(Radio Iowa) – The State Department of Education is updating some of its previously reported high school graduation rates. The Education Department announced the data used to calculate the graduation rates for the last ten years left out students who had transferred to another school and then dropped out. Most recently, the correction increased the 2023 graduation rate by a tenth of a point to 87-point-five percent.

The rates for 2021 and 2022 fell by more than two percentage points to 87-point-eight percent for 2021 and 87-point-four percent for 2022. The Department says in a statement that Iowa’s four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 is consistent with the national standard and it’s above the 2023 rates reported by Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

(Council Bluffs, IA) – Officials with the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, today (Friday) announced that the Iowa West Foundation has generously committed a 1-to-1 match of $50,000 for donations made to the Southwest Iowa Emergency Relief Fund. The fund at the Community Foundation for Western Iowa is a philanthropic response to the increasing needs throughout Pottawattamie County due to the catastrophic tornadoes that tore through the region on April 26. Iowa West matching funds will provide relief to individuals impacted in Pottawattamie County.

In Pottawattamie County, officials estimate approximately 300 residential homes and businesses were either partially damaged or fully destroyed. In Minden specifically, officials currently assess 48 homes as destroyed, displacing resident occupancy. The outpouring of support in response to the devastation that occurred in our communities is incredible, and the Community Foundation is proud to be a funding source to help provide assistance for our friends, family and neighbors who have been affected.

Community Foundation for Western Iowa President and CEO Donna Dostal says “Our community is focused on helping assist recovery, and at the Community Foundation, our work right in this moment is dedicated to helping families and communities now and into the future. We are truly grateful to the Iowa West Foundation for this significant investment to the recovery of several communities, and value our continued partnership.”

Donations to the Southwest Iowa Emergency Relief Fund will be distributed to nonprofit organizations, city and county governmental organizations, and church groups working with the communities affected by the heartbreaking loss and destruction. To donate to the Relief Fund, visit:
https://bit.ly/southwest-iowa-relief-fund or www.givewesterniowa.org.

Brenda Mainwaring, President and CEO of the Iowa West Foundation, says “All of us are asking how we can help our neighbors begin to rebuild their lives. The Foundation’s goal in partnering with the Community Foundation is to encourage everyone to give just a little more, knowing that their contribution will be doubled. We are committed to helping our communities through these immediate efforts, and in their long-term recovery as well.”

The Southwest Iowa Emergency Relief Fund will provide funding to organizations and services in Pottawattamie County that are filling basic human needs, rebuilding communities, and providing direct support to individuals and families. Organizations and groups that are on the frontline of relief efforts are encouraged to apply through the Community Foundation for Western Iowa’s website at: www.givewesterniowa.org.

Additionally, SHARE Iowa – an initiative of the Community Foundation – is a resource to access information on how you can assist our communities through relief efforts, such as volunteer opportunities and in-kind donations. The SHARE Iowa team continues to work directly with Pottawattamie County Emergency Management and Pottawattamie County officials on approved volunteer opportunities and donation needs.

The Relief Resource website will be updated regularly and can be accessed by visiting: www.sharegoodiowa.org/emergencyrelief

For those directly impacted by the April 26 tornadoes, it is vital that property owners report storm-related damage on the Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency website, pcema-ia.org, as local and state officials explore opportunities for federal funding.

DES MOINES, Iowa – On Friday, May 10, 2024 at 10-a.m., Governor Kim Reynolds, Lt. Governor Adam Gregg, Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens, State of Iowa leadership, law enforcement partners and families will pay tribute to fallen peace officers who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving. Iowa DPS remains dedicated to remembering the brave men and women of law enforcement who died in the line of duty protecting Iowans and their communities. This year, two officers will be honored and added to the Iowa Peace Officer Memorial:

• Officer Kevin Cram, Algona Police Department. End of Watch September 13, 2023: Officer Cram was attempting to make an arrest around 8 p.m. that night when a suspect shot and killed him, according to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Cram, a 33-year-old husband and father, was a 10-year law enforcement veteran who had been an officer in Algona since 2015. He was the 219th law enforcement officer to die in the line-of-duty.
  

  Algona Police Officer Kevin Cram

• Officer Phoukham Tran, Des Moines Police Department. End of Watch November 2, 2023: Des Moines Senior Police Officer Phoukham Tran had been directing traffic at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 19, 2011, when he was struck by a drunken driver in a 3-ton pickup truck. Tran was thrown nearly 50 feet. He suffered from a punctured lung and severe head trauma. Tran medically retired from the force after the incident. He had served 30 years with the Des Moines Police Department before his retirement. He died November 2nd, 2023.

You are invited to join state and local officials in honoring the fallen peace officers, as well as the many other Iowa officers who have given their lives in the line of duty.

Dsm Sr. Police Officer Phoukham Tran (Retired)

If you are unable to attend this year’s ceremony, there are many ways you can observe National Police Week May 12-18, 2024. Please take time to thank current peace officers for protecting and serving your community and the great State of Iowa.

Details:
IOWA PEACE OFFICER MEMORIAL CEREMONY
Friday, May 7, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.
Iowa Peace Officer Memorial
Grounds East of Oran Pape State Office Building
215 East 7th Street
Des Moines, Iowa
(Rain Location: State Capitol rotunda)

Facebook Livestream: https://www.facebook.com/IowaDPS/

Find more information about the memorial and previous honorees here: https://dps.iowa.gov/iowa-peace-officer-memorial

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department, today (Friday), announced an arrest in connection with a Murder investigation. The Council Bluffs Police Department (CBPD) Criminal Investigation Division arrested 30-year-old Dequanta R. Zachary, of Council Bluffs. Zachary was charged with two counts of murder in the 1st degree (class A felony) and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon (class D felony).

On April 28th at around 12:18-a.m., CBPD was notified of a man down at the 2100 block of S. 29th Street. Upon arrival, officers found 36-year-old Deonte Ivory, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. At 7:02 a.m., CBPD was notified of a second man down on the 3200 block of S. 24th Street where 25-year-old Michael Anderson was also found deceased. Subsequent autopsies revealed that both Ivory and Anderson died of gunshot wounds.

Officials say, “After a swift and extensive investigation, CBPD Detectives were able to identify a suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle was later recovered in Mills County.”  The investigation also revealed that Zachary, Ivory, and Anderson were associates. CBPD Detectives located Zachary in Blair, Nebraska, on April 29th, where he was taken into custody with the assistance of the Blair Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. At that time, Zachary was arrested for an outstanding first degree theft (class C felony) warrant, issued by the Council Bluffs Police Department.

CBPD Detectives presented the case to the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s and the aforementioned murder and weapon charges were filed. Zachary is now being held at the Pottawattamie County Jail.

The public is reminded by police, that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.” The CBPD would like to thank the community and law enforcement partners who assisted in this investigation. Thank you to the members of the public who came forward with information. The public is always strongly encouraged to come forward and say something if you see something.

Thanks also go to assistance provided by the Mills County Sheriff’s Office (IA) and Omaha Police Department (NE), Blair Police Department (NE), and Washington County Sheriff’s Office (NE). Finally, the CBPD is grateful for the tireless efforts of the detectives in the Criminal Investigation Division. To any individual intending to do violence in the City of Council Bluffs, rest assured you will be identified and held accountable.”

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — The Storm Lake Police Department took to social media on Thursday to address a recent uptick in youth violence as juveniles in the area have been recording and sharing videos of them fighting each other, officials said. In their statement about the recent issue, the police department said that they have recently seen an uptick in youth violence in public areas. They said that they are specifically seeing juveniles fighting each other, recording these fights, and posting them on social media platforms.

“This trend is dangerous,” the police department said. “By recording and sharing these fights, our youth are not only putting themselves at risk, but they are also normalizing and sensationalizing violent behavior. That is not the community we want to foster.” The police department is asking parents to talk with their kids about the situation, inform them of the consequences, as well as monitor what they are up to.

The police department also said in their statement that going forward, arrests may be made when these fights happen. “Understand that moving forward, if three or more people gather in a public place and any of them act in a violent manner, with intent to commit any public offense, they could be arrested and charged with unlawful assembly. This includes individuals gathering to watch, record, or participate in a fight or any other public offense,” SLPD said.

They also said that recording illegal activities such as these fights may also result in the police department seizing juveniles’ cell phones. “We encourage members of the public to call the police when they see fights occurring within our community. If you see something, say something,” SLPD said. “Let’s work together to stand together against youth violence.”

FORT DODGE, Iowa [KCCI] — Two best friends turned co-business owners are in shock after security footage shows someone setting the clothing in their Fort Dodge business on fire early Thursday morning. Dreyzon Phillips runs Fear to Dream, where he designs apparel. Taj Lowrey runs Just for Kicks, where he designs shoes. Together, the two opened a store called FTD in Fort Dodge last October.

Video from a security camera shows the moment someone broke the front window of their shop and stepped inside Thursday at 1 a.m. Seconds later, the person can be seen using what appears to be a torch to light the clothing on a few racks on fire. Not even a minute later, the flames can be seen growing and some falling to the ground.

Lowrey and Phillips say they didn’t know what was going on until 8:30 in the morning. That’s around the time both say they received a call from the person who owns the shop next door and their landlord. Both 21-year-olds quickly made it to the store and saw that the fire was out.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa National Guard, say “As anticipated, the Director of the Air National Guard (ANG) has released a Force Structure announcement that divests the 133rd Test Squadron’s mission located in Fort Dodge. We anticipate that this will result in the eventual closure of the unit and Air Guard facility in Fort Dodge.” The statement went on to says “The Iowa National Guard is among a handful of states impacted by Air Force and ANG’s force-restructuring decisions which are driven in large part by the need to modernize and reprioritize our national defense capabilities and redefine mission sets. There is no official timeline with this confirmation from the ANG, but we are working with the community of Fort Dodge to honor the history of the 133rd and to prioritize the care of our people with future opportunities within the Iowa National Guard.”

The National Guard will maintain its presence in Fort Dodge with 107 Soldiers of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion 194th Field Artillery and a full-time force of seven employees at the Field Maintenance Shop (FMS).

Full deactivation of the 133rd may take years to complete and is dependent on Department of Defense resources to fully execute and comply with all related regulations and polices. Officials say “Our priority currently is to ensure that all affected Air Guardsmen/women are afforded options to continue their careers with the Iowa Air National Guard. This diverse team brings a wide range of skills and views to the table enhancing the overall unit capabilities as a test squadron.”

(Radio Iowa) – State officials say about 233-thousand Iowans are no longer receiving Medicaid coverage after a year-long review. Federal guidelines established at the start of the COVID pandemic prevented states from removing most recipients from the Medicaid program, but that rule ended a year ago. Elizabeth Matney is the state Medicaid director. She says about 50-thousand Iowans who were notified they’d be removed from the Medicaid program in the past year are still enrolled after officials confirmed they qualified for the benefit.  “There is a fairly expedited process to get back on and those are the individuals that, you know, we see reinstated.”

Kelly Huntsman is the C-E-O of Primary Health Care, a federally qualified health center that operates clinics in central Iowa. She says some of their patients missed state notifications and didn’t realize they had lost coverage until they showed up for an appointment.  “When the state sends out, you know, the letters, sometimes they’ve changed addresses once or twice since then,” she said. “And many of our patients are non-English speaking.”

State officials say based on recent state and federal data, they believe most of the 233-thousand Iowans who are no longer enrolled in Medicaid were eligible for other types of health coverage.