DES MOINES, Iowa (Iowa Capital Dispatch/KCRG) – As most of Iowa saw heavy rainfall over the past week, about 2% of Iowa’s corn acres have been harvested, according to the latest crop progress and condition report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The report for the Sept. 7-13 reporting period noted 38% of Iowa’s corn acres had reached maturity, which is on par with the five-year average for the state, but 7 percentage points behind the 2025 crop. Slightly less than 90% of corn acres have reached the dent stage, according to the report which rated Iowa corn as 76% good to excellent for the period. While about 1% of soybean harvest has typically occurred by this reporting period, the latest report shows no beans have been harvested in the state. Twenty-two percent of the crop has started dropping leaves, however, which is 10 percentage points behind the year prior and 6 percentage points behind the average pace. Soybeans rated 74% good to excellent for the period. State Climatologist Justin Glisan said the state had “excessively wet” conditions, with several weather stations reporting rainfall totals at 400%-600% of normal levels for the reporting period.
BETTENDORF, Iowa (KWQC/KCRG) – A Bettendorf man is facing charges after police say he assaulted a woman and barricaded himself in a motel room Monday. At 3:40 p.m., a woman called 911 and told Scott County officials she was bleeding and had been assaulted by her boyfriend at the City Center Motel, according to a media release. The woman was able to get out of the room and met with Bettendorf police officers outside, who confirmed she was hurt. The woman was taken to a local hospital for treatment. After speaking with the woman, officers identified her boyfriend as Aceah Towery, 47, of Bettendorf. Officials said Towery barricaded himself inside the motel room and Bettendorf Police Crisis Negotiators talked with him for several hours. Towery surrendered peacefully at 6:15 p.m., police said. He is in the Scott County Jail being held without bond on charges of false imprisonment and domestic assault causing serious injury, second offense. The incident is still under investigation.
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (KCRG) – The Marshalltown Fire Department and other local agencies are investigating the cause of a vacant house fire on Sunday. The fire broke out in the 700 block of North Center Street around 1:40 p.m. Upon arrival, crews found a vacant two-story residence. Due to the structural integrity of the building, fire crews deemed it unsafe to deploy people inside. Portions of the upper floor and the roof collapsed as a result, but there were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The latest report from the Common Sense Institute says the Midwest’s inflation rose to 3.6% in August from 3.5% a year ago. That’s higher than the national average Consumer Price Index, which stayed flat at 3.4% from this time last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Common Sense Institute says this is the seventh month in a row that the Midwest has had higher inflation than the national average. Since 2020, the Midwest has seen prices go up 30.3%. The typical Iowa household has spent $60,480 more since 2020, and are spending $1,492 more each month to maintain the same standard of living. Energy has had the sharpest year-over-year price increase, but shelter was the largest contributor to the Midwest’s inflation, taking up just under a third of household spending.
