Articles by Iowa Radio News

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Tuesday, June 15, 2021

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – Council Bluffs Police have arrested a woman accused of setting another woman on fire. Lindsy Maves was arrested Monday on charges of attempted murder, arson and willful injury. Police found a woman with severe burns outside a homeless services center, and transported her to a local hospital. The victim was involved in a disturbance with Maves, who is accused of spraying the victim with a flammable substance and lighting her on fire. Maves then hit the victim in the face with something as a witness tried to put out the flames. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The FBI on Friday arrested an Iowa man and his adult son after they discussed on social media their involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Daryl Johnson, 50, of St. Ansgar and 29-year-old Daniel Johnson of Austin, Minnesota, were arrested separately. An FBI affidavit quotes Daniel Johnson as writing, “We stormed capitol hill, and lol Dad and I were one of the first ones inside” to a contact on Facebook on Jan. 6. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Protests forced the Des Moines City Council to recess its first in-person meeting of 2021 until Wednesday. During the council meeting, protesters gathered in front of the city council with posters calling for the defunding of the Des Moines Police Department. The most active protests were preceded by a consent agenda item authorizing $10,000 for a Des Moines police officer to attend training in Florida. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines Area Community College announced Monday it will not resume online classes Tuesday due to “unforeseen delays” in restoring the schools’ network. A June 3 ransomware attack impacted DMACC’s internet network, forcing the school to cancel classes and shut down campuses. In-person classes resumed June 9, but DMACC’s online classes have remained closed for over a week. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A long-serving Iowa politician will not return to office after the next election in November 2022. Rob Hogg, the Democratic state senator for Iowa’s District 33 in Cedar Rapids, made the announcement on Monday. He was first sworn in to the state senate in 2007.


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Monday, June 14, 2021

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Three teens are in custody after the Iowa State Patrol says they led officers on a chase in a stolen car from northeast Iowa that ended in a rollover crash at Highway 5 and Fleur Drive south of Des Moines. The car was stolen from the Waverly area. The 15-year-old driver, along with two passengers both aged 16, suffered minor injuries and were taken into custody. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines Area Community College says it is making progress restoring its network and tentatively plans to resume online-only classes on Tuesday. Their system was hacked over a week ago, and the FBI is investigating. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The Dubuque Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter in downtown Dubuque, is now reaching out to help feed families. They’ve opened up the Kindness Cafe, a food truck that will travel around town to bring food to people who need it. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Grace Lynn Keller was crowned Miss Iowa 2021 in Davenport over the weekend. Keller, a University of Iowa graduate, will represent Iowa in the 100th anniversary of the Miss America pageant in December. Her social impact initiative includes a literacy program for students between kindergarten and third grade. For her talent portion she performed a contemporary dance. EUGENE, OR (IRN) – Laulauga Tausaga is one of the most decorated athletes in Iowa Hawkeye history. The senior hoped to repeat as discus champion during the National Track and Field Championship in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday. She threw a career-best mark of 63.53 meters, but it wasn’t enough. Arizona State thrower Jorinde Van Klinken threw an NCAA record 65.01 meters on her final throw to take home the first place title, with Tausaga finishing second. Tausaga finished her storied career earning another First Team All American honor.


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Sunday, June 13, 2021

KNOXVILLE, IA (IRN) – Two people were killed in a motorcycle crash north of Knoxville Saturday afternoon. A vehicle heading northbound on Highway 14 was rear-ended by another vehicle also traveling northbound. It caused the first vehicle to enter the southbound lane in front of a motorcycle. The man and woman on the motorcycle from Indianola were pronounced dead at the scene. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man who threatened to have Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York assassinated has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. Kenneth Dean Brown, 57, of Waterloo, was sentenced Friday for threatening Nadler in a phone call on Dec. 18, 2019. Nadler was a U.S. House impeachment manager in former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment in late 2019. MARION, IA (IRN) – Marion Local enforcement officials are noting a higher rate of incidents involving pets being left unattended in vehicles during a recent stretch of hot weather. Marion Police said there had been an “alarming increase” in calls from people concerned about pets that were in vehicles outside of stores and businesses as air temperatures exceeded 90 degrees. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa is expanding sales of beer and wine throughout Kinnick Stadium this fall and at Carver-Hawkeye arena and other venues later in the year.


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Saturday, June 12, 2021

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines rescue crews launched a water rescue Friday after a man reportedly jumped into the Des Moines River. Authorities had not reported a person being found as of 11 p.m. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Former Department of Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven asserts in a new lawsuit that Governor Kim Reynolds and her senior staff forced him out as Iowa Department of Human Services director “because he refused to engage in illegal activity,” and to prevent him from seeking legal advice about possible misuse of federal Medicaid funds. LAS VEGAS, NV (IRN) – Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak on Friday signed a law that would make Nevada the first state to vote in the 2024 presidential primary contests, bumping Iowa and New Hampshire from their leadoff spots. Signing the law is a gamble. It’s likely to set off maneuvering by other states, especially Iowa and New Hampshire, to move up their contests. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Employees at a credit union in Dubuque had quite a surprise Friday morning. A black bear walked by the building. It is the second sighting of a bear this month.


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Friday, June 11, 2021

OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – An Ottumwa woman is out on bond after police said she threatened to blow up the Wapello County Attorney’s Office. Court documents state 30-year-old Sierra Smith made the threat on May 25 and was arrested Wednesday. She reportedly entered the lobby and started yelling at employees. Smith allegedly said “this place needs blown up and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.” She was charged with threat of incendiary or explosive device, a class D felony. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Two children were injured after a scooter they were on crossed into a busy street and hit a car in Cedar Rapids. The boys, ages 8 and 12, were riding the same scooter in an alley Wednesday afternoon. The scooter didn’t stop at a stop sign when it was hit by a car. The boys have life-threatening injuries. ANKENY, IA (IRN) – An explosive device was found and explosions were heard in an Ankeny neighborhood near an elementary school. The device was homemade, and police asked neighborhood residents to be on the lookout for suspicious devices. An 8-year-old girl found the device while playing outside. WEBSTER COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Webster County man is in jail facing a long list of charges including child pornography. A citizen tipped off the Webster County Sheriff’s Office this week that 35-year-old Joseph Hardy of Barnum possessed child pornography, illegal drugs and weapons. Hardy is being held in the Webster County Jail. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa High School Athletic Association announced Thursday that the 2021 state baseball tournament will take place outside of Des Moines. The 2021 tournament will be held in two locations: Merchants Park in Carroll and the University of Iowa’s Duane Banks Field in Iowa City. Class 1A and 2A games will take place in Carroll. Class 3A and 4A games will be held in Iowa City. The IHSAA said it moved the tournament from Des Moines’ Principal Park due to conflicting dates with new Minor League Baseball schedules.