Author: Iowa Radio News

ANKENY, IA (IRN) – An Ankeny mother whose baby died after becoming wedged between a mattress and a wall has been given two years of probation. KCCI-TV reports 33-year-old Michelle Atwell was fined $1,000 at her sentencing Monday and given a deferred judgment. Police were called to the Ankeny home of Atwell and Matthew Cohara on Aug. 26, 2017, after the 7-month-old was found not breathing. Police say the baby became wedged and suffocated after Atwell left her on the bed for hours after feeding her. An autopsy found a cocaine byproduct in the baby’s system. Cohara was given a similar sentence.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Tibbetts Family and Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa announced Tuesday morning that contributions to the Mollie Tibbetts Reward Fund will go back to donors, the Tibbetts family, or the Crime Stoppers General Fund. 20-year old Mollie Tibbetts was last seen on a run in Brooklyn on July 18th. During the search, Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa set up a reward for information that led to the safe return of Mollie. Donors raised nearly $400,000. Mollie’s body was found in a cornfield south of Brooklyn on August 21st. Since the condition of the safe return was not met, no one will get the reward money.

IOWA (IRN) – Iowa farmers, facing a projected $2 billion in losses from tariffs, could be helped by Monday’s big trade announcement: The U.S. has reached a tentative deal with Mexico, potentially paving the way for a pact with Canada. Kirk Leeds, CEO of the Iowa Soybean Association says,”It’s good. It’s positive. But it doesn’t come close to making farmers whole.”

DUBUQUE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A crash on Highway 20 in Dubuque County killed a motorcyclist. KCRG-TV reports a car and motorcycle were both driving eastbound when the two vehicles collided, throwing the motorcycle’s driver off the bike.

RED OAK, IA (IRN) – Senator Joni Ernst announced Monday that she and her husband are divorcing. The news came in a statement from her office. “Senator Ernst and her husband, Gail, are in the process of divorcing. They remain committed to their children and family, and ask for respect for their privacy during this difficult time.” Ernst, a Republican, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014. She lives in Red Oak.

SHELDON, IA (IRN) – A man was injured after fireworks blew up in his face on a dirt road near Sheldon over the weekend. KCAU-TV reports he was temporarily blinded and had an injury to his face. While at the hospital, a deputy charged him with lighting off a large consumer firework outside the legal dates, a simple misdemeanor.

POWESHIEK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An immigrant charged in the fatal stabbing of an Iowa college student has hired new defense lawyers. KCCI-TV reports Attorneys Chad and Jennifer Frese filed paperwork Sunday to represent Cristhian Bahena Rivera, who is accused in the killing of 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts. They’re expected to replace attorney Allan Richards, who called President Trump “sad and sorry” for labeling his client guilty before trial.

ANKENY, IA (IRN) – Two people were killed late Saturday in a crash in Ankeny, according to KCCI-TV. Witnesses say a truck lost control and hit a light pole.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – One person is dead after a golf cart accident at the Mason City Country Club. KIMT-TV reports a golfer was driving the cart in the parking lot with a passenger standing in the back. The driver made a turn, and the passenger fell off and hit the pavement.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The Cedar Rapids Police Department arrested a man for arson and burglary, according to KGAN-TV. 22-year-old Grant Michael Ajango was seen exiting the building just as the fire started. He was also found in possession of items stolen from a Casey’s General Store. He’s in jail.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Late Senator John McCain was a long time Senator and a two-time presidential candidate. WHO-TV reports he also loved Iowa. David Roederer served as the Iowa State Chair of McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign. He traveled hundreds of miles across the state with the Senator who fell in love with Iowa and the Iowa State Fair. Roederer says McCain first became fond of Iowans, in the unlikeliest of places, a prisoner of war camp in Viet Nam. McCain said he owed his life to Colonel George “Bud” Day of Sioux City, who helped nurse him back to health after being tortured.

LISBON, IA (IRN) – The Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom football team wanted their first game of the season at Lisbon Friday night to be normal as possible, according to KCRG-TV. School officials wanted to focus on football – not the tragic developments earlier this week in the case of Mollie Tibbetts. Scott Tibbetts, Mollie’s younger brother, took the field Friday, with family, friends and a stadium full of fans wearing blue ribbons in honor of his sister. The quarterback threw two touchdowns and ran for another in leading his team to a 35-24 victory over Lisbon. Mollie Tibbetts funeral is today.

LAMONI, IA (IRN) – Dody Boswell, a longtime Lamoni teacher and the wife of former Congressman Leonard Boswell, died Saturday morning, eight days after her husband died.
Both were honored at a service already planned for Leonard Boswell Saturday. Dody Boswell taught elementary school for 37 years, mainly in Lamoni. The Boswells were married for nearly 63 years.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A severe storm roared through northern Iowa Friday evening. The National Weather Service issued both Thunderstorm and Tornado Warnings for several counties, and heavy rain and hail battered the area. KIMT-TV reports the Clear Lake Fire Department fought a house fire and a sail boat fire during the storms. In Mason City, a foot of water covered intersections.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A Sioux City landmark may be getting a new look, according to KCAU-TV. The sculpture Sioux City, also known as “The French Fries” will be restored and repainted this year, and the public will vote to determine its color. Your choices of color? Yellow, red, or blue.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Family members of slain 20-year-old college student Mollie Tibbetts are calling out those using her death to push a “racist, false narrative” after it was discovered her alleged murderer is in the United States illegally. Mexican native Cristhian Bahena Rivera, 24, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in Tibbetts’ death. The family says the problem is toxic masculinity, not immigration status.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Hubbell Realty is selling the former home of the Riverfront YMCA in Des Moines to the federal government for the construction of a new federal courthouse, but the company is not happy about it. WHO-TV reports Hubbell has entered into a purchase agreement with the GSA under the threat of eminent domain. Both the City of Des Moines and Hubbell Realty publicly spoke out against the government’s acquisition of the land and preferred a private development. As a federal courthouse the city will not collect any property tax from the site.

AMES, IA (IRN) – Four true freshmen on the Iowa State football team have been suspended indefinitely for what Cyclones coach Matt Campbell called multiple incidents of poor choices and behavior. Campbell said the suspensions are not related to any one incident but rather a pattern of conduct that will not be tolerated within the football program.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A surveillance video from a victim’s front porch helped Cedar Rapids police make an arrest in a theft case, according to KCRG-TV. The thieves that do this type of crime have become popularly known as porch pirates. On Friday officers arrested 40-year-old Stephanie Conyers of Cedar Rapids for theft. The video caught Conyers in the act of stealing a package from the front porch of a home.

OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – An 18-year-old from Ottumwa is charged with murder in connection with a deadly shooting. KCCI-TV reports Ottumwa police responded to calls of a shooting at a home Thursday night. Officers said they found a man with a gunshot wound. The victim was taken to Ottumwa Regional Hospital where he died. Jacob Heckethorn has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder. He’s in the Wapello County Jail without bond.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Authorities in Chariton are investigating an alleged assault by a Catholic priest, who was suspended after he allegedly made an unwelcome advance on a woman at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. KCCI-TV reports Father Francis Aning Amoah, a priest from Ghana temporarily ministering in Iowa, is accused of a “serious violation of boundary issues.”

DIXON, IL (IRN) – Three men men from Clinton were taken into custody by the Dixon Illinois Police Department yesterday after allegedly stealing high-value items from Walmart. One of the men entered the store, filled his cart with several high ticket items and snuck out through the emergency exit. The man’s partners then pulled up in a blue pickup truck and sped out of the parking lot. They were later detained.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The level of the Mississippi River has dropped as much as two feet in two days in eastern Iowa, causing boats and marinas to come to a standstill. KCRG-TV reports the sudden and dramatic drop was caused by little rain up north. Boats at many marinas are sitting on dry land.

BROOKLYN, IA (IRN) – The funeral for 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in her hometown of Brooklyn. Mass of the Resurrection will be held at 2 p.m. in the gymnasium of BGM High School in Brooklyn. The family will receive friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.