Author: Iowa Radio News

POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A 20-year-old woman was killed in a crash Friday morning near Grimes. The driver of a Nissan Sentra was southbound on Highway 141 when she turned into the path of an oncoming semi. Her name hasn’t been released.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The Dubuque County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to extend the county-wide mask mandate, which was set to expire on Monday. The mandate will now stay in place until June 15 or until those who are eligible and want to receive their COVID-19 vaccines on Phase 1B do so.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A new bill introduced at the Iowa Statehouse would force the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa to hold in-person graduation ceremonies this year. The bill, introduced this week by Republican Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, would also force universities to allow each graduate to have two guests attend the ceremony.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The city of Des Moines is undergoing a plague of potholes. The city said the number of concrete craters has increased by 2,000% in the past week. As of Friday, 720 potholes have been reported, when last week it was about 35.

IOWA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Transportation reports there has been an increase in vehicles hitting plows and state patrol vehicles. Between the DOT and the Iowa State Patrol, 63 vehicles have been hit on Iowa roads this year.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Police have arrested an Iowa City landlord, accusing her of breaking into an apartment to forcibly remove a tenant and hitting her with a baseball bat. Police say 67-year-old Suzanne Dashner and three men, all armed with baseball bats and a 2-by-2 board, broke into the apartment as the tenant hid in a bedroom and called 911. Dashner and the men kicked open the woman’s bedroom door and threatened her, hitting her on the leg with a baseball bat. Dashner faces up to 30 years in prison.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A California man faces a murder charge for a case from 2011 in Cedar Rapids. Mykel Roberts, 29, from Modesto, allegedly shot Dexter Meeks in June 2011. Andrew Meeks and his brother Dexter were sitting on the porch of an apartment building when Roberts allegedly stopped in the street and began shooting a handgun at them. Andrew was able to get inside the building, but Dexter was struck in the head by a gunshot and killed.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – For the first time since July, Iowa’s hospitalizations for COVID-19 patients are under 200. The Iowa Department of Public Health reports there are 196 hospitalized patients suffering from the coronavirus.

IOWA (IRN) – Two young women are making history as the first female Eagle Scouts in Iowa. Angelina Hemphill,16, of Ankeny and Hannah Massey, 15, of Ottumwa join 1,000 young women in the national organization’s inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man faces arson and assault charges in a domestic fight that happened overnight at a motel in Des Moines. When officers arrived at the Hawkeye Motel, they found one of the rooms on fire and a female outside the room with several stab wounds. Both the victim and suspect had reportedly been smoking meth when the suspect began stabbing the victim and choking her.

ELK RUN HEIGHTS, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating after a family in the Black Hawk County town of Elk Run Heights woke up to burglars inside their home. A woman told police that she and her three small children were sleeping when three suspects forced their way into the home. The suspects demanded the woman open a safe and left with an unknown number of guns.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – School officials could lose their job if they violate COVID-19 reopening orders. Sen. Amy Sinclair, a Republican from Wayne County, introduced Senate Study 1213, which calls for penalties for superintendents and elected school board members. Superintendents could have their license revoked and school board members could be removed from their position. Penalties will be retroactive, and the bill is directed toward Des Moines School officials who ignored Gov. Reynolds return to school directive.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa House Republicans cast the final vote needed Wednesday to send a bill to the governor that sharply limits early voting in the state.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack was sworn-in virtually Wednesday as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Vilsack was sworn in on the Bible he’s had since he was 16. He served as the agriculture secretary for eight years under former President Barack Obama.

AMES, IA (IRN) – Ames police have released the cause of death for a 21-year-old Iowa State University student who was found dead in a sorority parking lot in January. Officers were called to Delta Delta Delta sorority on January 2 when a caller reported a college-aged female was found unconscious in a parking lot. 21-year-old Olivia Chutich was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy determined the cause of death was accidental and caused by acute alcohol intoxication and hypothermia.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man shot by a Cedar Rapids police officer died Tuesday, three days after he was spotted running from a motel after a stabbing that left a woman dead. Police identified Arnell States, 39, of Cedar Rapids as a suspect in the early Saturday stabbing of two women. He was shot by an officer as he ran from a Rodeway Inn.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Senate Republicans re-introduced a Religious Freedom Restoration bill that’s been shelved in several previous legislative sessions. Critics say the bill is another piece of legislation that allows discrimination against the LGBTQ community.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Republican led Iowa Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would put restrictions on absentee voting in Iowa. House File 590 would cut Iowa’s mail-in and in-person early voting from 28 to 19 days. The bill would also limit requests for an absentee ballot to 70 days prior to an election and prevent county auditors from sending ballot request forms to voters unless requested. Democrats say it’s voter suppression. County auditors oppose the bill.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – An Iowa State Senator is receiving criticism after reciting a Muslim prayer at the statehouse earlier this month. Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, a Democrat, said she received derogatory messages on social media after she recited a Muslim prayer written by a Drake University student at the statehouse on Feb. 8. She said she recited the prayer because the Des Moines metro is very diverse religiously.

ANAMOSA, IA (IRN) – An inmate assaulted two staff members at the Anamosa State Penitentiary Monday morning. An inmate punched a correctional officer, and the officer used pepper spray to bring the inmate temporarily under control. While other staff helped restrain the inmate, a responding officer suffered an injury to his hand during the struggle.

DAYTON, IA (IRN) – The Webster County attorney is investigating reports of a celebration of life ceremony that packed a bar and grill in Dayton. A celebration of life took place Friday at the Iron Saddle Saloon. Photos from the event show a full bar with no COVID-19 mitigation efforts in place. Dayton Mayor Dave Bills says he attended, and there are no problems because everyone knew each other. He says “we’re smart people” and that “he’s not too concerned about the health risks.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowans may pay more in utility costs next month because of the polar vortex. The Iowa Utilities Board said, “While customers will likely see an increase on their bills, we don’t yet know how much or the timing of when they will see the increases.”

CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – State wildlife officials said on Monday that the recent extremely cold weather in Iowa may be to blame for the deaths of dozens of geese along the Iowa River in Coralville. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said they believe that reduced food supply due to cold weather is the cause of illness and death among waterfowl.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – High school competition will return to Drake Relays following a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19. Organizers of Drake Relays announced Monday that Iowa high school students will return for competition in 2021. Strict COVID-19 protocols will be enforced, and high school competition will be condensed to one day.