it is going to slowly slide down to the southeast. look at the temperatures across the state. it is 28 in mason city. it is still the 60's and the moan. obviously the snow will stick first in the north. central iowa will transition from light rain. we are currently 44 at the metro. our snowfall potential looks like northeastern iowa. the best chances 3-6 inches of snow. to get to highway 30 north, 1-3. fishes light around this heavier area towards the northeast. in the metro, it looks to be less than an inch. one more system to watch, later this week, will springtime return. steve: more questions tonight after the second escape at the correctional facility after two months. stacey: michael amodeo and jessy foley were both reported missing from the minimum security facility saturday night. officers in jasper, polk and des moines are searching for the

charges. steve: just last month another inmate at the newton facility escaped. a department of corrections report shows edward shorter escaped with the help of a girlfriend january 23. he was arrested by officers in polk county. kcci's emmy victor is just back from newton where both union and prison officials are asking questions. andy: -- reporter: mark, now that 3 inmates have escaped in under a two month span the question both sides are asking is why? this minimum security center in newton houses inmates preparing to be released. it has limited staff members inside and a vehicle patrol car as needed outside. but some say that isn't enough and that this trend need to end. >> the staff in both our facilities and community based corrections, and the whole state, for that matter, has significantly decreased. reporter: the american federation of state county and municipal employees blames funding for 3 inmates recently escaping correctional facilities. >> we need to have enough staff

not run away . reporter: president danny homan across the state and that inmates aren't serving enough time in prison because of that. >> they are trying to get inmates out because it justifies for less staff. one of the gentlemen that escaped is a previous escapee . reporter: fred scaletta of the department of corrections says they take inmates on the loose seriously. >> if someone is going to take the chance and leave a facility there has to be on some concern. and are working to protect the public by reviewing ways to decrease these incidents. the resources that we have . reporter: the investigation is still pending we are still looking to gather more on the missing inmates. anyone with information should call 911. stacey? stacey: records of a hit&run investigation involving the safety director show he didn't cooperate with investigators looking into the accident. investigators say david visin refused to pull over after leaving a bar with his stepson,

iowa city police were looking for crane in connection with a hit & run drunk driving accident outside the bar. investigators say visin dropped crane off at a gas station. officers found crane there shirtless and intoxicated. visin says he wasn't drinking that night. he knew nothing of the accident until an officer called him. visin claims he did not stop because he's a diabetic and needed to get home for insulin and food. johnston police say they now know the identity of two people who may be connected to a credit card fraud case. johnston police released pictures of a man and woman wanted for questioning in connection with a february 21st case. after those pictures appeared on kcci.com and elsewhere this afternoon, johnston police say the pair was identified. their names have not been released. des moines police say there are more questions than answers about a late night shooting at east 17th court at cleveland. police say the victim arrived at lutheran hospital with a gunshot wound to the stomach. he told officers he was shot while having a smoke out by this

investigators say they aren't sure if someone shot curtis or if the wound was self-inflicted. steve: a judge will decide whether a des moines man is guilty of vehicular homicide in a deadly crash or was speeding from a gunman to try and save his life. des moines police say 24-year-old troy mure junior was driving at a high rate of speed when he crashed his car on 35th street november 23. just north of the price chopper on ingersoll. mure suffered minor injuries. his girlfriend in the car, 22-year-old scalicity perez, died at the scene. several witnesses today reported seeing another car chasing the sedan weaving in and out of traffic just before the accident. an officer who interviewed mure at the hospital testified mure told him someone in the other car showed a handgun before the chase and that the other car rammed him causing the accident but the officer also says mure told him he did not know who was chasing him. an accident reconstruction showed the car was going 86 miles an hour when it slammed

accident scene that i've ever witnessed. steve: this is a bench trial, no jury so the judge will rule on testimony resumes in the morning. stacey: ames is teaming up with isu to hire a consulting firm to look at safety issues along lincoln way. it's been just over two months since 18-year-old iowa state university student emmalee jacobs was hit and killed on lincoln way in ames. ames city engineers say there's no correlation between the december hit and run and the safety study. but, they want to make a busy road safer for everyone especially with continued growth in student population. >> i think before we had a good balance between vehicles and cars but now when you have a heavy increase in pedestrian. we want to get ahead of it before we have safety concerns 30. stacey: city leaders say the study is part of the city's long-range transportation plan. they are still working to finalize a deal with consulting

steve: iowa now generates over 30% of its power from wind. the u.s. energy information administration today says iowa is the only state to jump over the 30% mark. reporter: governor branstad says that percentage could climb above 40% in the next 5 years. gas prices taking another jump up over the weekend in iowa. now selling for just under a dollar 80 a gallon. according to gas buddy.com prices are still 39 cents a gallon lower than last year. gas buddy says the jump is due in part to reduced production. stacey: on the eve of super tuesday, the insults continue to fly among the republican presidential candidates. kcci's chief political reporter cynthia fodor shows us why governor branstad thinks the campaign is getting out of hand. parts it's gotten too far. it's called a con-job and we are not going to allow a con-artist to take control of the party of lincoln and reagan. donald trump: the guy's a choke-artist. we cannot have choke-artists running our country. our country is in trouble.

right, with the presidential race turning into a mud slinging contest as an internal gop war erupts over a likely trump nominee. >> i think its way out of hand, the focus needs to be on issues, not on personal appearance these kind of things. reporter: governor branstad says he has no intention of making an endorsement in the near future, even though other governors are now stepping forward. the governor said the timing of chris christie endorsing trump was politically strategic. >> i think it was a brilliant move. >> all the media talking about rubio's great performance at the debate, and then dang, this endorsement comes out, and now the discussion is on chris christie, changed the subject,that's what i mean by it was a strategically good move.

endorsements help trump on super tuesday, another milestone in the presidential race that could make or break several republican candidates. stacey: a us senator from nebraska ben sasse is now says he cannot support trump. he wrote an open letter to trump supporters saying if trump ends up the nominee, conservatives will need to find a third option. last week we told you about a student chant of trump trump trump at a perry-dcg basketball game. now, two catholic schools in indiana are enbroiled in a similar controversy. students from one school are accused of holding up photos and chanting build a wall. the opposing school has a heavily hispanic population. the bishop says the incident is under investigation. reporter: des moines heavy metal band slipknot announcing plans to perform at wells fargo arena august 5. they're appearing as the main act in radio station lazer 103's 20th anniversary show. the show will also feature marilyn manson and of mice and men. lazer says this is the first time slipknot has performed in

tickets go on sale this friday, march 4. they can be bought through hy-vee tix.com or at the wells fargo arena box office. stacey: losses last week mean a drop in the polls for both iowa and iowa state. sports director andy garman has more on that coming up. and why tonight's game is a one-of-a-kind for several cyclone players. the girls take over the iowa event center this week. day one of the high school basketball tournament. reporter: and see how coffee of

around in tonight's this is this is iowa's news leader. this is kcci 8 news at 6:00 with steve karlin, stacey horst, chief meteorologist john mclaughlin and sports director andy garman. steve: right between ames and des moines, there's a new coffee shop on highway 69. stacey: along that stretch, you can find plenty of places for coffee . but this week, eric hanson shows us why coffee and scones aren't as important as the iowans behind the counter. this is iowa. reporter: brewing coffee is simple.

>> we're at about 416 degrees. reporter: but a year ago, brian dannenmueller didn't even know that. >> i thought it just came from a can, folgers, you know? reporter: today, every bean of freedom blend coffee goes through him. >> roasting nat. but that's not even close to the biggest transformation in his life since last january. >> i went to jail and then i was evicted from my apartment. reporter: some believe 21-year-olds from the suburbs all have it made. >> i actually made a few wrong turns in life. reporter: brian's living proof trouble doesn't have a zip code. >> i ended up looking for a homeless shelter. reporter: which is exactly why the coffee he's roasting is moving into small towns like huxley. >> clicky thing. >> button click. >> frothy sound. reporter: february first, freedom for youth the group

shop that going to close along highway 69 and added to the menu. >> we don't want to be a coffee shop just to be a coffee shop. offering opportunities for guys like brian. >> by buying coffee, you're making a difference. reporter: every cup that's sold here helps kids who've found trouble track down their right path. >> it's really about the kids and finding hope and providing digity for the kids and giving them opportunities to succeed. reporter: some, like brian, will work here, earning both experience and money. >> it's an easy way to do something that's constructive for the community. reporter: others as young as elementary will learn stability from the classes they'll take here. coffee's just the front for this store that's really offering a second chance. >> i've paid off thousands of dollars in fines, i'm going back to school at dmacc. reporter: by summer, freedom blend's second shop will open on hickman. eventually, they want one in every county across iowa. because you'll find brian's in every zip code. >> absolutely. we're all over the place. >> thank you so much.

reporter: businesses and churches are jumping on board too helping iowa kids by serving freedom blend coffee. we've got a link to their website at kcci.com if you want to give it a try. eric hanson, kcci 8 news, iowa's news leader. stacey: it seems iowans always connect the girls' state basketball tournament with some kind of snow event. turns out this year's no different. the tournament is underway, and snow is on the way. kurtis: kurtis has the details. steve karlin is live in -- the temperatures of 40 degrees. it is cooling off quickly. the windchill feels like 30 on the gusty northeast winds. there's a light wintry mix. the picks up a little bit. there's a slight is a petition to our west that is going to move on it. a lot of this is getting picked up by radar. we are slowly overcoming the drier areas. it is starting to snow up to the north.

we'll start off in spring here before changing over to snow. a big temperature difference across the state today. 39 in mason across as they for high. 65. 59 here in des moines. it expires 8 a.m. in the morning. this is the area we are expecting the most snow. along with that some blowing snow. snow will be over in the metro by around 7 a.m.. it will be 25 degrees. no heat waves tomorrow. normal highs in the low 40's. we will barely get back to the crazy mark tomorrow afternoon. here's that little band of snow. moving in. it shows you the movement here. a little rain to the west of the metro. the main system is still off to the west. that will drop and in here with the band of snow.

before the high-pressure moves in from canada. eventually the clouds will bring us some sunshine as the week goes along. doing a good job, the mix in the metro. there is also by 10:00. a guys on through clearing the state before sunrise. that moves on out. just a little bit of sunshine tomorrow. we will see a little bit of sunshine as we head into wednesday. the snowfall, the heaviest amounts up to in the northeast. we will pick up 1-3 inches as you head up to the north. especially along the i-35 corridor. with winds picking up, there could be some blowing snow. 32, any snow will be very early. we will have those north winds keeping is cooler. in keeping that cold air in

wednesday is 42. another system on thursday. a light makes here. 39, could be nor snow -- more snow. 46 on friday. saturday's 52. the 8 day forecast is after that. nothing but 60's. i think next week we may be doing with some thunderstorms. stacey: steve karlin is live in washington dc tonight. he'll have a preview of his exclusive interview with iowa senator charles grassley. grassley is the chairman of the senate judiciary committee. why he won't hold hearings for any supreme court candidate president obama nominates. steve: warren county voters decide on possibly raising the county sales tax one% tomorrow. -- 1% tomorrow. the money from the local option sales tax would go toward city improvements and public safety. the greater des moines ymca says its closing its grimes program center april 30. the center opened in 2008. the ymca hoped to build a new

the present time. current grimes members have the next two months to transition to another ymca.

tournament is underway from iowa's sports leader, this is kcci 8 sports. two more games still to come -- the girls state best alternate got underway tonight. andy: scott reister has her coverage. reporter: i am thinking about dying my hair blue. reporter: the mustangs came in with blue hair. this team is looking for their second straight state championship. class one a quarterfinals. in the second quarter, abby with a strong move inside. third quarter, maggie. in the end, the mustang start to pull away. this is their fourth straight year. with serious lou hair plays on. >> we all went over to someone's

we all took turns bleaching the hair. it was a long process. >> i ended up cutting my hair off because it will not come off well. reporter: the other quarterfinal, they're down by 10 in the first quarter. with 30 seconds left, they cut the lead to one. with 15 seconds left mount ayr down by three. they were knocked out. and class two, see that came with the squid on his head. i guess that is a cardinal. m atwood. they made their fifth straight trip. and it shows. this game is not over yet. kcci is iowa's sports leader.

christian at 830. a full day tomorrow. they will play at 10:00 a.m. as they take on i was city. we'll also have several games in class three. at 830, the last game of the day, ballard. a whole lot of emotion. it is senior night. iowa state's abdel nader, jameel mckay and georges niang all playing for the final time on the home floor. an emotional moment up there. the latest update right now. oklahoma state at hilton. osu has a 18-16 lead in the first half. tony seeman will have all the coverage at 10. the cyclones are down the 21 this week.

finishing problem. they come up short on crunch time. they did not score basket against wisconsin. the hawkeyes have the bounceback in a hurry.

what's all this nonsense about balls? pink balls, blue, yellow, red. it's hard to keep the whole thing straight. and all these so-called deals? well, they come with a lot of deal breakers. like when you leave the city the signal goes weak. u.s. cellular built a network to give you a stronger signal where the other guys don't. and as for deals? how's $300 back for every line you switch? $300! no ball nonsense. get $300 per line and a stronger signal,

kurtis: light snow on the way. higher amounts on the way. the winter advisory. it will be safety by the weekend. stacey: we don't just serve any fish sandwich at culver's. we serve wild-caught, north atlantic cod. this cod grows in water that is cold, clean and pristine, full of flavorful nutrients, and that comes through in the fish. this is the way we ship it to your restaurants.

so not only do we use the highest quality cod, but we still hand-batter it the old-fashioned way. that's remarkable. and we think we get the best fish filet sandwich because of that. this is the best fish sandwich in america.

the most controversial oscar night ever. >> this is the wildest, craziest oscars cars. >> what you didn't see on tv. >> jlaw's mad dash. the show is starting in 60 seconds. and happiest night of her life. >> oh, my god! >> and inside the biggest oscar parties. and the final word on fashion. jen, sofia, reece, the best and worst dressed. inside the oscars cars with deborah norville, jim moret. and then erin andrews takes the stand. >> erin andrews breaks down on the witness stand during the peeping tom trial. >> i was screaming that i was naked all over the internet. plus --