DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lottery officials have raised the Mega Millions grand prize to $660 million, giving players a shot at the nation’s ninth largest jackpot. The prize for Friday night’s drawing has grown so large because there hasn’t been a winner in three months, allowing the jackpot to gradually grow from its $20 million starting point in April. Even as the big prize has increased, the odds of winning the jackpot have remained at one in 302.5 million. The highlighted pre-tax $660 million prize is for a winner who takes an annuity option, paid out in 30 annual payments. Most players choose the cash option, which would be $376.9 million before taxes.
HIAWATHA, Iowa (KCRG) -Hiawatha Police say a woman barely escaped death after the vehicle she was in was hit by a train. It happened late Wednesday afternoon on Coral Drive, near the Bali Hai Estates Mobile Home. Hiawatha Police were responding to a mental health call when officers heard a train conductor honking his horn at a driver crossing the tracks. The officer’s body camera footage shows the 50 year-old driver crossing the tracks, and getting t-boned by the freight train. Officers rushed over to check on her. Police say luck was on her side. That’s because the train hit backseat door on the driver’s side, barely missing her door. Right now she’s in the hospital with non life threatening injuries. There are no crossing arms at this crossing. No charges have been filed, but police are saying that alcohol may have played a factor.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A bus driver for the Cedar Rapids Community School District told our KCRG-TV9 i9 Investigative Team the district’s computers and servers are still not working after the district closed due to a “cyber security incident” more than two weeks ago. Christine Huston, who said she drives school buses for 13 years, gave us a letter from the district calling the incident a “security breach”. According to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, state law defines a security breach as any unauthorized acquisition of personal information. If 500 people are affected by the breach, the entity must notify its office within five business days after notifying those affected. A spokesperson said its office hasn’t received any notification from the district. Nicole Kooiker, who is the district’s deputy superintendent, said in an email a letter is scheduled for postal mail drop Friday to all district employees. The district has refused to answer any questions about the security breach for more than two weeks.
MARION, Iowa (KCRG) – Marion Police said several blocks of 10th street near downtown Marion were vandalized early Thursday morning. Businesses, houses, and public property were spray painted, some with messages of hate, swastikas, and white supremacy. Police said they responded to 15 reports of people who said they were vandalized. The Marion Police Department released a video of three people getting out of a vehicle that they believe had something to do with the spray painting. While some of the messages scrolled across the stores and houses were racist and anti-Semitic, he said it didn’t qualify as a hate crime. “No individual was targeted,” said Officer Tom Daubs. “We feel like these businesses were just randomly selected.” Officer Daubs said neighbors should check their property for damage and check their cameras to see if there was more information that might help police find who did this.
