Author: Iowa Radio News

WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – An Ankeny man is charged with threat of terrorism after a threat was sent to Waukee schools. Waukee grad Issac Quinton Holtz,19, allegedly sent an email to all staff and students of Waukee High School. In the email, Holtz threatened to “come to school with a gun and shoot all the students.” He also said he would “go into the locker room for the girls and rape and murder all of the them.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Three cases of the coronavirus COVID-19 have been confirmed in Iowa. All three cases are in Johnson County. The three had just returned from a cruise in Egypt. One person infected is between 41 and 60 years old, and two are between 61 and 80 years old. Two have underlying health conditions. All are recovering at home in isolation.

CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – Two people were hurt in a rollover crash Saturday night in Cedar Falls, according to KCRG-TV. The vehicle rolled more than once and landed on its roof. They were taken to area hospitals by ambulance.

URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – An Urbandale apartment is a total loss after a fire Sunday morning, according to KCCI-TV. The fire at Ashford Ridge Apartments was contained to a single building of a large apartment complex. The building had 37 apartments, 31 of which were occupied. No one was injured.

IOWA (IRN) – A new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows Iowa Senator Joni Ernst losing support among Iowans. Ernst’s approval ratings has dipped to 47 percent, down ten percent from this time last year. Senator Chuck Grassley has the support of 55% of Iowans polled, down three percent.

IOWA COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A man has been arrested after the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office said he shot at law enforcement officers and started fires in a field near I-80. Reports were that Jeremy Lee Knapp, of Davenport was walking dangerously close to traffic. When deputies made contact, he pointed a gun at the officers before running into a field. A few minutes later, Knapp fired the gun at a patrol vehicle shattering the rear window and nearly striking an Iowa Department of Natural Resources conservation officer and a deputy.

WALFORD, IA (IRN) – A two-vehicle crash near Walford on Saturday morning killed one driver and injured another. It was a head-on crash.

AMES, IA (IRN) – An Iowa State University student has been quarantined after returning from her study abroad trip in Italy. Natalia Rios, a sophomore at ISU, received an email last weekend from the university requesting study abroad students return home by Friday due to coronavirus concerns. Rios booked her flight home and was back in Iowa by Wednesday. Now, she is in 14-day self-isolation on Iowa State University’s campus.

USA (IRN) – Daylight saving time went into effect this morning. If you didn’t set your clocks forward an hour before you went to bed, now is probably a good time.

MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – A Muscatine man found guilty of first-degree murder will spend life in prison for the murder of his grandmother. WQAD-TV reports Darian Lensgraf, age 20, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Friday. On December 12, 2018, Darian went into Diana Lensgraf’s home and stabbed her multiple times in the chest and throat. That was the day of her 66th birthday.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A Fort Dodge man is charged with first-degree arson Friday following an apartment fire. KCCI-TV reports Joseph Robert Schossow, 43, was taken into police custody after he set a box spring and mattress on fire. No one was injured.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – An empty Mason City school bus was hit was some sort of projectile while going to pick up students at Hoover Elementary Friday afternoon. The Mason City Community School District says police are investigating the incident and that a different bus picked up the students safely and on time.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health is monitoring 11 people for symptoms of coronavirus. None have shown symptoms so far. The IDPH has tested 17 Iowans for coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Fifteen of those tests came back negative. The results of the last two are pending. In total, 40 Iowans have completed public health monitoring.

MITCHELLVILLE, IA (IRN) – A vehicle chase through Polk County ended with a wanted suspect in custody Thursday night. Mitchellville police say an officer saw a vehicle traveling without any license plates. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused to stop, resulting in a chase. The driver eventually stopped, jumped into another vehicle and demanded the woman drive him against her will. Police say the suspect, 23-year-old Dillon Lester, of Algona, was wanted on two warrants for attempted murder and weapons charges. He now faces charges of kidnapping, drug possession and several traffic violations.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A jury found the former Iowa City Hillel House director guilty of molesting a 9-year-old boy. KCRG-TV reports David Weltman, 29, was arrested in September and charged with second-degree sexual abuse. The abuse happened when Weltman was giving the boy Hebrew lessons at the Hillel House.

IOWA (IRN) – Fear about the spread of the Coronavirus has the Iowa Board of Regents taking action to keep staff and students safe. Thursday, the board announced it’s canceling all university-sponsored international travel for all faculty, staff, and students for 30 days – effective immediately. That includes spring break.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The insurance and financial services company Nationwide will eliminate up to 500 positions nationally. KCCI-TV reports 200 of those positions are in Des Moines.

MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – A Muscatine Police officer saved a boy from drowning on Saturday.
WQAD-TV reports Officer Whitni Pena was at a pool party on Saturday at the AmericaInn in Muscatine when a 7-year-old almost drowned. When he was pulled from the pool, he was blue in the face, and was showing no signs of life. She gave him CPR until paramedics arrived, saving the boy’s life.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The Johnson County Medical Examiner has identified the body found in the Iowa River on Tuesday as that of missing University of Iowa student David Le. Le, 19, of Sioux City. Final autopsy results, including the cause and manner of death, will not be available for a few weeks. Foul play is not suspected.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids woman is accused of stabbing and killing a man she was in a relationship with. KGAN-TV reports Jacqueline Holmes, 36, also had a warrant for several charges including: Child Endangerment, Operating While Intoxicated, Operating a Vehicle without Owner’s Consent and 5th Degree theft.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A bill that would put about nearly $100 million dollars towards K-12 education now heads to the governor’s desk. The Iowa House and Senate compromised on a 2.3% increase Wednesday.

AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State University announced it will be closing the doors of Oak-Elm residence hall for the 2020-21 school year. On Wednesday, the university said the closure is a result of students not using on-campus housing. The school had 800 vacancies in its dorms this past fall and is expecting 1,500 vacancies next fall.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A buzzer-beater in a boys’ basketball game Tuesday night in Cedar Rapids sent North Scott Senior High School to the state tournament with a 41-40 victory, and Waterloo West High School home. But did the shot actually beat the final buzzer? The referees ruled it did, but many fans say it didn’t, increasing demand across the state for instant replay in all playoff games.