FAYETTE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Cresco teen was using the Snapchat app while driving just before his pickup crashed into a stopped SUV, which then hit a third vehicle, according to the KCRG-TV. 18-year-old Logan Johnson was Snapchatting while driving Monday when his Ford F-150 pickup struck a Jeep Cherokee, and the Jeep then collided with a Chrysler 200 before rolling into a ditch. Deputies cited Johnson for use of an electronic device while driving, a simple misdemeanor.
OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – A used car dealership just outside Ottumwa burned to the ground early Tuesday morning. KTVO-TV reports no one was injured, but the entire building, a few vehicles, RVs and a boat were lost in the fire. The fire took hours to extinguish because there were tires stacked inside the building.
IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa City VA is accused of breaking federal law, and an Iowa family says it cost them their father and grandfather. WQAD-TV reports Army veteran Rick Hopkins, 65, died after complications from surgery to remove a brain tumor. Dr. John Schneider, who has had a dozen malpractice complaints against him, and who had his licence revoked in Wyoming, performed the surgery. Federal law bars the VA from hiring doctors whose license has been barred in any state, but Schneider was hired anyway.
DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A West Des Moines record store owner accused of hiding a camera in the business’ bathroom and recording an underage girl is now under federal indictment. Prosecutors say 48-year-old Robert Kuhn, the owner of Wayback Records, was indicted last week on a count of attempted production of child pornography. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A new poll from the Iowa Grocery Industry Association and the Iowa Beverage Association says that a majority of Iowans are ready to see changes to the nearly 40-year-old law, known widely as the “bottle bill” law, that requires a 5-cent deposit on bottles and cans at the time of purchase. 86% of people want the state to offer curbside recycling instead.
WALCOTT, IA (IRN) – The world’s largest truckstop is expanding. Walcott, Iowa — on I-80 — has a population around 1,600. Every day, the small eastern Iowa town triples in size when visitors come to the Iowa-80 Truck Stop. It offers restaurants, a huge gift shop, a barber shop, laundry, movie theater, and even a dentist. Now, Iowa-80 is adding more space–23-thousand square feet–as a way to offer more fresh food options they say their customers demand.