WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – The body of a missing Waterloo woman was found at the Garden of Memories Cemetery on Friday. KWWL-TV reports 40-year-old Lakisha Williams was reported missing January 24. Williams’ husband, Fredrick Williams, has been detained in Minnesota. Police say the death is suspicious.

BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – A Burlington man is behind bars after allegedly using a public library computer to solicit nude photos of an underage girl. KBUR radio reports 23-year-old Antrell Devon Branton was arrested Thursday on felony charges of enticing a minor. Branton was using a computer at the Burlington Public Library to have conversations with a 15-year-old girl. He admitted he had asked for and received nude photos of the teenager. He said he used the library computers on a daily basis because he did not own a computer or phone.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – An 18-year-old man is facing murder charges after two Sioux City teenagers were stabbed to death Sunday. The Sioux City Journal reports that police arrested Tran Walker shortly after the victims were found. Walker was taken to a local hospital for the treatment of a non-life-threatening knife wound. After treatment, he was interviewed by detectives and charged with two counts of Murder 1st.

CRESCENT, IA (IRN) – A man died Saturday in western Iowa after the tractor he was driving flipped into a ditch and caught fire, according to KETV. The 44-year-old man was traveling on a gravel road near Crescent when his tractor left the road, overturned, and caught fire. He was trapped inside and perished in the flames. The cause of the crash is unknown.

BUCHANAN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A woman was injured in a single vehicle crash in Buchanan County Sunday, according to KCRG-TV. Aleesha Clarke-Wilkinson was driving a Chevrolet Cavalier when she lost control of the car, crossed the centerline, entered a ditch, and rolled before coming to rest.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The fire that destroyed Plaza Lanes in Des Moines also took away a venue for high school bowling teams. This meant the Iowa High School Athletic Association had to find a new place to hold the state tournament. The association announced Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo will host the three-day tournament, in which 60 teams will compete February 19th-21st.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN0 – A $282 million water quality bill was passed by the Legislature this week. The Des Moines Register reports for farmers, it means about $150 million in new funding for cover crops, bioreactors and buffers as they seek to curb the high levels of nitrates and phosphorus entering Iowa’s waterways. Critics say the bill is a drop-in-the-bucket distraction.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Dozens of tissue samples from hunted deer in Iowa have been turned over to be tested for chronic wasting disease. Chronic wasting disease is a neurologic disease of deer, moose and elk that is always fatal. The disease first appeared in Iowa’s deer herd in 2013 and every year since. The nine-day collecting effort ends today.

PALO, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s only nuclear power plant could wind up shutting down years earlier than planned, according to KGAN-TV. That’s the warning from operators of the Duane Arnold Nuclear Power Plant in Palo. In its latest quarterly filing, NextEra Energy said it is unlikely the company will extend its current contract with the plant’s primary customer, Alliant Energy. That contract expires in 2025. No deal would mean the plant could shut down after 50 years of service. The plant is licensed to continue operations until 2034.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Organizers of the 2018 Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) announced this year’s route Saturday night. The route winds through the middle of the state, starting in Onawa and traveling through Denison, Jefferson, Ames, Newton, Sigourney, Iowa City and ending in Davenport. The 46th annual ride will be the fourth flattest in the ride’s history, as well as the seventh shortest. This year’s ride will be held from July 22-28.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The state agency that came under widespread scrutiny after the unrelated starvation deaths of two 16-year-old central Iowa girls faces proposed budget cuts, which Democrats say could lead to another tragedy. Despite high caseloads and short staffing, Republicans in the Legislature have proposed to cut the Iowa Department of Human Service’s budget by nearly 10 percent. Republican legislators say they’re confident they can protect both taxpayers and Iowa children.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Also related to the legislative session, Republican lawmakers want to allow $5,000 to $6,000 per student that now goes to the public schools to be diverted to help pay for private or homeschool education. Opponents say it would be the beginning of the end of Iowa’s strong public school system, which is currently ranked 13th in the country.

ALDEN, IA (IRN) – A man from the northern Iowa town of Alden currently awaiting sentencing for sexually assaulting a child has won a $100,000 lottery prize. 61-year-old Dean Edward Hilpipre presented his winning lottery ticket Wednesday and received his prize. Lottery officials say anyone from anywhere can win the lottery.

CLIVE, IA (IRN) – Seven employees fell mysteriously ill inside a Walgreens in Clive Friday, according to WHO-TV. What caused them to become sick, however, is unknown. The employees were sent to the hospital with vomiting, dizziness, and headaches. A Haz-Mat team was able to rule out carbon monoxide and natural gas, and believe something might have come in through the ventilation system. The Walgreens closed for the rest of the day, and all employees have recovered.

DUNLAP, IA (IRN) – Officials pulled a man’s body from a western Iowa sand pit hours after the dump truck he was driving drove into water in the pit. KETV reports rescue workers were called Thursday morning to Hallett Materials in Harrison County just south of Dunlap for reports of a missing truck and driver. Crews discovered the truck submerged in the sand pit under ice and water. The driver was trapped inside the truck, where he died.

FORT MADISON, IA (IRN) – A 35-year-old Burlington resident has been given 50 years for killing a man whose body was found in a southeast Iowa park. KCRG-TV reports Joseph Mayorga Jr. pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder. Mayorga shot 47-year-old James Nelson, whose body was found Feb. 11 last year. It’s not clear whether Nelson was shot there or was killed elsewhere and his body dumped in the park.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Senate budget committee approved a plan Thursday to cut $52 million from the state budget. Almost half of the proposed cut would come from Iowa’s higher education. The University of Iowa, Iowa State and the UNI would lose $19.3 million, while another $5.4 million would come from Iowa’s community college budget. Other severe cuts are to the court system, and human services.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines family escaped a house fire without major injuries thanks to a passing UPS driver, according to KCCI-TV. The driver spotted smoke coming from the home yesterday and knocked on the door to alert the two family members inside. One was sleeping in the basement. They are OK.

SPENCER, IA (IRN) – Boys on a northwest Iowa high school basketball team were met with racist chants by students from a rival team Friday night, according to the Storm Lake Times. The Storm Lake Tornadoes traveled to Spencer to play against the Tigers, but some in the Spencer student section chanted taunts against the Storm Lake players, such as “go back to where you came from.” Storm Lake is 84% minority, while Spencer is predominately white.

OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – A woman is facing a felony charge after she brought a Taser into the Wapello County Jail hidden in her bra. KTVO-TV reports 24-year-old Rosa Snyder of Des Moines was arrested Monday for shoplifting at Walgreens in Ottumwa. Arresting officers asked Snyder if she was carrying any contraband, and she said no. When guards inside the jail asked her the same question, Snyder told them she was carrying a Taser in her bra.