Iowa
Iowa attorney general says officers were justified in fatal shooting on Interstate 80
Police officers and deputies involved in the fatal shooting of a suspect, who authorities say shot at law enforcement several times on Interstate 80 in April, were justified in using lethal force, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said.
The incident happened in the early morning on April 15, when a deputy pulled over Vonderrick Rayford for excessive speeding near Earlham, according to the May 29 report. Rayford, 51, of Milwaukee, was on the run after shooting a woman in the head and shooting at a police officer in Colorado Springs on April 13, according to the report.
Rayford had stolen the car he was driving and had a stolen handgun on him, the report said.
Once he was pulled over, Rayford, who had previously been convicted of assaulting a peace officer and dangerous use of a weapon, began shooting at Dallas County deputy Jacob Spurrell, the report said. Rayford also shot at other responding officers who responded to Spurrell’s call of “shots fired,” according to the report.
Rayford eventually put his hands up and dropped the gun. Officers asked Rayford to back away from the gun, but he ignored them.
Rayford eventually picked up the gun and raised it at officers when they were within a few feet of him, the report said.
Five officers from different agencies, including the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Stuart Police Department and Adel Police Department, shot and killed Rayford, the report said. Law enforcement involved were deputies Spurrell and Eric Grimm from Dallas County; officer Shane Martinson from Stuart; deputy Tyler DeFrancisco from Adair County; and officer Joel Gummert from Adel. Officer Brandon Pickett from Adel attempted to fire but his gun malfunctioned, the report said.
Bird concluded the officers’ actions were justified.
“Rayford escalated a routine traffic stop into a deadly shooting that endangered the lives of multiple law enforcement officers and all other persons who were using the interstate that night,” Bird said in the report.
The incident shut down the interstate for hours during the morning commute.
José Mendiola is a breaking news reporter for the Register. Reach him at jmendiola@dmreg.com or follow him on X @mendiola_news.
Iowa was once known as one of the top butter producers in America.
According to “The Annals of Iowa,” the Hawkeye State was second in America in dairy production in 1943. Iowa even reportedly produced one third of all butter made in the United States.
Iowa loves butter so much, the Iowa State Fair features a sculpture of a cow made mostly out of butter.
But did you know there are state laws about butter?
What’s the Iowa state law regarding butter?
According to Iowa state law, it is illegal to sell margarine as butter.
The state law says oleo, oleomargarine, or margarine must be labeled as such and the packaging should include a full and accurate statement of all ingredients it contains.
The state law also says that margarine or similar margarine products may not be advertised or represented in any form as a dairy product for purchase.
Misrepresentation of other dairy products such as renovated butter, imitation cheese, and nonfat dry milk is also illegal.
What’s the penalty for breaking this state law?
Under Iowa law, misrepresenting margarine as butter is a simple misdemeanor.
The penalty for a simple misdemeanor is a fine of at least of at least $105 and no more than $855. The court may also order a prison sentence of up to 30 days. The prison sentence may be ordered in place of the fine or in addition to the fine.
For restaurants and other eating establishments, violating this law could also result in the suspension of state-issued licenses for a year.
It may be slow and steady, but that is how the Iowa Hawkeyes have operated so successfully for so long. They just find ways to win games and did so again last weekend in a thrilling 25-24 comeback win over Penn State to move to 5-2 on the year.
The win sees Iowa also jump to 3-1 in Big Ten play and suddenly within striking distance of some of the top teams in America. The win also sees Iowa climb up the rankings in the latest USA TODAY College Football Re-Rank and into position for a late-season stretch run, something that has become a sort of staple under head coach Kirk Ferentz.
Like the US LBM Coaches Poll, which sees Iowa just on the outside looking in, this week’s re-rank sees Iowa closing in on the top 25. The Hawkeyes climbed four spots up to No. 29 and have a shot to continue their ascent this weekend.
The next one for the Iowa Hawkeyes is a big one. It is a protected rivalry game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers for the Floyd of Rosedale. Minnesota, coming off an upset of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, matches Iowa with a 5-2 overall record and 3-1 Big Ten mark as well. The Golden Gophers come in at No. 36 in the re-rank, a five-spot jump from last week after their win.
Iowa and Minnesota are set to kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Oct. 25, from Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, and will be airing on CBS.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald7
As the Iowa State Cyclones prepare for a massive matchup against the BYU Cougars, the team is still trying to fill some needs for their 2026 recruiting class. Finding and developing talent is key for the program, and Matt Campbell has done an excellent job of getting the most out of his recruits.
The Cyclones got off to a great start to the season with a 5-0 record, but have recently fallen on some hard times, losing two straight games. This is a team that is hoping to compete for a Big 12 title this year, but that is going to become increasingly difficult.
While the team is trying to do what they can on the field, the program is also trying to have a Top 50 recruiting class. Unfortunately, despite being a bit late in the process, the Cyclones saw a couple of recruits recently decommit, which hurt the class.
I’m 100% COMMITTED to Iowa State University 🟡🔴!! @RitterPrep @BrennanSpain @AllenTrieu @CycloneFB @CoachRasheed @ISUMattCampbell @Coach_Broom pic.twitter.com/f6D0uBOjAT
— Jocques Felix (@jocques01) October 19, 2025
Fortunately, the team recently saw three-star defensive lineman Jocques Felix commit to the program. This was a swift decision by Felix, who has yet to visit the campus. The plan appears to be for him to make a trip sometime in November but adding him is an excellent get for coach Campbell and company.
Due to the recent loss of Brysen Wessell to the Missouri Tigers, adding Felix fills a need for the program. At 6’4”, 280 pounds already, there is a lot to like about how the young recruit could develop. Felix has the size to continue to add to his already big frame.
There is certainly reason to believe that he will be able to develop into a starting-caliber player for the program in the near future. This is a program that has been able to recently develop Domonique Orange into one of the best defensive tackles in the country.
The coaching staff will certainly be trying to help Felix get to that level as well in the coming years. Winning in the trenches is always an important thing and the Cyclones will now have Felix joining Daniel Howard in the 2026 class.
After some bad breaks in recruiting, seeing the quick commitment from Felix should help increase their overall class ranking. Iowa State has a chance to be a Top 50 class in 2026, and that would be a nice accomplishment for the program and highlight the improvements that they are making.
New York Times fails to mention Virginia AG hopeful Jay Jones’ texts fantasizing about shooting GOP lawmaker
Hochul’s office silent when pressed if she sticks by ‘no one is above the law’ belief amid AG’s indictment
Video: The Evolution of New York City Benches
Why did officials go to monitor twice in Lions vs. Bucs? Pool report offers explanation
2026 MLB notable series for San Francisco if Tony Vitello were manager
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Trump admin on pace to shatter deportation record by end of first year: ‘Just the beginning’
Israel continues deadly Gaza truce breaches as US seeks to strengthen deal
Trump news at a glance: president can send national guard to Portland, for now
Trump reacts to ‘No Kings’ protests by saying ‘I’m not a king, I work my ass off’
Can Putin, under sanctions and an arrest warrant, enter the EU?
-
World18 hours agoIsrael continues deadly Gaza truce breaches as US seeks to strengthen deal
-
News19 hours agoTrump news at a glance: president can send national guard to Portland, for now
-
Business17 hours agoUnionized baristas want Olympics to drop Starbucks as its ‘official coffee partner’
-
Politics16 hours agoTrump admin on pace to shatter deportation record by end of first year: ‘Just the beginning’
-
Science17 hours agoPeanut allergies in children drop following advice to feed the allergen to babies, study finds
-
Alaska7 days agoMore than 1,400 seeking shelter as hundreds wait to be evacuated after catastrophic Western Alaska storm, officials say
-
Technology16 hours agoAI girlfriend apps leak millions of private chats
-
North Carolina1 week agoGuide to NC State Fair 2025: Tickets, transportation, parking, new rides and special event days