Author: Iowa Radio News

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A West Des Moines man stabbed a cat to death after he said God spoke to him and told him to do it, according to police. Thirty-five-year-old Travis Allessi is charged with animal abuse. The crime was allegedly committed on June 3. According to police, Allessi called 911 to report that he stabbed his cat to death with a knife.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – One person was killed in a shooting in Waterloo on Saturday. The Waterloo Police Department was sent to a report of a shooting in an apartment building. Officials located Cortavius Benford, 26, who had been shot one time. He later died from his injuries at a nearby hospital. Police arrested Savion Wilson, 23, and charged him with first-degree murder. Wilson is being held at the Black Hawk County Jail on a $1 million bond.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A boy has been taken to the hospital after a shooting on Des Moines’ south side Sunday. Police are investigating multiple scenes. The shooting stemmed from a fight.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A multi-vehicle crash on East 14th street in Des Moines left behind ‘tornado-like’ destruction and blocked off parts of the road Sunday morning. Witnesses tell police they appeared to be racing. Both of the cars lost control, left the road and crashed. The vehicles left a destructive path, hitting parked cars and at least five homes.

AMES (IRN) – The Ames City Council is considering naming the municipal airport after James Herman Banning, a former Ames resident who was the first Black aviator to obtain a federal pilot’s license. Banning was also the first Black aviator, along with his friend Thomas Cox Allen, to fly coast to coast across the country.

KOSSUTH COUNTY, IA (IRN) – One person was killed in a car accident north of Livermore Monday evening. Desiman Stone Jr., 19, ran a stop sign, lost control of his vehicle on a gravel road, rolled several times, and was ejected from the vehicle. Stone was pronounced dead at the scene.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – In June the governor and other state agencies announced a $100 million dollar investment for school safety. The largest chunk of that money, $75 million, is being distributed by giving every school building in the state $50,000. $10 million is being used for technology that is designed to help law enforcement respond to active shooter events and also try to prevent them in the first place. That includes emergency radios that are available for free for every school building.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A fraternity at the University of Iowa was suspended two years ago and is making a return to campus within the next year. The Iowa Beta chapter of Phi Delta Theta was suspended in June 2020 after a history of alleged alcohol violations and prohibited tailgate parties. The fraternity chapter received approval this week to make their comeback.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A $2 million Mega Millions prize has been claimed by a Davenport man. Ben Sanford, 37, came forward Friday saying he won the big prize. After the winning numbers were announced in late July, Sanford knew he won big – but he was waiting to claim the prize until he and his stepfather had set the master plan for how to invest the winnings.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Casey’s employee in Des Moines was on break when he was shot multiple times in the lower body. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. He was sitting on the sidewalk having a cigarette.

GRUNDY CENTER, IA (IRN) – The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office has arrested Doni Rene Lang, 43, of Grundy Center for 10 counts of felony forgery. While working as an employee Lang allegedly misappropriated over $100,000 from Whink’s Plumbing and Heating.

WINTERSET, IA (IRN) – A sawmill in Winterset is working to rebuild after a fire burned down their building. The fire happened Wednesday at Custom Cut Lumber LLC. The business was a total loss.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – “My favorite day is garbage day!” reads the shirt worn by 5-year-old Nolan, an Iowa City boy who loves garbage trucks. Nolan got a special visit from the Iowa City Resource Management team, letting him get an up-close look at how a garbage truck works. Nolan loves garbage trucks but sometimes misses garbage day due to chemotherapy sessions. He was diagnosed with brain cancer in December. Nolan started kindergarten this week.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids police are investigating a shooting Wednesday night. Authorities received multiple calls from people saying someone in a bronze-colored SUV leaned out the passenger side window and fired shots at another vehicle driving down the interstate I-380. Police believe the people in both vehicles knew each other and think it was a targeted shooting.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police have apprehended four people after an attempted traffic stop led to a crash yesterday. A patrol officer attempted to make a traffic stop after a vehicle driving at high speeds failed to stop at an intersection. Seconds later, the vehicle crashed into another vehicle and then into a utility pole. After the crash, five people fled the vehicle. There was a firearm, illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia in the car. The four people apprehended were evaluated for injuries and felony charges are pending.

SPIRIT LAKE, IA (IRN) – On Monday, the Spirit Lake School Board passed a resolution that allows up to 10 people among the three school buildings to carry a firearm on school grounds for the purpose of protecting students and staff. The superintendent will be responsible for selecting the individuals to carry the firearms, and the names will not be made public.

URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – An Urbandale child is recovering after being hit by a car. It happened right after Olmsted Elementary students got out of class on Wednesday afternoon. There is no word on how the child is doing.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – The Waterloo Police department announced on Wednesday the Violent Crime Apprehension Team (VCAT) surpassed a significant milestone this week. The VCAT has now seized more than 700 guns since its inception in August of 2009. Most of the seizures led to felony convictions to related crimes in Federal Court.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A stop at an east Des Moines QuikTrip turned violent for one Iowa man. Tyler Chamberlain says last Thursday he was randomly and brutally assaulted by about 10 juveniles in the parking lot. Chamberlain says he and his fiancé had just left the Iowa State Fair and stopped by the gas station before heading home. He says the assault was completely random. Chamberlain sustained injuries and bruises all over his body as well as a black eye. Police have video.

CEDAR COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A school bus collided with a van Tuesday on the first day of school in the Cedar County town of Bennett. Six kids were on the bus at the time and one had to be taken to the hospital. Both the driver of the bus and driver of the van were also taken to the hospital for injuries.

APPANOOSE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A man was able to crawl to safety after being stuck in a grain bin for three hours on Monday thanks to work of first responders and neighboring farmers near Moravia. When first responders arrived, witnesses on scene had already secured a rope around the man and were using a sheet of tin to push grain away from him.

JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – A group of concerned mothers is working to get banned books back into the hands of Johnston students. The mission of ‘Annie’s Foundation’ is to ensure students have access to books with characters and subjects that reflect the diversity and complexity of the world around them. Annie’s Foundation is made up of local parents who have read each book.