Perry Police Investigating Deceased Infant Found At Daycare
(Perry, IA) — A deceased infant was found at a Perry daycare facility Tuesday. Investigators say EMS responded to Acorns and Oaks Child Care Tuesday afternoon for a woman with vaginal bleeding. She was taken to a local hospital. About an hour later, Perry officers say they found the infant’s body in a trash bag at the child care facility. The baby was not in the care of Acorns and Oaks. Investigators say they are still investigating.
Des Moines Public School District Names New Superintendent
(Des Moines, IA) — The Des Moines Public School District has a new superintendent. The school board announced Tuesday that interim superintendent Matt Smith will take over the role officially. Smith has served as interim superintendent since former superintendent Ian Roberts was taken into ICE custody last September. Smith has worked with the school district since 2012 when he was hired as principal of North High School. He also worked as the district’s Executive Director of Learning Services and became Chief Schools Officer in 2014.
Study: More Iowa Counties Passing Ordinances Regarding Wind, Solar Power
(Des Moines, IA) — A new study finds more counties are passing ordinances related to wind and solar projects. Heather Sparks with the Center for Rural Affairs says between 2025 and 2026, Iowa counties with solar ordinances increased from 33-percent of counties to 40-percent. In the same time period, counties with wind ordinances increased from 61-percent of counties to 76-percent. Ordinances vary by county, but a large majority requires developers to include a plan to remove things like solar panels at the end of their use and return sites to their original condition.
Two Chinese Nationals Plead Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy Spanning 10 States, Including Iowa
(Des Moines, IA) — Two Chinese Nationals living in New York have pleaded guilty to charges related to the theft of cooking oil in ten states, including Iowa. The Department of Justice says the two men are among 19 defendants charged with driving trucks to restaurants and stealing or attempting to steal used cooking oil from collection tanks. Cooking oil can be refined into biodiesel and re-sold. The defendants are accused of taking the stolen oil to warehouses throughout the country, including Iowa locations in Ankeny and Nevada. The men pleaded guilty to money laundering and racketeering conspiracy charges. Their sentencing is scheduled for January 29th.
Iowa Workforce Development Launches Grants to Expand Training for Workers in High-Demand Fields
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa Workforce Development is launching a new program designed to expand the training for workers in high-demand fields. The Career Training Physical Expansion Grant Program will award three-point-five-million dollars statewide to help community colleges, trade unions and private sector apprenticeships expand their training capacity. One-point-five-million dollars of the funding is reserved for healthcare-related programs. Grant applications will be accepted until Monday, October 19th.
