We Are Iowa
From school funding to jobs outside of Tyson | How the plant's closure could impact Perry
PERRY, Iowa — The Tyson Foods plant in Perry is set to close in June, the company announced earlier this month. With more than 50% of plant's workforce either living in Perry or other parts of Dallas County, the shutdown will impact the community's future. After all, Perry is...
Iowa farm is running on renewable energy all-year round. Here's how
LINN COUNTY, Iowa — Jason Russell's hog barn finished construction two decades ago, but the way it functions has changed since then — all because the way farmers use energy is evolving. The smell of the 7,000-hog-filled barn reaches your nose the moment you drive up to the...
Iowa troops heading to the US-Mexico border to join Operation Lone Star
DES MOINES, Iowa — Members of the Iowa National Guard and the Iowa Department of Public Safety are heading to the United States' border with Mexico to participate in Operation Lone Star, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced. According to a press release sent on Thursday, March 28, eight troopers...
MercyOne offering free doula services for central Iowans
DES MOINES, Iowa — MercyOne says they are the first and only hospital in Iowa to offer a volunteer birth doula program. This year will be their 12th year of offering the service, and in celebration of World Doula Week, they shared with Local 5 how the program helps central Iowa families have a smooth birthing experience without breaking the bank.
Iowa DNR: Fertilizer spill killed around 750,000 fish in East Nishnabotna River
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Iowa — Nearly 750,000 freshwater fish were killed after an early March fertilizer spill spread to the East Nishnabotna River, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources confirmed on Thursday. The spill, which affected an almost 50-mile part of the river near the Iowa-Missouri border, originated from 1,500...
Fire at Johnston apartment building displaces 18 people
JOHNSTON, Iowa — At least 18 people have been displaced from their homes following a fire at an apartment building, the Johnston-Grimes Fire District said in a press release. Crews responded to a fire that broke out at an apartment located at 5740 Gables Way around 10 a.m. on...
Recent soaking rainfalls helping Iowa reduce extreme drought
DES MOINES, Iowa — Extreme drought covers just 12% of Iowa at the end of March, down from 35% of the state at the start of 2024. That's a 23% decrease in areas affected by the worst drought conditions. Severe drought, which had impacted more than half of Iowa...
Iowa is a top-10 state for worst allergies | What does that mean?
DES MOINES, Iowa — If your seasonal allergies are bugging you earlier than normal this spring, local experts told Local 5 Iowa's warmer-than-normal winter could be the culprit. Early signs of spring meant more opportunity to get outside and enjoy the unexpected sunshine, but in exchange, spring allergies have...
Reynolds signs bill reforming Area Education Agencies into law
DES MOINES, Iowa — Changes are coming to Iowa's Area Education Agencies (AEAs). After months of consideration in the Iowa House and Senate, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the bill into law Wednesday afternoon. "I’m proud to sign legislation that further strengthens Iowa's commitment to students, parents, teachers, and schools,"...
Iowa attorney general not finished with audit that's holding up contraception money for rape victims
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa attorney general’s office said it is still working on an audit of its victim services that has held up emergency contraception funding for victims of sexual assault. Attorney General Brenna Bird, a Republican, paused the funding while awaiting the results of the...
Punxsutawney Phil, wife welcome two babies
PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Punxsutawney Phil has a life outside of Groundhog Day. In fact, he has a wife, Phyllis, and now, he even has kids!. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club announced Wednesday that Phil and Phyllis welcomed two baby groundhogs to the world. The club says that the babies are...
Des Moines man in custody after Wednesday morning police chase, Clive police say
DES MOINES, Iowa — A man is in custody after allegedly leading officers in a car chase through multiple cities in the Des Moines metro, Clive police said in a press release. 40-year-old Brian Zimmerman of Des Moines is charged with the following:. OWI. Eluding. Interference with Official Acts.
University of Iowa student working to stop drink tampering
IOWA CITY, Iowa — It's an unfortunate experience for many college students: they're out in the community and their drink is tampered with. For some, it can even lead to assault. But a University of Iowa student is working to stop that violence and make her campus safer. Madison...
Public weighs in on McKenzie Snow's Iowa Dept. of Education director appointment
DES MOINES, Iowa — In a public hearing Tuesday morning, Iowans and Senators alike had an opportunity to directly share their thoughts on the work Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow has done. Snow was appointed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in June after taking over for Chad Aldis,...
Des Moines police searching for missing 15-year-old
DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines police are asking for the public's help finding a missing 15-year-old girl. Police say 15-year-old Damarianna "Ari" James-Graham left a residence on 2nd Avenue on Sunday evening and has not been seen since. She is 5 foot 8 inches, weighs 135 pounds and...
About 40% of DMPS students are chronically absent | Here's what district is doing
DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines Public Schools has 60 schools under its purview, and even though district officials say chronic absenteeism has decreased the past two academic years, absenteeism numbers still hover around 40% of its student body. Students are classified as chronically absent when they miss at...
DCI investigating after Waterloo police officer shot armed man, killing him
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is looking into the shooting death of an armed 41-year-old, the Iowa Department of Public Safety shared on Tuesday. Police responded to a house on Hartman Avenue in Waterloo around 3 p.m. on Monday, March 25, after getting reports...
Retired Ankeny, Baltimore fire chief reacts to bridge collapse
DES MOINES, Iowa — When James Clack learned that Baltimore's Francis Scott Key bridge collapsed Tuesday, memories of a similar disaster from earlier in his career came flooding in. Clack retired from his role as the Ankeny Fire Department Chief in 2023, but before he came to Iowa, Clack...
Windsor Heights business owner charged with 22 counts of child pornography possession
WINDSOR HEIGHTS, Iowa — Gate House Pictures owner Frederick Amundson is facing several child pornography charges. The 22 charges follow an investigation that began in April 2022 after Windsor Heights police were called to the video production business on University Avenue on reports of child pornography found on a work computer.
Waterloo, Iowa: John Deere laying off more than 300 production employees
WATERLOO, Iowa — More than 300 employees at John Deere's Waterloo location will be without jobs by late April, the company confirmed with Local 5 on Tuesday. A John Deere spokesperson said 308 production employees will be put on indefinite layoff on April 29, 2024. The employees were allegedly told about the layoffs in meetings with factory leaders on Tuesday.
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