(Radio Iowa) – An analysis by the Common Sense Institute finds two Iowa-based investment funds created to manage cash reserves for Iowa cities, counties and schools invested most of that money out of state last year. Ben Murray is director of policy and research for the Iowa chapter of the Common Sense Institute.

“Local governments aren’t sitting on tons of reserves the way the state is sitting on billions of dollars in reserves,” Murray said, “but there’s always money that needs to be held somewhere, deposited somewhere after they’ve collected tax revenue and before they spend it.” In the last fiscal year, over 95 percent of the two-and-a-half BILLION dollars local governments in Iowa deposited in the two funds created for this kind of situation were invested out of state.

“So until it actually gets spent by the local governments, it’s not going to work in Iowa’s economy,” Murray says. The report compared investment yields in Iowa banks and the returns on investments made in these two funds over the past decade. Murray says the data suggests requiring that reserve funds from local governments be invested in Iowa banks would yield slightly higher returns over time, could boost the state’s economy and create up to 85-hundred jobs by the end of this decade.

“We’re talking about government holding in trust money that was handed over to them from taxpayers, for the sake of the good of taxpayers,” Murray said. “When you’re having that conversation it’s worth considering: Is the money serving taxpayers?”

Iowa law requires initial deposits from local governments and public schools to be made in an Iowa-based investment fund, which then manages an array of investments in Iowa and elsewhere to generate additional income. Murray’s research team found at least 14 states had similar laws and found a dozen that required all temporary cash reserves from local governments to be invested within that state.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn says he’s asked ICE supervisors for a briefing on the rules of engagement for federal agents. Nunn, a Republican from Ankeny, is so far the only member of Iowa’s congressional delegation to comment publicly on Saturday’s shooting in Minneapolis. Nunn says loss of life in America is always a tragedy and leaders, law enforcement and local communities are reeling. Nunn says all have an obligation to de-escalate as investigations proceed.

Two Democrats competing for a chance to challenge Nunn’s re-election in November say what’s happening in Minnesota is not making the country safer. Sarah Trone Garriott says there needs to be an independent investigation and Jennifer Konfrst says it’s time for congress to demand accountability. The three Democrats running for the U-S Senate posted statements online after Saturday’s shooting.

Josh Turek of Council Bluffs met his wife while playing in a professional wheelchair basketball league in Europe and while she is now a U.S. citizen, Turek says families like his are living in fear of the government. “My wife is an Afro-Latina immigrant and my mother-in-law is here on a Visa and does not even speak English,” Turek said. “…This is the United States of America and this is absolutely unacceptable.” Turek says federal authorities are making the situation in Minneapolis worse and less safe.

Zach Wahls of Coralville says congress needs to do its job and stop the chaos. “I don’t think there’s a single person who can look at the video…and think what happened on the streets of Minnesota was appropriate or the right thing to do,” Wahls said. “It has to stop.” Nathan Sage of Knoxville says it’s time to pull federal agents out of Minneapolis, take the masks off, and hold those responsible accountable. And one of the Republican candidates for governor posted a statement on social media this weekend.

Adam Steen says as governor he would fully cooperate with ICE’s efforts to deport illegal immigrants. About 300 people gathered in downtown Iowa City Sunday for what was called an emergency protest against immigration and customs enforcement. Lily Froehlich is a student at the University of Iowa.”I was just devastated by the fact that we have gotten to this point as a country where we’re excusing this, where we’re seeing this man who spent his life helping veterans, helping others, helping a woman who had been tear gassed, and we have members of our community saying that this is something that’s not a problem,” she said.

About a hundred people held a candlelight vigil in downtown Cedar Rapids last (Sunday) night.

(Jefferson County, IA) – A collision west of Fairfield Saturday night left a teenage female dead and two adults injured. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2009 Lexus E350 driven by 18-year-old Emmelia Miller, of Fairfield, was traveling north on Hemlock Avenue at around 10:20-p.m. near Cedar Creek, when the car went out of control due to weather conditions.

The vehicle was struck on the side by a 2025 Dodge truck driven by 20-year-old Morgan Anderson, of Fairfield. Miller – who was not wearing a seat belt – died at the scene. 25-year-old James Lyman, of Fairfield, and 24-year-old Ashlyn Hotchkiss, of Urbana (IA) were injured. The Patrol says Hotchkiss was not wearing a seat belt and was transported by Jefferson County Ambulance to the University of Iowa Hospital. Lyman was not transported to a hospital.

The crash remained under investigation. The State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Ambulance, Fairfield Police and Fire, as well as the Libertyville Fire Department.

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) – Crews from across Woodbury County responded to search for an aircraft that made an emergency landing, Saturday morning. The non-commercial, single-engine plane with six seats departed the Sioux Gateway Airport at around 7:14-a.m., and was forced to make an emergency landing due to engine issues. The aircraft was located about one-half mile south of the airport in a field, near the intersection of Andrew Avenue and 225th Street. The Iowa State Patrol said there were two people on board at the time of the emergency landing. They had exited the aircraft safely and declined medical treatment at the scene, according to a press release from Sioux Gateway Airport. The aircraft’s registered owner was listed as a Mulaii, LLC, a company in Delaware.

Some of the agencies involved with searching for the plane included the Iowa State Patrol, the 185th Air Refueling Wing’s fire crews and Sergeant Bluff Fire. A helicopter was also used during the search for the plane.

In a press release, the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) said the initial investigation was completed and the aircraft would be towed back to Sioux Gateway Airport and secured for a follow-up investigation.

(Des Moines, IA) – Officials with the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) ©, Saturday, announced the route for their 53rd ride seven-day. The road trip begins with the dipping of bicycle tire in the Missouri River at Onawa on July 18th, before making overnight stays in Harlan, Guthrie Center, Boone, Marshalltown, Independence, and Dyersville, before the arrive, in Dubuque, where participants will dip their bike tires into the Mississippi River to conclude their experience on July 25th.

According to the official RAGBRAI website “It is the oldest, largest, and longest recreational bicycle touring event in the world.This rolling celebration of Iowa attracts participants from all 50 states and many foreign countries. It has covered thousands of miles through the years, and hundreds of thousands of riders have hopped in the saddle to pedal part of those miles.”

• Day 0 – Onawa: Riders will dip their tires in the Missouri River and begin their ride from the town of Onawa.

• Day 1 – Harlan:After 58.5 miles of riding and 3,465 feet of elevation climb, riders will have their first overnight stop in Harlan.
• Day 2 – Guthrie Center: After 53.9 miles of riding and 3,544 feet of elevation climb, riders will have their second overnight stop in Guthrie Center.
• Day 3 – Boone: After 59.5 miles of riding and 1,503 feet of elevation climb, riders will have their third overnight stop in Boone.
• Day 4 – Marshalltown: After 62.2 miles of riding and 3,465 feet of elevation climb, riders will have their fourth overnight stop in Marshalltown.
• Day 5 – Independence: After 81.4 miles of riding and 2,713 feet of elevation climb, riders will have their fifth overnight stop in Independence.
• Day 6 – Dyersville: After 42.2 miles of riding and 1,441 feet of elevation climb, riders will have their sixth overnight stop in Dyersville.
• Day 7 – Dubuque: After 33.7 miles of riding and 1,788 feet of elevation climb, riders will dip their tires in the Mississippi River and end their ride in Dubuque.

(Council Bluffs, IA) – Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department report one person died following a two-vehicle accident late this (Saturday) morning. Authorities say emergency crews were dispatched at around 11:15-a.m. to Interstate 80 westbound at mile-marker zero, where two vehicles had collided.

One of the drivers suffered serious injuries, and later died. Traffic on Westbound I-80 was reduced to one lane for just short of three-hours while the accident was being investigated. All lanes were cleared at around 2-p.m.

At this time, no names are being released, as the accident investigation was ongoing investigation by the Council Bluffs Police Department’s Traffic Unit.

(Cedar County, IA) – A person who was apparently struck by one or more vehicles, was found deceased on Interstate 80, this (Saturday) morning. According to the Iowa State Patrol, Troopers were called at around 5:45-a.m. to mile marker 277 of westbound I-80 (The Durant Exit), were a pedestrian was found on the roadway.

The name of the individual was being withheld pending identification and notification of family. The body was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s lab in Ankeny. The incident remains under investigation.

Multiple agencies assisted at the scene.

Mahaska County, IA – A woman from Oskaloosa was arrested Thursday and booked-into the Mahaska County Jail in Oskaloosa, following an investigation into her having allegedly trying to sell her one-month-old baby. KCRG-TV reports court documents show that in August, 2025, 33-year-old Tiffany Smith willingly gave her one-month-old child to a family member of a potential buyer.

The family member had the child for two and a half hours when Smith allegedly demanded $10,000 or that they give the child back. The documents say the family remember returned the child. The potential buyer then showed police officers text messages exchanged with Smith detailing the purchase of the baby.

During an emergency removal of the baby by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Smith was asked about the incident. Court documents say she told officers she needed financial help. Officers found text messages on Smith’s phone between her and her mother that involved information about this case.

Smith’s bond is set at $10,000 cash or surety bond.

(Redd Oak, IA – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Red Oak was arrested at around 8-p.m. Friday on a Federal U.S. Marshal’s warrant. 50-year-old Robert Eugene Glassgow was taken into custody on the warrant for Violation of Supervised release, on the original charge of Receipt of Child Pornography.

Glassgow was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held without bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Malden, Massachusetts man was sentenced on January 20, 2026, to eight years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl.

According to public court documents, Michael Thomas D’Orlando, 47, sent packages with a powder containing fentanyl to a person in the Southern District of Iowa. On November 27, 2023, the Norwalk Police Department located a deceased victim. Further investigation showed that the victim ingested the powder D’Orlando sent to Iowa and the fentanyl caused the victim’s death.

After completing his term of imprisonment, D’Orlando will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains committed in its collaboration with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who distribute lethal doses of fentanyl are held accountable,” said Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “This sentencing emphasizes the impact of fentanyl distribution in our communities and our commitment in relentlessly pursuing those responsible for distributing the deadly drug.”

Greg Staples, Chief of Police for the City of Norwalk, said “The distribution of narcotics presents a severe risk to the community and resulted in the death of a community member in the City of Norwalk in November 2023. Thank you to our partners, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa for assisting with this investigation. These partnerships are crucial to maintain public safety, quality prosecutions, and justice for the citizens of Norwalk.”

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The United States Postal Inspection Service, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and City of Norwalk Police Department investigated the case.