Tuesday, November 17, 2015

PELLA, IA (IRN) – A Pella man was arrested on a Clayton County warrant in connection to an attempted murder. The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation reports 24-year-old Brandon Thoma is charged with attempt to commit murder in relation to an incident at an Elkader home. Thoma broke into the house after the victim’s husband left for work, and assaulted a woman by striking and kicking her repeatedly. The victim was later found by her husband when he returned from work.

OELWEIN, IA (IRN) – Leaders in Oelwein will announce Tuesday night an expansion at East Penn Manufacturing. KGAN-TV reports the Oelwein Chamber and Area Development says the project will cost $70-million dollars and will bring 315 new jobs to eastern Iowa.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man is in custody on a first-degree murder charge for fatally stabbing a resident at a motel near Cedar Rapids. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports 47-year-old Michael Lehman was arrested Monday morning at the Ced-Rel Motel where the fatal stabbing occurred. He is accused of stabbing 23-year-old Jimmi-Jon Lee Lint, of Mount Auburn. Both men were staying at the motel. Lehman is one of 20 registered sex offenders who live at the motel.

SAC CITY, IA (IRN) – An 18-year-old is scheduled to be sentenced next month for the crash deaths of two teenage girls in northwest Iowa. The Sioux City Journal reports that Trevor Feauto, of Clarksville, pled guilty on Monday to two counts of felony vehicular homicide. Feauto was driving drunk when his pickup crashed into a car near the town of Breda. Sixteen-year-olds Bailey Jacobsen and Lindsey Quirk were killed. Both were Wall Lake residents.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – There have been two influenza-related deaths in Iowa so far this flu season. The Iowa Department of Public Health announced Monday that two middle-aged men from central Iowa have died. Iowa is among the top three states with the highest influenza activity. The other two states are Oregon and Rhode Island.

BLACK HAWK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Raymond man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after his involvement in a fatal crash killing a 20-year-old, according to KWWL-TV. Joshua Dunt pled guilty to vehicular homicide and driving under the influence of drugs. Dunt collided head on with Warren VanWie’s car. VanWie left behind a large family, a fiance, and a seven-month-old daughter.

DES MOINES (IRN) – A growing number of purchases in China are now coming from Iowa. The Iowa Department of Economic Development reports this past September, representatives from China and Iowa signed an agreement for the state to supply China with millions of dollars worth of soybeans and other products. China is Iowa’s fourth largest export market, purchasing more than $946 million worth of goods. So far this year, Iowa exports to China have risen by 63%.

ALTOONA, IA (IRN) – An Altoona woman who has been legally blind since birth can now see for the first time, thanks to a new high-tech tool. KCCI-TV reports 45-year-old Mindi McDonald can now see thanks to a technology called Esight. The $15,000 technology uses a high-definition camera to capture and display real time video. Thanks to Esight, McDonald was able to see her husband and children clearly for the first time.