was a deadly weekend on Iowa’s roadways, as the Iowa State Patrol reported four people died in three crashes on Saturday and other crashes were reported on Sunday. Collisions occurred in Jones, Cedar, and Humboldt counties to begin the weekend, while KCCI-TV reports three others died in a Polk County crash on Sunday, with another individual killed in Muscatine County as well. As of Friday, 230 people had been killed while driving in Iowa in 2024 — the lowest at this point in a year since 2020.

IOWA – For the first time in several months, drought has returned to the state of Iowa. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor Report shows the entire state is at least abnormally dry, with moderate drought conditions returning in far southwest and northeast Iowa. Short-term relief is on the way after strong thunderstorms brought rain to many communities Thursday; widespread rain showers are in the forecast through Monday morning, with the heaviest rainfall falling along and south of Highway 30, according to the National Weather Service. WAPELLO COUNTY – Two people died in a crash in Wapello County on Friday. The Iowa State Patrol reports a motorcycle operated by 35-year-old Dustin West of Hedrick and a pickup driven by 75-year-old Billy Skinner of Ottumwa collided on a rural road. Both died from their injuries. COUNCIL BLUFFS – A Shenandoah man was sentenced Friday to seven years in federal prison for receipt of child pornography. According to public court documents, Evaristo Hernandez Flores Carnes, 34, uploaded images and videos containing child sex abuse material to a social media application. Law enforcement executed search warrant at Carnes’s residence and seized a cell phone that was later found to contain images and videos. After completing his term of imprisonment, Carnes will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. MITCHELL COUNTY – A Georgia man was killed in a crash involving two semis in Mitchell County early Friday morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports 60-year-old Eric Mitchell was in a Mack semi driven by Senika Range of McDonough, Georgia, who failed to yield the right of way at a stop sign to a Peterbilt truck operated by Christo Van Der Linde of Stacyville. Range and Van Der Linde were injured, but Mitchell, an Atlanta resident, was killed. Police say he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision and was ejected.

DES MOINES – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly to 2.9 percent in August, ending a four-month stint at 2.8 percent. Driven primarily by retirements, the state’s labor force participation rate fell to 66.3 percent from 66.4 percent in July. Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate decreased to 4.2 percent. The number of unemployed Iowans increased to 48,400 in August from 47,600 in July. DES MOINES – The Des Moines Police Department identified a woman whose death has been considered suspicious by law enforcement. WHO-13 reports 52-year-old Suzette Rae Gums was found in cardiac arrest by first responders Wednesday evening. Police have arrested 58-year-old Walter Bickham in connection to her death, claiming he stabbed gums during a domestic altercation. SIOUX CITY – An Iowa lawmaker who revived his professional baseball career at the age of 44 has delivered his game-worn jersey to Cooperstown. J.D. Scholten brought his Sioux City Explorers uniform to the National Baseball Hall of Fame after making an emergency start for the team on July 6th. On three hours notice, Scholten tossed 6 2/3 innings to win over the Milwaukee Milkmen.

PELLA – Four Iowa school districts have faced threats of violence from current or former students in the past week. Police departments and administrators in Pella, Centerville, Norwalk, and Perry have responded to incidents that have led to arrests. A similar uptick of violent threats were reported shortly after the shooting in Perry this past January and in eastern Iowa this current academic year, according to KCRG, including Cedar Rapids, Marion, Dubuque, and Independence. Police departments involved in these incidents are urging parents to monitor their children’s use on social media and to encourage their own kids to speak up if they notice something wrong. IOWA – Following a drier, warmer trend for most of September, an active system is set to bring rain and possible severe weather in the region over the next few days. The best chance for intense thunderstorms will be today largely along and north of Highway 30 this evening. The National Weather Service indicates several rounds of rain showers are set to impact most of the state through early next week, with some locations expecting up to 2″ of precipitation in that span. This comes as many pockets of the state were rated as abnormally dry in the latest U.S. Drought Monitor Report. IOWA – The Iowa DNR Reports millions of birds are set to migrate north tonight over the state as the official start to fall looms this weekend. The DNR says to turn off unnecessary lighting to allow the bird to more safely travel into Minnesota and the Dakotas. A similar pattern will form over the southeast part of the U.S. this evening as well.

DES MOINES – A Des Moines woman faces charged after being accused of setting a homeless tent on fire. KCCI-TV reports 49-year-old Tina Davidson allegedly started a blaze with people inside of a tent near Euclid Avenue. Davidson faces one count of first degree arson. No major injuries were reported. JOHNSTON – A Kentucky man was arrested this week for alleged attempts to extort a minor in Johnston. WHO-13 reports 18-year-old Ekokolemba Lusalang is accused of pretending to be a teenage girl while communicating with an underage girl. The victim shared explicit photos with Lusalang, believing him to be the other identity. Lusalang was arrested in Johnston after attempting to meet the girl and faces charges in Polk County Jail. AMES – For all of the recent success of the Iowa State Cyclones football program, there’s still milestones to get in program history for Head Coach Matt Campbell. Since 2016, the head coach has led the cardinal and gold to 55 wins, according to the Des Moines Register — two shy of Dan McCarney, who helped establish success in the program for the first time in decades back in the 1990s and 2000s. The undefeated and 20th-ranked Cyclones host Arkansas State at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday.