DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – As the investigation into the tragic ride accident at the Ohio State Fair continues, Iowa State Fair organizers are taking additional safety precautions to make sure their rides are safe. The fair has hired an independent contractor for safety inspections, as well as the state inspectors. They say having two different sets of eyes on the rides will make them even safer than in years past.

BETTENDORF, IA (IRN) – A Bettendorf couple are facing charges after they received marijuana through the mail. KWQC-TV reports 21-year old Tanner Werthmann and 24-year-old Steve Le face multiple drug charges. On Tuesday Le went to a post office and picked up a package that smelled strongly of fresh marijuana. Police say they admitted having marijuana shipped to them which they intended to sell to help pay their bills.

ANKENY, IA (IRN) – An Ankeny couple who adopted nine children with disabilities has been charged with child endangerment. John and Joyce Bell were jailed Thursday. The arrests came hours after Ankeny police turned over 68 police reports in response to a Des Moines Register probe into years of child abuse in the home. The couple’s 21-year-old adopted daughter questioned why they hadn’t been arrested after she provided police four expletive-laden videos depicting physical abuse of her adoptive brother.

CARROLL COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The State Auditor’s office says a pair of Carroll County employees split more than $128,000 that rightfully belongs to the county. Deputy Tom Fransen taught a permit to carry weapon class for the county. Shanna Balukoff, an administrator, assisted. None of the money collected for the classes was given to the county. The two split the proceeds instead.

CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – Coralville police have arrested a woman after finding her in the parking lot of an elementary school with her car running after 10:00 at night. KCRG-TV reports Allisandra Roe had slurred speech, bloodshot watery eyes and a strong smell of cannabis. She had been driving around smoking marijuana, which was found in the car.

DECORAH, IA (IRN) – The 51st annual Nordic Fest is underway in Decorah. The annual festival celebrates the area’s Scandinavian roots with music and food you’ve probably never heard of. It usually pulls anywhere from 10,000-20,000 people to the city. But this year, attendance will be up. RAGBRAI passes through today.

DUNDEE, IA (IRN) – A 17-year-old Cedar Rapids teen is recovering in the hospital after falling down a bluff at Backbone State Park. DNR officials say they received the report of the girl falling during a hike on Monday night. Witnesses say the girl fell about 80 feet into a muddy area.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A San Diego developer has sued Mason City and the Chamber of Commerce Foundation, alleging breach of contract and interference. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports G8 Development alleges the chamber interfered with his contract to build a downtown hotel and had secret meetings with City Council members to champion a competing proposal.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines woman charged with murder in the shooting death of her stepfather says Iowa’s new “stand your ground law” applies to her case. WHO-TV reports 29-year-old Sera Alexander pled not guilty to first degree murder in the death of 49-year-old Anthony Hartmann. Police say Sera shot Hartmann when he came to the home. Legal experts expect many more such claims in the future under the new law.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The battle between a former state employee, who is gay, and the governor’s office that wanted him to quit is close to reaching $1 million in legal bills. KCCI-TV reports the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that former Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Chris Godfrey can seek damages for alleged retaliation he faced under former Gov. Terry Branstad. Branstad has denied the allegations.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A group of Iowa businessmen has filed a lawsuit against United Airlines over the death of Simon – a giant rabbit – after a flight from London to Chicago. KWQC-TV reports the businessmen intended to show Simon at the Iowa State Fair and then display the animal to raise money for the Fair. The lawsuit says United was negligent in the care and transportation of Simon and then improperly cremated the rabbit.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Patients and their families at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics were given the chance to focus on something other than their healthcare Wednesday afternoon- ice cream! KCRG-TV reports the Coralville Dairy Queen provided 500 mini-Blizzards to all those who came by. Today, a portion of Dairy Queen Blizzard sales at participating stores will benefit hospitals in support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

GRINNELL, IA (IRN) – A jury has awarded $4.5 million to a former employee who sued an Iowa hospital for age bias and retaliation. The Des Moines Register reports that the jury’s decision Monday came after a 10-day trial of Grinnell Regional Medical Center and two administrators. The lawsuit brought by Gregory Hawkins said the hospital fired him in June 2015 from his post as lab director while in remission from breast cancer and hired a younger replacement. The hospital plans an appeal.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids city council members cast a unanimous vote Tuesday night on the Pedestrian Safety Ordinance. It imposes new restrictions on panhandlers and anyone trying to collect money or hand out leaflets at city intersections or interstate off ramps. Council members say it’s a safety issue. Advocates for the poor and mentally ill say the law may be well-intentioned, but it makes life even more hopeless for the vulnerable. They say it criminalizes homelessness and poverty.

CLARINDA, IA (IRN) – An imprisoned southeast Iowa man is in trouble again, this time for assaulting a corrections employee. KTVO-TV reports 28-year-old Kelby Klicker of Wapello County assaulted a staff member at the Clarinda Correctional Facility on July 19. Klicker has a long criminal record and a history of assaulting law enforcement officers. He’s in prison because of a home invasion in Blakesburg where he threatened residents. The corrections employee is OK.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – An Iowa family is speaking out after their baby was diagnosed with lyme disease. KWWL-TV reports the mother of the two-month-old noticed a tick on her son, and removed it. Two days later the baby had a red ring on his shoulder, and soon had a fever of 103 degrees. He was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with lyme disease. The boy is out of the hospital now, but the family is speaking up to remind parents to check their kids and pets for ticks.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A popular ice cream shop in Des Moines is trying to figure out why it was the target of vandalism, according to WHO-TV. An employee says “we’re serving ice cream cones. It doesn’t make sense.” Surveillance footage posted to the shop’s Facebook page shows a group of young people overturning flower pots and other decorations. After the video was posted, customers were able to identify the vandals.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Kansas City woman got a surprise at the Paul McCartney concert in in Des Moines Friday. The Des Moines Register reports 26-year-old Salyna Webber noticed her boyfriend, 29-year-old Jeff Hubble get down on one knee and fumble for something in his pocket when McCartney began singing the song, “Something.” Webber says when he handed her the ring and proposed, she said, “yes, yes, yes!”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines City Council on Monday approved plans for a $250 million housing project — the biggest in the history of Des Moines. Hubbell Realty will build Gray’s Station in a wooded area south of W. Martin Luther King Parkway along the Raccoon River downtown. Gray’s Station will include some 1,200 homes, including single-family units, cluster houses, condos and apartment buildings. The project also features open park space and retail.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two activists admitted to causing damage to the Dakota Access Pipeline and equipment used to construct it Monday. Jessica Reznicek and Ruby Montoya claimed responsibility for the damage yesterday at the Iowa Utilities Board in Des Moines. The two were taken into custody after they damaged the Iowa Utilities Board sign. They claimed to have started several pieces of construction equipment on fire in several Iowa locations, and damaging pipeline valves with torches.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A U.S. Supreme Court case could pave the way for sports betting to come to Iowa’s casinos, according to KCRG-TV. The state of New Jersey has appealed to the high court to have restrictions on sports betting relaxed. Nevada is currently the only state in the country where sports betting is legal. But if the court rules for New Jersey, it could open the door for other states to decide to legalize sports gaming.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An icon at Drake University in Des Moines turns 100 this week. KCCI-TV reports Paul Morrison has worked for the Bulldogs Athletics Department so long, he’s known as Mr. Drake. Despite having retired three decades ago, you’ll still find him in the office most days. Over the weekend, Drake threw a 100th birthday party for Morrison. Instead of gifts, he asked that friends donate to Drake University instead, so that another generation of kids can have the opportunities he did.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The corpse flower at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is blooming. WHO-TV reports overnight, the Titan arum began unfurling and the rare flower is now in full bloom. It’s called the “corpse flower” because when it blooms it smells like a rotting corpse. Staff call the flower, “Carrion My Wayward Son,” or Carrie for short–like in the horror movie.