Author: Iowa Radio News

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Two people were injured after a shooting overnight in Iowa City, according to KWWL-TV. Just before 2 a.m. Saturday, the Iowa City Police Department received a report of shots fired. On scene, officers found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. A short time later, a second person with a gunshot wound was discovered about one block away from the original location.

ELGIN, IA (IRN) – An Elgin woman charged in her infant daughter’s death admitted to throwing the infant who then hit her head on a table. KCRG-TV reports a deputy arrived at the home to find Alicia Rios “kneeling on the ground crying hysterically.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Diocese of Des Moines is revealing a decades old complaint against a retired priest. WHO-TV reports the Diocese says it was made aware on September 6th, 2018 of a complaint against Father Leonard Kenkel. The allegation dated back more than a decade and the church says it was advised the statute of limitations in the case had passed.
Kenkel was ordained to the priesthood in 1960. He served several parishes, and taught at Dowling Catholic High School for 27 years.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Two people protesting at Senator Chuck Grassley’s Office in Davenport during the hearing for Brett Kavanaugh were arrested for trespassing. KCRG-TV reports a 57-year-old man and 63-year-old woman were arrested after they wouldn’t leave when the office closed. They were charged with trespassing and booked into the Scott County Jail. They were both released after about 90 minutes.

BISMARCK, N.D. (IRN) – An Iowa firearms company has given the Bismarck N.D. Police Department nine AR-15 rifles for school resource officers. The Bismarck Tribune reports that Iowa-based Brownells Inc. donated the AR-15s after police requested funds to buy the rifles. A Brownell’s spokesperson says the company heard about the request, and decided to help. Police say the donation will allow the department to spend more money on medical kits.

URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – Police have found another credit card skimmer on a gas pump in the Des Moines metro, according to KCCI-TV. They say it happened at the Casey’s in Urbandale on Urbandale Drive. It was there from September 12th through the 13th.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A homeless woman was sexually assaulted in a vacant apartment in downtown Des Moines, according to KCCI-TV. Police say the woman was taken to an apartment by a man she knew from a homeless shelter. Police said the man told her they were going to look at apartments but sexually assaulted her instead.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A man led Polk County authorities on a high-speed car chase into northeast Des Moines on Thursday night after he didn’t stop when deputies tried to pull him over. The Des Moines Register reports the man eventually pulled over and ran, but was apprehended. Deputies tried to stop the SUV because it didn’t have license plates.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A major construction project will soon be underway at the Eastern Iowa Airport. KCRG-TV reports it’s thanks to an Airport Infrastructure Grant worth nearly $9 million dollars from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The money will go towards building a new air cargo complex. Officials say the need for expansion is clear. E-commerce this year alone has increased demand on the airport’s cargo capabilities by 30% and all indications are that demand will only increase.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State University is the No. 1 option for price-conscious families in the state looking for the best value in higher education, according to a study from Time MONEY magazine. The report said in-state students can obtain a degree for less than $85,000.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – An incident in Mason City that left a woman with minor injuries after being dragged by a vehicle Wednesday night was the result of transaction involving electronics gone awry. KIMT-TV reports a subject met the victim in the street and the victim allegedly gave the person the electronics valued at $40. However, the subject allegedly drove off before paying and the victim tried to hang on to the truck as long as possible.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Ankeny couple is being sued by their adopted daughter six years after being charged with neglect and false imprisonment. KCCI-TV reports the lawsuit alleges Ankeny residents Paul and Joann Drake beat and choked SavannahRose Willow and locked her in the basement. As a teenager in 2012, Willow said she was physically and emotionally abused and only allowed to leave the basement for school. The parents received a deferred judgment on a false imprisonment guilty plea.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two Git N Go convenience stores were robbed Tuesday night in Polk County. WHO-TV reports the robbers were armed. Police aren’t sure if the incidents are related.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A threat made against the Linn County Courthouse forced an hour long closure of both the main courthouse and the Juvenile Justice Center. KCRG-TV reports no threat was found, and the incident remains under investigation.

IOWA (IRN) – Iowa’s shift to private management of its Medicaid program has become increasingly unpopular. Just 28 percent of Iowa adults think the state should continue having private companies run the giant health care program for poor or disabled Iowans, according to a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa budget officials say the state budget will end its fiscal year for 2018 with a general fund surplus of about $127 million. Iowa Department of Management Director Dave Roederer says the boost came primarily from higher corporate income tax receipts, which he says was likely due to federal tax reform that created more business activity. Gov. Kim Reynolds says it’s a sign that the economy is growing.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Three men have been arrested after an armed home invasion on the south side of Des Moines. WHO-TV reports the residents were inside while it happened but were able to escape and call police. One suspect resisted arrest, and officers released one of their K9’s. The suspect suffered several dog bites and was taken to the hospital.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Thousands of text messages were sent out by Linn County’s Emergency Notification System Tuesday when a tornado warning was issued. KCRG-TV reports there was a problem: the texts were delivered after the storms had passed. Officials say the system was overwhelmed when more than 72,000 text messages were generated. The sheer volume of messages caused the delay.

AMES, IA (IRN) – ISU released a study Tuesday showing the effects President Trump’s tariffs are having on Iowa’s economy. The study shows losses to Iowa’s gross state product ranges from $1 billion to $2 billion. The biggest loser? Iowa’s hog industry.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Waldinger Corp. plans to build a $21 million corporate office and production facility in Des Moines and add 115 new jobs. The Des Moines Register reports the company will purchase 28 acres of vacant land on the city’s south side near Brown’s Woods. Waldinger is a mechanical, electrical and sheet metal contractor. Established in 1906 as Capital City Tin Shop, Waldinger Corp. is one of the oldest businesses in Polk County.

WASHINGTON, IA (IRN) – A trial began in Washington, Iowa today for a man charged with first-degree murder in the death of a Burlington teenager. KCII-radio reports the Des Moines County trial was moved to Washington County because of extensive local media coverage. 25-year-old Jaron Narelle Purham is charged in the March 2016 death of 16-year-old Kedarie Johnson, a gender-fluid Burlington High School student, whose body was found with two bullet holes in the chest in a Burlington alley. Another man charged in the death, 24-year-old Jorge Sanders-Galvez was sentenced to life in prison in December 2017 after a jury trial found him guilty.

AURELIA (IRN) – An anhydrous ammonia leak in the small northwest town of Aurelia forced residents to be evacuated Monday. KCAU-TV reports he leak started around 10:00 a.m. at First Coop. Much of the town was evacuated, including about 300 students at Alta-Aurelia Elementary and the middle school. Residents were allowed to return home Monday evening.

MARION, IA (IRN) – A juvenile has been charged with harassment after a social media post indicated a possible threat toward the Linn-Mar Community School District. KGAN-TV reports
police investigated the post and determined the juvenile had no intention of writing a threat.
However, police said because of the concern it caused in the community, the juvenile was charged with harassment.

BOONE, IA (IRN) – A battle over pieces of history in Boone is going to court. KCCI-TV reports four Boone County residents are suing the Boone County Historical Society, citing a long list of alleged mismanagement dating back to 2016. Complaints include violating Iowa code and its own bylaws, terminating memberships for speaking out against the organization, and selling the Mamie Doud Eisenhower Birthplace without input from other members.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – For the second time in less than a month, the Cedar River is rising to dangerous levels in Cedar Rapids. KCRG-TV reports this is the third time this year the city’s had to prepare for another river crest. It’s expected to crest at 17.5 feet tonight. The Iowa Flood Center said flooding this time of year is no longer an anomaly. Instead of seasonal threats, flooding is now a possibility any time of the year.