Author: Iowa Radio News

DALLAS COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An Ankeny woman died late Friday in a single-vehicle crash in Dallas County, according to an Iowa State Patrol crash report. Troopers said 40-year-old Melissa Jean Sears was driving around a curve when her SUV left the roadway, hit a sign and a tree. Sears, who was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, was pronounced dead at the scene.

IOWA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds received notification Saturday that President Trump has granted her request for an expedited Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for 56 counties that have been severely impacted by recent flooding along the Missouri River and other parts of the state. The declaration makes assistance available to homeowners, renters, businesses, public entities, and select nonprofit organizations.

AMES, IA (IRN) – Roadways can turn hazardous and deadly during winter’s wrath, and a project under way in Iowa is looking at one possible solution: Heating the pavement. The Ames Tribune reports the Iowa Department of Transportation and Iowa State University are working together on heated pavement technology.

PITTSBURGH, PA (IRN) – For the second straight year, Iowa’s Spencer Lee is an NCAA Wrestling Champion. The Hawkeyes placed fourth as a team. Drew Foster became UNI wrestling’s first Division I National Wrestling champion in nearly two decades.

FAIRBANK, IA (IRN) – The father of a man who was found dead from a gunshot wound on Friday night was arrested, according to KCRG-TV. Brock Niebuhr, 36, of Dike, was found with a gunshot wound. He died at the scene. Authorities arrested Daniel Niebuhr, 59, of Fairbank in connection with the shooting, and charged him with first-degree murder. Daniel is Brock’s father.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A man accused of throwing water on U.S. Rep. Steve King while he was eating lunch in Iowa has been arrested. The Des Moines Register reports Blake Gibbins, 26, was arrested Friday at the Mineral City Mill and Grill in Fort Dodge. The Lafayette, Colorado, man has been charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct, both simple misdemeanors.

IOWA (IRN) – An Iowa judicial nominee who was aware of an ongoing criminal death investigation but failed to preserve video footage of a drunken patron has lost her bid to become a district court judge. KCCI-TV reports Logan attorney Donna Bothwell was one of two nominees considered by Gov. Kim Reynolds to fill a court vacancy. The family of Charlotte Anderson, a Logan grandmother killed in 2015 by a patron of a small-town bar Bothwell owned, spoke publicly against her nomination. Bothwell testified in a wrongful death lawsuit that she reviewed but did not save her bar’s video surveillance that showed customer Austin Arndt drinking what court records show to be as many as 17 beers in the hours leading to Anderson’s hit-and-run death.

IOWA (IRN) – The Iowa State Men’s Basketball team lost to Ohio State 62-59 in the NCAA Tournament, while the Iowa Hawkeyes advance after a 79-72 win over Cincinatti.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – On the women’s side, the Iowa Hawkeyes survived an upset scare in the first round of the NCAA tournament, beating Mercer 66-61.

PITTSBURG, PA (IRN) – In NCAA wrestling, Penn State is dominating with five advancing to the final round. The Hawkeyes are in fourth place, with UNI in 13th, and ISU at 15th place.

IOWA (IRN) – An Iowa congressman made comments at a town hall Thursday inferring that Hurricane Katrina victims only asked for help instead of helping each other during the natural disaster. Congressman Steve King said, “here’s what FEMA tells me: ‘We go to a place like New Orleans and everybody’s looking around saying, ‘Who’s gonna help me? Who’s gonna help me? They’re just always gratified when they come and see how Iowans take care of each other.”

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A woman was killed in a head-on crash in Webster County yesterday. Troopers say a car crossed the median and struck a truck head-on. The 85-year-old passenger in the car was pronounced dead at the scene. The 89-year-old driver of the car and the driver of the truck were hospitalized.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Senate has passed a bill that would prevent an organization from using a state loan fund for water quality and flood mitigation projects. Senate Republicans say the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation should not be able to buy up land that Iowans could potentially use for farming.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A bill that would create a mental health services program for children is moving on to the Iowa Senate. The house overwhelmingly passed it Thursday afternoon, 84 to 14. The bill would create a mental health system similar to the current one for adults. It would include a board to track and oversee children’s mental health data.

PITTSBURG, PA (IRN) – Iowa wrestlers are doing well after day one of the NCAA Wrestling Tournament in Pittsburg. Penn State is in first place, followed by Ohio State, with the Iowa Hawkeyes in third. The UNI Panthers are in 10th place, followed by the Iowa State Cyclones in 11th.

ANKENY, IA (IRN) – Residents of an Ankeny apartment complex were forced to escape a fire through their windows early this morning. The fire began in a stairwell and forced 35 residents to evacuate the building. The fire was put out within minutes and four residents were taken to the hospital as a precaution.

OSKALOOSA, IA (IRN) – A man accused of fatally stabbing a college basketball player to death in Oskaloosa wants to claim a legal shield from prosecution under Iowa’s “stand your ground” law. Luke Van Hemert, 24, of Oskaloosa, is charged with second-degree murder in connection with William Penn University student Marquis Todd’s death. Van Hemert says Todd was “looking for a fight.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Carlisle woman will not serve prison time for stealing more than $40,000 from a metro soccer league. WHO-TV reports thirty-eight-year-old Brandi Preul pleaded guilty to second degree theft last week and received a five-year suspended sentence and three years of probation. She’ll also have to pay an undecided amount in restitution.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A vehicle backed into and through part of Kwik Coin Laundry in Mason City on Wednesday and left a hole in the exterior wall and additional structural damage. KIMT-TV reports a man driving a Cadillac Escalade backed over the concrete barriers and through the wall into washers and dryers. No one was hurt.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa City firefighters knocked down a house fire in roughly 20 minutes Tuesday night. KGAN-TV reports neighbors called 911 after seeing smoke coming from the second floor of the house. No one was home at the time of the fire, but fire crews rescued a cat and a baby chicken.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines sports radio host was killed Tuesday after being struck by a semitrailer on Interstate Highway 80 near the east mixmaster in Des Moines. The Des Moines Register reports Gantry “Wolfgang” Miller, who co-hosted “The Drive with Wolfgang and Steen” for 1700 AM The Champ, was killed after being hit while on the shoulder of the road.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An illegally parked car at the Des Moines International Airport led police to a sex trafficking ring. KCCI-TV reports nine people were arrested, including seven Des Moines residents. Police say the illegally parked car brought leads that eventually led them to the sex trafficking ring.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids home and three parked cars were peppered with gunfire overnight, according to KGAN-TV. No one was injured in the apparent drive-by shooting.

SUMNER, IA (IRN) – A man from the Bremer County town of Colesburg has been arrested after he allegedly threatened violence to an elementary school. KWWL-TV reports he called Durant Elementary in Sumner and threatened the school and staff. 26-year-old Ean Weipert has been charged with Intimidation, Threat of Terrorism and Disorderly Conduct.

CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – Democrat Eric Giddens has been elected to the Iowa Senate.
Giddens was declared the winner Tuesday night for the Senate District 30 seat that represents Cedar Falls, Hudson and parts of Waterloo. The win in a special election race keeps a Senate seat blue and represents a morale boost for Democrats who remain in the minority at the Statehouse. Numerous Democratic presidential candidates came to the area to campaign for Giddens.