Iowa
Funeral services announced for fallen Iowa National Guard members
Video: Iowa National Guard members killed in Syria
Hear from Gov. Kim Reynolds and Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn after reports that Iowa National Guard members were killed in Syria.
Funeral arrangements have been announced for the two Iowa National Guard members killed earlier this month while on duty in Syria.
Staff Sgts. William Nathaniel “Nate” Howard, Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and a civilian interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat, of Michigan, were killed Dec. 13 by an attacker who targeted a convoy of American and Syrian forces before being shot dead. The Associated Press reported the gunman stormed a meeting between U.S. and Syrian security officials in Palmyra, Syria, and opened fire after clashing with Syrian guards.
Their bodies arrived back in Iowa at 1 p.m. Dec. 24 in a private ceremony. Blue Star Mothers of America – Iowa Chapter asked supporters to line Fleur Drive from the Des Moines International Airport to Interstate 235 to welcome the soldiers home.
The soldiers’ funerals are open to the public.
When is Sgt. Nate Howard’s funeral?
Visitation and funeral services for Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, will be Saturday, Dec. 27 at the Marshalltown High School Roundhouse, 1602 S. Second Ave., with visitation beginning at 9 a.m.
Further details on funeral services is available on the Mitchell Family Funeral Home website.
After arriving in Des Moines on Wednesday, a procession carrying Howard’s body will go through Des Moines on Fleur Drive to Interstate 235 and north to Interstate 35 to Ames. From there, the procession will head east on U.S. Highway 30 to Marshalltown then north on Center Street/Highway 14 to Iowa Avenue and on to the funeral home.
The procession will be led by the Des Moines Police Department, Iowa State Highway Patrol, Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, Meskwaki police and the Tama Police Department.
Howard is survived by his wife, Arianna Howard; his father, Brian and wife, Andrea; his mother, Misty Bunn and husband, Jeff; his brother, SSgt James Roelsgard; stepbrothers, Josh Bunn and wife, Modestie, and Travis Bunn; as well as his grandparents: William Eugene and Pat Neville, Vicki Brindle, and Martin and Ruth Roelsgard.
When is Sgt. Edgar Torres-Tovar’s funeral?
Visitation for Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines will be Sunday, Dec. 28 with funeral services and burial on Monday, Dec. 29. Final arrangements will be announced by Hamilton’s Southtown Funeral Home.
Torres-Tovar is survived by his parents, Hugo Torres and Isabel Tovar; brothers, Samuel Torres and Daniel Torres; sister, Krystal Torres and her children, Castiel and Christopher; paternal grandparents, Jose Torres and Rita Garcia; girlfriend, Yareli Duran; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
Kevin Baskins covers jobs and the economy for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at kbaskins@registermedia.com.
What to know about the 2026 Iowa governor conventions
A detailed look at the coming Republican and Democratic state conventions as candidates Zach Lahn and Rob Sand seek to be Iowa’s next governor.
On June 13, the Iowa Republican and Democratic parties are each holding conventions to affirm their candidates in the race to elect the state’s next governor.
Here’s what Iowans should know as the conventions begin.
What is a political convention?
Iowa holds a convention every two years to nominate candidates for national and statewide offices. At this convention, the candidates officially accept nominations for their candidacy, announce their platform and begin their campaign.
In addition to advancing the race for governor, several chosen members from each party will speak at the event.
Who are Iowa’s governor candidates?
Democrat Rob Sand and Republican Zach Lahn are set to accept their party’s nominations for the gubernatorial race, with each candidate announcing their platform in their acceptance speech.
They earned the nomination with their respective victories in the June primary.
Sand chose Crawford County Supervisor and rural farmer Dave Muhlbauer as his running mate June 8.
On June 11, Lahn chose state Rep. Derek Wulf, a fourth-generation farmer and rancher, as his lieutenant governor pick. Iowans will vote to decide the state’s next governor later this year on Nov. 3.
What is a lieutenant governor?
The lieutenant governor is the second-in-command to the governor and first in the line of succession.
What can Iowans expect from the Republican convention?
The 2026 Iowa Republican Party Convention takes place June 13 at the Horizon Events Center in Clive.Speakers will include U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson, who is running for Sen. Joni Ernst’s seat after Ernst decided not to seek reelection.
Former Iowan Republican Co-Chair David Oman hopes the Iowans who attend the convention will “find something compelling” about Lahn.
“Our nominee is not well-known. I hope (Iowans) take a look at this fresh face, new face, who won the primary,” Oman said. “Have an open mind and spend the next five months learning more.”
Oman hopes Lahn’s victory in the primary will unite the party, starting with the convention.
“The primary we just experienced was grueling in some respects. The question was, ‘Could anybody get a 35%?’ That tells you that the party was looking for, and needed, a candidate that could bring the party together. We need this coming convention.”
What can Iowans expect from the Democratic convention?
The 2026 Iowa Democratic Party Convention will be held at Roosevelt High School this June 11. The doors will open at 9 a.m., with the event expected to begin an hour later. The convention is expected to end around noon.
Speakers include Democratic Party chair Rita Hart, candidate for U.S. Senate Josh Turek and candidate for Secretary of State Ryan Peterman. Hart said she looks forward to “bringing the family together.”
Democratic Party Communications Director Paige Godden said she knows Iowans are excited to meet and hear from Muhlbauer Saturday.
“I know people are really fired up, so that should be definitely one of the highlights,” Godden said.
Hart said she and other candidates have been talking and listening to Iowans’ concerns with the cost of living, one-party control, education and cancer rates. She hopes Iowans can look to Democrats for unity after this convention.
“When people respect one another, no matter what letter is behind their name — that ability to work across the aisle to have good ideas and help those ideas become reality,” Hart said. “That’s how we help everyone in the state of Iowa, and that’s really important to Iowans.”
Veronica Meiss is a news intern for the Des Moines Register. You can contact her at vmeiss@gannett.com.
POLK COUNTY, Iowa (Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Eight months ago, a state licensing board charged an Iowa nurse with multiple regulatory violations, including soliciting or accepting money from a patient. This week, for the first time, the Iowa Board of Nursing publicly disclosed those charges.
The records show the board has charged Abbriel Rae Mitchell, 44, of Roland with five separate regulatory violations: violating patient confidentiality or privacy rights; soliciting, borrowing, or misappropriating money or property from a patient; committing an act that causes physical, emotional or financial injury to a patient; participating in or attempting to initiate a sexual, social or business relationship with a patient; and engaging in behavior that is contradictory to professional decorum.
As is customary with the Board of Nursing, it has publicly disclosed no information as to the alleged conduct that gave rise to the charges or indicated when or where that conduct is alleged to have taken place.
State records indicate the board’s investigation of the matter was initiated in 2024. The charges were formally approved by the board on Oct. 8, 2025, but were made public only this week in the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing’s official Notice of Board Action for the month of June 2026.
It’s not clear why the charges were not publicly disclosed last year. In recent months, DIAL has indicated questions about the numerous licensing board errors and lengthy delays in public disclosure of disciplinary charges are best directed to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. That office has, in turn, referred such questions back to DIAL.
Board records indicate Mitchell was first authorized to work in Iowa as a licensed practical nurse in July 2005.
A hearing on the charges against her is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2026.
Copyright 2026 Iowa Capital Dispatch. All rights reserved.
Iowa State WBB coach Bill Fennelly on future timeline
Iowa State women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly on end of career timeline, thoughts on possible retirement?
The Iowa State women’s basketball team will face a trio of its old Big 8 opponents at home and on the road next season during conference play.
The Cyclones’ home-and-home league partners for the 2026-27 campaign are Kansas, Kansas State and Oklahoma State, the Big 12 announced June 11.
Iowa State’s home-only opponents are BYU, Colorado, Houston, TCU, Texas Tech and Utah. The Cyclones get Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, UCF, Cincinnati and West Virginia on the road only.
The unbalanced schedule — with just three home-and-home opponents — has been in place since the league expanded to 16 teams.
It will be a pivotal season for the Cyclone program after losing nine players to the transfer portal, including stars Audi Crooks, Addy Brown and Jada Williams.
Dates, times and broadcast information will be released later this summer.
Iowa State columnist Travis Hines has covered the Cyclones for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune since 2012. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him on X at @TravisHines21.
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