BOONE, IA (IRN) – Two 14-year-olds and an 11-year-old were charged with torching nine Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency buses. It happened on November 20th in Boone. Nine HIRTA buses were damaged or destroyed in the fire. All three were turned over to juvenile court to face charges.

CLIVE, IA (IRN) – A woman was arrested after she hit a teenager with her vehicle and fled the scene. KCCI-TV reports on Thursday the Clive Police Department arrested Nicole Marie Poole Franklin, 42, of Des Moines, on a charge of attempted murder. A 14-year-old girl was walking on the sidewalk to school for a basketball game when she was hit by a vehicle that left the roadway. The teen suffered a number of injuries. Investigators say it was an intentional act.

URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – An Urbandale grandmother is facing charges after she allegedly left her two grandchildren by themselves at an apartment. Officers responded to the call and found a 1-year-old and 3-year-old alone. Ten minutes later, Elizabeth Toujlah came home and told officers she went to a nearby grocery store to buy medicine and milk. She said she didn’t want to take her grandchildren out in the cold. She’s in jail.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A former executive with the Metro Waste Authority is accused of stealing nearly two million dollars from the organization using a series of sham companies.
State Auditor Rob Sand announced the results of the investigation into MWA finances on Thursday. Sand’s office found that former MWA Director of Operations Jeff Dworek was responsible for “improper disbursements” of $1.83 million dollars. The FBI is also investigating.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines school principal apologized after coming under attack Thursday on social media from parents and others for taking pizzas away from a classroom of kids being rewarded by their teacher before the holiday break. One parent called the principle a “Grinch.” The principal said he was just trying to be fair to all students.

AMES, IA (IRN) – An Ames man will go to prison for burning an LGBTQ flag at a church. KCCI-TV reports Ames Police arrested 30-year-old Adolfo Martinez over the summer for tearing down and burning the flag at United Church of Christ. A Story County jury found him guilty of a hate crime, harassment and being a habitual offender. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man is facing multiple charges ranging from possessing drugs to assault following a drive-by shooting that ended in a police chase late Tuesday night. WHO-TV reports 37-year-old Joshua Richards fired shots through a window of a home, into a room where his baby son was located.

HAZELTON, IA (IRN) – A convicted felon accused of lying on his voter registration application and voting in the November election has been imprisoned. William Gibson, of Hazleton, was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in prison. He’d pleaded guilty to two counts of election misconduct and a drug possession charge. Each felony count filed against Gibson was enhanced because he is a habitual offender.

JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – Multiple emergency crews were called to the military base at Camp Dodge in Johnston yesterday for a report of an active shooter situation. KCCI reports Johnston Schools and several businesses were put on lockdown. However, there was no active shooter.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A new program in Johnson County is meant to improve literacy for students, regardless of their circumstances. KGAN-TV reports Iowa City Community School District students will now have access to books and other resources from local public libraries using their school ID cards. There will be no fines for late materials.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A man is facing several charges after a report of shots fired in Dubuque. KWWL-TV reports Sheriff’s deputies were called to a remote location around midnight on Wednesday. Deputies saw a pickup truck leaving the area, and found shell casings. They used traffic camera footage to track the suspect’s vehicle, and arrested 33-year-old Tobias Sarazin. Investigators found a handgun and shell casing in Sarazin’s vehicle, matching those found on earlier. He also had two outstanding warrants.

JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – Johnston High School students are accused of holding “disrespectful” signs and masks during a basketball game against North High School Friday. KCCI-TV reports the students held up a white bedsheet with the word “RAT” on it and wore masks with the likeness of President Donald Trump as North High School players shot free throws. Those offended believed it was done in reference to comments by the president accusing Baltimore of being infested with rats and because North High School players are mostly black. The school has apologized.

MOUNT VERNON, IA (IRN) – Students in Mount Vernon Schools are recovering after a weeks-long outbreak of pertussis, better known as whooping cough. KCRG-TV reports the outbreak began in late October, and since then, there have been nearly two dozen students diagnosed.

FT. MADISON, IA (IRN) – A southeast Iowa man has been charged in Lee County with arson. KTVO-TV reports Fort Madison Police have arrested Cody Collins, 29, following an investigation into a garage fire. The garage was a total loss. No one was injured.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa Hawkeye fans lost a football icon Tuesday. Hawkeye Sports confirmed that coaching legend Hayden Fry died surrounded by his family at the age of 90. Fry served as Iowa’s head football coach from 1979 to 1998. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids squad car and an Iowa DOT Highway Helper vehicle were involved in a crash Tuesday morning on I-380. KCRG-TV reports it happened around 7 a.m. when the squad car and the Highway Helper were pulled over helping a previously disabled vehicle when another car hit them. Only the vehicles were hit, police said. There was no immediate word on injuries.

MONTICELLO, IA (IRN) – One person died in a single-vehicle crash in Jones County near Monticello Monday night. Troopers say the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan hit a ditch, and the driver died at a hospital.

SPRINGVILLE, IA (IRN) – No one was hurt after a man entered a residence in the Linn County town of Springville Monday afternoon and fired a single shot in what is believed to be a targeted incident. The unknown man entered the residence, fired one shot then left the scene in an unknown direction in a silver colored sedan.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – Two arrests have been made in connection with a stabbing outside a Fort Dodge bar over the weekend. WHO-TV reports someone was removed from the Kingz Lounge, and got into a physical altercation with bar security staff outside. The staff member, a 41-year-old male, suffered from a stab wound to his upper back. He was transported to a Fort Dodge hospital for treatment. The suspect was located about 20 minutes after the incident, not far from the bar. After interviewing the suspect and witnesses, police made two arrests.

CENTERVILLE, IA (IRN) – Outrage filled a Centerville City Council meeting Monday as residents spoke out against the removal of a Nativity scene from the Appanoose County Courthouse lawn. KCCI-TV reports the Centerville City Council announced it will not replace the display, which was removed Dec. 9 after the city received a complaint. The Nativity scene now sits on a private lot. During the meeting, Centerville residents said their Christian values are under attack. Centerville resident Kathy Perry said, “I would die for my God!” Opponents say placing religious symbols on public ground privileges one religion over others.