Clinton Man Charged With Abandoning Dog
(Clinton, IA) — A Clinton man is charged with abandoning a dog. Police say a dog was found abandoned Saturday at Bulger’s Hollow Recreational Area. Witnesses secured the canine, which was taken to the Clinton County Humane Society. Deputies later located James Simpson Junior, who admitted to being at the park earlier in the day and abandoning the dog.
Iowa Office Furniture Manufacturer Buying Competitor for $2.2B
(Muscatine, IA) — A major Iowa manufacturer is spending over two–billion-dollars to buy a competitor. Muscatine-based office furniture company HNI says they’re entering an agreement to acquire Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Steelcase. The headquarters for the combined company will remain in Muscatine with HNI Chairman Jeffrey Lorenger at the helm. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year.
Waterloo Agrees To $31K Payout To Former Cop Accused Of OWI Homicide
(Waterloo, IA) — Waterloo City Council is voting to pay 31-thousand dollars in outstanding PTO money to a former police officer accused of killing his girlfriend while driving drunk. Investigators say Keaton Northrup had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit when he crashed his motorcycle on I-380 last summer–killing Jenna Mills. Northrup resigned shortly after being charged in June. City leaders say the payout is standard regardless of the circumstances of Northrup’s resignation.
Man Accused Of Leaving Terror Threat At Central Iowa Walmart Store
(Knoxville, IA) — A man from Central Iowa is being charged with terrorism after leaving threats in a Walmart store. Police say 44-year-old William Kisling left playing cards with threatening messages written on them in the Walmart in Knoxville, about 25 miles southwest of Des Moines, last night. Officers say they identified Kisling after the left the store from security video. He was arrested in nearby Harvey.
$80,000 in Grant Funding Awarded to Five Iowa Businesses
(DEs Moines, IA) — Five Iowa businesses are being awarded a total of 80 thousand dollars in state grants through the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Finance Authority. The five small businesses from Main Street Iowa districts were awarded the funding as part of the 2025 Open 4 Business contest. The contest finalists were required to pitch their expansion ideas at a live event in Muscatine. The finalists selected were from Ames, Elkader, Mount Pleasant, Waverly, and West Branch. 22 Iowa businesses applied, and 12 were selected to interview with a panel of judges.
Prairie Meadows Makes $650,000 Grant Donation for New Nursing School
(Des Moines, IA) — Prairie Meadows is awarding awarding a large grant to Mercy College of Health Sciences. The $650 thousand dollar Legacy Grant will go toward building the new Joyce E. Lillis School of Nursing in downtown Des Moines. Once completed, the more than 24 thousand square foot facility will replace a decommissioned building with state-of-the-art technology allowing students to train in real-world simulations. The state of Iowa is currently facing a nursing shortage, with roughly 37 hundred nursing positions remaining unfilled.
Chair Of Des Moines School Board Runs For US Senate
(Des Moines, IA) — The Chair of the Des Moines Public School Board is announcing her bid for U-S Senate in Iowa. Jackie Norris published a video on her YouTube Page, featuring her friends talk about her experience as a teacher and a school board member who pushed for the ban on cellphones in the classroom. Norris also worked as Chief of Staff for former First Lady Michelle Obama. The Democrat is running for the seat now held by incumbent Senator Joni Ernst. Norris will face State Senator Zach Wahls, Representative J-D Scholten and Nathan Sage, former Director of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce in the Democratic primary race.
Lawsuit Filed Against Roblox After Iowa Teen’s Kidnapping
(Des Moines, IA) — A lawsuit has been filed against the gaming platform Roblox in connection with the kidnapping and sexual abuse of a 13-year-old Iowa girl. The suit, filed in Polk County, alleges Roblox enabled the girl’s exploitation by failing to implement adequate safety measures on its platform. According to the filing, the girl was kidnapped from her West Des Moines home in May after being groomed by a man she met through the game. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for negligence, while the suspect in the case faces criminal charges in both Iowa and Tennessee.
New State Website Connects Iowans With Child Care Openings
(Des Moines, IA) — A new state website designed to help Iowans find child care has been used by more than 13-thousand people in its first nine months of operation. Officials with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services say Iowa Child Care Connect allows users to search for openings in near real-time. The site also provides supply-and-demand data to help policymakers identify areas with the greatest need funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.
Overnight I-80 Closures Scheduled For Hickman Project
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Department of Transportation is warning drivers of upcoming overnight closures on Interstate 35/80 in the Des Moines metro. The closures are for work on the Hickman Interchange Project and will affect the interstate between the Southwest Mixmaster and Highway 141. The first closure begins this Sunday, August 10th, for the southbound lanes, with multiple other closures scheduled throughout August. The DOT says motorists will be directed to a detour using I-235.
Des Moines Man Charged In Ankeny Skate Park Incident
(Ankeny, IA) — The Ankeny Police Department has arrested a Des Moines man for allegedly making inappropriate advances toward minors at a city skate park. Police say officers were called to the park this past Sunday after multiple minors reported a man, identified as Trenton L. Nelson, was trying to persuade them to go to secluded areas. Nelson was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree harassment and possession of a controlled substance. Ankeny PD say he has also been legally trespassed from the skate park.
Democrat Xavier Carrigan Joins Crowded Iowa 3rd District Race
(Des Moines, IA) — The Democratic primary field for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District has grown, with Waukee resident Xavier Carrigan announcing his candidacy. Carrigan joins State Senator Sarah Trone Garriott and former State Representative Jennifer Konfrst in the race for the Democratic nomination. The winner of the primary will challenge incumbent Republican Congressman Zach Nunn.
Iowa Crops Rated Excellent, But Derecho Damage And Low Prices Are Concerns
(Des Moines, IA) — The latest U-S-D-A crop report shows most of Iowa’s corn and soybeans are in good-to-excellent condition and developing ahead of schedule. Eighty-five percent of corn and 80 percent of soybeans are rated in the top two categories. However, the report notes that a July 28th derecho caused damage in parts of northern and eastern Iowa, leading to a disaster proclamation for seven counties. Farmers also say the prospect of a record national crop could lead to lower prices at harvest.
