Author: Iowa Radio News

CLIVE, IA (IRN) – A proposed psychiatric hospital in Clive is getting some pushback from potential neighbors who don’t want the facility in their backyard. KCCI-TV reports mental health advocates are pushing back, too, saying the concerns are based in ignorance. Mercy Medical Center would build its facility right next to an existing campus just east of Interstate 35/80, but some neighbors want it elsewhere.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines woman faces multiple felony charges, including possessing methamphetamine with children in the home. KCCI-TV reports an FBI led raid happened Monday at the home of 41-year-old Crystal Carney. An 11-year-old child in the home and had access to the meth. This is Carney’s third meth related criminal charge.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King is facing widespread condemnation for retweeting a Nazi sympathizer on Tuesday. The Des Moines Register reports
King recirculated a tweet from Mark Collett, a well known white supremacist in Britain. King retweeted Collett’s post on immigration, writing, “Europe is waking up…Will America…in time?” Collett has described himself as a “Nazi sympathizer” and said he admires Adolf Hitler. King has not responded to the criticism.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Humboldt volunteer firefighter has resigned after being accused of driving a fire engine drunk. WHO-TV reports the man was responding to a 911 call when police on scene said he smelled like alcohol and was slurring his speech. His blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit. He had volunteered on the department for 18 years.

BETTENDORF, IA (IRN) – In 10 years, Honor Flight of the Quad Cities has organized 45 honor flights for local veterans, according to WQAD-TV. The flights carry veterans from the Quad City International Airport to Washington D.C. for one day. Yesterday, grocery chain Hy-Vee announced that they would donate $50,000 to the organization to help sponsor the 45th flight.
Over the years, Hy-Vee has sponsored 10 flights and has donated approximately $450,000.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A soldier killed in a Korean War battle nearly 68 years ago will be laid to rest in Cedar Rapids with full military honors next week after his remains were finally identified. KCRG-TV reports Army Sergeant Donald Baker was reported missing following a battle in September of 1950 near Haman, South Korea. He was originally listed as missing in action for years and family stories claimed he was captured and tortured to death by the enemy. He was 20 years old.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – The body of a man was found in Lake Manawa in Council bluffs Monday. The DNR determined that the man had somehow fallen into the lake from a personal watercraft operated by his wife, prior to a good Samaritan spotting him and bringing him to shore. The man was transported to a Council Bluffs hospital in critical condition, but is expected to survive. Investigators say alcohol may have been involved.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – President Trump’s declaration that the United States would halt joint military exercises on the Korean Peninsula met resistance as influential Republicans opposed the decision. The Washington Post reports Iowa Senator Joni Ernst objected, saying,“I don’t think that’s wise — we have done these exercises for years with the South Koreans and so I would just ask the president, why do we need to suspend them? They are legal.”

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Over 100 bank accounts have been drained over the weekend in West Des Moines after being compromised by an ATM skimmer. KCCI-TV reports police found a skimming device from an ATM inside a QuikTrip.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A homeless shelter in downtown Des Moines is working on a plan to build permanent apartments for the chronically homeless in the same drainage ditch where they used to camp. The Des Moines Register reports Central Iowa Shelter and Services hopes to build 24 apartments from shipping containers.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A soybean field served as an emergency landing strip in Fort Dodge Tuesday. WHO-TV reports the pilot left the Fort Dodge Airport and traveled about 800 feet into the air before having engine problems. The pilot managed to turn around, but was unable to glide back to the airport. Police say the pilot spotted the field and even attempted to land with the wheels between the rows to avoid damaging the crops. The tires sunk into the dirt, flipping the plane onto its nose. The pilot suffered a few scratches.

BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – A Burlington man who used a claw hammer to beat another man to death has been given 50 years in prison. KCRG-TV reports 32-year-old Layton Tapscott killed 32-year-old Julian Menke in Menke’s Burlington home in October 2016. Tapscott told a judge that he was angry at Menke because he thought Menke had made unwanted sexual advances to the mother of Tapscott’s child.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A federal grand jury has indicted seven Des Moines residents on charges of sex trafficking, according to the Des Moines Register. During the spring and summer of 2017, the defendants trafficked three adult victims. If convicted, each defendant may be sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two women connected to a violent assault on Court Avenue in Des Moines have been arrested. KCCI-TV reports 20-year-old Riley VerSteegh and 22-year-old Sydney Stuart face assault charges. They reportedly violently assaulted another woman last week as Court Avenue bars were closing.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A vandal has struck in Des Moines. WHO-TV reports on Sunday, someone spray painted “No Respect” on an Army recruitment billboard. Frank Cordaro, founder of the group Des Moines Catholic Worker, says a Christian political artist is responsible for the vandalism. Cordaro says the anonymous vandal is protesting the Drone Command Center in Des Moines. Airmen at the center use remotely-piloted aircraft that are armed with hellfire missiles and 500-pound bombs.

BUCHANAN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado touched down in Buchanan County during a wave of severe storms Saturday night. The EF-1 tornado briefly touched down southeast of Winthrop with a peak wind estimated at 95 miles per hour. The storm tore a roof off a Winthrop home.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A famous Iowan returned home this weekend, and worked a special stop into his schedule. University of Iowa Hospitals tweeted photos on Monday thanking actor Ashton Kutcher for visiting. Kutcher met with several kids recovering at the Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man injured in an altercation at a Cedar Rapids park has died. KWWL-TV reports 38-year-old Scott Dexter died at a hospital of injuries he suffered Tuesday. The case is being investigated as a homicide, and no arrests have been reported.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A judge says fired Iowa Finance Authority Director Dave Jamison is disqualified from collecting unemployment benefits due to credible allegations of sexual harassment. KCCI-TV reports Administrative Law Judge Nicole Merrill ruled that the allegations against Jamison by female subordinates haven’t been fully detailed but are credible and amount to “disqualifying misconduct.”

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – Council Bluffs police are investigating how a man’s body ended up in the Missouri River. KETV reports the body was discovered Saturday near the Ameristar Casino. It was the second body pulled from the river in two days. The remains of a woman were found near Plattsmouth Friday. Her husband told officers he killed his wife and dumped her body off a bridge.

LINN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two teens are in the hospital after they were thrown from the bumper of a vehicle in Central City. KCRG-TV reports Linn County deputies responded to the crash in the Paris Bridge Natural Area Sunday. The 16-year-old driver went around a curve too fast, lost control and went into a ditch. The two teens on the bumper, a 16-year-old and a 15-year-old, were thrown clear. They’re in the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

OELWEIN, IA (IRN) – There were two water rescues overnight near Oelwein following Saturday’s storm and flooding in northern Iowa. KWWL-TV reports two cars were swept off roadways, and both drivers were rescued by area fire departments.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Second-round leader Tom Lehman has been declared the winner of the PGA Tour Champions event in Des Moines after weather washed out Sunday’s final round. Principal Charity Classic officials had delayed the start of the third round by nearly five hours because of bands of light but persistent rain in central Iowa before calling the event. Lehman shot a 7-under 65 on Saturday to take a two-shot lead over four other golfers.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A text message sent from a teenager to a family member that read, “He’s been pimping me out,” has led to a Des Moines man being charged with human trafficking. The Des Moines Register reports Richard Lynn Wisecup, 56, was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of methamphetamine. The girl, who is under the age of 17, also texted a family member: “He was trying to bring me out of state, to Missouri.” The victim also made a phone call from Wisecup’s phone and left a voicemail saying “help me.”

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Police in eastern Iowa are investigating the death of a man in an overnight shooting. The Quad-City Times reports that Davenport police were called shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday for a report of shots fired. Arriving officers found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. The 46-year-old man was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

ALTOONA, IA (IRN) – Des Moines hazmat crews were called to an Altoona trucking company on Friday afternoon, worried chemicals could explode. WHO-TV reports the incident happened at approximately 2 p.m. at Majestic Trucking. A worker says a 55-gallon drum of paint and gun solvent started to expand. The area was briefly evacuated.

MUSCATINE, (IRN) – A pink fire truck made a stop in Muscatine last week, according to KWWL-TV. The organization, Pink Heals, Inc., is behind the visit. Pink Heals works to help raise cancer awareness and provide encouragement to anyone who has been affected by it.