Author: Iowa Radio News

MARION COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Supreme Court will hear an appeal later this month in a civil case from a Marion County man who was found civilly liable for the death of his mother but acquitted in a criminal trial. Oral arguments in the case will be heard by the Supreme Court on Jan. 21. Jason Carter was found civilly liable for the death of his mother during a December 2017 trial and ordered to pay $10 million to her estate. Shirley Carter, 68, died on June 19, 2015, from two gunshot wounds fired by a rifle. After a three-week trial in March 2019, a jury acquitted Jason Carter of a criminal charge of first-degree murder.

IOWA (IRN) – Iowa public health officials are no longer receiving reports about the state’s COVID-19 outbreak from the White House coronavirus task force. CNN reported on Dec. 23 that the White House task force would only send the weekly reports if local officials asked for them. Iowa Department of Public Health spokesperson Sarah Ekstrand says, “We are not requesting the report at this time.” She didn’t respond when asked why the state is no longer requesting them.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention says over 53,000 Iowans have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines started for health care workers in Iowa on Monday Dec. 14. Staff and residents in Iowa’s long term care facilities were the next to be vaccinated; that started last week.

IOWA – (IRN) – Iowans have set a record for voter registration for the third month in a row.
Secretary of State Paul Pate announced Monday that the number of active registered voters is over 2,100,000. More than 90 percent of Iowa’s eligible population is registered to vote.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Drake men’s basketball team, picked to finish seventh in the preseason MVC poll, is turning heads. Monday night the Bulldogs blasted SIU 86-55 to improve to 13-0 and extend the best start to a season in school history. Thirteen wins also leads the NCAA. Drake also is receiving votes this week in the AP Poll.

SHENANDOAH, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Patrol reports a Shenandoah man was injured in a snowmobile crash Sunday afternoon in Page County. According to the patrol, 48-year-old William Stephens was injured when he lost control of his snowmobile and struck a pole.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids Police responded to a call from Mercy Hospital on Sunday for a male shooting victim who arrived in a private vehicle. The victim was pronounced dead shortly after officers arrived.

ANKENY, IA (IRN) – A man has been released from the Polk County Jail after authorities arrested him for driving while intoxicated with minors in the vehicle. At about 10 p.m. Saturday, authorities arrested Bradley Stoermer, 43, of Ankeny, for operating while intoxicated and three counts of child endangerment. The children in the vehicle said he had been drinking alcohol and they believed his driving was impaired.

WASHINGTON, D. C. (IRN) – Congress convened Sunday for the start of a new session, swearing in lawmakers including Iowa Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who was provisionally seated as a member of the 117th Congress. Pelosi seated Miller-Meeks along with the rest of the members and members-elect of the U.S. House of Representatives, despite Miller-Meeks’ Democratic opponent’s ongoing challenge to her 2nd Congressional District victory in the closest federal race in the nation this year.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Republican Joni Ernst was sworn in to the 117th Congress for her second term as Iowa’s Junior Senator on Sunday.

VINTON, IA (IRN) – The Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting local authorities with a death in Benton County. Local law enforcement responded to reports of a welfare check in a rural part of Vinton. Officers found the body of James Howard Bright, 84.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A Dubuque man is facing multiple charges after being arrested with over four pounds of marijuana following a traffic stop on Friday night. Yoosuf Kamaal Moment, 42, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, unlawfully carrying certain concealed weapons, unlawful possession of prescription drugs, interference with official acts, failure to affix drug stamp and driving while barred.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines’ first baby of 2021 was given a fitting name. Genesis Urbina-Lopez was born at 1:25 a.m. Friday at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. She was delivered at 6 lbs, 15.3 ounces to parents Erika Lopez and Abram Urbina of Ankeny. Genesis is “the beginning, the origin, the start of everything,” her father said. “A very good start to the year.”

GLENDALE, AZ (IRN) – Breece Hall ran for 136 yards and two touchdowns, Brock Purdy accounted for two scores and No. 12 Iowa State grinded out a 34-17 victory over No. 25 Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – Sioux City police are searching for suspects after an 18-year-old woman was killed and four others were injured by gunfire at a New Year’s party. The shooting occurred Friday morning when several shots from multiple guns were fired into a home where a house party was being held. The woman was found dead from a gunshot wound. Four others who were hit by gunfire were treated at hospitals and were in stable condition..

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Twenty-one homicides in 2020 is an unusually high number for the City of Des Moines. Two of them remain unsolved. Josiah Woods was the victim in the first homicide of 2020, happening just hours after midnight on New Year’s Day. Des Moines Police have not yet been able to identify the killer. The other unsolved homicide of 2020 happened on April 3 when Kaydee Bobbitt was shot while driving her car. Police have had warrants out for a material witness, Antonio Markez Hodges, since late April but have not been able to locate him.

INDEPENDENCE, IA (IRN) – Police in Independence are looking for a man seen breaking into a Casey’s on New Year’s Day. A picture from surveillance video was posted to Facebook, asking the public for information.

GLENDALE, AZ (IRN) – No. 12 Iowa State (8-3) plays No. 25 Oregon (4-2) in the Fiesta Bowl today. It’s the first meeting of the two teams.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The National Weather Service is warning of a winter storm on New Year’s Day. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for much of the area until midnight today.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids Police are investigating after receiving reports of a stabbing and shots fired early Friday morning.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Waterloo Police are investigating reports of a shooting near downtown this morning.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The number of Iowans filing initial unemployment claims rose slightly last week. Iowa Workforce Development 7,644 initial unemployment claims were filed for the week ending on Saturday, an increase of 373 over the prior week.

CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – A California bar owner opened two new operations in Cedar Falls just in time for New Year’s. Bars in California have been closed since March because of concern of COVID-19. That’s why one bar owner rushed to Iowa, where bars could continue to stay open. Brian Cohen, owner of MOB Bar and Moonshine Cowgirls in downtown Cedar Falls says “I know it’s going to thrive.” Cohen owns 19 bars in California, which were closed since California decided to close all non-essential businesses.