At around 11 p.m. emergency crews responded to a report of a crash in the 3500 block of NE 86th Avenue in Ankeny. When Polk County Sheriff's deputies arrived on scene they found a Chevrolet Silverado on its top in the north ditch.

The sheriff's office said a preliminary investigation shows there were two teens in the cab of the truck and three teens in the bed of the truck. The truck was traveling westbound on NE 86th Ave. when the teen driver lost control, entered the ditch, and rolled, the sheriff's office said.

Four of the five teens were uninjured during the crash. One teen, who investigators believe was riding in the bed of the truck, passed away at the scene, the sheriff's office said. The teens' names will not be released due to their ages.

The sheriff's office said the investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Water rescue crews were called out to the southeast area of the lake, also known as 'Party Cove', around 7:20 p.m. Saturday night on a report of a man who had gone missing in the water. The search was called off after sunset for safety.

Just after 8:30 a.m. on Sunday emergency crews resumed search efforts to find the missing man. At around 9:10 a.m. crews located the victim 15-20 yards from shore in about 10-15 feet of water, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

The name of the victim has not been released. An investigation into the incident is ongoing, the sheriff's office said.

At around 7:20 p.m. emergency crews responded to a missing person report claiming a man had gone underwater and never resurfaced near the southeast area of the lake, commonly known as 'Party Cove.' According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, witnesses saw a male in the water, but then could not locate him a short time later.

Rescue crews arrived on scene and searched the water until sunset and stopped when conditions became too dangerous to continue due to darkness, the sheriff's office said.

Search efforts will begin again on Sunday after sunrise.

At around 1 p.m. officers with the Pleasant Hill Police Department and from other metro agencies responded to a report of a shooting in the 400 block of Pleasant Circle. When officers arrived on scene they discovered a man discharging his weapon.

As officers engaged with the armed man, a Pleasant Hill Officer shot him and took him into custody, the police department said. Despite life-saving measures initiated at the scene and at a nearby hospital, the man died from his injuries, the police department said. The man's name has not been released.

Pleasant Hill Police said they later learned that the man had killed his two family dogs prior to the incident with officers.

An investigation into the shooting is being conducted by the Pleasant Hill Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Police said there is no further threat to the public at this time.

On Aug. 5 at around 3:39 p.m. emergency crews responded to a report of a motorcycle crash in the 3100 block of I-235. When first responders arrived they found Raymond Koontz, 44, in critical condition. Koontz was transported to a hospital, but he later passed away from his injuries on Aug. 9.

According to the Des Moines Police Department, Koontz was driving his 2012 Harley Davidson eastbound on I-235 and Jose FLores, 40, was driving his 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 truck westbound. A tire fell off of FLores' truck, crossed over the median, and entered the eastbound lanes, police said. That tire then hit Koontz and knocked him off his motorcycle.

Police said Flores was issued citations for operation without a valid drivers license and operation without proof of insurance. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

This is the eight traffic-related fatality this year, and the first involving a motorcyclist.

Earlier this year, Mike and Sally Merritt decided to take part in Welcome.US, a non-profit organization provided by the Biden Administration's United for Ukraine Initiative. Under this program, the Merritts became sponsors of a Ukrainian family in need, allowing them to come to Iowa.

The family is originally from Kharkiv, a city that was targeted early on in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Witnessing the horrific start of the war, the family decided to head to Poland, but they weren't allowed to stay for long. Then, they went to Germany, where they stayed for a year and a half before connecting with the Merritts.

Sally Merritt's grandparents came to the United States around 1910 after being persecuted in Eastern Europe.

She said, "And I always wondered, what was life like for my grandfather when they got here and didn't speak the language and didn't know anybody… It's like, well, we're retired people. Here's a chance we can give back and pay the debt that I owe to my grandfather and whoever it was that helped him when he first came here."

Inspired by her family history, Sally and her husband read about Welcome.US at the beginning of the year and were eager to learn more.

The program allows families in the United States to connect with refugees from several countries. The Merritts connected with the Ukrainian family online soon after. They spent a few weeks getting to know each other virtually before the Merritts officially decided to be their sponsors. It took around a month's time for the family to come to America, which is extremely fast considering the normal American immigration process.

The Merritts's role as sponsors was to help the family start their life in this country. The journey came with surprises and setbacks that no one imagined, but they didn't go through it alone.

"Many of our family and friends stepped forward to give them money, to give them resources, help furnish their apartment," said Mike Merritt.

The Merritts said it was heartwarming to see the whole community come together to help a family in an unimaginable situation.

Anya McMurray is an Iowa City native and the President and Chief Operating Officer of Welcome.US.

McMurray said, "It's a testament to who we are as a country that people are willing to do this work. It's not always easy, but it's incredibly powerful and transformational."

McMurray also noted that Iowa is no stranger to helping refugees.

She said, "Iowa was at the forefront of resettling the Vietnamese in the 1970s. And that is, in many ways, the roots of what we [Welcome.US] are doing now again. It's private sponsorship. It's saying that the American people are ready and eager to do this work... not just relying on the government to do the work."

According to McMurray, Ukrainian refugees are coming into the United States on Humanitarian Parole, which she says has a limit of two years. What will happen when the two years expires is still unknown.

In the meantime, the Merritts are meeting with Drake University's Law School regarding Ukrainian immigration. They say that the university outlined two options for Ukrainian families to stay past this two-year window. These options are asylum or temporary protected status.

The Merritts say that they will pursue both possibilities.

For more information on Welcome.US and sponsoring people in need, visit their website here.

According to Des Moines Police, two vehicles collided at around 10:39 p.m. at the intersection of 2nd Ave. and Holcomb Avenue. When first responders arrived they found Larry Wayne Grant, 73, dead at the scene.

A preliminary investigation found that Grant was driving his F-150 eastbound on Holcomb Ave. and a Chevy Impala was traveling southbound on 2nd Avenue. The two vehicles collided in the intersection.

A 34-year-old Des Moines resident was driving the Impala and was not injured during the crash.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing, police said.

It happened around 10:39 p.m. at the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Holcomb Avenue, according to Sgt. Paul Parizek with the Des Moines Police Department. When emergency crews arrived they found one person deceased.

Sgt. Parizek said the preliminary investigation found a Ford F-150 was heading eastbound on Holcomb Avenue and a Chevy Impala was traveling southbound on 2nd Avenue when the two collided in the intersection.

The driver of the pickup truck, a 73-year-old resident of Des Moines, died in the crash. His name has not yet been released by police.

The driver of the Impala, a 34-year-old Des Moines resident, was not injured.

DMPD is continuing its investigation into the crash and plans to release more information later.

“‘You’re gonna do a lobster roll at the Iowa State Fair?’” remembers chef, Heath Sheeley.

“Oh, we got ‘are you crazy?’” laughs Brooks Reynolds, JR's owner.

At the Iowa State Fair -- the land of all things turf -- they offered surf.

And it worked.

“By the third or fourth day we had a line around the block and those same people came back and said ‘I knew that was gonna be a great idea!’” Sheeley says.

The gaudy lobster paired with the garish price tag to create a buzz that rattled social media.

“Having the $29 mark and having lobster on the menu — yeah, it was totally the shock value," Sheeley admits. "That’s kind of the reason we’re bringing the footlong this year.”

Right -- for those who’ve become conditioned to a $29 lobster roll … here’s a bigger one for $55.

“So it’s over twice the size for less than twice the price,” Reynolds points out.

It’s a steal! 8 ounces of Maine lobster, fresh shallots, capers, celery, and mayo … and a story to tell.

You bought the most expensive Fair food — ever.

At least until next year.

Dustin Lee Sample, 38, was arrested and charged with first degree murder in Dec. 2020 after his wife Mary Sample, 29, was found in her home suffering from traumatic head trauma. Mary passed away from her injuries at the scene.

The Polk County Attorney's Office said the prosecution presented evidence during the trial that showed the couple's relationship was toxic and showed signs of violence. One piece of evidence presented was a cellphone recording from Nov. 2020 of Dustin saying Mary "would not live to see the end of the year," according to the attorney's office.

A first-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

With over a million people attending the fair every year and limited parking, having an alternate plan for transportation is important to allow everyone to enjoy what the fair has to offer. DART says that it transports around 10 to 15 percent of fair-goers every year.

"It's the best way to get to the fair. The reasons for that are that you don't have to pay for parking. Parking at those three park-and-ride locations is free. The bus ticket is extremely affordable, it's the best deal of the fair," says Erin Hockman who is the Chief External Affairs Officer for DART.

DART's affordable and accessible form of transportation brings in several new riders during the State Fair. According to Hockman, 220,000 rides were provided during the course of last year's fair, which she says is equivalent to the amount of rides they provide in a typical month.

In order for this service to be available, DART hires temporary employees who will work alongside their existing drivers. This year, DART is offering a $500 bonus to all temporary operators who complete all of their shifts.

DART's services will be available every day of the fair from 8 AM to midnight, with buses running every 10 to 15 minutes. However, if a concert goes past midnight, DART will keep its buses running so all fair-goers have a ride home.

For more information on DART's Park and Ride to the State Fair, visit their website here.

Dink's Pickleball will be a new tenant at Merle Hay Mall. The new business will take over the 73,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Kohl’s. It’s near the mall’s food court.

It will have 13 professional courts, a warmup area, and offer an entertainment and lounge area.

Courts will be open from 6:00 a.m. to midnight seven days a week.

Construction is expected to begin later this month and the business’ website said it plans to open in October 2023.

The incident began around 9:35 a.m. on the east side of the river near the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. Sgt. Paul Parizek with the Des Moines Police Department said officers tried to approach a man who was yelling and appeared to be experiencing a mental health issue.

The man jumped into the river to avoid officers and swam across to the other side but refused to get out of the water.

The Des Moines Fire Department was called in to assist and launched a wet team. Capt. Chris Clement said by the time they had boats in the water, police officers had convinced the man to come out of the water to the west bank of the river.

Sgt. Parizek said the man has been admitted to a local hospital.

It happened just after 11:00 p.m. in the northbound lanes of I-35 near the west mix master, according to a crash report from the Iowa State Patrol. Two motorcycles and an SUV were traveling north when the SUV changed lanes and was struck by one of the motorcycles. The other motorcyclist took evasive actions to avoid the collision and laid the motorcycle down.

The ISP report said 31-year-old Jeffrey Lawrence, of Grimes, was operating the motorcycle that collided with the SUV. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the SUV, 50-year-old Scott Peel of Ankeny, was transported to Methodist Hospital. The ISP report did not detail the extent of his injuries.

The other motorcyclist, 26-year-old Daron Kent of Des Moines, was treated on the scene for minor injuries.

The Iowa State Patrol is still investigating the crash.

It happened just before 9:00 p.m. in the 7500 block of Southwest 12^th Street. Sgt. Paul Parizek with the Des Moines Police Department said an adult male was shot in the abdomen.

The victim was driven to the hospital after the shooting. Sgt. Parizek said the man’s injuries are not life-threatening.

No arrests have been made and police have not released any information about a suspect.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

After announcing his reelection campaign last week, Ward Four councilman, Joe Gatto, spent much of Tuesday placing yard signs around his district.

“I feel like we’ve got some great momentum on the south and the east side and we need to keep it going,” he said. “This is my neighborhood, this is my community and I want to continue.”

For the last nine years, Gatto has been one of the Council’s most outspoken and sometimes cantankerous members.

“I’m not a politician,” he smiles. “Sometimes that gets me in trouble.”

He will be opposed by combat veteran, Jason Benell, a newcomer to local politics. Benell is campaigning on a platform of a more open and responsive local government.

“Right now, if citizens have an issue," Benell said, "they have really a very narrow window to get in there and talk to the city council. We don’t have hybrid meetings, we don’t have virtual setups; things are often done very quickly with short notice and you often have to be there in person at the right time. I want a government that is more responsive and open to everybody.”

Gatto has openly clashed with Ward 3 councilman, Josh Mandelbaum; the two sitting side by side as they disagreed over topics ranging from commercial development to whether or not the city should take a stand against the state’s law anti-abortion legislation.

But his most visible frustrations in the council chambers over the last 18 months have perhaps come during discussions with Ward One councilwoman, Indira Sheumaker. Their sometimes-tense exchanges have made Gatto the target of some of Sheumaker’s supporters.

Gatto claims that while he’s had fundamental disagreements with Sheumaker, he’s continued to put the job first.

“I’ve tried to work with Indira,” he said. “I asked her what her three goals were at the beginning of this year. She couldn’t tell me what her goals were.”

Gatto says Sheumaker’s extended, unexplained absence (she’s missed every meeting since March 6^th) has brought extra work for the rest of the Council, as they answer calls from not only their own constituents but hers as well. He says that while the rest of the Council is still dedicated to meeting the needs of Ward One residents, those residents have not had dedicated representation during Sheumaker’s entire term.   

“That problem happened the day that she was elected,” he said. “She never worked with any of us -- ever. There was never any communication with any other council members. She had one thing on her mind; that was ‘defund the police.’ That was it! That was her only priority for the folks of Ward One.”

Speaking on behalf of several Ward One residents, David Hellstern, a Des Moines attorney, asked the City Council to hold a hearing to ask Sheumaker to either return to work or resign her office. In previous meetings, the Council has been addressed by the leaders of several neighborhood associations in Ward One making similar requests.

While WHO13’s calls to Sheumaker and her father, Randy, have continued to go unanswered and unreturned, her voicemail does now have a personalized message. Earlier, a computerized message simply stated that the inbox was full or turned off.

"Both of my parents showed cattle when they were younger. So, they introduced me to it and I really liked it ever since," said Jones. Soon, there was a family competition. "Yeah, but I always beat them anyways," said Jones.

One of her biggest shows is still ahead of her, as Jenna is not only an exhibitor but also my partner for the Governor's Charity Steer Show at the Iowa State Fair.

"We're very excited and honored to be part of the Governor's Charity Steer Show, as well as just our kids showing, it means a lot and it's part of our life," said Michelle Jones, Jenna's mother.

While I've never shown steer before, I understand certain aspects of the gig, like how Oakley requires an hour, and a glam squad to get show-ready.

It takes a lot to get a steer show ready.

Glamour aside, I asked Jenna the secret to successfully showing steer, and Jenna said it all boils down to this:

"It takes a lot of work and confidence, and if you don't have confidence in yourself you won't look prepared, but if you have confidence you'll do well."

With confidence in mind, it was my turn to take a lap around the ring with Oakley.

As a retired pageant girl, and envisioning this steer show like a cow pageant, I felt confident I could keep up, but I quickly saw there was a lot I had to learn before show day. Thankfully, I've got the best teacher.

So with a little practice, some fake it 'til ya make it confidence, and this reminder:

"It isn't always about winning or losing all the time, but it is about the behind-the-scenes work and dedication that goes into it," said Chris Jones, Jenna's father.

Team Oakley is steer show ready.

The Charity Steer Show is Saturday, August 12 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds at 4:30 p.m. Proceeds raised from the show benefit Iowa's Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Councilwoman Sheumaker hasn’t been to a meeting in five months.

“Indira, please, please show some professionalism. Ignoring the city of Des Moines and your constituents is not acceptable,” said resident Jolene Prescott at Monday night’s meeting.

Several at-large council members are coordinating with Ward 1 residents in Sheumaker's absence. Constituents say the council can no longer wait for Sheumaker to show up.

“We are asking you to take action, to set a hearing to remove Indira Sheumaker. It comes down to time. We’ve given her five months. There’s been no response, there’s been no help. I echo previous speakers’ statements that ‘thank God we had Connie Boesen and Carl Voss,’ because we would have been lost without you guys at large and we really appreciate all your help for taking up the slack,” attorney David Hellstern said as he addressed the council on behalf of several Ward 1 residents.

Sheumaker took office in January of last year. Her term runs until January of 2026.

The board voted unanimously (5-0) to approve the measure at Tuesday morning’s meeting.

The move is in response to Republican State Attorney General Brenna Bird’s decision to put a pause on the state paying for some of those services, which it had been doing out of the victim compensation fund during previous AG Tom Miller’s time in office. The Democrat was defeated by Bird in the 2022 election.

In April, a statement from Bird’s office said an audit on victim assistance is being done as she evaluates whether this is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds.

Some members of the board released statements detailing the importance of providing this healthcare to victims of sexual assault.

“We are disappointed that the State Attorney General has discontinued funding for critical sexual assault and rape victim healthcare services. Last year in Polk County alone, we served 270 women who were victims of sexual assault and rape, and 105 of them were recipients of free emergency contraception at a minimal expense of a few thousand dollars total. But to those women, we hope that they felt supported and cared for in a comprehensive and complete manner that allowed them to begin the process of rebuilding their lives after one of the most traumatic events that a woman can experience. Funding these critical healthcare services is about compassionate and complete care that puts women before partisan politics. Polk County will continue to support funding for emergency contraception and other healthcare services for women who are victims of sexual assault and rape.”

Board of Supervisors, Chair Tom Hockensmith and Supervisor Angela Connolly

“It’s clear the Iowa Attorney General has given women of rape and sexual assault ‘the Bird’, and it is a disgusting act of cruelness to these victims who deserve compassion & care as they cope with this trauma. Iowans deserve to know the rationale for pausing this program, and the impact that it has on sexual assault victims. The Iowa Attorney General continues to stonewall the public when they request information about her cruel decision.”

District 1 Polk County Supervisor Matt McCoy.

WHO 13 reached out to Attorney General Bird's office for comment but has not received a response.

It happened at the Taco Bell on 22nd Street, just north of I-235. Police were called to the restaurant around 3:45 a.m. on the report of a robbery.

Officers say the suspects took off, but they don't believe they got away with anything. One person did have a laceration but it’s unclear how it happened.

Police are interviewing witnesses but so far no arrests have been made in the case.