NEWTON, IA (IRN) – A Charles City man has been arrested in connection with the death of a Newton man who was found inside of his rural home in March. The Newton Daily News reports 52-year-old Randy L. Linderman of Charles City is facing a first-degree murder charge for the death of 61-year-old Jose Ramirez Berber. The autopsy results determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma.
EXIRA, IA (IRN) – Firefighters from multiple departments were called in to battle a large building fire in western Iowa. KETV reports the fire started in downtown Exira at Jerry’s Bar around 2:30 a.m. Officials said more than 26 fire departments assisted with the blaze. Four buildings were destroyed which include a bar, apartment building, a coffee shop and a psychologist’s office across the street.
CLIVE, IA (IRN) – A man threatened to stab managers at the Applebee’s in Clive earlier this week, sending the restaurant into lockdown, according to KCCI-TV. 23-year old Joel Moots had been throwing rocks at cars in the parking lot and threatening to stab restaurant employees with a knife. Employees managed to lock him out of the restaurant, and he was attempting to break the window on the door and enter, when police arrived. He’s in jail.
MARION, IA (IRN) – Two people were treated for injuries after a motorcycle crash in Marion last night, according to KWWL-TV. Two people were on the motorcycle when a car turned in front of them. The motorcyclists went to the hospital for treatment of injuries. No one in the car was injured.
DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Human Services says another newborn has been turned over to the state under Iowa’s safe haven law. It’s the 28th time the law has been used to protect the welfare of an infant since it was approved following a 2001 case in which a teenage mother in eastern Iowa killed her home-delivered newborn. The law lets parents hand over custody of babies up to 14 days old without fear of prosecution.
DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Kids in Dubuque are finishing up bible school in a different way. KCRG-TV reports Pastor John Crawford told the kids at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church if they raised $500 for charity, he would shave his head like a monk–with a bald spot in the middle of his hair. The kids raised over $700. The pastor is pleased with the outcome–”I think it’s awesome and worthwhile for looking like a fool for a little bit.”