Articles by Iowa Radio News

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Wednesday, August 25, 2021

BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – An apartment fire Tuesday in Burlington left one woman dead and two others injured. Samantha Hoenig died of her injuries. Firefighters searched the four-unit building and rescued two people who were injured. One firefighter was injured. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A man was shot and killed in a shooting Tuesday in Waterloo. Police found his body in the median of Highway 218. OELWEIN, IA (IRN) – Severe weather hit much of Eastern Iowa last night, and damage is still being assessed. A wind gust of 100 mph was reported at Oelwein Airport. In Fayette County, Westgate (population 224 ) and Oran (population 890) were completely cut off due to downed trees. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Those wanting to go to concerts at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines will have to show proof of vaccination or prove a negative COVID test within 72 hours of the show. That’s what’s being asked of ticket holders planning to see Michael Bublé next month and James Taylor in December. WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Valley West Mall in West Des Moines is losing another store. The department store Von Maur is relocating to Jordan Creek Town Center and will open in fall 2022. Valley West Mall also lost Younkers in 2018. The mall just has one anchor store left, JCPenney.


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Tuesday, August 24, 2021

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Polk County has committed at least $5 million, and up to $7 million, toward construction of a professional soccer stadium in downtown Des Moines. Pro Iowa and Krause+, the real estate development arm of the company that owns the Kum & Go convenience store chain, plan to build a 6,300-seat stadium as the home of a USL Championship league team at the former Dico Superfund site, between Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and the Raccoon River. The Krause-owned Des Moines Menace would move from the fourth to the second tier of U.S. professional soccer. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A state commission has scheduled three virtual public hearings in September pertaining to Iowa’s proposed new electoral maps. The five-member Iowa Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission voted Monday to hold the hearings on Sept. 20, 21, and 22. The first redistricting maps will be delivered on Sept. 16, beginning the process for redrawing political boundaries for legislative and congressional districts. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Four people and their pets are safe after a fire in their Cedar Rapids home Monday night. Crews located a fire in the kitchen and were able to quickly put it out. Crews searched the home and found one dog and five cats inside, all of which were unhurt. Turns out the fire was an unintentional grease fire. AHSTW, IA (IRN) – COVID-19 is shutting down a southwest Iowa school district before the school year can even get started after an outbreak was reported among staff. The AHSTW Community School District, which covers Avoca, Hancock, Shelby, Tennant and Walnut had to cancel open house and delay the start of school until at least Monday, Aug. 30. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The band Florida Georgia Line will no longer stop in Des Moines due to COVID-19 concerns. The Iowa Events Center announced Monday that the country group’s Oct. 14 concert at Wells Fargo Arena is canceled.


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Monday, August 23, 2021

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are looking for a woman who robbed the U.S. Bank branch near Sixth Street and Walnut Avenue downtown. The robbery happened around 10 a.m. Monday. Police said a woman with red hair entered the bank and presented a note demanding money. She then left the bank, but it’s not known which direction she went. Police said no weapon was displayed. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – An early morning storm led to multi car crashes and delays on I-380 in Cedar Rapids this morning. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A man was stabbed in the chest in Des Moines Sunday. Police believe the stabbing was drug-related, and the victim is expected to survive. A suspect, 41-year-old Timothy Kelley, is in jail. IOWA (IRN) – Every person in Iowa, vaccinated or not, should wear a mask when in public indoor spaces because of the high level of spread of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Some East Village businesses in Des Moines are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for entry, despite state law discouraging it. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Fair finished its 11-day run with the usual vendors and a concert from the Doobie Brothers. The state fair was cancelled in 2020 because of COVID-19. Attendance for the State Fair was down compared to 2019. As of Sunday, 994,000 people came through the fairgrounds’ gates, including a high of 117,000 on Saturday.


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Sunday, August 22, 2021

FAIRFAX, IA (IRN) – A crash between a sport-utility vehicle and a motorcycle on Saturday in Fairfax in Linn County sent two people to the hospital. A 2018 Harley-Davidson motorcycle was traveling northbound when a 2010 Jeep Liberty heading westbound failed to properly stop and yield at the intersection and hit the motorcycle. The operator of the motorcycle, along with a passenger, were taken to local hospitals for treatment of injuries. Neither were wearing helmets. BLACK HAWK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two people were hurt, one seriously, after a train hit a car in Black Hawk County. The car became stuck on the tracks as the train approached. The driver was taken to Allen Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The passenger was also taken to Allen with life-threatening injuries. The crash remains under investigation. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Some East Village businesses in Des Moines are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for entry, despite state law discouraging it. IOWA (IRN) – The search for the next “American Idol” has begun, and the quest is coming to Iowa this week. The show, which in 2022 will be marking its 20th season, will hold open call Zoom auditions Aug. 25 for Iowa singers 15 and up who want a chance to pit their talents against those of hundreds of others from across the nation.


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Saturday, August 21, 2021

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines woman was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison on Thursday for trying to kill two children by running them over with her car because she believed they were Mexican or of Middle Eastern or African descent. Nicole Poole Franklin was sentenced Thursday to 304 months by a federal judge. This sentence will run concurrent to a 17½-year sentence that Franklin received April 19 on related state charges of attempted murder. BUTLER COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An 82-year-old woman from Parkersburg is dead after a crash involving a semi. Mary Vry died at the scene. She was driving behind a semi when the semi started to slow to make a left hand turn. Vry wasn’t able to slow down, and hit the semi. Vry’s vehicle then rolled before stopping in the ditch. Vry was not wearing her seatbelt and was thrown from her Buick Lesabre. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The band Spoon is canceling a show in Des Moines due to the state’s COVID-19 policy of not allowing businesses to demand proof of vaccination prior to entry. IOWA (IRN) – The People’s Choice Best New Food Contest at the Iowa State Fair has a winner — Chicken Egg Salad with Indian Fry Bread. The chicken and egg salad includes crisp celery, cranberries and toasted pecans. They also added cabbage slaw, bacon-tomato aioli, fresh cilantro and a hint of smoked paprika.