Author: Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office reports a Polk County Jail inmate escaped by using another inmate’s identification. The incident happened around 1:45 a.m. Friday. Rodney Clint Moore used another inmate’s identification bracelet to be released from the jail. Moore is at large and wanted on escape, driving while barred and reckless driving charges.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A former Iowa youth basketball coach and organizer has been sentenced to 180 years in federal prison. Gregory Scott Stephen, 43, of Monticello, had been accused of sexually abusing and exploiting 400 boys over a decade as co-director of Iowa Barnstormers Basketball. The organization runs youth basketball teams for kids between fourth and twelfth grades.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Three high school students were taken to a hospital Thursday afternoon after they were struck by a car in Des Moines. The Iowa State Patrol says one car hit another, and then hit three North High School students who were on the sidewalk. The injuries are not considered life-threatening. Charges are pending.

QUAD CITIES (IRN) – The Mississippi River in the Quad Cities is now over 22.64 feet, surpassing the previous record set in 1993 at 22.63. The National Weather Service reports the river is still rising.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A mother duck and her flock of ducklings have a group of strangers to thank for saving their lives. WHO-TV reports on Thursday, 14 ducklings fell into a storm drain in the East Village in Des Moines. Employees of nearby shops and a team of construction workers installing a manhole jumped into action. Mother and ducklings are doing fine.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A man who punched a casino slot machine in Sioux City has been told to pay a $625 fine and to cover the damage he caused. The Sioux City Journal reports that 52-year-old Tommy Goldberg pleaded guilty Wednesday to criminal mischief. A judge sentenced Goldberg to six days in jail but credited him with six days already served. The judge also ordered him to pay $1,050 to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

CRESTON, IA (IRN) – The mother of an 18-month-old Creston boy who died in February 2018 wants justice for whoever killed her son. KCCI-TV reports Boone Denton died of complications from blunt force trauma to the abdomen. So far, there have been no arrests in the case. His mother, Leigha Robbins, left him in someone else’s care when she went to work the day he died. She blames the caretaker for his death, but authorities have not charged anyone.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – For the second time in just one week, dozens of cats and kittens were rescued from what animal control officers believe to be another animal hoarding situation in Des Moines. WHO-TV reports the 24 cats and kittens are now under the care of the Animal Rescue League.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa is one step closer to providing coordinated, comprehensive mental health-care services for children, after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill establishing the framework for a children’s system in the state. Reynolds signed off on the measure during a ceremony at the Iowa State Capitol on Wednesday.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque is having a naming contest for its latest shark pup. The Aquarium’s Coral Catshark hatched on March 15. Officials want the public to pick a name to both educate and create a connection between people and the latest exhibit. The first name in Moonga, which is Hindi for Coral. The Second is Ariel, like the mermaid. And the third is Mõnõnõ, which means “happy” in Marshallese. The public can vote on the names at the museum’s website until May 31st.

BELLEVUE, IA (IRN) – Bellevue Middle and High schools were being evacuated Wednesday morning due to a message found in the school. According to a post on Superintendent Tom Meyer’s Facebook page, students were being evacuated to an emergency but not dismissed.
The message was described as “vague” and “concerning.”

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A campaign worker for former Republican Rep. David Young has been found not guilty of harassment of a public official. KCCI-TV reports in November, Keilon Hill was canvassing for Republican Rep. David Young in West Des Moines ahead of the 2018 midterm elections when a neighbor called police about a suspicious person. Hill, who is black, was arrested after refusing to answer an officer’s questions and walking away from police. He was charged with harassment of a public official. On Tuesday, a jury found Hill not guilty.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Crews evacuated people from buildings and cars Tuesday afternoon after a flood barrier failed along the Mississippi River, sending floodwaters rushing into downtown Davenport. KCRG-TV reports the breach hit as communities in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri prepare for record or near-record crests along the river.

DIAGONAL, IA (IRN) – The Diagonal School District is investigating after a cell phone was found in a pile of clothes filming high school girls changing clothes in their locker room. KCCI-TV reports the phone belonged to a male freshman.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A breezy April has wind set records in Iowa. MidAmerican Energy set a new one-day record for the most wind energy generated. On April 10, wind farms in the state generated more than 111,000-megawatt hours of energy, beating the previous record by 9,000 hours. The state of Iowa generates more than 30 percent of its electricity with wind power, ranking second in the United States.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s own American Idol will be performing at the Iowa State Fair this summer and her concert will be one of the many that are free to fairgoers. The Iowa State Fair announced Tuesday Maddie Poppe, who won American Idol Season 16 and is from Clarksville, will play a free show on August 8th. Earlier this month, the singer announced her first album “Whirlwind” will be released May 17th.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A Mason City man is facing a child endangerment charge for allegedly holding a pocket knife to a baby’s head. KIMT-TV reports Connor Tvedt, 20, is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail on $10,000 bond for an alleged incident. Authorities said Tvedt picked up a 9-month old baby during an argument, opened a folding pocket knife and threatened to cut the baby. Tvedt is also facing a domestic abuse charge for allegedly grabbing and choking a woman that same night.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Police in Waterloo continue to investigate the shooting death of a woman on a highway early Sunday morning. WHO-TV reports the woman has been identified as twenty-five-year-old Micalla Rettinger, a former UNI All-Conference softball player. She was shot and killed while driving on Highway 218 around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. A man in the car with her was also shot. His condition hasn’t been released.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A driver is in custody after a high-speed chase on Interstate 235 Monday. The Iowa State Patrol reports the chase began near the Jordan Creek exit on I-80 and then went east on I-235, and ended in Bondurant. The driver, Lucinda Overton, has outstanding warrants in Illinois. At times the chase exceeded 130 mph.

MAQUOKETA, IA (IRN) – A message found in the restroom at Maquoketa High School yesterday prompted students to be dismissed from school. There’s no word on what the message said.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – A long-time restaurant in Cedar Rapids is closing its doors at the end of May after the leased property it operates on was was sold by the landowner. Boston Fish Restaurant & Bar has been in operation for 77 years.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An 81-year-old Des Moines man died from his injuries sustained in an accident on Interstate 235 eastbound on Saturday, according to the Des Moines Register. Witnesses reported that John Severino Sr. was driving a vehicle when he lost control, crossed multiple lanes of traffic and hit another vehicle before leaving the roadway and hitting a concrete wall on the south side of Interstate 235. Severino Sr. was ejected from the driver’s seat. He was transported to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in critical condition. He died from his injuries Sunday evening.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – One person is dead after and another injured after a single bullet hit a moving vehicle early Sunday morning in Waterloo. KGAN-TV reports the bullet entered the vehicle hitting two of the three people inside. A female driver died at the scene and a male passenger was rushed to a local hospital. The third person was not hurt.

POWESHIEK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A 37-year-old Poweshiek County man died early Sunday when he was thrown from a car during a single-vehicle rollover, according to the Iowa State Patrol. The driver, 46-year-old Matthew Gibson, of Brooklyn, failed to negotiate a curve and the car rolled several times before landing in a ditch. A passenger, identified as Jason Hayes, of Guernsey, was ejected from the car and died at the scene. He wasn’t wearing a seat belt.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Former Vice President Joe Biden will come to Iowa this week. Biden officially announced his campaign for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president on Thursday. He’ll be in Cedar Rapids and Dubuque on Tuesday, and Iowa City on Wednesday.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Cubs set a franchise and a modern PCL record with 15 runs in the first inning to take a decisive 19-5 victory over the Nashville Sounds Sunday at Principal Park. Iowa sent 18 batters to the plate in the first inning, logged eight hits and six walks while getting two grand slams. It was the fifth time in PCL history that one team has hit two grand slams in a single inning.