Author: Iowa Radio News

CHARLES CITY, IA (IRN) – Police are looking for an attempted murder suspect in North Iowa, according to KWWL-TV. Two victims were treated and released from the hospital and an investigation led to a charge of attempted murder being filed Friday morning against 35-year-old Trellis Baily.

URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – An Urbandale couple left their 9-month-old child home alone for a about three hours while they went to a bar, according to KCCI. Police arrested 22-year-old Bryan Bozarth and 20-year-old Ashley King. Police were sent around midnight Friday to the couple’s home for a welfare check after someone reported that a 9-month-old girl was home alone. Officers found the baby inside a crib in the back bedroom, alone, wearing one sock and a full diaper.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines woman is in jail after she allegedly stabbed a man and then hit him with her car Friday morning. WHO-TV reports the suspect, 45-year-old Carmelita Nichols, fled the scene but was taken into custody without incident. The victim will be OK.

STORM LAKE, IA (IRN) – A man armed with a running chainsaw making animal noises and yelling at people in the Storm Lake Walmart parking lot Halloween night was arrested, according to KCAU-TV. He was charged with Assault With a Dangerous Weapon and Disorderly Conduct. He’s in jail.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – University of Iowa researchers are teaming up with Iowa State University to come up with a new universal flu vaccine. KCRG-TV reports its effects would last about three to five years, and will cover both seasonal and pandemic flus. The vaccine will be available to the public in about five years.

OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – An Amtrak passenger was arrested in Ottumwa Wednesday, after police say he tried to sell drugs on the train. KTVO-TV reports Marcus Eric Wirtz, 49, faces numerous charges. Wirtz was in the process of moving from Oregon to Florida.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Congressman Steve King shouted at a protestor at an event yesterday in Des Moines, and demanded that the man be escorted from the room. King was taking questions during a forum held at the Des Moines Partnership when a man told King that he shared an ideology with the shooter at a Pittsburgh synagogue as a preface to a question. King refused to answer, and cut the man off and angrily defended himself and his pro-Israel staff.

URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – First daughter Ivanka Trump campaigned for Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds yesterday, and praised her for cutting taxes and growing Iowa’s workforce as she surprised about 75 volunteers at the Reynolds campaign headquarters in Urbandale. KCCI-TV reports Trump says she doesn’t campaign often, but would make an exception for Reynolds, who is in a razor-thin race with Democratic challenger Fred Hubbell, a retired Des Moines businessman.

LATIMER, IA (IRN) – A Latimer man is facing multiple charges after he took a ride on the hood of a minivan. KIMT-TV reports the man got into an argument with his girlfriend, jumped on the hood and punched the passenger side window until it broke. The girlfriend then took off with him still on the hood, then stopped, causing him to fall off.

TRAER, IA (IRN) – The remains of an Iowa sailor killed in the Pearl Harbor attack are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors. 22-year-old William Kvidera, of Traer, will be buried Nov. 16. He was a carpenter’s mate 3rd class assigned to the USS Oklahoma. The battleship capsized on Dec. 7, 1941, after being struck by Japanese torpedoes.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – Two Iowa Central Community College football players are facing felony charges after badly beating a man early Tuesday morning in Fort Dodge. The Des Moines Register reports 19-year-old Jesse Drive Jr. and 20-year-old Darryl Kelley, both of Danville, Illinois, have been charged with willful injury causing serious injury after they allegedly punched and “stomped” another man’s head during a fight.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A man was shot during a home invasion robbery on Des Moines’ east side Wednesday. WHO-TV reports a woman told police three armed men kicked in the door of her home, shot her boyfriend, and then stole her car. Her boyfriend is expected to recover.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Opioid-related deaths in Iowa are down this year compared to this time last year, according to data from the Iowa Department of Public Health. The number of deaths involving opioids has fallen 35 percent.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Hundreds of books have been donated to a northwest Iowa library where a man checked out, and then burned, several LGBTQ children’s books. The Orange City Public Library has received more than 200 books since religious activist Paul Dorr engaged in a book burning Oct. 19. Thousands of dollars have been raised for the library, much more than the roughly $50 needed to replace the burned books. In protest of the city’s second annual OC Pride, Dorr threw four library books into a burning trash can while streaming live on Facebook.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A Davenport truck driver has driven UPS semis for 35 years without an accident, according to WQAD-TV. John Manderscheid says it takes your “A-game” to stay safe on the roads. He spends 10 hours a day driving 400 miles to drop off packages at UPS hubs in Chicago and Hammond, Indiana. Over 40 years, he estimates he’s traveled four or five million miles.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – Authorities have arrested a second man in connection with the slayings of two brothers in Fort Dodge. KCCI-TV reports 46-year-old Paul Keller is charged with obstructing prosecution or defense and with possession of amphetamine. Another man, 28-year-old Tanner King, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the Oct. 22 shooting deaths of 37-year-old Marion and 34-year-old Eldominic Rhodes. The younger man’s body was found in an alley and his older brother’s body was found in a nearby apartment parking lot.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The race for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District is heating up. Incumbent Republican Rep. Steve King has easily won re-election since taking office in 2003, but polling suggests the race against Democrat J.D. Scholten is close. Fellow Republican Congressman Steve Stivers from Ohio condemned King’s alleged racist behavior Tuesday in a tweet that said, “We must stand up against white supremacy and hate in all forms.” Facing boycotts, Land O’ Lakes and Purina have ended donations to King’s campaign.

MARION, IA (IRN) – A man is expected to recover from injuries he received after being stabbed in the neck at a Marion motel Tuesday night. KCRG-TV reports an arrest has been made.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two dogs are dead in Des Moines after a man’s dog was attacked early Tuesday. WHO-TV reports a man was walking his small dog when he came upon two dogs he believed to be pit-bulls. He picked up his dog, and the other two dogs followed him home where one attacked him and ripped the small dog from his hands. He picked up his small dog, threw him over his fence, and went inside to get his gun. The larger dog was trying to jump over his fence, so he shot it. Both dogs are dead, and the man suffered minor injuries.

GRANT COUNTY, WI (IRN) – A Dubuque man was involved in a fiery crash in Wisconsin. KWWL-TV reports he was driving a tractor trailer loaded with saw dust, when he swerved to avoid a collision with a Freightliner hauling corn. The two trailers collided, and caught fire. Both drivers will be OK.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Police in Waterloo were conducting a narcotics search at a home Monday when a man nearby took off running. KWWL-TV reports the suspect allegedly fell while running and discharged his 9mm handgun. The bullet hit a nearby house. The man was charged with four weapon law violations. The suspect at the home was charged with possession of a firearm as a felon, carrying weapons and possession of marijuana second offense.

ELGIN, IA (IRN) – An Elgin woman is facing a murder charge after the death of her 5-week-old daughter last month. KGAN-TV reports Alicia Rios is charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment causing death. First responders were called to a home for a report of an infant having difficult breathing. The child, identified as Lydia Rios, was flown to a hospital in Wisconsin where she died from her injuries five days later.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man will serve up to 30 years in prison in connection with a deadly shooting. WHO-TV reports nineteen-year-old Jahmar Mustin, a member of the Heavy Hitters street gang, was riding in the same car as 23-year-old Choice Elliston in May 2017. Mustin became involved in a shootout with another vehicle of rival members of the C-Block gang. Mustin shot Elliston in the head during the battle, killing him.

TRURO, IA (IRN) – There will be increased security at Interstate 35 schools today in response to a reported threat. Deputies from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office plan to have an increased presence at the schools after an employee reported that a verbal threat had been made against the district. An investigation into the threat, who made it, and its credibility is on-going.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa could soon see a shortage of physicians assistants. That could be a big problem, especially in many rural counties. A University of Iowa study shows 32 percent of the physician assistants population is 50 or older. Those P\As will reach retirement soon. Only 25% of physicians assistant graduates who were trained in Iowa choose to stay and practice in Iowa.