MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Court of Appeals Thursday upheld the 35-year prison sentence of a Minnesota man who confined a woman in a Clear Lake motel room and attacked her on Easter Sunday 2014. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports 63-year-old Albert Mesenbrink lured a woman to a Clear Lake motel room by pretending during phone conversations to be someone she knew and then beat her and choked her with a rope.
IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa City man was caught with a wide variety of drugs and paraphernalia on him Wednesday afternoon. An Iowa City police officer spotted 31-year-old Nicholas Rotter, and recognized that he was wanted on an arrest warrant. The officer tried to stop Rotter — who was on a bike — but he continued riding. Rotter was found hiding in a shed. Eight syringes, meth, psilocybin mushrooms, two spoons, a glass containing a white residue, and brass knuckles were found in his backpack.
LINN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A woman died after being hit by a semi near Palisades-Kepler State Park in Linn County late Wednesday night, according to KCRG-TV. Deputies responded to the eastbound lanes of Highway 30, near the park’s entrance west of Mount Vernon. The woman was walking in the eastbound lanes when she was hit. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.
CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – A Coralville man has been charged with sexual abuse for inappropriately touching a 4-year-old child. KGAN-TV reports 71-year-old Raymond Wagehoft was caring for the girl when he made inappropriate sexual contact with her. The victim was crying when Wagehoft’s wife came home. The girl told her that Wagehoft hurt her. He faces up to 37 years in prison if convicted.
JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – Widespread damage was reported as severe weather hit much of southcentral Iowa Wednesday afternoon. The National Weather Service reports much of the area was battered by high winds with gusts up to 80 mph, and a dozen tornadoes were reported, including three in the Des Moines area. Corning and Knoxville were two other towns hit by tornadoes. Additional ones were reported in more rural areas, including two in Monroe county.
ALTOONA, IA (IRN) – Altoona Police and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are investigating the death of a female, whose body was found at an Altoona home. WHO-TV reports an autopsy is scheduled for Thursday. Her name has not been released.
IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa City police are investigating an armed robbery at a home Wednesday, according to KWWL-TV. According to the victims, three men kicked in the door to the house. One was holding a gun. The men went through the house and demanded money. After the victims emptied their wallets, they ran away.
DES MOINES (IRN) – This year is likely to be a record breaking year for agricultural production in Iowa. According to the Iowa Production Report the predicted statewide average for corn is 189 bushels per acre. This breaks the previous record of 181 bushels per acre, which was set in 2004 and tied in 2009. Soybeans are predicted at 56 bushels per acre, which would break the 2005 record of 52.5 bushels per acre.