Author: Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are conducting a homicide investigation following a shooting Saturday afternoon. KCCI-TV reports a 45-year-old Des Moines resident is dead. It’s the city’s 10th homicide of 2019.

CLINTON, IA (IRN) – Clinton is mourning the loss of Emiliano Barrios, who died after a hit and run, according to KWQC-TV. The driver of the car took off, eventually crashing. Police say they know who the car is registered to, but have not released if they were driving the vehicle when the crime occured.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines received nearly $2 million in federal funding to help end youth homelessness in the city. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the city with a $1,900,000 grant.

IOWA (IRN) – Number 20 Iowa beat Miami (Ohio) 38-14 in their season opener Saturday night. Number 21 ISU almost blew it, beating UNI 29-26 in triple overtime.

INDEPENDENCE, IA (IRN) – A drunken women had to be rescued from the Wapsipinicon River last weekend according to WQAD-TV. She was in an argument, fled the vehicle she was riding in, and jumped into the river. Attempts to rescue her were unsuccessful, as she refused to grab a rope. The Independence Fire Department’s rescue boat was called in. As she continued to disobey commands, two officers went into the river and brought her to shore.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Dubuque police responded to an accident on Thursday evening involving a motorcycle at a highway entrance ramp. The driver lost control of the motorcycle, and he and his female passenger were thrown from the vehicle. The passenger was killed.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health on Friday reported seven cases of severe lung disease associated with vaping. Fve of the seven cases involved vaping THC products. All seven cases involved young to middle-aged adults.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The former head of the Iowa Department of Human Services has filed a complaint with the state seeking $2 million for wrongful discharge. Jerry Foxhoven says in documents filed Thursday with the State Appeal Board that Gov. Kim Reynolds, her chief of staff and legal counsel fired Foxhoven on June 17 as he questioned whether it was legal for the DHS to pay the salary of a governor’s staffer who had moved from the agency to the governor’s office. Foxhoven’s seeks $1 million from the state and $1 million from the individuals involved but the final amount will depend on how long he’s unemployed and his future earnings.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Cubs beat the Memphis Redbirds to clinch the team’s first playoff berth in 11 years. The Cubs needed at least one win in the final series against the second-place Redbirds to secure the Pacific Coast League American Northern division championship. The team is 73-64 overall with three games left before the playoffs.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A Sioux City teacher accused of sending critical letters to her superintendent and other district leaders has been fired. The Sioux City Journal reports the school board voted to fire middle school teacher Julie Fischer even though a judge cleared her of criminal charges last spring. In March, a judge dismissed six counts of harassment Fischer faced because the letters were deemed free speech, not harassment. She had taught in the district since 1991.

OMAHA, NE (IRN) – A former western Iowa pastor charged in Nebraska with sexually assaulting two children has, along with his wife, been charged with an additional count of witness tampering. The Omaha World-Herald reports that 44-year-old Emanuel Rodriguez and 42-year-old Veronica Rodriguez were arrested this week. Police say Emanuel Rodriguez called his wife from jail after his arrest earlier this month on the sexual assault counts and told her to contact the mothers of the two girls to tell them the children were ruining his ministry.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Democratic National Committee will recommend scrapping state plans to offer virtual caucuses in 2020 due to security concerns. Now two early voting states, Iowa and Nevada, and the national party have a short time to fashion an alternative before the February caucuses.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center confirmed it will be closing its kidney and pancreas transplant program as of Oct. 1. MercyOne is collaborating with Iowa Methodist Transplant Center of Des Moines to meet patient needs during this permanent closure.

NORTHWOOD, IA – An NFL Hall of Famer has placed the first legal bet on a sports game in Iowa. Hall of Famer and Minnesota sports legend John Randle placed the first bet as part of a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Diamond Jo Casino in Northwood. Randle placed a bet on the Minnesota Twins to win for $93 — his former jersey number.

WAUKON, IA (IRN) – A Waukon man is facing charges after investigators in Allamakee County say he climbed a water tower, got naked and refused to come down. KGAN-TV reports Ryan Daniel Peters, 34, was nowhere to be found when his truck caught on fire nearby. Peters was about 65 feet off the ground and refused to come down – then removing all of his clothes. It took about an hour and 15 minutes to get Peters to come down from the tower, where he was arrested.

IOWA (IRN) – This year continues to be a challenging one for Iowa’s farmers. Tariffs continue to impact the crop markets, and, this week, the Environmental Protection Agency announced 31 waivers for oil refineries exempting them from having to blend ethanol in its product. The Iowa Corn Growers Association made this statement: “Agriculture is in one hell of a bad situation right now. The government put us in this situation, and they need to help us get out of it … it’s beyond the breaking point.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Crews officially broke ground on the new federal courthouse in Des Moines on Wednesday. The roughly $137 million federal courthouse will sit where the Riverfront YMCA once stood. Even though crews have already started work, city officials and residents still aren’t happy that the prime real estate won’t be utilized for commercial development.

MADISON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Madison County Board of Supervisors heard from supporters and critics of wind turbines during a meeting Tuesday in Winterset. Mid-American Energy says officials should let them build the turbines closer to homes, but the county board of health passed a resolution saying that wind turbines pose a health risk and shouldn’t be any closer than 1.5 miles away from someone’s home. Scientists say there is no health risk.

WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – Developers are pitching a $100 million entertainment district in Waukee. KCCI-TV reports developers scouted an area of 27 acres for a concert venue, bars and restaurants. The conversation to build an entertainment district is in the early stages, but developers hope to have a site plan approved, possibly by October.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Drake University officials announced Wednesday that US Women’s National Soccer Team Co-Captain Megan Rapinoe will be interviewed in a moderated question and answer session for the 41st installment of the Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture Series at Drake University in November. The two-time World Cup Champion and Olympic gold medalist is not only a successful women’s soccer player, but an outspoken advocate for equality.

SOLON, IA (IRN) – A single-vehicle accident in rural Johnson County near Solon resulted in the death of its driver, according to KCRG-TV. A Chevrolet Silverado crashed and went over the side of a bridge over Rapid Creek.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – At least one person was injured Tuesday following a shooting on Des Moines’ south side. KCCI-TV reports police were called to the Southside Liquor and Tobacco Outlet on Army Post Road. Witnesses reported at least one person was shot and transported to a hospital via ambulance. One witness says he heard five shots from the adjacent Wicked Rabbit bar.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Governor Kim Reynolds announced she is planning a series of actions to convince President Donald Trump to alter his administration’s plans to grant more waivers to smaller oil refineries, which hurts the state’s biofuels industry. The governor said she will work to convince the president how that decision harms rural Iowa. Reynolds said that she isn’t sure that the President fully understood the ramifications of the decision.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa High School Athletic Association says the biggest challenge facing high school sports today is not money, not participation, not even safety. It’s parents and adult fans who don’t know how to act. The National Federation of State High School Associations released a study Tuesday that found 62% of high school athletic directors nationwide said their biggest problem was dealing with aggressive parents and adult fans.