Articles by Iowa Radio News

No Picture

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A driver was clocked at 114 mph on Interstate 35 on Tuesday night during the snowstorm. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver’s excuse was he was “in a hurry to get back to college in Minnesota.” IOWA (IRN) – A number of communities from Des Moines to Cedar Rapids received nearly a foot of snow yesterday and overnight. The Iowa State Patrol responded to 91 weather-related vehicle crashes and 372 motorist assists from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. yesterday. Seven crashes resulted in injuries. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Stores around the Des Moines metro had empty shelves as people rushed to buy snow supplies ahead of Tuesday’s storm. Business owners said ice melt, shovels and snow blowers sold out quickly this week. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – COVID-19 testing results from Test Iowa sites may face delays due to Tuesday’s winter storm. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A federal judge in Iowa who has warned against political corruption is ridiculing President Donald Trump’s pardons. Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt of the Southern District said, “it’s not surprising that a criminal like Trump pardons other criminals,” and that, “apparently to get a pardon, one has to be either a Republican, a convicted child murderer or a turkey.” Pratt was referring to pardons Trump granted to his former campaign aides convicted of crimes, former Republican congressmen who committed crimes, and security contractors convicted of killing innocent civilians in Iraq. Trump also pardons turkeys — this year two from Iowa — annually before Thanksgiving.


No Picture

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

IOWA (IRN) – The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning in effect for most of the state until 6 a.m. Wednesday. Snow expands from west to east this morning, increasing in intensity during the afternoon. Impressive snowfall rates are possible along with gusty winds and a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and even rain showers during the afternoon in southern Iowa. Snow amounts will vary from less than 4 inches in the western part of the state to bands of heavier snow around central Iowa, producing nearly 8 inches of fresh snow. Travel is not advised starting at noon today in central Iowa. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Coronavirus-related hospitalizations and admissions ticked higher in Iowa Monday after several days of decline as the state will end the year with over 3,700 dead from the virus. State Public Health data shows the number of deaths in October was 21% higher than the average monthly deaths for October over the past four years. IOWA (IRN) – Long-term care facilities across Iowa began distributing the first round of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to staff and residents on Monday. WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – Waukee fire crews said two people were injured in a fire at an apartment complex Monday evening. It happened near downtown Waukee. Two people were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. All seven families living at the complex have been displaced. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – One of the Tyson Foods managers fired for betting on how many workers would contract COVID-19 at an Iowa pork plant said the office pool was spontaneous fun and intended to boost morale. Don Merschbrock, a former night manager at the plant in Waterloo, Iowa, said he was speaking in an attempt to show that the seven fired supervisors are “not the evil people” that Tyson has portrayed. “We really want to clear our names…We actually worked very hard and took care of our team members well.”


No Picture

Monday, December 28, 2020

ONAWA, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing his grandmother in 2018. Eliot Stowe was sentenced in the beating death of 66-year-old Cheryl Stowe at her rural home in Castana in June 2018. Stowe declined to address the court before he received the mandatory sentence for first-degree murder. Prosecutors say Cheryl Stowe’s body was found wrapped in a rug and duct tape at the edge of a cornfield near her home. GENESEO, IA (IRN) – A woman was found dead in a burning house in Geneseo on Christmas. Firefighters and officers with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office found the woman on the floor, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. BLACK HAWK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Five people were sent to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries after a head-on collision on Highway 20 in Black Hawk County on Sunday morning. Authorities say the highway was covered with snow and ice. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The football season for the Hawkeyes is over. On Sunday afternoon the Mizzou Football team tweeted “COVID-19 knocks Mizzou football out of TransPerfect Music City Bowl.” The Mizzou Football team is temporarily pausing activities until Jan. 2 due to COVID-19 concerns among student-athletes, coaches and staff. THE MIDWEST, U.S.A. (IRN) – A winter storm will move across the Plains and Upper Midwest this final week of 2020 and will make for difficult, if not treacherous, travel conditions for much of Iowa on Tuesday. Tune in to (your station ID here) for current severe weather and travel information.


No Picture

Sunday, December 27, 2020

POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a rollover crash that killed the driver of a pickup truck Saturday night. Witnesses say a 2015 Dodge Ram was travelling at a high speed when it ran a stop sign entered a field and rolled over. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Approximately 20 to 25 train cars derailed near Des Moines Friday after a small bridge collapsed. No one was injured. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Waterloo police say a local man inappropriately grabbed a Casino server this month. Sandi Dedic, 42, allegedly has a history of such abuse. INDIANOLA, IA (IRN) – The gravestone of Chris Street in Indianola has been vandalized. Chris, was a basketball player at the University of Iowa in the early 1990s before he was killed in a car accident 27 years ago.


No Picture

Saturday, December 26, 2020

TODDVILLE, IA (IRN) – A Center Point woman was arrested for OWI and texting while driving after a head-on collision in Toddville on Friday afternoon. Jennifer Buelow, 33, has been charged with Operating While Intoxicated, Use of Electronic Communication Device While Driving and other traffic charges. The person driving the other vehicle was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. MINNEAPOLIS (IRN) – Brandon Johnson made all four of his 3-point attempts in overtime and finished with 26 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota in a 102-95 win over No. 4 Iowa. Iowa led by 3 with 15 seconds to play. Joe Touissant had a chance to ice it, but missed both free throws. That allowed Marcus Carr to come down and send the game into overtime with a three. AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State running back Breece Hall and linebacker Mike Rose are The Associated Press Big 12 offensive and defensive players of the year after the Cyclones’ best conference season ever. Matt Campbell earned coach of the year honors. The Big 12 runner-up Cyclones will play in a New Year’s Six bowl for the first time, facing Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A cat named Lottie has been reunited with his Des Moines owners just in time for Christmas after he went missing nearly five years ago. 37-year-old Kara Hanlon figured the cat had died until she got a letter in the mail saying otherwise. The Animal Rescue League’s animal control division had picked up Lottie and identified him by scanning his microchip. She got him back Monday.