Author: Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The city of Des Moines will clear excess snow from downtown tonight. All vehicles must be moved from downtown streets by 5 p.m. Crews will be clearing the piles of snow between the street and sidewalks. Any car that’s parked on the street past 5 p.m. will be ticketed and towed. Once the snow is gone, cars should be able to park closer to the curb and people should have an easier time getting to sidewalks.

MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – Three people are dead after a house fire in Muscatine Monday evening. KWQC-TV reports neighbors heard several children screaming in the street as a Muscatine police officer attempted to break out the home’s windows to gain access, but was unsuccessful. The fire department arrived shortly after, but were too late.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa diocese has released a list of 28 priests who have been accused of the sexual abuse of minors while serving the Catholic Church. The alleged abuse took place from 1948 to 1995. Twenty-two of the priests named have passed away and just one of the six who is still alive lives in Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A former Des Moines taxi driver accused of being drunk and crashing his car — killing one person and injuring another — has been sentenced to 17 years in prison, according to the Des Moines Register.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Dozens of Iowa businesses are pushing for new comprehensive immigration reform. KCCI-TV reports business leaders gathered at the Statehouse yesterday to announce the Iowa Compact on Immigration, recognizing the positive impact immigrants have on Iowa’s economy. Employers say immigration is crucial to the health of their businesses.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – The Diocese of Sioux City made public this afternoon a list of priests the Diocesan Review Board deemed to be credibly accused of sexually abusing minors during the past 117 years.

IOWA (IRN) – A winter storm hit much of Iowa yesterday. Drifting snow caused many roadways in northern Iowa to close, as snow plows were pulled from roadways as they were ineffective. I-35 north of Ames into Minnesota is expected to open late afternoon Monday. Polk County Emergency Management asks professional drivers who need a place to park to use Hilton Coliseum in Ames, or Prairie Meadows in Altoona. The rest area at Elkhart and all ramps are full.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – At around 4 a.m. yesterday the Sioux City police department was called to a report of a shooting. Two people were transported to the hospital with gunshot-related injuries. Police are investigating.

FAIRBANK (IRN) – Firefighters from the Buchanan County town of Fairbank helped a stranded ambulance transporting a pregnant woman Sunday. The ambulance was stranded in the blizzard near the Wapsipinicon river with a female patient in labor. Members of the department gathered tractors and trucks with plows to get to the ambulance’s location. Winds of 50mph created near zero visibility. The woman was transported to an area hospital, and is reportedly doing fine. There’s no word yet on if she gave birth.

MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – A couple said “I do” in aisle two of the Muscatine HyVee over the weekend, according to WQAD-TV. The supermarket wedding had everything a wedding would have like flowers, a wedding party, two ring bearers, and a reception. Anyone shopping at the store was able to catch a glimpse of the wedding.

MOUNT VERNON, IA (IRN) – A Marion man has been arrested after police say he took pictures of women dressing in an eastern Iowa college locker room. KCCI-TV reports 45-year-old Jeffrey Pospisil was arrested Friday. Students at Cornell College reported seeing a cellphone held in an open doorway leading to the locker room. Students alerted a coach, who found Pospisil in the area. Pospisil told police he had only been texting on the phone, but a search of the phone found more than 100 images taken in the locker room as students were fully or partially nude. He was fired.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa City Police Department has located a missing girl. KWWL-TV reports Grace Morrison was found safe in Iowa City.

IOWA (IRN) – Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack said he will not run for the U.S. Senate against Sen. Joni Ernst in 2020 because he’s not prepared to fully commit to another run for office.
He told the Des Moines Register, “I didn’t feel that I could make that commitment, and without that commitment, I would be doing a disservice to the party, my family and myself.”

DECORAH, IA (IRN) – The Raptor Resource Project announced that the first bald eagle egg of 2019 has been laid in Decorah. Mom Decorah and her new mate, DM2, are now tending to their first egg together. The egg was laid at 10:32 p.m. Friday in their Decorah North nest.

WINNESHIEK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A tow truck driver was knocked to the ground while assisting a vehicle Wednesday after his truck was hit by a semi. KIMT-TV reports Bill’s Towing of Decorah was assisting a vehicle that went in the ditch. A semi lost control, slid off the roadway and hit the tow truck. The tow truck driver was knocked to the ground but is OK.

ALTOONA (IRN) – A woman was found dead outside an Applebee’s restaurant in Altoona late Friday night. WHO-TV reports a caller said a woman in the parking lot had been shot. The shooter had left before police arrived. Officers found the body and, after an investigation, Des Moines police checked on a person of interest. That person was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

JOHNSON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a body found inside a burning vehicle Friday afternoon. KGAN-TV reports the name of the victim is not being released at this time, and an investigation is underway.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Longtime Iowa play-by-play radio sportscaster Gary Dolphin’s controversial comment likening a black Maryland basketball player to King Kong resulted in him being suspended for the rest of the season. Dolphin says he meant no offense.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Waterloo Community School District administrators and staff are scrambling to keep classes going after the roof collapsed on Lowell Elementary Wednesday.
Fortunately, the roof collapsed over the course of a snow day, so no students or teachers were in the building at the time. KWWL-TV reports the school administration has identified a location to hold school until the roof is repaired, but is asking the public’s help in providing school supplies.

IOWA (IRN) – Thousands of Iowans are calling for Gov. Kim Reynolds to excuse school days missed during last month’s polar vortex. The Des Moines Register reports an online petition asking Reynolds to pardon students from making up cancellations of three bone-chilling days in late January had nearly 14,000 signatures Thursday afternoon. While the governor doesn’t have that power, Iowa state legislators do. That’s what’s happening in Michigan, where lawmakers are considering a bill to forgive snow days.

IOWA (IRN) – Rep. Steve King has confirmed that he will run for a 10th term, despite controversies over his history of caustic remarks, including about race and immigration. The Kiron Republican has been criticized by national and state leaders of his own party, has been stripped of committee assignments in Congress and has drawn three primary challengers. In a Thursday taping of Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” program King said he has nothing to apologize for.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A Georgia man is in a northern Iowa jail for fraud. KIMT-TV reports he’s accused of tricking a Mason City woman out of $3,000. According to court documents, he pretended to be an agent from the United Nations diplomatic courier service and promised the woman he would deliver a box in exchange for the money.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Iowa hair stylists are at the forefront of spotting signs of domestic violence. WQAD-TV reports the relationship between stylists and clients offers a comfortable, safe place to talk. In December 2018, the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office sent salons across the state a pamphlet that shows stylists how to approach clients who may be dealing with abuse and how to get help.

ANKENY, IA (IRN) – The World Championship Chili Cookoff is coming to Ankeny later this year, according to WHO-TV. Annually the chili championship brings in 10,000 people over the three-day event. It’s filled with chili cookoffs, craft beer, and live music. Ankeny anticipates an economic impact of $1.5 million. The World Championship Chili Cookoff is September 6th- 8th.