Iowa

US kills ‘terrorist’ linked to attack on Iowa troops in Syria

Published

5 months ago

January 18, 2026

Press Room

US kills ‘terrorist’ linked to attack on Iowa troops in Syria

Susan Heavey and Deepa Seetharaman
| Reuters

U.S. military forces on Jan. 16, killed an al Qaeda affiliate leader linked to an Islamic State attack on Iowa National Guard soldiers in Syria last month, U.S. Central Command said in a statement on Jan. 17.

Bilal Hasan al-Jasim had “direct ties” to an ISIS gunman who killed and injured U.S. and Syrian personnel on Dec. 13 in Palmyra, Syria, Central Command said.

Iowa National Guard Staff Sgt. William Nathaniel “Nate” Howard of Marshalltown and Staff Sgt. Edgar Torres-Tovar of Des Moines were killed in the attack. They were serving as part of ongoing federal counter-ISIS and counterterrorism missions.

Three other Iowa National Guard soldiers were wounded in the Dec. 13 ambush by a suspected “lone ISIS gunman.” Two were medically evacuated and treated for serious injuries, while a third sustained minor injuries and was treated locally. All three survived.

“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, in a statement.

Since the Dec. 13 attack, U.S. forces have been conducting strikes in Syria, with the U.S. military saying it has hit more than 100 ISIS targets.

“We will never forget, and never relent,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in an X post that included Centcom’s statement.

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, who represents the central Iowa communities where the two soldiers lived, called the attack “cowardly.”

“I’m grateful to the warfighters who carried their mission forward and delivered justice,” he wrote in a social media post. “America will never stop hunting those who harm our servicemembers.”

Des Moines Register reporter Nick El Hajj contributed to this report.

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Iowa

Reynolds orders flags lowered for funeral of Iowa Sen. Julian Garrett

Published

9 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Reynolds orders flags lowered for funeral of Iowa Sen. Julian Garrett

DES Moines, Iowa — Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered all flags in Iowa to be lowered to half-staff Saturday in honor of state Sen. Julian Garrett, who died June 8 at the age of 85.

Flags will be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset June 20, the day of Garrett’s funeral, on the Iowa Capitol Building and across the Capitol Complex. The order also applies to all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state.

Garrett served 16 years in the Iowa Legislature, first representing House District 55 from 2011 to 2013 before serving in the Iowa Senate through the 2026 legislative session.

In addition to his legislative service, Garrett was a farmer, attorney and former employee of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

“Sen. Garrett was a friend who served our state with integrity — whether as a cattle producer, a Little League coach, an attorney in the executive branch, or a legislator,” Reynolds said in a statement. “For 15 years, we worked together to unleash opportunities for the Iowans we served, and his impact will be felt for generations to come.”

Reynolds is encouraging individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government entities to lower their flags to half-staff during the same time period as a sign of respect.

Garrett represented southwest Iowa in the Legislature and was known for his work on judiciary and agriculture-related issues during his tenure at the Statehouse.

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Iowa

Iowa man injured in 3-vehicle crash on I-35 near Albert Lea

Published

19 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Iowa man injured in 3-vehicle crash on I-35 near Albert Lea

An Iowa man was injured Thursday afternoon after three vehicles traveling northbound on Interstate 35 collided near Albert Lea.

Thomas Gene Anderson, 34, of Winnebago, Iowa, was taken by Mayo Ambulance to Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea for non-life threatening injuries, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

Anderson was listed as the driver of a 2019 Chevrolet Blazer.

The report states the Blazer and a 2020 Nissan Rogue, driven by Brenda Sue Bangs, 52, of Glenville, and a 2021 Chevrolet Blazer, driven by Lisa Ann Bettin, 64, of Altoona, Iowa, were all northbound on I-35 near milepost 10 when the vehicles collided at 3:49 p.m.

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Iowa

Iowa High School Baseball Stats: Leaders On The Diamond This Summer

Published

1 day ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

Iowa High School Baseball Stats: Leaders On The Diamond This Summer

As we work through the month of June, things are starting to heat up on the diamond around Iowa high school baseball.

With the start of postseason play just around the corner in July, teams are working to get prepared for the stretch run.

High School On SI Iowa has a Top 25 state power ranking while the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association releases weekly class-by-class rankings.

Here are leaders as of June 17, 2026 for several major hitting and pitching categories. Stats are from those uploaded to the Bound website.