WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – An 18-year-old from Mason City has been accused of sex extortion schemes in three Iowa counties. Christian Gossweiler already has been given two years of probation and a five-year suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty in Story County. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that Gossweiler targeted an Iowa State University student he met online when he was using an assumed name. She sent him a nude photo and he later threatened to show the photo to her friends and family if she didn’t do what he wanted. He has allegedly threatened two other women in similar schemes.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A bill that would allow public funds to be used for students to attend private schools advanced Wednesday in the Republican-led state Iowa Senate. The original bill would have opened taxpayer grants to all students, but it was significantly pared down Wednesday. Lawmakers amended the legislation to limit grants to students with Individualized Education Programs or 504 Plans, which usually cater to students with special needs.

MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – A Muscatine man is being recognized for his help in a deadly fire.
KWWL-TV reports Bibo Aguilar, 21, of Muscatine, was walking home when he smelled something and investigated. He found a house on fire, and called 9-1-1. Due to his efforts, one person escaped through a window. Three others died.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Today is the start of Vermont independent Senator Bernie Sanders’ three-day visit in Iowa. Today he’s in Council Bluffs, Friday he’ll be in Iowa City, and on Saturday he’ll hold a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.

CLIVE, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Pork Producers have their own form of March Madness this year, according to WHO-TV. The organization is running a contest to find the best pulled pork in Iowa. The contest is called “Pulled Pork Madness.” They’ll use a bracket style competition for restaurants to compete for the best in Iowa. Nominations are open until midnight Monday. There will be bracket style competition over the next few weeks, with the winner being crowned on March 29.

OSKALOOSA, IA (IRN) – A man died after becoming stuck in a garbage truck in south-central Iowa. Deputies and medics were sent late Tuesday morning to a rural location east of Oskaloosa to check on a report about the man. They discovered 39-year-old Robert Evans, of Oskaloosa, had already died. It’s unclear how Evans became stuck and in what part of the truck.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A traffic stop quickly turned into a life or death situation after a Fort Dodge police officer encountered a substance believed to be fentanyl. KCCI-TV reports police took 28-year-old Kayla Potter into custody after she gave false identification information. During the traffic stop the officer encountered an unknown substance and began feeling lightheaded. Medical crews administered at least two doses of the overdose-reversal drug naloxone to the officer. He’ll be OK.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A structure fire occurred at a construction site in downtown Iowa City on Tuesday. KCRG-TV reports the fire was at the Hodge-Hieronymus Square development, which is being constructed on a piece of land that sat vacant for decades. The building would feature two 7-story towers with hotel, office, retail, and apartment space.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Senate committee has approved a bill that requires all Iowa businesses to use the federal E-Verify system to confirm employees are legally authorized to work in the United States. The bill is now eligible for Senate debate.

IOWA (IRN) – School districts are having to make up time because of this season’s snowfall, with some having to tack days on after Memorial Day, but there may be relief on the way.
A bill introduced in the state legislature would limit the amount of time a public or accredited non-public school would need to make up for weather events to no more than five days or 30 hours.

DUNCANVILLE, TX (IRN) – Former Iowa Hawkeye running back Damon Bullock died after being hit by a car early Sunday. He was 25. Bullock drove into a light pole at about 4 a.m. in Duncanville, Texas, before he was struck by a passing vehicle as he was crossing the road to get back to his disabled vehicle. The driver who hit Bullock called 911 and stayed by his side until help arrived. The driver will not face charges. The road was icy.

POWESHIEK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Attorneys representing the man accused of killing University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts are asking to have his confession dropped from the case, according to KCCI-TV. Cristhian Bahena Rivera has been charged with first-degree murder in the 20-year-old’s death. His attorneys claim he wasn’t read his Miranda rights.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Vandals targeted an Iowa City church with hate-filled images and words over the weekend. KGAN-TV reports the graffitti includes bible verses and swastikas spray-painted on the Church of the Nazarene. Church goers saw the messages as they arrived for church Sunday morning.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – An eastern Iowa school district might get an app that would let teachers alert others of an emergency, while also calling 911. KCRG-TV reports the Dubuque Community School District is considering use of the Rave Panic Button mobile app. With one touch of a button it allows for notification to be sent to any individual in the building in the event of an emergency while it simultaneously calls 911.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An eastern Iowa library is expanding its services beyond checking out books to checking out experiences through “discovery kits.” KWWL-TV reports kits range from learning how to decorate cookies and cakes to learning how to code with the help of a robot or even learn how to play the ukulele. Each kit provides the necessary tools to start the activity.

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – One person has died in a crash in West Des Moines that happened early Monday morning. KCCI-TV reports an officer noticed a Jeep driving erratically in and slowed down to turn around to follow. By the time he got turned around and tried to catch up with the vehicle, it had hit a tree. The driver was transported to a hospital, and died a short time later. Police say speed and road conditions appear to be a factor in the crash.

BUCHANAN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation confirms a suspect has been arrested following a house fire in Independence. Shane Heins, of Oelwein, is accused of setting fire to a home in Independence Saturday night. Three people were taken to the hospital following the fire. Their conditions are unknown.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating a drive-by shooting that left one person in serious condition Sunday afternoon. WHO-TV reports a male victim was shot while sitting in a vehicle across the street from King Elementary School. The victim is in serious condition.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Former Iowa Hawkeye running back Damon Bullock died unexpectedly Sunday, according to the Des Moines Register. He was 25. Bullock’s Hawkeye football career lasted from 2011 to 2014. His mother said it was a “terrible accident,” but didn’t elaborate.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The work week will start out with bitterly cold wind chills as low as 20-35 degrees below zero across all of Iowa, fueled by unseasonably cold air and brisk northwest winds. A wind chill advisory remains in effect until noon Monday for much of Iowa. The National Weather Service said conditions will gradually improve today.