DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] – Barry Manilow is planning one final stop in Des Moines. KCCI reports the 80-year-old singer will perform at Wells Fargo Arena for “The Last Des Moines Concert,” part of his summer tour through the Midwest. The concert is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 1. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 2, via Hy-VeeTix.

GRAND JUNCTION, Iowa ([KCCI] – A Grand Junction woman’s handmade quilt fetched $1,000 in a silent auction Monday night, that raised more than $6,000 for the families of victims in the Perry school shooting.  Ellen McElroy stitched the quilt just months after losing her own son, Arnold Thomas, better known as “Tommy,” who was nine-years old when he was struck by a truck in 1981. Tommy died two days later. The auction winner, Tyler Pieper, said he’ll donate the money and Ellen gets to keep her quilt.

McElroy had submitted her quilt to benefit the family of Ahmir Jolliff — the sixth-grader who was shot and killed at Perry High School on Jan. 4th, and Valentina Mion, a student who was shot in the head.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report two people were arrested on separate drug charges, Monday. 42-year-old Brandon Ashley Howe, of Creston, was arrested at 408 S Vine. Howe was taken into custody at around 2:30-p.m., on a Union County Warrant charging him with three counts of Gathering where controlled substances (Other than marijuana) are unlawfully used. Howe was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

And, at around 7:47-p.m., Monday, Creston Police arrested 45-year-old Carrie Nawacy Pendegraft, of Creston, arrested at the intersection Highway 25 and Townline. Pendegraft was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance 3rd Offense/non-Marijuana, Possession Firearm or Offensive Weapon by Felon, Keeping a Premises or Vehicle for Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was taken to the Union County Jail, and later released on a $12,300 cash or surety bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — A Des Moines woman is accused of filming herself smacking her twin babies on their faces. Naria Onye Bowens faces two counts of child endangerment. Court records say Bowens sent the video to the children’s father. Detectives then found out about the video circulating on social media. Bowens is being held without bond in the Polk County Jail.

Naria Onye Bowens (Polk County Jail booking photo)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) — The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed human remains found in rural Delaware County in November, are those of a man who had been missing since 2013. On Nov. 5, 2023, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office responded one mile south of the 1300 block of 180th Street for a report that human remains had been located in a field just west of Manchester by some pheasant hunters.

The remains were removed from the scene and taken to the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office for identification. Officials believed at that time they were those of Brian “Farmer” Burns, who was reported missing back on Dec. 23, 2013. Now, officials have confirmed that they are those of Burns.

Brian “Farmer” Burns

Brian Burns was the cousin of Jerry Burns, who was convicted of killing Michelle Martinko. At the time Jerry Burns was arrested in 2018 for the murder of Martinko, TV9 asked the Delaware County Sheriff’s office if Jerry Burns was connected to Brian Burns’ disappearance. Delaware County Sheriff John LeClere said in a statement back in 2018, “We are reviewing the case and at this time have not uncovered any additional information that would implicate Jerry Burns in that disappearance.”

The incident remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – With the freeze-thaw cycle underway, many Iowa roads are being pockmarked by potholes and avoiding them is almost impossible for motorists. Triple-A-Iowa spokesman Brian Ortner says if you haven’t done any basic preventive maintenance on your car lately, you might want to do so now. “Check your tires, make sure that the tread depth is okay, tire pressure’s okay, your suspension and alignment is okay, and then most importantly, keep your eyes on the road,” Ortner says. “Adjust your driving habits a little bit. Scan the road for potholes, drive around any if they’re in your path.”

Suddenly swerving to miss a pothole might cause a collision, so Ortner suggests you scan the pavement for a problem and maneuver to avoid it — before you’re on top of it. “If you see any standing water or puddles, those may be disguising a deep pothole, so avoid driving through that water if at all possible,” Ortner says, “and there may be times you can’t avoid hitting one and in that case, reduce your speed, avoid braking abruptly, particularly as you go over the potholes.” If you don’t pay close attention, pounding one of those potholes could cause some serious damage to your vehicle.

“The most common repairs that AAA has seen from a recent survey, tire damage tops the list, alignment’s number two, your wheels are number three, suspension and shocks are in there, and possibly some body damage hits the lower end of that list.” Replacing a wheel and tire combination can run $500 to $600 on some cars, and suspension damage, like to shocks, struts or tie rods, could quickly bounce into the $1,000 range.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s unemployment rate has remained low, but there are still people looking for work. Iowa Workforce Development director, Beth Townsend, says the agency can help you with a modern approach to finding a job. “The way that people find jobs the way that people apply for and get jobs is a little bit different than it was five, ten, 15 years ago, and so if you’re not having success in your job search for for goodness sake please come see us,” Townsend says. She says they can revamp your approach.

“We can help you update your search. We can help your search activities, we can help you update your resume polish off your interview skills,” she says. I like to tell people in this environment if you’re not getting a job, it’s most likely because there’s something you’re doing or that’s on your resume that is adversely affecting employer’s interest in you.” Townsend says it’s worth it to have them take a look.

“It may just be something very simple that we can just take care of right away and you know frame it differently or updated or corrected,” she says. Townsend encourages you to seek out help in your job search from Iowa Workforce Development.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A requested welfare check in Villisca, Monday night, in the 100 block of N. 3rd Avenue, resulted in the arrest of a man on an assault charge. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 37-year-old Jeffrey Sparks, III, of Villisca, was taken into custody for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. Sparks was being held without bond, in the Montgomery County Jail.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – At a capitol event this week in Des Moines, a group of Iowa pastors will call for equal protection of all humans in the womb. Raymond Simmons, pastor of the Ascension Reformed Church in Red Oak and Stanton, says after a year of coordination, the group has released guidance “that makes the biblical case for life at conception and equal protection of all humans in Iowa.” Eighteen pastors across Iowa have signed the guidance, and the number is growing.

If legislation followed the pastors’ counsel, all chemical and surgical abortions would be outlawed in Iowa except for rare cases of medical emergencies where the life of the mother is in danger. It would also classify abortion as murder, with varying degrees, to be handled under the existing penal code. The existing penal code deals with knowledge and intent to ensure justice, says the group.

Pastor Simmons say “We thought it was important to come as local pastors in Iowa. Well-intended legislation can still fall short of God’s requirements. We also want to bring the good news that God will bless our state if we follow Him.”

Eleven other states have already outlawed abortion; however, none of them have implemented equal protection. Equal protection means that both the doctor and the mother would be held accountable under the existing civil penal code for ending a life, no matter the stage.

“The simple fact is that a baby during the first day of conception must be protected the same way she would on the first day of birth. Legislation that does not uphold that is not pleasing to God and is not internally consistent.” Simmons said. “We understand what we are saying is controversial, even among faithful Christians, but we believe it is biblical and have signed our names to it. It is also the historical position of the church before the Soviet Union and Hitler’s Germany institutionalized abortion in the 1920s and 30s.” Simmons said that equal protection bills are popping up all across the US.

The event will be held Wednesday, January 31 at 11:30 a.m. at the Iowa Capitol Rotunda.

SIGNATORIES for Biblical Guidance to the Iowa Civil Leaders on Abortion:

Grant Brown, Crossroad Church, Earlham.
Caleb Castro, Rock Valley United Reformed Church, Rock Valley.
Todd DeRooy, Redeemer United Reformed Church, Orange City.
Dan Donovan, Cornerstone United Reformed Church, Sanborn.
Lloyd Grant, Central Baptist Church, Sioux City.
Cary Gordon, Cornerstone Church, Sioux City.
Sam Jones, Abundant Life Church, Humbolt.
David Koch, Crossroad Church, Earlham.
Joshua Loomis, Church of All Nations, Sioux City.
Jody James Lucero, Providence Reformed Church, Des Moines.
Garry Mayes, Ascension Reformed Church, Red Oak & Stanton.
Kyle McBee, Zion Lutheran Church, Atlantic.
Jamie Mogler, First Baptist Church, Bedford.
Micah Sample, First Baptist Church, Dunkerton.
Christian Shields, Christian Life Church, Cedar Rapids.
Micheal Shover, Christ the Redeemer Church, Pella.
Raymond Simmons, Ascension Reformed Church, Red Oak & Stanton.
Matthew Wiese, Crossroad Church, Earlham.