Author: Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Iowa judge has struck down large portions of a 2017 voting reform law, declaring much of it unconstitutional. Judge Joseph Seidlin said in a ruling Monday the state may require a voter ID but election officials must issue a voter ID card to any voter who requests one. The law prohibited election officials from issuing cards to voters with a driver’s license or state identification card. He also struck the signature match provisions, saying they violate the Iowa Constitution.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A 14-year-old boy has been charged with a Class D felony after making a job post for a “school shooter” on a job search engine. KCCI-TV reports information from Indeed.com led police to the 14-year-old, who is charged with making a threat of terrorism.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A panel of top state elected officials approved on Monday nearly half a million dollars more to cover attorney fees for former Gov. Terry Branstad’s continued fight against a jury verdict that found he discriminated against a gay former state executive. That brings the cost to taxpayers to more than $2.4 million.

HIAWATHA, IA (IRN) – The Hiawatha police department is the first in Iowa to have their officers use weapon-mounted cameras. The camera is attached to the bottom of the gun and as soon as the handgun is pulled from the holster, the camera starts recording.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Speaker of the Iowa House Linda Upmeyer announced Monday she will not seek re-election in 2020 and will resign as speaker in late 2019. Upmeyer, a Republican from Clear Lake, was first elected to the Iowa House in 2002. She was chosen to serve as speaker of the House in 2015, becoming the first woman in Iowa history to hold the position. Upmeyer says she wants to spend more time with her children and grandchildren.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa City man is accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports 31-year-old Ishmael S. Carter met the alleged victim through the Tinder dating app and the two began a relationship. Police said Carter eventually uploaded a video of them being intimate. He says he thought the victim was 20. She says one encounter was consensual, but two others were not.

PLEASANT HILL, IA (IRN) – A mother was pulled over in Pleasant Hill with three kids in the back seat and arrested for possession of a controlled substance, driving while intoxicated, child endangerment and more after testing positive for multiple drugs on Saturday. The Des Moines Register reports Bridget Ann Jackson, 33 of Colfax, was driving with her three kids, ages 9, 10 and 11, when police pulled her over for improper use of lanes, having a right tail light out and no plates.

RINGGOLD COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Tipton man is dead after a single-vehicle crash in Ringgold County Sunday. The Iowa State Patrol reports Randy Byerly, 38, lost control on Interstate 80 and struck cable barriers in the median. Byerly had an unknown medical condition and was taken to the hospital where he died.

POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A good Samaritan saved a man from a car that was on fire. KCCI-TV reports Marcus Dennis of Des Moines was driving home from a barbecue Saturday when they saw a car lose control. The vehicle caught fire after crashing. Dennis helped a passenger from the car, but when he returned for the driver, the car exploded. The driver was killed.

DYERSVILLE, IA (IRN) – The Field of Dreams Movie Site will be home to another special game, according to KCRG-TV. The site will have a game between the Chicago Police Department and the New York Police Department. The game will raise money for the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and the New York Police Widows and Children’s Foundation. The game is on October 5th.

WOODBURY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Patrol reports one man is dead after being hit by a car while on his bike. A 57-year-old man was biking when hit from behind by a vehicle driven by a 19-year-old. The bicyclist died.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A 62-year-old Des Moines man who was struck by a vehicle Friday night has died from his injuries. WHO-TV reports the man was sitting in the roadway just prior to the crash.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Two people were hurt after a shooting in Cedar Rapids, according to KCRG-TV. Both a 32-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman are recovering from non-life threatening injuries. The shooting is under investigation.

IOWA (IRN) – In college football, No. 14 Iowa throttled Middle Tennessee 48-3, and Baylor beat Iowa State 23-21 with a field goal after blowing a 20 point lead.

MUSCATINE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Union representing Muscatine County Sheriff’s Deputies says they have no confidence in their sheriff, C.J. Ryan. WQAD-TV reports the union accuses Ryan of playing favorites and causing low morale among employees. The Union also complains about dishonest and misleading public comments about Ryan’s decision not to offer traffic control support to a local veteran’s group that led a motorcycle funeral procession into Muscatine last month.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A vehicle hit a Des Moines man last night who was sitting in the road on the viaduct over the Raccoon River. The 62-year-old man is in critical condition.

MITCHELLVILLE, IA (IRN) – An employee at the Mitchellville women’s prison has been charged with having sex with a female inmate. KCCI-TV reports William Durrell, 55, of Urbandale, engaged in sex acts with an inmate between July 4 and Aug. 9. In exchange, the inmate would get tobacco products.

CLERMONT, IA (IRN) – A Fayette County man is facing an invasion of privacy charge after a criminal complaint says he videotaped women who were partially nude. KCRG-TV reports Felty Yoder, 19, put a trail camera in a bathroom at a home in Clermont. The Sheriff’s Office was investigating a domestic assault on Tuesday at the home when they found a trail camera in a bathroom. The camera captured women using the shower and toilet. Yoder also faces a domestic abuse charge for the original call. He was alegedly having an argument with his wife when he slapped her in the face three times.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A new Iowa Department of Public Health report claims 23 Iowans have severe lung illnesses due to vaping and hundreds of cases are being claimed nationwide.
The American Lung Association has its Iowa wish list, including increasing vape taxes and a flavor vaping product ban. Nothing can be done until the legislature convenes in January.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – State Auditor Rob Sand announced today that he will file a bill ahead of the legislative session that would make a state or local official stealing $1,000 or more of taxpayer money a “must go to prison crime.” Iowa law does not specify an amount of money stolen by someone convicted of felony theft that would require prison or jail time in a sentence.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Reporter Aaron Calvin, who received backlash from a report Tuesday that unearthed tweets from Carson King, is no longer with the Des Moines Register. King is the Iowa State fan who has raised over $1 million for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital after appearing on ESPN’s “College GameDay” program holding a sign asking for beer money. After Calvin called attention to an offensive social media post King made when he was 16 years old and Anheuser-Busch announced the company would sever ties with the viral star, readers pointed out several posts Calvin made as an adult which were offensive.

MADRID, IA (IRN) – A Madrid man found with nearly 300 cats in his home in June has decided against a plea deal. KCCI-TV reports the man is charged with animal neglect, and he will go to trial in November. Most of the cats have died.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man was arrested early Thursday morning after he led State Troopers on a chase with speeds exceeding 115 mph from Gilbert to Des Moines with his eight year old daughter in the vehicle. He was drunk, and wanted on a parole violation warrant.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa City School District confirmed Thursday that one of their vans was involved in a hit-and-run of a 12-year-old boy on Tuesday. KCRG-TV reports the district is cooperating with police. The boy is doing OK, and is back in school.