22 11 05 at the point that we determined we were not going to be able to get him out of that house and our officers were forced back dooley 22 13 51 there was an imminent threat other than the fire to the firefighters that were responding to that call today but standing by. Waiting until its safe to do their job isnt easy. Dooley 22 17 46 the fire is going to continue to grow, until we can get in and extinguish it once inside, firefighters doused the flames in under two minutes. But by then it was too late for johnston. Dooley 22 18 13 to be advised that its un safe scene. Again, its a risk that we dont have the tools necessary to mitigate. It really is high risk for the firefighters. Its high risk for the police department. Investigators believe the fire started in the kitchen. By the victim firefighters and officers couldnt save. Parizek 22 13 05 those officers were very brave. They did the best they could and unfortunately it just wasnt online records show that a Neil Johnston was arrested for assault two week ago. Police confirm that they have responded to domestic disturbance calls at the house, but would not go into detail. They say that is part of their investigation into why this might have happened. Smoke in the woodshop room at Lincoln High School lead to a short evacuation this afternoon. Just after four, a teacher pulled the fire alarm after he saw smoke. Students evacuated the school. Turns out, a Laser Engraver started smoking and there was no fire. Everyone was let back in the school a short time later. One person was hurt after a fire at the ames power plant this morning. The fire started in a unit holding garbage that was scheduled to be burned. One worker was treated at Mary Greeley Medical Center but Officials Say the injuries were not serious. After 24 hours, interstate35 between ames and clear lake is back open but conditions are still today its a lot more blowing snow then yesterday, 10 miles south was good but the further north i go its getting worse. semi driver Joshua Parmenter is making the trip to mason city. He says with an empty tractor trailer, hes fishtailing all over the road going just 45 miles per hour. Dozens of vehicles and semis litter the road way. ,, and high winds are still causing white out conditions near the boondocks exit, mile marker 144. In the last day and a half, the iowa state patrol responded to 141 calls for service along the 80mile stretch. That includes, 29 accidents. Seven with injuries. Even though the interstate is back open, travel is still not advised. i wouldnt recommend coming through this area for a little bit at least until tomorrow if you dont have to travel dont. a tow ban still remains in effect for the area, leaving dozens of vehicles stuck in the ditches. The wind is still creating problems today. Ed. The phrase of the day is wind chills. The winds have settled down a bit but boy is it cold temperatures will hold in the teens with wind chills in the Single Digits. Clouds build back in tomorrow with light snow through mid day. Only about one inch of snow is the iowa Senate Passed a bill today giving schools a 4percent funding increase for the 2017 2018 school year. The bill passed along party lines. Senator Herman Quirmbach argued that iowa schools have dealt with stagnant funding for the past five years and need the 4percent increase. Republicans want just 2percent. Quirmbach said without a significant bump, a survey of School Leaders shows they might have to increase class size and delay buying textbooks and classroom supplies. Hes also concerned about possible cuts to literacy programs, at a time when third grade students must read at grade level or risk being held back. Quirmbach 40 38 we want kids to be reading at third grade level while they are in third grade. But if we dont provide Adequate Funding for k12, 43 of schools will be cutting back on literacy programs at a time when they should be increasing literacy programs. 40 56 47 03 that school are telling us they are going to cut what else are they doing that is is a higher priority that they need to spend the money on thats a higher priority than teaching kids how to read . 47 17 the bill that passed the senate today is for the 2017, 2018 school year. Funding for the 20162017 school year is still being worked out by the house and senate. A Senate Committee discussed a bill today that would give terminally ill patients. The chance to use medicine that isnt on pharmacy shelves yet. Its called the iowa right to try act. The bill would allow iowans to use drugs that have passed phase one of fda trials, but arent approved. Phase one means the fda says the drug is safe, but more extensive trials are needed. Kurt altman with Goldwater Institute says the bill gives terminally ill patients an opportunity to live. Know what the side effects of what these drugs are, its been in the process for awhile we dont know what its going to do to patients, we do know what the absolute side effect of doing nothing in this situation is. Thats why the law is designed like this. If nothing is done, then the patient will certainly pass. 42 28 one lawmaker asked if other states have used this bill to allow medical marijuana use. Altman says the bill is only designed for drugs that are in fda trials. And medical cannabis is not. But lawmakers are making their own push to expand the use of medical cannabis in iowa. The group iowans for medical cannabis is leading the effort. So far, doctors can legally prescribe cannabis oil for children with certain medical conditions. But the medicine, cannot be produced and dispensed in iowa. The group says its now time to create a program to make and distribute some forms of medical marijuana in iowa. West des moines mayor steve gaers daughter. Margaret has had seizures since 4 months old. He quickly started seeing results after margaret started taking a form 2 18 59 within the first six weeks of her taking this, she started sleeping through the night, which she has never done for 25 years. Imagine living in your home for 25 years and no one has slept though the night in 25 years. 19 12 in fact the first morning, i woke up in a panic because we have a baby monitor and i didnt hear her. I thought something had happened to her. 19 20 gaer also says margarets coordination drastically improved. And a few months later she said for first full sentence. The new legislation is being introduced by house republicans. Driving around the midwest is the cheapest its been in 12years. Gas buddy says nine states in the heart of america have the lowest gas prices since 2004. Iowa is not among them, but some of our neighbors are. The average in illinois is 157. Chicago which is known for high prices, is now eightcents below the national average. Folks in wisconsin are filling up for 1 54. In minnesota. The average is 152. Will pay around 137 a gallon. Gas buddy analysts say 99cents could show up at some stations. The reason oil refiners are offering low prices to get rid of the winter blend of gasoline. Iowans are paying a bit more. The average is 172 a gallon. Thats still down about 12cents from a month ago. Iowans are bundling up today. Its especially important to keep those little ones warms. Coming up. The onewoman crocheting machine making hats for newborns. And the two inspirations for her passion. The polls are open in New Hampshire for the first in the nation primary. The reason many president ial candidates are just hoping to there is a big turnout reported in New Hampshire, today, as republicans. Democrats. And a large group of undeclared voters are casting ballots for the nominees for president. The polls point to big wins for Republican Donald Trump and democrat Bernie Sanders. Both parties are being torn by wars between the establishment at the insurgents. Steve handelsman has more from New Hampshire. You could see the big turnout at ward 3 in manchester sot gail athas, polling official 04 06 its really steady very good some new hampshirites made up their minds today who to vote for voter mos 09 14 15 20 once i heard ted cruz speak himself voter mos 21 26 i believe in what bernie stands for and i felt that i needed to go with my beliefs donald trump. Hes a businessman he tells it like it is sot donald trump 26 28 in New Hampshire i feel very good trump could score his firstever election win and. After repeating a vulgarity last night he promised today. That kind of thing stops if he keeps winning sot donald trump 37 41when you get to be president or just before you get to be president the attitude would change very much nats Chris Christie thank you so much for your support smooch Chris ChristieMarco Rubio JohnKasich Ted Cruz and jeb bush hope to be trumps runner up sot jeb bush 52 54 im the only guy standing up to the guy nats Hillary Clinton hello hi guys whoooo. Hi everybody democrat Hillary Clinton is hoping to get within Single Digits today of Bernie Sanders sot Hillary Clinton 1 011 04were going to keep working literally until the last vote is cast sanders was confident enough to relax sot Bernie Sanders 1 071 12 i like to take nice if the vermont socialist senator wins big he will rock the democratic establishment nats sanders, i feel great reporter tag soon after the polls close here were going to know. Youre going to know. The strength Going Forward of National Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton and know whos become the republicans chief challenger to donald trump. Im steve handelsman, nbc news, manchester New Hampshire. Polls close about six iowa time. Early exit poll results show that 42 percent of republican primary voters consider themselves to be political independents. 39 percent of voters in the democratic primary think of themselves as independents. An unusual voter showed up at the polls today. And im sure hes against, cutting the pork, this pig showed up to a polling station in pelham, New Hampshire. Police say the pig weighed more than sixhundred pounds. It made its way to a high school, where voters were parking as they went to cast their ballots. Animal. Its not clear for which candidate the it will be a quiet and cold evening across central iowa. Skies will remain partly cloudy with winds still breezy from the northwest at 5 to 15 mph. Temperatures will drop to the Single Digits with wind chills as low as 10 wednesday, as does a chance for light snow. The snow will start midmorning and will continue through mid afternoon. Approximately an inch will fall across central iowa. There will be another lull in the action on thursday, but a couple more quick shots of snow are possible through the end of the week and weekend. Early friday morning , some flurries are possible and then a heavier snow with a few inches is possible saturday night into sunday. Temperatures return the the 30s it was a good idea to wear a hat outside today. And for some, even inside. Coming up. How a mother is making sure newborns at one iowa hospital have a hat to wear. And her inspiration that came one woman turned a hobby into a good cause. Shes keeping some eastern iowa babies warm in the winter. Tiny hats for newborn babbies at Allen Hospital in waterloo. She used pinterest and youtube to learn how to get creative with these hats. And has two very good reasons for doing it. Amanda gilbert has the story. Awww shes yawning a superbowl croched hat with tiny pom poms on baby emmas head lacy tripp Grundy Center its really wonderful. And a valentines day hat on kyptins head. It keeps my babys head warm. All thanks to lacy lacythis is just a plain hat for one of the babies between holidays. A mom whos crocheted over 200 hats for babies at Allen Hospital. Mom its great to know that there are still people like this in the community. They are for newborn and premature babies. Cmon honey as well as still born babies. Lacy to me its acknowledging that they are a baby to. She says shes giving back to a place that helped her through a time of loss. I had six pregnancy losses. A lot of loss until she became pregnant with two twins. They are True Miracles in lacy had them prematurely. She spent 50 days at allen where tiny hats. Helped keep her 3 pound newborns warm and well. Thats why your mom always teaches you to wear a stocking hat when its cold. The twins are now two years old. And theyre the reason lacy keeps croching. Usually hats like this i would add a flower to it too. I already have some ideas for Saint Patricks day hats. Lacy says she likes to have hats available year round. She makes Holiday Themed hats as well as every day hats. Stick around, well get another look at your forecast, after the break. With 40 megs of Internet Speed from centurylink, a family of four can all be online at the same time, streaming, gaming, or downloading movies. Yeah, the internets great, but i think hair and makeup went a little too far. Yeah, thats not working. I much prefer the twoday beard, hornrimmed glasses, justsleptinhiscar kinda thing. Okay. Be paul giamatti. Thats the essence of this role. Feel like a hollywood insider