DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed a $8 billion state budget plan today that seeks to boost spending by 4.4 percent, or $342 million, in the 2021 fiscal year. The governor’s spending plan would provide a 2.5 percent boost in state aid to K-12 schools, as well as increasing funding for Medicaid, workforce and rural development initiatives, child care and other priority areas. It leaves a projected $386 million surplus.

WESTGATE, IA (IRN) – A former nursing home worker will serve two to five years probation for abusing a resident at the home. Michael Kane, 61, from the Fayette County town of Westgate, pinched and punched a resident there. He then attempted to suffocate the patient and threatened to shoot him.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Six out of the 12 Democratic presidential candidates will take the stage tonight in the last debate before the Iowa caucuses. The most recent Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll shows Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the lead at 20 percent. Three candidates: former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Vice President Joe Biden follow Sanders separated by just one percentage point each.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – President Donald Trump will hold a rally in Des Moines just days before the Iowa Caucus. The event will be held Thursday, January 30 on the Drake University campus.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa lawmakers convened the 2020 legislative session Monday. With his family, including his grandparents U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley and Barbara Grassley looking on, Republican Rep. Pat Grassley was elected speaker of the house. The wooden gavel he will use was given to him by his father, and was made from a walnut tree on the family’s farm near New Hartford.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Protesters in Des Moines chanted “Black Lives Matter” during Pete Buttigieg’s speech yesterday, according to KCCI-TV. Demonstrators referred to Buttigieg as “anti-black and anti-poor” as police escorted them out. Last week, Black Lives Matter protesters interrupted a Buttigieg campaign event in California.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – An early Sunday morning fire in a home in Waterloo required the rescue of two children trapped inside, according to KCRG-TV. Firefighters arrived to find the one and a half story home in flames. The 2 and 3-year-old girls were rescued through a window in a bedroom. Both sustained unspecified injuries, as did a man.

BENTON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating an incident in Benton County after a man was shot in the leg Saturday. Brian McManemy, 41, was in the passenger seat of a pickup while coyote hunting near Keystone. A firearm in the vehicle discharged and hit his left leg.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – An investigation is underway in Cedar Rapids after a man intentionally set a porch on fire. KGAN-TV reports the suspect poured gasoline on the porch and lit it on fire. Jeremy Lang was arrested and charged with arson. The homeowner knows Lang and was able to put the fire out on their own.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines woman is joining a national effort to help the millions of animals left homeless and hurt by devastating wildfires in Australia. WHO-TV reports fires have killed nearly half a billion animals and left 27 people dead in Australia. Sarah Pool is reaching out to Des Moines libraries and knitting groups and providing them with patterns to make pouches for baby kangaroos and koalas.

FAYETTE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A man is facing multiple felony charges after a kidnapping victim was found zip tied in his truck, after a miles long chase where he tried to run over sheriff’s deputies. KCRG-TV reports deputies arrested Maxwell Liebe, 20, of Arlington.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A person has been admitted to UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital with a gunshot wound, according to KGAN-TV. The victim showed up at the hospital at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday night. An investigation is underway.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A 4-year-old girl in Iowa nearly died and is now blind because of the flu, and her parents have a message: Get your child vaccinated. WHO-TV reports Jade DeLucia, who did not receive a flu shot this season, caught the flu a few days before Christmas and spent nearly two weeks in the intensive care unit at the University of Iowa. “She’s lucky to be alive,” said one of her physicians.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Patrol and the Des Moines Police Department provided their final numbers of calls they reported to Friday night during the snowstorm. The Iowa State Patrol responded to 166 calls between noon and midnight Friday. Of the 166, 77 were crashes and 89 were motorist assists. The Des Moines Police Department responded to 46 crashes, including 31 property damage reports, two with minor injuries, and 12 hit-and-runs.

IOWA CITY, IA – An Iowa City man is facing multiple domestic abuse charges after police say he strangled a victim. KGAN-TV reports Zachary David Young, 35, and the victim got into an argument that turned into a “pushing match.” According to police, Young placed his hands around the victim’s neck, causing her to lose consciousness. Young and the victim live together and share custody of two children.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines Police Department responded to 46 vehicle crashes between 1:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday. Of the calls, 32 were property damage only, two had minor injuries and 12 were hit-and-runs. The Iowa State Patrol responded to more than 100 calls during the winter storm.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa’s newest associate dean will be arraigned on drunk driving and child endangerment charges later this month. According to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, Roland Racevskis interviewed for the position on Nov. 19, the same day he was arrested for drunk driving while having his two children in the car. The criminal complaint also states that he “admitted to drinking to celebrate a successful job interview earlier in the day.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A new Des Moines Register, CNN and Mediacom Iowa Poll released Friday places Sen. Bernie Sanders in the lead with 20% over other Democratic presidential candidates. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is at 17% with Mayor Pete Buttigieg close behind at 16% and former Vice President Joe Biden following at 15%. The poll then dips with Sen. Amy Klobuchar at 6% and businessman Andrew Yang with 5%.