Articles by Iowa Radio News

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Tuesday, October 6, 2020

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A majority of Des Moines public school students will go back to their classrooms when their schools restart in-person learning. The district reports 59% of students signed up for a hybrid Return to Learn model. The rest chose to continue online learning. Elementary school students return to class Oct. 19. Middle school students the week after. High school students won’t return until Nov. 10. Activities won’t resume until Nov. 7. That ends football, volleyball, boy’s golf and cross-country seasons. THORNTON, IA (IRN) – A woman was killed during a house explosion in Thornton in Franklin County Saturday. Another person with severe injuries was hospitalized. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – One person was hospitalized in a shooting incident on the northeast side of Cedar Rapids on Monday night. The person was driving near a park, when they were shot by someone in another vehicle. The vehicle that was shot at crashed into a tree. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police have confiscated a 9mm handgun discovered by Transportation Security Administration workers at the Des Moines International Airport. The gun, loaded with five bullets including one in the chamber, was in the man’s carry-on luggage when it was discovered Saturday. Police took the gun. The man, a resident of Guam, was issued a weapons citation. AMES, IA (IRN) – Cyclone football fans will once again be allowed to attend a game at Jack Trice Stadium. Jamie Pollard, director of athletics, said Monday that he will allow 15,000 fans at Saturday’s matchup against Texas Tech. All fans in attendance at Saturday’s game must continue to commit to no tailgating, social distancing and properly wearing face coverings.


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Monday, October 5, 2020

AMES, IA (IRN) – The Ames Police Department has arrested a subject in a stabbing that happened Saturday evening. Officers were called to a stabbing at a Kum & Go at 6:08 p.m. The victim reported being stabbed in the back with a machete after a short altercation and described the suspect to police. Police said officers found the suspect a short time later and took him into custody without incident. Barry Yazin Mayo, 21, is charged with willful injury and first-degree harassment. IRETON, IA (IRN) – A body was found inside a burned vehicle in a northwest Iowa cornfield Friday. The Sioux County Sheriff’s office said the burning vehicle was reported around 9 p.m. in a cornfield north of the town of Ireton. The 2007 Jeep Commander was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. The sheriff’s office said the body was found inside the Jeep after the fire was extinguished. CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – An investigation is ongoing after police were called to the Target Distribution Center in Cedar Falls Saturday night on a report of an unresponsive male in the parking lot. The man had been run over by a semi-tractor. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Police are searching for the person who robbed a restaurant in Davenport Friday night. The man allegedly entered the business wearing a face mask and demanded money from the register. AMES, IA (IRN) – Oklahoma dropped out of The Associated Press college football poll for the first time since September 2016 and No. 24 Iowa State jumped back into the Top 25 after a day of upsets. Iowa State beat Oklahoma Saturday 37-30.


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Sunday, October 4, 2020

IOWA (IRN) – Over 1,100 additional cases of the illness caused by the novel coronavirus were reported by state officials in the last 24 hours along with additional deaths. It’s the fourth straight day of over 1,000 newly-reported cases in Iowa. STORY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Story County man has received multiple counts of sexual abuse for incidents between April and August. Authorities have charged Gaige Jeffery Douglas Pickering, 19, with four counts of third-degree sex abuse and contempt of court. Pickering allegedly abused a 13-year-old girl while out on bail. CLAYTON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Clayton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating multiple reports of thefts from mailboxes. AMES, IA (IRN) – Breece Hall scored the go-ahead touchdown on an 8-yard run with 4:06 left and Isheem Young intercepted Spencer Rattler in the end zone on No. 18 Oklahoma’s final drive, giving Iowa State a 37-30 win Saturday night. It was the Cyclones’ first win over OU in Ames since 1960. The Sooners, beaten at home by Kansas State last week, lost back-to-back regular-season games for the first time since 1999.


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Saturday, October 3, 2020

IOWA (IRN) – Another nine people with COVID-19 have died in Iowa and there have been an additional 1,142 confirmed cases, the state reported Friday. At 10 a.m. Friday, the state was reporting 1,367 COVID-19-related deaths, an increase of nine deaths since the state’s tally at 10 a.m. Thursday. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids police are looking for the person responsible for an active shooter situation at Cedar River Landing last night. The suspect left the area before officers arrived. There were no reported victims at the scene or any local hospitals. Officers were able to interview witnesses and collect shell casings at the scene. There are no arrests at this time. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – On Friday, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation regarding the reopening of bars in Story and Johnson counties. The proclamation allows bars in Johnson and Story counties to reopen at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 5 through 11:59 p.m. Oct. 18. Breweries, wineries and distilleries can reopen at 5 p.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Oct. 18. The proclamation doesn’t specify what will happen after the Oct. 18 deadline. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Vaudeville Mews, a Des Moines music venue, announced Friday it’s closing its doors. The venue opened in December 2002, and due to the financial impact of COVID-19, it’s closing this fall. AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State will play their second game of the season today against the Oklahoma Sooners. While this is not the first game in the 2020 season that the Cyclones have taken the field at home, it will be the first with fans in the stands. Jack Trice Stadium will be seated at 25% capacity, giving some fans the chance to watch in person.


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Friday, October 2, 2020

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Vice President Mike Pence drew a standing ovation in Des Moines on Thursday as he called for a “dignified” confirmation process of President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett. Pence told a crowd of Christian conservatives at an event hosted by the Family Leader, “I’ll tell you, we’re going to fill that seat.” OSKALOOSA, IA (IRN) – The Oskaloosa Police Department has charged two adults and two minors in connection to more than 30 vandalism reports this week. All contained anti-Trump messages. Police estimate the damage to be about $10,000. Nadia Hatfield, 20, of University Park, Patrick Strang, 19, of Knoxville, and a minor from University Park were charged with first-degree criminal mischief and trespassing. A minor from Pella was charged with first-degree criminal mischief and fifth-degree theft. MARION, IA (IRN) – The City of Marion signed an emergency proclamation Thursday advising the use of face coverings in public places throughout Marion, whenever proper social distance cannot be maintained. IOWA (IRN) – Alliant Energy announced Thursday that it is now producing 1,300 megawatts of wind in Iowa. This is from five wind projects across seven counties. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Krause Group wants to partner with the City of Des Moines to redevelop the former DICO property into a soccer stadium. The old DICO site is located south of downtown Des Moines, and is one of the city’s most polluted properties. The Krause Group and the Iowa Soccer Development Foundation want to create a soccer stadium for the planned acquisition of a USL Championship pro soccer franchise. The Krause Group owns over 400 Kum & Go stores across 11 states.