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Tag: Iowa

  • From burying to marrying: Funeral home director officiates wedding after judge doesn’t show

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    An Iowa couple ran into a wedding day hiccup Thursday when the judge scheduled to marry them didn’t show up, but love and a quick phone call found a way.Alexis and Rean Webb planned to tie the knot at the Marshall County Courthouse at 4 p.m. on Feb. 12. It was always meant to be something intimate, where they would be surrounded by close loved ones. “We wanted something very small and low-key,” said Rean Webb. The couple, joined by their children, posed for a photo inside the courthouse.Unfortunately, just moments later, they would learn the judge they had an appointment with wasn’t going to show up, and there wasn’t a different judge available. While the no-show could have derailed their plans, the Webbs kept calm. In fact, they said they were more surprised by how quickly everything came together next.”My dad instantly jumped up, and he was like, ‘I know somebody: Jody,’” Alexis Webb said.That “somebody” was Jody Anderson. He’s a family friend and is ordained. He and his wife are also the owners and funeral directors of Anderson Funeral Homes. Anderson said he was at home when Alexis’ father called his phone. His wife woke him up to let him know who was on the line.”I rolled into the funeral home. Parking lot was full of cars. Family members. Didn’t know what I was getting myself into,” Anderson said.Still, he opened the doors to the funeral home’s chapel, welcomed the family inside, and took time to speak with the couple.”I took five to 10 minutes, met with them, discussed the importance, made sure they were both for real,” Anderson said.They were.Within 30 minutes of that first phone call, Alexis and Rean Webb were married in a ceremony the couple said turned out to be more meaningful than they expected.”It was even better than we expected because we kind of did get a real wedding in a sense. We’re in a chapel. I got to walk down the aisle with my dad. The girls got to be flower girls. My son got to be the ring bearer, and his son got to be his best man. I mean, what more could we ask for?” Alexis Webb said.For the Webbs, what began as a setback ended with a wedding they’ll never forget, and they’re grateful for Anderson.As for Anderson, helping was never a question.”It goes back to my career as a funeral director. The phone rings? I go. I mean, you don’t say no. You help people, and I think that’s what the good Lord put me on the Earth to do, is to help people, and I was just happy to help,” Anderson said.

    An Iowa couple ran into a wedding day hiccup Thursday when the judge scheduled to marry them didn’t show up, but love and a quick phone call found a way.

    Alexis and Rean Webb planned to tie the knot at the Marshall County Courthouse at 4 p.m. on Feb. 12. It was always meant to be something intimate, where they would be surrounded by close loved ones.

    “We wanted something very small and low-key,” said Rean Webb.

    The couple, joined by their children, posed for a photo inside the courthouse.

    Unfortunately, just moments later, they would learn the judge they had an appointment with wasn’t going to show up, and there wasn’t a different judge available.

    While the no-show could have derailed their plans, the Webbs kept calm. In fact, they said they were more surprised by how quickly everything came together next.

    “My dad instantly jumped up, and he was like, ‘I know somebody: Jody,’” Alexis Webb said.

    That “somebody” was Jody Anderson. He’s a family friend and is ordained. He and his wife are also the owners and funeral directors of Anderson Funeral Homes.

    Anderson said he was at home when Alexis’ father called his phone. His wife woke him up to let him know who was on the line.

    “I rolled into the funeral home. Parking lot was full of cars. Family members. Didn’t know what I was getting myself into,” Anderson said.

    Still, he opened the doors to the funeral home’s chapel, welcomed the family inside, and took time to speak with the couple.

    “I took five to 10 minutes, met with them, discussed the importance, made sure they were both for real,” Anderson said.

    They were.

    Within 30 minutes of that first phone call, Alexis and Rean Webb were married in a ceremony the couple said turned out to be more meaningful than they expected.

    “It was even better than we expected because we kind of did get a real wedding in a sense. We’re in a chapel. I got to walk down the aisle with my dad. The girls got to be flower girls. My son got to be the ring bearer, and his son got to be his best man. I mean, what more could we ask for?” Alexis Webb said.

    For the Webbs, what began as a setback ended with a wedding they’ll never forget, and they’re grateful for Anderson.

    As for Anderson, helping was never a question.

    “It goes back to my career as a funeral director. The phone rings? I go. I mean, you don’t say no. You help people, and I think that’s what the good Lord put me on the Earth to do, is to help people, and I was just happy to help,” Anderson said.

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  • One dead, dozens hurt when bus carrying community college baseball team crashes in Iowa

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    A community college bus carrying the school’s baseball team crashed and overturned in a ditch in rural Iowa on Wednesday, authorities said, killing one person and injuring all the other 32 occupants.

    The 11 a.m. crash involved the Iowa Lakes Community College bus and no other vehicles, the Iowa State Patrol said in a statement. It occurred on a highway near Twin Lakes, about 110 miles northwest of Des Moines.

    The name of the deceased victim was not immediately released. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Paul Gardner confirmed to CBS News that the other 32 occupants aboard the bus were hurt.

    Three people were airlifted to trauma hospitals in Des Moines, said Bruce Musgrave, director of Calhoun County Emergency Medical Services, and others were taken by ambulance to four hospitals in the area.

    KTIV-TV reported that the college’s baseball team was on board.

    Iowa State Patrol is investigating.

    In:

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  • ‘It’s a game changer’: Artificial intelligence helps Iowa surgeon reconstruct teen’s jaw

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    While waiting in a Des Moines, Iowa, exam room, Mya Buie nervously applies her lip gloss. Three months ago, the 17-year-old had multiple surgeries to reconstruct her jaw. In this moment, she is waiting to be seen for a postoperative checkup. She hasn’t liked medical settings since a shooting landed her in a Des Moines hospital’s intensive care unit for several days.”It was kind of scary. It was traumatic,” she said of the night her mother’s ex-boyfriend shot her in the face during a fight just days before her birthday.On the other hand, her surgeon, Dr. Simon Wright, has been looking forward to this appointment all week. He calls Buie one of his most memorable and brave patients.”I’m gonna take a look under your chin,” he says to Buie while carefully touching her face. The teenager was shot in the face with a .40-caliber bullet at close range. The impact of the bullet fractured and shattered her jaw into tiny fragments and permanently damaged four teeth.For years, Wright, a facial reconstruction trauma surgeon, has reconstructed facial bones by bending and molding titanium plates by hand to the injured area. It’s a time-consuming and often erroneous process.”There is always a level of dissatisfaction, and it doesn’t feel good to do something just good enough,” Wright said.The manual work has now been replaced with modern technology. Doctors used artificial intelligence to read a CT scan of Buie’s jaw, then a 3D printer turned that image into a custom jawbone plate.”It’s so much easier than trying to bend a plate to get it perfect,” Wright said. “It’s no question a game-changer.”Doctors say a customized jawbone plate allows for a more accurate fit, better aligns the jaw with a patient’s teeth, and cuts surgery time in half. What makes this process so unique: Buie’s customized plate was made in record time, a first for Des Moines trauma surgeons. “The ability to make a custom plate has been around for 10 years or more, but the ability to do it very quickly has not been,” Wright said.What would normally take several weeks took only a few days. The plate was created in a lab in Jacksonville, Florida, put on a plane to the Des Moines International Airport, then hand-delivered to the hospital on a Friday night before the teenager’s surgery first thing Saturday morning. “There is a lot of things that have to go right to do any kind of surgery at all, and to do something complicated like this, it’s really an inspiring thing to be part of,” Wright said, smiling. He also said this advancement serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting medical research because of its impact on people. “This came from the efforts of all kinds of people in different fields that have cross-pollinated. For example, 3D printing as a medical application, and at one point, it may not have begun with a medical endpoint in mind,” he said.For trauma patients, time is of the essence. For Buie, time does heal. The high school junior is back to school with plans to graduate early. Doctors expect her to make a full recovery. Her new jawbone plate will eventually fuse to bone and be as strong as ever. “I just thank God every day for giving me a second chance at life. I’m very grateful. I can tell my story and spread the word of God with this story, like a testament.” Buie will likely undergo additional surgeries. Next month, she will receive dental implants for her missing teeth.

    While waiting in a Des Moines, Iowa, exam room, Mya Buie nervously applies her lip gloss. Three months ago, the 17-year-old had multiple surgeries to reconstruct her jaw. In this moment, she is waiting to be seen for a postoperative checkup. She hasn’t liked medical settings since a shooting landed her in a Des Moines hospital’s intensive care unit for several days.

    “It was kind of scary. It was traumatic,” she said of the night her mother’s ex-boyfriend shot her in the face during a fight just days before her birthday.

    On the other hand, her surgeon, Dr. Simon Wright, has been looking forward to this appointment all week. He calls Buie one of his most memorable and brave patients.

    “I’m gonna take a look under your chin,” he says to Buie while carefully touching her face. The teenager was shot in the face with a .40-caliber bullet at close range. The impact of the bullet fractured and shattered her jaw into tiny fragments and permanently damaged four teeth.

    For years, Wright, a facial reconstruction trauma surgeon, has reconstructed facial bones by bending and molding titanium plates by hand to the injured area. It’s a time-consuming and often erroneous process.

    “There is always a level of dissatisfaction, and it doesn’t feel good to do something just good enough,” Wright said.

    The manual work has now been replaced with modern technology. Doctors used artificial intelligence to read a CT scan of Buie’s jaw, then a 3D printer turned that image into a custom jawbone plate.

    “It’s so much easier than trying to bend a plate to get it perfect,” Wright said. “It’s no question a game-changer.”

    Doctors say a customized jawbone plate allows for a more accurate fit, better aligns the jaw with a patient’s teeth, and cuts surgery time in half. What makes this process so unique: Buie’s customized plate was made in record time, a first for Des Moines trauma surgeons.

    “The ability to make a custom plate has been around for 10 years or more, but the ability to do it very quickly has not been,” Wright said.

    What would normally take several weeks took only a few days. The plate was created in a lab in Jacksonville, Florida, put on a plane to the Des Moines International Airport, then hand-delivered to the hospital on a Friday night before the teenager’s surgery first thing Saturday morning.

    “There is a lot of things that have to go right to do any kind of surgery at all, and to do something complicated like this, it’s really an inspiring thing to be part of,” Wright said, smiling. He also said this advancement serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting medical research because of its impact on people.

    “This came from the efforts of all kinds of people in different fields that have cross-pollinated. For example, 3D printing as a medical application, and at one point, it may not have begun with a medical endpoint in mind,” he said.

    For trauma patients, time is of the essence. For Buie, time does heal. The high school junior is back to school with plans to graduate early. Doctors expect her to make a full recovery. Her new jawbone plate will eventually fuse to bone and be as strong as ever.

    “I just thank God every day for giving me a second chance at life. I’m very grateful. I can tell my story and spread the word of God with this story, like a testament.”

    Buie will likely undergo additional surgeries. Next month, she will receive dental implants for her missing teeth.

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  • News We Love: ‘Banks,’ a dog pulled from a muddy Iowa river, may soon have a new home

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    A Great Pyrenees dubbed “Banks” was rescued Wednesday after getting stuck in mud along a river in Iowa, prompting a boat response from the Marshalltown Fire Department because the heavily wooded area prevented police from reaching the dog on foot.”They tried to reach him by foot, and they couldn’t, so they asked us to take our boat out,” said Deputy Fire Chief Curt Raue.Firefighters freed the dog quickly. “This one was as textbook as it could be,” said Raue.Banks was turned over to the Marshalltown Animal Rescue League, where veterinarians cleared him. “Vets gave us a clear bill of health,” said Austin Gillis, the executive director of the Animal Rescue League of Marshalltown.Gillis says the positive outcome was helped by the dog’s thick coat and the fact that he was in mud, not water. “If the animal is dry, we’ve got time to make this as safe as possible,” Gillis said.Less than a day after his rescue, Banks was energetic, though still caked with mud, and expected to be cleaned up after grooming. No information has been released about possible owners or how he ended up there. For the time being, “Banks” will be cared for by the Animal Rescue League of Marshalltown.It is likely he will not be there very long.Deputy Chief Raue says a firefighter who played a role in the rescue has filed paperwork to adopt him, saying Banks “made an impression on a lot of the people who rescued him.”

    A Great Pyrenees dubbed “Banks” was rescued Wednesday after getting stuck in mud along a river in Iowa, prompting a boat response from the Marshalltown Fire Department because the heavily wooded area prevented police from reaching the dog on foot.

    “They tried to reach him by foot, and they couldn’t, so they asked us to take our boat out,” said Deputy Fire Chief Curt Raue.

    Firefighters freed the dog quickly.

    “This one was as textbook as it could be,” said Raue.

    Banks was turned over to the Marshalltown Animal Rescue League, where veterinarians cleared him.

    “Vets gave us a clear bill of health,” said Austin Gillis, the executive director of the Animal Rescue League of Marshalltown.

    Gillis says the positive outcome was helped by the dog’s thick coat and the fact that he was in mud, not water.

    “If the animal is dry, we’ve got time to make this as safe as possible,” Gillis said.

    Less than a day after his rescue, Banks was energetic, though still caked with mud, and expected to be cleaned up after grooming.

    No information has been released about possible owners or how he ended up there.

    For the time being, “Banks” will be cared for by the Animal Rescue League of Marshalltown.

    It is likely he will not be there very long.

    Deputy Chief Raue says a firefighter who played a role in the rescue has filed paperwork to adopt him, saying Banks “made an impression on a lot of the people who rescued him.”

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  • Why bald eagles may hold clues in bird flu fight

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    A spike in wild bird flu cases across Iowa has researchers watching migration patterns, testing carcasses, and swabbing beaks daily at the State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Ames. Since 2022, more than 30 million poultry and wild birds have died from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Iowa.As the virus settles into a fall-and-winter cycle, one species is drawing particular interest from scientists: the bald eagle. Despite frequently scavenging infected carcasses, adult bald eagles appear to be surviving at higher rates than many other birds. Researchers believe understanding why could help unlock new insights into the disease.Hearst sister station KCCI spoke with Rachel Ruden, the state wildlife veterinarian for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, about what’s driving the latest outbreak — and why the nation’s symbol may be key to understanding it.Q: What are researchers seeing with bird flu in Iowa right now?Ruden: We had a spike back in September. We saw Dubuque impacted heavily and parts of central and north central Iowa, then things went quiet through October and November. After the first week of December, we started getting reports of sick and dead geese again. What’s interesting is southern Iowa has been impacted pretty heavily. In the past, south of I-80, we really didn’t see mass mortality events related to HPAI.Q: How has bird flu changed since it first appeared in Iowa?Ruden: We were first impacted with highly pathogenic avian influenza in March of 2022. Prior to that, it was not a virus that circulated in our wild bird population in North America or South America. It was in other parts of the world.In March of 2022, it arrived during spring migration — a vulnerable time in terms of birds nesting and producing young. Now we’ve really seen it transition into this fall and winter pattern, oftentimes late fall into winter. Q: Which species are being hit the hardest?Ruden: The animals that have been impacted have primarily been Canada geese. They’re a numerous winter resident. They also do their fall migration in mid-December. So those birds bring virus from other parts and they flyway.Other things that we see very commonly are red tail hawks because these are raptors, a bird that is likely scavenging on carcasses of dead geese. That is also why there is public concern about bald eagles. Q: Many people worry about bald eagles scavenging dead geese. What are you finding?Ruden: I have been testing bald eagles since late 2024. Evidence shows that they’ve been exposed and actually survived that exposure. In adult bald eagles, 70% have had antibodies. That’s a good indicator of resilience in that population. Q: Why are bald eagles so important to this research?Ruden: We can learn a lot and maybe leverage that for therapeutics. That disparity in deaths amongst raptor species that might be scavenging on the same sick birds … if one tends to die and one tends to live, that’s interesting, so I would love to push that further.Q: Does that mean bald eagles are immune to bird flu?Ruden: We’ve seen hatch-year eagles — younger birds — that are more vulnerable, similar to what we see in young swans or other juvenile birds. But adult eagles appear to have a much higher survival rate.Q: How does this affect Iowa’s poultry industry?Ruden: Iowa leads the country in egg and poultry production, so there’s always concern. Early in the outbreak, the impact was significant. But improved biosecurity and better surveillance have made a big difference. This season, only two poultry sites have been affected so far, even with widespread bird flu activity in wild birds.Q: What should people do if they find a sick or dead bird?Ruden: The best step is to contact your county conservation department or a local wildlife professional. They’ll decide whether testing is needed and notify our lab if it could help research. If a dead bird is on private property, people can safely remove it using disposable gloves and double-bagging it before placing it in the trash.Q: Is bird flu a concern for human health?Ruden: Human cases in the U.S. have primarily been linked to poultry or dairy workers with close, prolonged exposure. There’s no known transmission from wild birds to humans in casual encounters. Still, people should avoid handling sick birds and use basic precautions if removing a dead one.Q: What’s next for bird flu research in Iowa?Ruden: We’re still learning. Bird flu is now a global phenomenon, and there’s always a risk of reintroduction. The goal moving forward is to use what we’re observing — especially species that survive exposure, like bald eagles — to guide future research. That takes time and funding, but every test helps us better understand what we’re dealing with.As outbreaks continue to shape Iowa’s wildlife landscape, researchers say one thing is clear: bird flu is no longer a one-time event, but a recurring reality — and the answers may be soaring overhead.

    A spike in wild bird flu cases across Iowa has researchers watching migration patterns, testing carcasses, and swabbing beaks daily at the State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Ames. Since 2022, more than 30 million poultry and wild birds have died from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Iowa.

    As the virus settles into a fall-and-winter cycle, one species is drawing particular interest from scientists: the bald eagle. Despite frequently scavenging infected carcasses, adult bald eagles appear to be surviving at higher rates than many other birds. Researchers believe understanding why could help unlock new insights into the disease.

    Hearst sister station KCCI spoke with Rachel Ruden, the state wildlife veterinarian for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, about what’s driving the latest outbreak — and why the nation’s symbol may be key to understanding it.

    Q: What are researchers seeing with bird flu in Iowa right now?

    Ruden: We had a spike back in September. We saw Dubuque impacted heavily and parts of central and north central Iowa, then things went quiet through October and November. After the first week of December, we started getting reports of sick and dead geese again. What’s interesting is southern Iowa has been impacted pretty heavily. In the past, south of I-80, we really didn’t see mass mortality events related to HPAI.

    Q: How has bird flu changed since it first appeared in Iowa?

    Ruden: We were first impacted with highly pathogenic avian influenza in March of 2022. Prior to that, it was not a virus that circulated in our wild bird population in North America or South America. It was in other parts of the world.

    Mark Vancleave

    Angel, a 26-year-old bald eagle from Wisconsin that was too gravely injured to be returned to the wild, serves as “ambassador” to visitors at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minn., on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.

    In March of 2022, it arrived during spring migration — a vulnerable time in terms of birds nesting and producing young. Now we’ve really seen it transition into this fall and winter pattern, oftentimes late fall into winter.

    Q: Which species are being hit the hardest?

    Ruden: The animals that have been impacted have primarily been Canada geese. They’re a numerous winter resident. They also do their fall migration in mid-December. So those birds bring virus from other parts and they flyway.

    Other things that we see very commonly are red tail hawks because these are raptors, a bird that is likely scavenging on carcasses of dead geese. That is also why there is public concern about bald eagles.

    Q: Many people worry about bald eagles scavenging dead geese. What are you finding?

    Ruden: I have been testing bald eagles since late 2024. Evidence shows that they’ve been exposed and actually survived that exposure. In adult bald eagles, 70% have had antibodies. That’s a good indicator of resilience in that population.

    Q: Why are bald eagles so important to this research?

    Ruden: We can learn a lot and maybe leverage that for therapeutics. That disparity in deaths amongst raptor species that might be scavenging on the same sick birds … if one tends to die and one tends to live, that’s interesting, so I would love to push that further.

    Q: Does that mean bald eagles are immune to bird flu?

    Ruden: We’ve seen hatch-year eagles — younger birds — that are more vulnerable, similar to what we see in young swans or other juvenile birds. But adult eagles appear to have a much higher survival rate.

    Q: How does this affect Iowa’s poultry industry?

    Ruden: Iowa leads the country in egg and poultry production, so there’s always concern. Early in the outbreak, the impact was significant. But improved biosecurity and better surveillance have made a big difference. This season, only two poultry sites have been affected so far, even with widespread bird flu activity in wild birds.

    Q: What should people do if they find a sick or dead bird?

    Ruden: The best step is to contact your county conservation department or a local wildlife professional. They’ll decide whether testing is needed and notify our lab if it could help research. If a dead bird is on private property, people can safely remove it using disposable gloves and double-bagging it before placing it in the trash.

    Q: Is bird flu a concern for human health?

    Ruden: Human cases in the U.S. have primarily been linked to poultry or dairy workers with close, prolonged exposure. There’s no known transmission from wild birds to humans in casual encounters. Still, people should avoid handling sick birds and use basic precautions if removing a dead one.

    Q: What’s next for bird flu research in Iowa?

    Ruden: We’re still learning. Bird flu is now a global phenomenon, and there’s always a risk of reintroduction. The goal moving forward is to use what we’re observing — especially species that survive exposure, like bald eagles — to guide future research. That takes time and funding, but every test helps us better understand what we’re dealing with.

    As outbreaks continue to shape Iowa’s wildlife landscape, researchers say one thing is clear: bird flu is no longer a one-time event, but a recurring reality — and the answers may be soaring overhead.

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  • Keeler: CU Buffs transfers wonder what 2025 under Deion Sanders would’ve looked like if they stayed: ‘They missed out’

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    Noah Fenske had his luggage with him Saturday. It wasn’t Louis.

    “Just Under Armour,” the former CU Buffs offensive lineman texted me from his vacation in Nashville.

    While on the road with his fiancée, Fenske’s also been keeping an eye on an old CU teammate, Alex Harkey. Oregon’s starting right tackle? Yeah, he used to be a Buff.

    Harkey, a 6-foot-6, 327-pound redshirt senior, is prepping for a Friday night showdown with Indiana — and another former CU player, the Hoosiers’ Kahlil Benson — in one College Football Playoff semifinal. The Ducks’ bruiser helped Oregon put up 245 passing yards and convert four fourth-down conversions on The Best Defense Money Can Buy, blanking Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl.

    He’d transferred into CU as a 305-pounder out of Tyler (Texas) Junior College, a 3-star who was weighing offers from Middle Tennessee and Old Dominion. After appearing in 12 games, largely as a reserve guard, Harkey was one of the kids from CU’s 2022 recruiting class swept out in the great Deion Sanders roster purge during the spring of 2023.

    Fenske, who played in seven games with the Buffs in ’22, was Harkey’s roommate at CU. He got swept away, too. Under Armour was out, Louis Vuitton luggage was in.

    “(Harkey has) done incredible, man,” Fenske gushed. “Because when he first came in (to CU), he wasn’t what he is now. And just seeing his transformation from being a (backup) guard on a 1-11 team to being a first-round or second-round (NFL) draft pick …”

    Big Alex could play. So could wideout Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State). And cornerback Simeon Harris (Fresno State). And quarterback Owen McCown, once he’d had some more brisket. McCown, who played as a wafer-thin true freshman at CU in ’22, threw for 30 touchdowns at UTSA this past fall — including three in a 57-20 win over Florida International in the First Responder Bowl.

    “We just stay connected, support each other’s success,” Harris, who still belongs to a group chat of former Buffs, told me over the weekend. “You’ve got to expect the unexpected. That (purge) hit us all in the mouth.”

    CU fans talk a lot — a lot — about 1-11 in 2022. About rock bottom. About Coach Prime lighting the candle for the climb out of obscurity.

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    Sean Keeler

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  • Some states set to impose SNAP bans on soda, candy and other foods

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    Starting New Year’s Day, some food-stamp recipients around the U.S. will be banned from using the government nutrition assistance to buy candy, soda and other foods. 

    Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah and West Virginia are the first of at least 18 states to enact waivers prohibiting people enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, from purchasing certain foods. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have urged states to strip foods regarded as unhealthy from the $100 billion federal program.

    “We cannot continue a system that forces taxpayers to fund programs that make people sick and then pay a second time to treat the illnesses those very programs help create,” Kennedy said in a statement in December.

    The efforts are aimed at reducing chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes associated with sweetened drinks and other treats, a key goal of Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again effort.

    Confusion for SNAP recipients?

    But retail industry and health policy experts said state SNAP programs, already under pressure from steep budget cuts, are unprepared for the complex changes, with no complete lists of the foods affected and technical point-of-sale challenges that vary by state and store. And research remains mixed about whether restricting SNAP purchases improves diet quality and health.

    The National Retail Federation, a trade association, predicted longer checkout lines and more customer complaints as SNAP recipients learn which foods are affected by the new waivers.

    “It’s a disaster waiting to happen of people trying to buy food and being rejected,” said Kate Bauer, a nutrition science expert at the University of Michigan.

    The new restrictions are the latest source of concern for SNAP recipients. Food aid distributed under the program, which is used by 42 million Americans, was interrupted during the 43-day U.S. government shutdown. Reliance on food stamps typically surges during economic downturns, such as the sharp slump that followed the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020.

    Nearly 62% of SNAP participants are in families with children, while roughly 37% are in households with older adults or people with disabilities, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan think tank. 

    Roughly 14% of U.S. households reported food insecurity on average between January and October, up from 12.5% in 2024, according to Purdue’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability.

    While the prevalence of food insecurity around the U.S. fluctuates month to month, the overall rate had been declining since 2022, when an average of 15.4% of households were food insecure as inflation hit 40-year highs following the pandemic. 

    Retailers fear impact

    A report by the National Grocers Association and other industry trade groups estimated that implementing SNAP restrictions would cost U.S. retailers $1.6 billion initially and $759 million each year going forward.

    “Punishing SNAP recipients means we all get to pay more at the grocery store,” said Gina Plata-Nino, SNAP director for the anti-hunger advocacy group Food Research & Action Center.

    The waivers are a departure from decades of federal policy first enacted in 1964 and later authorized by the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which said SNAP benefits can be used for “any food or food product intended for human consumption,” except alcohol and ready-to-eat hot foods. The law also says SNAP can’t pay for tobacco.

    In the past, lawmakers have proposed stopping SNAP from paying for expensive meats like steak or so-called junk foods, such as chips and ice cream.

    But previous waiver requests were denied based on USDA research concluding that restrictions would be costly and complicated to implement, and that they might not change recipients’ buying habits or reduce health problems such as obesity.

    Under the second Trump administration, however, states have been encouraged and even incentivized to seek waivers – and they responded.

    “This isn’t the usual top-down, one-size-fits-all public health agenda,” Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said when he announced his state’s request last spring. “We’re focused on root causes, transparent information and real results.”

    How many people are affected

    The five state waivers that take effect Jan. 1 affect about 1.4 million people. Utah and West Virginia will ban the use of SNAP to buy soda and soft drinks, while Nebraska will prohibit soda and energy drinks. Indiana will target soft drinks and candy. In Iowa, which has the most restrictive rules to date, the SNAP limits affect taxable foods, including soda and candy, but also certain prepared foods.

    “The items list does not provide enough specific information to prepare a SNAP participant to go to the grocery store,” Plata-Nino wrote in a blog post. “Many additional items — including certain prepared foods — will also be disallowed, even though they are not clearly identified in the notice to households.”

    Marc Craig, 47, of Des Moines, said he has been living in his car since October. He said the new waivers will make it more difficult to determine how to use the $298 in SNAP benefits he receives each month, while also increasing the stigma he feels at the cash register.

    “They treat people that get food stamps like we’re not people,” Craig said.

    SNAP waivers enacted now and in the coming months will run for two years, with the option to extend them for an additional three, according to the Agriculture Department. Each state is required to assess the impact of the changes.

    Health experts worry that the waivers ignore larger factors affecting the health of SNAP recipients, said Anand Parekh, a medical doctor who is the chief health policy officer at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

    “This doesn’t solve the two fundamental problems, which is healthy food in this country is not affordable and unhealthy food is cheap and ubiquitous,” he said.

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  • Democrat wins Iowa state Senate special election, keeps GOP from reclaiming supermajority in Legislature

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    Des Moines, Iowa — Democrat Renee Hardman was elected to the Iowa state Senate on Tuesday in a year-end special election, denying Republicans from reclaiming two-thirds control of the chamber and Legislature.

    Hardman bested Republican Lucas Loftin by an overwhelming margin to win a seat representing parts of the Des Moines suburbs. The seat became vacant after the Oct. 6 death of state Sen. Claire Celsi, a Democrat.

    Hardman, the CEO of nonprofit Lutheran Services of Iowa and a member of the West Des Moines City Council, becomes the first Black woman elected to the 50-member Senate.

    This undated photo provided by Hardman for Iowa on Dec. 26, 2025 shows Democrat Renee Hardman.

    Hardman for Iowa via AP


    “I want to recognize that while my name was the one on the ballot, this race was never just about me,” Hardman told a room of supporters in West Des Moines after declaring victory.

    With 99% of votes counted, Hardman led by about 43 percentage points.

    Her win is the latest in a string of special election victories for Iowa Democrats, who flipped two Senate seats this year to break up a supermajority that had allowed Republicans to easily confirm GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds’ appointments to state agencies and commissions.

    Democrat Mike Zimmer first flipped a seat in January, winning a district that had strongly favored President Trump in the 2024 election. In August, Democrat Catelin Drey handily defeated her GOP opponent in the Republican stronghold of northwestern Iowa, giving Democrats 17 seats to Republicans’ 33. Celsi’s death brought that down to 16.

    Republicans would have regained two-thirds control in the state Senate with a Loftin victory Tuesday.

    The GOP still has significant majorities in both chambers, including an airtight 66-33 supermajority in the Iowa House of Representatives, but not the two-thirds of both chambers that would have given it a supermajority in the Legislature.

    Without a supermajority, the party will need to get support from at least one state Senate Democrat to approve Reynolds’ nominees.  
    Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, called Hardman’s victory “a major check on Republican power.”

    “With the last special election of the year now decided, one thing is clear: 2025 was the year of Democratic victories and overperformance, and Democrats are on track for big midterm elections,” Martin said.

    In November, the party dominated the first major Election Day since Trump returned to the White House, notably winning governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey. Democrats held onto a Kentucky state Senate seat this month in a special election. And while Republican Matt Van Epps won a Tennessee special election for a U.S. House seat, the relatively slim margin of victory gave Democrats hope for next year’s midterms. The party must net three House seats in 2026 to reclaim the majority and impede Mr. Trump’s agenda.

    Loftin, a tree trimmer turned data manager, congratulated Hardman and told The Associated Press he’s praying for her as she embarks on this important chapter.

    Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann applauded Loftin and his supporters for putting up a fight in what he described as “a very tough district.” Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 3,300 voters, or 37% to 30%.

    “Although we fell short this time, the Republican Party of Iowa remains laser-focused on expanding our majorities in the Iowa Legislature and keeping Iowa ruby-red,” Kaufmann said.

    The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee pledged Tuesday to help defend the party’s gains in Iowa and prevent the return of a GOP supermajority next year.

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  • Lee Enterprises Stabilizes Finances With $50M Investment Led by Billionaire David Hoffmann

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    Lee Enterprises announced a compromise Tuesday with billionaire investor David Hoffmann, who offered to take over the nation’s third-largest newspaper chain this year, to help stabilize the company’s finances with a $50 million investment and set Lee up for the future.

    Hoffmann, whose family investment firm already owns more than 40 other publications, will become Lee’s chairman as he continues to pursue his goal of becoming the country’s largest newspaper publisher. He has said in recent interviews that he believes newspapers can continue to play an important role in covering local communities and build a successful digital subscription business.

    Lee said that when Hoffmann takes over, CEO Kevin Mowbray will retire after 39 years with the Davenport, Iowa-based company, which owns the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Buffalo News, Omaha World-Herald and dozens of other publications in 25 states.

    “With improved financial stability and a clear governance framework in place, the focus can now be on disciplined execution and long-term value creation,” said Hoffmann, who declined to comment beyond the statement on the deal.

    He built his initial fortune through the DHR Global executive search firm he founded and went on to set up his investment fund. It now includes more than 125 brands and 22,000 employees and is set to become the controlling owner in the Pittsburgh Penguins next year.

    The test will be whether Hoffmann and Lee reinvest in newsrooms to strengthen coverage of high school sports and other local institutions like he has talked about after he takes over, said Tim Franklin, a professor and chair of local news at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

    In recent years Lee — like many news companies — has cut staff and sold off some of the real estate its newspapers own as advertising and website traffic declined. Many Lee publications also stopped printing on Mondays.

    The company also struggled with $455.5 million of debt taken on when it bought Warren Buffett’s newspapers from Berkshire Hathaway and refinanced its existing debt. Lee said the new infusion from Hoffmann and other investors will allow it to reduce the interest rate on that debt from 9% to 5% and to save about $18 million a year.

    “Lee’s back was up against the wall. And I think it was looking for a way to stabilize the business,” Franklin said.

    Buffett and incoming Berkshire CEO Greg Abel did not respond to questions Tuesday, but before selling off Berkshire’s newspapers, Buffett concluded the industry was “toast” and destined for an unending decline.

    Unlike when Lee fought off a takeover bid from the Alden Global hedge fund three years ago, the publisher’s board has embraced Hoffmann’s approach.

    Hoffmann agreed to buy $35 million of new Lee stock at $3.25 per share to go along with the 9.8% of the company’s stock he already controlled. Other investors will put up $15 million.

    Lee shares soared more than 20% Tuesday to close at $4.50 after the news was announced.

    “The question is going to be, is Hoffmann going to make that investment in original unique local reporting that will drive digital subscriptions, which he seems to believe is a cornerstone of his business model,” Franklin said.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – December 2025

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  • College basketball: UML men fall on road to 25th-ranked Iowa

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    Junior Angel Montas Jr. (La Romana, Dominican Republic) scored a game-high 23 points, but as the UMass Lowell men’s basketball team (5-10) dropped its final non-conference game of the season 90-62 to 25th-ranked Iowa on Monday afternoon in Iowa City, Iowa.

    “We are excited to be done with our non-conference schedule and move onto conference play,” said UML head coach Pat Duquette. “Iowa is a top 25 team and was the most well-coached team we played all year. I feel like our team has noticeably improved and survived our toughest non-conference schedule ever.”

    Montas Jr., who added six rebounds, three assists, and two steals, was one of three River Hawks (5-10) to finish with double-digit scoring efforts. Junior Darrel Yepdo (Dracut) added 10 points and five assists, while junior Xavier Spencer (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) finished with 10 points and three assists.

    Iowa got to work early, scoring the first eight points of the game in the opening minutes.

    Women win

    The UMass Lowell women’s basketball team turned in a wire-to-wire performance on Monday evening, rolling past St. Joseph’s Brooklyn, 109–45, at the Kennedy Family Athletic Complex in Lowell.

    “Any win is a good win, but I thought we had a lot of players step up tonight, which was great to see,” said UML head coach Jon Plefka. “Coming off the break, it was important for us to get back on track and carry some momentum into conference play.”

    The River Hawks set the tone early, using energy on the glass and strong ball movement to jump out to a 25–5 lead after the opening quarter.

    Junior guard Maddie Rice (Charlottesville, Va.) knocked down an early three during a 15–3 run, while graduate forward Anabel Latorre Ciria (Zaragoza, Spain) and sophomore guard Nia Chima (Toronto, Ontario) controlled the boards to extend possessions and limit the Bears to one shot at the other end.

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  • Penn State, Matt Campbell given update on Rocco Becht transfer

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    Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell is still building out his roster for the upcoming season, and some of his former Iowa State players could be joining him soon.

    Campbell’s former quarterback, Rocco Becht, has decided to enter the transfer portal, a move that came as a bit of a surprise given that he spent his entire college career with the Cyclones.

    More news: Urban Meyer Sends Clear Message on Kalen DeBoer to Michigan Rumors

    Becht was a redshirt during his freshman year, though he has been the starter over the past three years, during which he has won 26 games as the lead signal caller.

    He will be entering his redshirt senior campaign, and given his experience in the Big 12, the quarterback projects to have a robust market, with teams that would kill for a proven commodity amid the uncertainty that this the position play can bring.

    Penn State, meanwhile, is losing quarterback Drew Allar after his final year of eligibility, and he is expected to enter the NFL Draft.

    The Nitanny Lions will be left with Ethan Grunkemeyer as the leading man on the roster, a promising freshman who settled into his own once Allar went down with an injury.

    More news: Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss Awaits Eligibility Ruling With LSU in Play

    However, Campbell reportedly has his eyes on Becht, who would lock up the starting spot for next season, giving Grunkemeyer another year to learn about what it takes. According to Pete Nakos of On3, Penn State is one of the teams to watch for Becht.

    “Sources have told On3 that Penn State is the clear school to watch in this recruitment, despite Becht planning to evaluate other options,” Nakos reports.

    Among the other teams that need a quarterback are also LSU, Florida, Texas Tech, Florida State, Miami, and potentially Oregon.

    Still, Becht and Penn State seem like a match made in heaven — the player will get a notable payday to play under his longtime coach and a massive college program.

    At the same time, the school receives a quality starting option that will get things going in year one of the Matt Campbell era.

    More news: Alabama Loses Coach to Big Ten Team After Win Against Oklahoma

    For more college football news, head to Newsweek Sports.

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  • Video: Who Is Trying to Replace Planned Parenthood?

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    new video loaded: Who Is Trying to Replace Planned Parenthood?

    As efforts to defund Planned Parenthood lead to the closure of some of its locations, Christian-based clinics that try to dissuade abortions are aiming to fill the gap in women‘s health care. Our reporter Caroline Kitchener describes how this change is playing out in Ames, Iowa.

    By Caroline Kitchener, Melanie Bencosme, Karen Hanley, June Kim and Pierre Kattar

    December 22, 2025

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    Caroline Kitchener, Melanie Bencosme, Karen Hanley, June Kim and Pierre Kattar

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  • Keeler: Deion Sanders isn’t enough. CU Buffs football needs a sugar daddy for Christmas.

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    Omarion Miller finished Julian Lewis’ passes the way Meg Ryan finished Billy Crystal’s sentences in “When Harry Met Sally.”

    Alas, there won’t be a happy ending. Or a sequel.

    Miller — the CU Buffs’ leading receiver in 2025 — announced Wednesday that he was entering the transfer portal. And apparently Tawfiq Byard will have whatever Miller’s having. The Buffs safety, CU’s best defensive player this past fall despite playing much of it with just one working hand, also plans to transfer out of BoCo next month.

    Pain is a process. The gut says, “If we can go 3-9 with you, we can go 3-9 without you, dude.”

    The head says something else. Something along the lines of, “Man, Deion Sanders could really, really use a sugar daddy this Christmas.”

    Remember when the Buffs hired Coach Prime and finally got out ahead of the college football curve?

    That lasted about 16 to 18 months.

    Celebrity coaches are out.

    Celebrity investors are in.

    Texas Tech, per YahooSports.com, raised about $49 million for student-athletes from July 2024 to July 2025. A new Red Raiders donor group, called the Athletic Donor Circle, had already pledged roughly $35 million as of early November.

    Last week, Utah became the first Power 4 athletic department to formally partner with a private equity firm. ESPN.com reports that Otro Capital out of New York is ready to pump $400 million into the Utes.

    Texas Tech bought the best team on the planet, went 12-1, won the Big 12 title and earned a bye in the College Football Playoff. Utah posted a 10-2 record and beat the Buffs 53-7 in late October.

    CU athletics, meanwhile, is reportedly staring at a potential $27 million deficit for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, according to multiple outlets. Thank players and Prime, primarily.

    Sanders’ salary went up by nearly $5 million for 2025 after his new extension kicked in. The House vs. NCAA settlement required CU to share revenues with student-athletes starting this past July 1, with a cap of $20.5 million for this fiscal cycle. Yet it’s hard to imagine good players such as Miller and Byard taking pay cuts at their next ports of call, isn’t it?

    Buffs officials saw the train coming years ago, even as the bills keep piling up. Which is why the indoor practice facility is now sponsored by Mountain States Ford Stores. And why artificial turf was installed at Folsom Field — so the stadium could be utilized more often as a host to revenue-driving events outside the athletic calendar.

    Concerts and uniform sponsorships — UNLV will reportedly collect about $2.2 million annually over the next five years from Acesso Biologics, its new “Official Jersey Patch Partner” — will only cover so much. The student-athlete revenue sharing pool is expected to increase by 4% next year. Sanders is slated to make $11 million in 2027, $11 million in 2028 and $12 million in 2029.

    The Buffs can’t play at the same poker tables as the Red Raiders and Utes — or retain star players — without a serious influx of cash. Utah is pointing the way now. Not CU.

    College football is so broken. The system? The system — and by that, we mean greedy college presidents and the corporate suits they propped up as conference commissioners — for too long took advantage of student-athletes as a pool of indentured labor, as entertainment contractors on the cheap. A free market for talent was overdue. But the pendulum has swung so hard the other way that roster retention is the stuff of satire now.

    Bowls? Bowls are nothing more than three-hour infomercials for some random chamber of commerce or provincial company you’ve never heard of; exhibitions propped up by Disney stiffs to eat up programming blocks over the holidays. When Iowa State and Kansas State would sooner eat a million bucks in league fines than join in, that ship’s sailed. (Not you, Pop-Tarts Bowl. You’re weirdly perfect. And perfectly weird.)

    Fans? Fans are caught in the crossfire, casualties in the battle of dollars over sense. Ticket prices and point-of-entry fees will skyrocket. Pay-per-view will become more the norm than the exception. Universities will pass the cost to the consumer.

    The Buffs vow that they won’t cut sports — and with only 13 non-football options offered, they don’t have much room on that front to cut, anyway. They’ve vowed that they won’t lop student-athlete services, although outgoing athletic director Rick George laid off two track coaches last spring.

    Something’s gotta give. Of course, if Coach Prime wanted to help retain student-athletes, he could donate half of his $10 million salary to the revenue-sharing pool. That’s not happening.

    In an effort to slow the chaos, FBS scholarships could require a minimum of two years of service at your initial college of choice coming out of high school. But that’s not happening, either.

    As of early Friday morning, at least 11 CU players had expressed interest in transferring out. Among the Big 12 programs that didn’t change coaches (Kansas State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State), only West Virginia had seen more defections (19) as of mid-December than the Buffs.

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    Sean Keeler

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  • Implosion Will Take Down a Nearly Century-Old Mississippi River Bridge

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    A nearly 100-year-old bridge over the Mississippi River between Iowa and Wisconsin is scheduled to be imploded Friday, an unusual spectacle that will make way for a modern replacement.

    The Mississippi River Bridge, also known as the Black Hawk Bridge, was completed in 1931. It connects Lansing, Iowa, to Wisconsin. The landmark stands out for its unique cantilever design — a center arch and two tower-like trusses.

    “It carries a lot of sentimental value to, I mean, literally tens of thousands of people,” Lansing Mayor Michael Verdon said.

    The bridge, which closed in October, was the only one for about 30 miles (48 kilometers) in each direction and carried about 2,100 vehicles per day. Drivers can now use a ferry service while a new crossing is under construction. The new $140 million replacement is expected to be in service in 2027.

    Though it’s beloved, the narrow bridge made for a harrowing experience when two large trucks met, Verdon said. Barges sometimes struck the bridge because of the river geography and configuration of the bridge piers.

    The center span will be imploded first, followed by the eastern section later in the day. The western section will disassembled in the future because parts of the bridge extend over homes and the railroad.

    Some parts of the bridge have already been removed, but an implosion is the most efficient way to remove the largest portions of the superstructure, Iowa Department of Transportation spokesperson Daniel Yeh said.

    Residents plan to salvage material for keepsakes and to construct a tribute to the bridge in the city, Verdon said.

    Lansing, population 968, has deep roots as a river town with a history of steamboats, fur trading and commercial fishing, the mayor said.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – December 2025

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  • Iowa police chief identifies son as Iowa Army National Guard soldier killed in ISIS terrorist attack

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    The family of one of two Iowa Army National Guard members killed in a terrorist attack Saturday confirmed his identity in a Facebook post Sunday morning. Meskwaki Nation Police Chief Jeffrey Bunn posted on the department’s page that his son, Nate, is one of the victims. “My wife Misty and I had that visit from Army Commanders you never want to have. Our son Nate (Howard) was one of the Soldiers that paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us, to keep us all safer,” Bunn wrote. “He loved what he was doing and would be the first in and last out, no one left behind. Please pray for our Soldiers all around this cruel world. We will see you again son, until then we have if from here.”In a news conference Saturday night, Gov. Kim Reynolds said she had been in contact with the families of the two slain soldiers. “Earlier, I had the opportunity to reach out to the families of the two soldiers who were killed, and as you can imagine, they are devastated,” Reynolds said.Iowa Army National Guard officials are expected to officially release the soldiers’ names Sunday afternoon. A group of IANG soldiers was in Syria early Saturday morning when a lone ISIS gunman attacked. The soldiers were part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, currently serving in the Middle East.Two were killed, as was a civilian interpreter. Three others were injured. One of the injuries was described as “superficial,” and that soldier was evacuated back to base for treatment. The other two injuries were “significant,” and the soldiers were evacuated to a military hospital at an air base in Jordan.”They are stable in critical condition, but both stable and both have made progress throughout the day,” IANG Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn said. Iowa Gov. Reynolds: ‘Our hearts are heavy’ after Iowa National Guard members killed in SyriaOsborn said that following the ambush, U.S. and partner Syrian forces engaged and killed the attacker. He said at the time of the attack, U.S. personnel were conducting a key leader engagement.”The mission was in support of ongoing counter-ISIS and counterterrorism efforts in the region, and this incident remains under investigation,” Osborn said. FULL NEWS CONFERENCE: Two Iowa National Guard members killed in Syria ambush

    The family of one of two Iowa Army National Guard members killed in a terrorist attack Saturday confirmed his identity in a Facebook post Sunday morning.

    Meskwaki Nation Police Chief Jeffrey Bunn posted on the department’s page that his son, Nate, is one of the victims.

    “My wife Misty and I had that visit from Army Commanders you never want to have. Our son Nate (Howard) was one of the Soldiers that paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us, to keep us all safer,” Bunn wrote. “He loved what he was doing and would be the first in and last out, no one left behind. Please pray for our Soldiers all around this cruel world. We will see you again son, until then we have if from here.”

    In a news conference Saturday night, Gov. Kim Reynolds said she had been in contact with the families of the two slain soldiers.

    “Earlier, I had the opportunity to reach out to the families of the two soldiers who were killed, and as you can imagine, they are devastated,” Reynolds said.

    Iowa Army National Guard officials are expected to officially release the soldiers’ names Sunday afternoon.

    Jeffrey Bunn

    Meskwaki Nation Police Chief Jeffrey Bunn posted on the department’s page that his son, Nate (pictured), is one of the Iowa Army National Guard soldiers who was killed in Syria on Dec. 13, 2025.

    A group of IANG soldiers was in Syria early Saturday morning when a lone ISIS gunman attacked. The soldiers were part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, currently serving in the Middle East.

    Two were killed, as was a civilian interpreter. Three others were injured.

    One of the injuries was described as “superficial,” and that soldier was evacuated back to base for treatment. The other two injuries were “significant,” and the soldiers were evacuated to a military hospital at an air base in Jordan.

    “They are stable in critical condition, but both stable and both have made progress throughout the day,” IANG Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn said.

    Iowa Gov. Reynolds: ‘Our hearts are heavy’ after Iowa National Guard members killed in Syria

    Osborn said that following the ambush, U.S. and partner Syrian forces engaged and killed the attacker. He said at the time of the attack, U.S. personnel were conducting a key leader engagement.

    “The mission was in support of ongoing counter-ISIS and counterterrorism efforts in the region, and this incident remains under investigation,” Osborn said.

    FULL NEWS CONFERENCE: Two Iowa National Guard members killed in Syria ambush

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  • Iowa police chief identifies son as Iowa Army National Guard soldier killed in ISIS terrorist attack

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    The family of one of two Iowa Army National Guard members killed in a terrorist attack Saturday confirmed his identity in a Facebook post Sunday morning. Meskwaki Nation Police Chief Jeffrey Bunn posted on the department’s page that his son, Nate, is one of the victims. “My wife Misty and I had that visit from Army Commanders you never want to have. Our son Nate (Howard) was one of the Soldiers that paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us, to keep us all safer,” Bunn wrote. “He loved what he was doing and would be the first in and last out, no one left behind. Please pray for our Soldiers all around this cruel world. We will see you again son, until then we have if from here.”In a news conference Saturday night, Gov. Kim Reynolds said she had been in contact with the families of the two slain soldiers. “Earlier, I had the opportunity to reach out to the families of the two soldiers who were killed, and as you can imagine, they are devastated,” Reynolds said.Iowa Army National Guard officials are expected to officially release the soldiers’ names Sunday afternoon. A group of IANG soldiers was in Syria early Saturday morning when a lone ISIS gunman attacked. The soldiers were part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, currently serving in the Middle East.Two were killed, as was a civilian interpreter. Three others were injured. One of the injuries was described as “superficial,” and that soldier was evacuated back to base for treatment. The other two injuries were “significant,” and the soldiers were evacuated to a military hospital at an air base in Jordan.”They are stable in critical condition, but both stable and both have made progress throughout the day,” IANG Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn said. Iowa Gov. Reynolds: ‘Our hearts are heavy’ after Iowa National Guard members killed in SyriaOsborn said that following the ambush, U.S. and partner Syrian forces engaged and killed the attacker. He said at the time of the attack, U.S. personnel were conducting a key leader engagement.”The mission was in support of ongoing counter-ISIS and counterterrorism efforts in the region, and this incident remains under investigation,” Osborn said. FULL NEWS CONFERENCE: Two Iowa National Guard members killed in Syria ambush

    The family of one of two Iowa Army National Guard members killed in a terrorist attack Saturday confirmed his identity in a Facebook post Sunday morning.

    Meskwaki Nation Police Chief Jeffrey Bunn posted on the department’s page that his son, Nate, is one of the victims.

    “My wife Misty and I had that visit from Army Commanders you never want to have. Our son Nate (Howard) was one of the Soldiers that paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us, to keep us all safer,” Bunn wrote. “He loved what he was doing and would be the first in and last out, no one left behind. Please pray for our Soldiers all around this cruel world. We will see you again son, until then we have if from here.”

    In a news conference Saturday night, Gov. Kim Reynolds said she had been in contact with the families of the two slain soldiers.

    “Earlier, I had the opportunity to reach out to the families of the two soldiers who were killed, and as you can imagine, they are devastated,” Reynolds said.

    Iowa Army National Guard officials are expected to officially release the soldiers’ names Sunday afternoon.

    Jeffrey Bunn

    Meskwaki Nation Police Chief Jeffrey Bunn posted on the department’s page that his son, Nate (pictured), is one of the Iowa Army National Guard soldiers who was killed in Syria on Dec. 13, 2025.

    A group of IANG soldiers was in Syria early Saturday morning when a lone ISIS gunman attacked. The soldiers were part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, currently serving in the Middle East.

    Two were killed, as was a civilian interpreter. Three others were injured.

    One of the injuries was described as “superficial,” and that soldier was evacuated back to base for treatment. The other two injuries were “significant,” and the soldiers were evacuated to a military hospital at an air base in Jordan.

    “They are stable in critical condition, but both stable and both have made progress throughout the day,” IANG Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn said.

    Iowa Gov. Reynolds: ‘Our hearts are heavy’ after Iowa National Guard members killed in Syria

    Osborn said that following the ambush, U.S. and partner Syrian forces engaged and killed the attacker. He said at the time of the attack, U.S. personnel were conducting a key leader engagement.

    “The mission was in support of ongoing counter-ISIS and counterterrorism efforts in the region, and this incident remains under investigation,” Osborn said.

    FULL NEWS CONFERENCE: Two Iowa National Guard members killed in Syria ambush

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  • Jury awards Iowa woman $19.8 million for

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    A jury has awarded an Iowa woman a $19.8 million verdict against Mayo Clinic and a colorectal surgeon in a lawsuit brought in Minnesota courts, according to her attorneys.

    The Iowa-based Hixson & Brown Law Firm represented patient Linette Nelson, of Fort Dodge, Iowa. They alleged in a June 2018 procedure — the second in a series of three surgeries — the surgeon was supposed to move her entire rectum, but “botched a multi-stage operation” and “left 5-7 cm of diseased rectum inside her body.”

    The suit alleged the surgeon dismissed a CT scan that showed “a long rectal cuff” remained inside Nelson and “pushed ahead with the third surgery anyway,” according to attorneys.

    A month later, Nelson was informed by Mayo the surgeon “is gone and we’re not sure if she’ll be back,” according to the law firm. The chief of colorectal surgery for Mayo then examined her and determined the surgeries needed to be redone, a process that took more than a year to complete.

    The firm said negligence by the first surgeon, who now works in California, “left [Nelson] with permanent disfigurement, pelvic floor disorder, fibromyalgia, PTSD, and lifelong chronic pain.”

    Court records show the verdict includes $3.7 million for pain and emotional distress, with another $12.1 million for her future emotional distress. The law firm said the monetary award for Nelson, a mother of two, “is expected to exceed $27 million” when adding in interest.

    “The jury’s verdict speaks truth and justice: world-class reputations don’t excuse life-altering medical negligence,” said attorney LaMar Jost. “This verdict is a step toward accountability for a wife and mother who will suffer for the rest of her life because of medical negligence.”

    A Mayo Clinic spokesperson gave this statement to WCCO on Wednesday morning: “Mayo Clinic respects the jury’s time and the judicial process but is disappointed in the verdict. The organization will evaluate next steps while remaining steadfast in its commitment to providing the highest standards of care and patient outcomes.”

    U.S. News and World Report recently named Mayo Clinic as one of the best hospitals in the country, and also named it best hospital for diabetes, endocrinology, gastroenterology and GI surgery.

    Aki Nace and

    WCCO Staff

    contributed to this report.

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    Stephen Swanson

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  • Des Moines schools

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    Iowa’s largest school district released a report Friday claiming that it received an abbreviated background check and what was likely a forged transcript when it was hiring its former superintendent, who was charged in a federal indictment with falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen on a federal form.

    Des Moines Public Schools hired Ian Roberts in 2023 with the help of a national consulting firm, JG Consulting, which had initially recommended Roberts and four other candidates to the school board, according to the report from an investigator hired by the district.

    The investigator, Des Moines-based attorney Melissa Schilling, concluded based on the contract and communications at the time that the school board reasonably relied on JG Consulting to vet Roberts or disclose limitations in their vetting process. The district is likely to cite the report in their ongoing lawsuit against the Texas-based consulting company, who has said the district is trying to shift blame.

    A federal grand jury issued a two-count indictment against Roberts, who is originally from Guyana in South America and was arrested by federal agents on Sep. 26. Roberts resigned his position, is in federal custody and is awaiting trial, which is currently scheduled for March.

    Schilling is a labor and employment lawyer who also co-leads her firm’s new crisis management practice, according to the firm’s announcement in July. A district spokesperson said the firm was retained to investigate the selection of JG Consulting for the superintendent search process and the school board’s awareness of discrepancies in Roberts’ records.

    The district declined to detail how much the firm was paid for the investigation, which JG Consulting attorney Josh Romero called one-sided.

    “It is no surprise that the school district that filed a misguided lawsuit against our company has generated a report – for which JG Consulting was not even interviewed – that misrepresents the facts and attempts to deflect the district’s responsibilities for the hiring of Dr. Roberts,” Romero said in a statement.

    Des Moines Public Schools paid JG Consulting $35,000 for facilitating the superintendent search, according to the contract.

    Roberts had claimed to be a U.S. citizen on his work eligibility form, providing a driver’s license and Social Security card as supporting documentation. Schilling said Des Moines schools relied on the consulting firm to identify immigration issues since JG Consulting told the district that they were a registered agent with the government’s employment eligibility system, ” E-Verify.”

    E-Verify compares information entered by an employer from an employee’s documents with records available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration. But the system has its flaws, recently highlighted in the case of a Maine police officer arrested by immigration authorities even though he was vetted using E-Verify.

    Schilling said it was “unknown” whether the firm used E-Verify at the time.

    JG Consulting disputes that it was their responsibility, according to a court filing.

    “The District had the legal duty and obligation to verify Roberts’ immigration status and work authorization as his employer, and it apparently failed to do so. JG Consulting legally could not, as the non-hiring entity, confirm Roberts’ immigration or work-authorization status,” the court document reads.

    Schilling’s report said the background check provided to Des Moines Public Schools by JG Consulting, via a subcontracted third-party company, Baker-Eubanks, only looked at records for the past seven years despite federal law that allows more extensive disclosure for positions paid more than $75,000.

    Schilling acknowledged in the report that many state laws prevent access to records, such as arrests or charges, if they did not result in a conviction.

    Since his arrest, federal authorities have provided a list of criminal charges in Roberts’ record, including drug possession and intent to sell in 1996 in New York, where state law could have prevented full disclosure of such charges. Officials did not specify the outcome of that charge.

    Still, Schilling said a 2012 conviction for reckless driving in Maryland likely would have been disclosed in the background check if it had looked beyond seven years.

    The background check did identify — and Roberts did address — a 2022 weapons charge in Pennsylvania, where he was convicted of a minor infraction for unlawfully possessing a loaded hunting rifle in a vehicle. Schilling wrote that JG Consulting called the conviction a “blemish” when they recommended Roberts to the board.

    Roberts has also been charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm while being in the country illegally. Officials said he had four firearms, including one found wrapped in a towel in the school-issued vehicle he was driving when he was arrested.

    In his application, Roberts had to say whether he was ever charged with a misdemeanor, felony or major traffic violation, such as driving under the influence, according to JG Consulting’s profile for the job. It is not clear how Roberts responded at the time.

    Roberts falsely claimed on his application that he obtained a doctorate in urban educational leadership from Morgan State University in 2007, according to documents The Associated Press obtained through a public records request.

    Schilling confirmed that board members were provided that resume by JG Consulting during the hiring process, though Roberts himself brought paper copies of a different resume — where he indicated he completed “abd,” or all but dissertation — to his in-person interview with the school board.

    Although Roberts was enrolled in that doctorate program from 2002 to 2007, the school’s public relations office confirmed in an email that he didn’t receive that degree. It declined to say which degree requirements he hadn’t met, and it would not provide a copy of his transcript to the AP or to Schilling.

    Schilling wrote that she was “fairly confident” that the transcript Roberts provided in his application was forged. She wrote that the background check flagged the discrepancy but interviews with board members indicate the issue was not raised by JG Consulting.

    JG Consulting has said the district was aware that he had not obtained a doctorate from that university.

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    CBS Minnesota

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  • Minnesota Twins will play Philadelphia Phillies at Field of Dreams in August 2026

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    The Minnesota Twins will take on the Philadelphia Phillies at the fabled Field of Dreams in Iowa next August, MLB announced Wednesday.

    The game will take place on Thursday, Aug. 13, at the field in Dyersville, Iowa. It will technically be a home game for the Twins.

    “The Minnesota Twins are thrilled to be playing in the return of MLB at Field of Dreams,” Twins executive chair Joe Pohlad said. “Taking the field in Dyersville, where so much of baseball’s magic comes alive, is special for our club and for our fans in Iowa. August 13, 2026, will be a true celebration of our sport and a memorable day in Twins history.”  

    After the Iowa game, the teams will get a day off before returning to Target Field on Saturday, Aug. 15, to continue the series. On Tuesday, Aug. 11, the St. Paul Saints will take on the Iowa Cubs at the Field of Dreams.

    Netflix will broadcast the Phillies-Twins matchup, MLB said.

    A general view of the Field of Dreams prior to the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs on August 11, 2022 in Dyersville, Iowa.

    Michael Reaves / Getty Images


    The titular diamond was made famous by the 1989 film “Field of Dreams,” starring Kevin Costner and Ray Liotta. Costner plays an Iowan farmer who hears a voice telling him to build a baseball diamond in his cornfield. Once completed, the field draws the spectres of late baseball legends. Part of the film actually takes place in Minnesota — Costner’s character and his wife, played by “Weapons” star Amy Madigan, take a trip to Chisholm.

    MLB held its first game at the Field of Dreams in 2021, between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. The next year, the Cincinnati Reds took on the Chicago Cubs there. The Phillies-Twins matchup will be the first game there since that 2022 tilt.

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    Anthony Bettin

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  • Driver spots assault rifle atop Des Moines police officer’s squad car

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    A woman in Des Moines, Iowa, spotted an assault rifle on the roof of a police officer’s squad car on Sunday afternoon.

    “I thought maybe it was a bike rack at first or something, but I kind of seen it hanging over the edge and I was like no, I was like is that, I think that’s like an assault rifle just sitting on top of their vehicle,” Jones said.

    Jones made a traffic stop of her own, waving down the officer at a red light.

    “I approached him with caution and just told him and he was completely stunned,” she said. “I could just tell on his face like he was a little confused and I keep telling him like, and I’m like pointing like, ‘There’s something up there that you might want to get,’” Jones said.

    Des Moines Police Chief Michael McTaggart said in a statement posted to social media it was a “serious mistake,” but noted the officer in the video is not at fault.

    “At shift change, an officer was offloading his equipment, set his rifle on top of the car and then left, and left that rifle there. Next officer came in, checked that car out and didn’t see the rifle on the roof and drove away,” said Sgt. Paul Parizek. “I think we’ve all had a situation in our lives where we’ve misplaced something, we’re looking for it, we walk by it two or three different times. That may help explain it. It definitely does not excuse what happened.”

    Jones said she’s grateful she got the rifle off the roof before something happened.

    “I said, ‘What if it falls off?’ [My niece said], ‘Don’t say that, we’re behind him. Like, what if it, you know, fires off or something?’” she said.

    Police said an internal review is underway.

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    Derek James

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