CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Two Iowa couples are among those suing a company that makes medical devices. The couples claim defective products ruined their efforts to get pregnant through In vitro fertilization (IVF). One of the couples lives in Cedar Rapids; the other, in Stanwood.

They’re suing CooperSurgical over defective culture media. That’s the liquid that goes in the petri dish where a woman’s egg is fertilized to create embryos. The liquid essentially mimics the environment inside the womb. The lawsuits claim CooperSurgical failed to make sure all the right nutrients were in this liquid before it was packaged and sold to clinics across the country.

CooperSurgical has released this statement to a number of outlets: “While we cannot address ongoing litigation, quality and compliance are fundamental parts of the value we provide to our customers and are our core focus. In accordance with the requirements of our quality management system, a media recall was initiated to proactively address any possible issue with our products while we continue to investigate.”

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI]— Iowa lawmakers are trying to restrict inappropriate content on children’s devices, but they also want to avoid legal battles with big tech companies. HF 2114 originally looked to make it so phone and computer manufacturers would have to already have parental controls activated for minors as they receive the phone. Only a parent or guardian would be able to deactivate the settings.

As it was originally written, anyone who wasn’t a parent or guardian who disabled the settings would face a serious misdemeanor and a fine of up to $5,000. A subsequent violation would be an aggravated misdemeanor with a fine of up to $50,000. The reworked version of the bill would task schools with educating kids on the dangers of pornography and about what they may encounter in general on social media. Parents would also be educated on what parental controls are available on devices.

The reworked bill also looks to stop minors from finding themselves on pornographic websites. The bill did pass through a House subcommittee Tuesday. It’s now eligible to be considered by the House Judiciary Committee.

JEFFERSON, Iowa [KCCI]— A man accused of abducting his son from an elementary school is pleading not guilty. Brandon Duong, 34, of Jefferson, was accused of removing his 7-year-old son from Greene County Elementary last week, prompting an Amber Alert that eventually ended without injury after an hourslong armed standoff.

Duong was charged with second-degree kidnapping, to which he is pleading not guilty, according to court documents filed this week. Duong is also accused of violating a custodial order. An arraignment is set for later this month in Greene County.

(Radio Iowa) – Waterloo’s crime rate fell six-percent last year, and an annual report credits the police department’s community engagement efforts. Violent crime is down nearly four-percent in the past year, property crime plummeted 17-percent, a for the first time since the pandemic, the city’s police department is fully staffed. Police Chief Joe Liebold (LY-bold) says that increase of about 15 officers enables the department to engage with the community more meaningfully. The chief says it’s easy to see the connection as it’s clearly making a difference to have more officers interacting with more citizens every day. Liebold also partially credits the drop in the crime rate to ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training for his officers.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report a traffic stop at around 9:15-p.m., Tuesday, resulted in the arrest of a woman on a drug charge. Deputies initiated the stop in the 2300 block of Highway 48. During their investigation, the Montgomery County K-9 Unit was deployed. Deputies arrested 43-year-old Alexandria Dawn Lasley, of Shenandoah, for Possession of Methamphetamine/2nd offense. Lasley was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

And, at around 2:30-a.m. today (Wednesday, Feb. 7), a traffic stop in the area of Q Avenue and 110th Street in Montgomery County resulted in the arrest of 27-year-old Brittany Marie Asay, of Atlantic, for Driving While Barred. Asay was also being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A traffic stop at around 5:20-p.m. Tuesday in Montgomery County resulted in the arrest of a man on a felony, OWI charge. Red Oak Police report the traffic stop was conducted at the intersection of Highway’s 34 and 48. Upon further investigation, 42-year-old Anthony Thomas Germann, of Villisca, was arrested for OWI/3rd or subsequent offense – A Class D Felony.

Germann was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on the $5,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans on a House Committee have approved Governor Kim Reynolds’ bill that would put definitions of man, woman, mother and father in Iowa law and require changes in how the state issues new birth certificates to transgender residents. House Education Committee chairman Skyler Wheeler of Hull says he asked to have the bill assigned to his committee. “The bill is simple. We’re just defining what a woman is because under today’s society I think 95% of Iowans know what it is, but we have some people that try to disorient the issue and we’re just going to get back to the basics,”

Wheeler says “…It’s just definitions. It’s thinks that everybody knows, but we feel like we have to put it into law because of some of the crazier things that are happening out there.” Democrats on the committee voted against the bill. Representative Sue Cahill of Marshalltown says the bill puts transgender Iowans in danger. “To me it seems we are not protecting our transgendered,” Cahill says. “We are not protecting those who view themselves differently.” Representative Sharon Steckman of Marshalltown says the bill feeds on fear.

“I’m appalled that the governor would put this discriminatory piece of legislation forward targeting 0.29% of our population in Iowa,” Steckman said. “Shouldn’t we be working on something more important in education?” A large crowd of opponents rallied and chanted outside the room where a subcommittee hearing on the bill was held at noon yesterday (Tuesday). After the committee vote last (Monday) night, a couple of dozen people booed lawmakers after the bill passed the committee.

Protesters lined a statehouse hallway to boo lawmakers after tonight’s committee vote. (RI photo)

The committee did remove part of the bill that would have required transgender Iowans list their sex at birth on their driver’s license or government-issued I-D.