Articles by Iowa Radio News

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Wednesday, February 15, 2017

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A central Iowa man has been sentenced to probation for texting when his pickup truck collided with a car, killing two people. KIMT-TV reports 21-year-old Colten Bills, of Dayton, was convicted last month of two counts of vehicular homicide in a 2015 crash that killed a 56-year-old man and his 85-year-old mother. Bills was distracted by texting and ignored a stop sign and a sign warning the stop sign was ahead. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A mother and daughter who ran a Pleasant Hill day care were sentenced to probation Tuesday, according to KCCI-TV. Cindy and Amanda Holt pled guilty to child endangerment. Last summer, a child in their care was taken to the hospital with bite marks and bruises inflicted by another child. They will not be allowed to operate a daycare in the future. Both asked for forgiveness. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A man who allegedly shot someone last week in Iowa City has been arrested in Illinois, according to KGAN-TV. 20-year-old Darius Davison was involved in a property dispute when witnesses say he pulled out a handgun and fired at least four shots, hitting the victim. U.S. Marshals arrested him, and he will be transported to the Johnson County Jail pending extradition. URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – Police in Urbandale are thanking the public for information leading to the arrests of two men in a truck stop robbery. KCCI-TV reports the armed robbery happened in November at the Pilot Truck Stop. Police released surveillance photos to the media, and as a result, the men were identified and arrested. Connor Ray Lloyd Bennett of Marshalltown and Tuffy Delray Eugene Jackson of Des Moines face first-degree robbery charges. They’re in jail. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Both chambers of the Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature have pushed back scheduled votes on a bill that would eliminate most collective bargaining rights for public workers in the state. KWWL-TV reports Democrats have filed dozens of amendments. Both chambers will take up the measure again this morning. VINTON, IA (IRN) – A Vinton dog is alive thanks to quick-thinking firefighters. KCRG-TV reports they rescued the dog during a house fire Monday afternoon. No one was hurt. Firefighters found the dog behind the door in one of the rooms, but the dog appeared lifeless. One firefighter improvised, finding a styrofoam cup, cutting a hole in it and using it to pass oxygen to the dog. The dog’s OK.


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Tuesday, February 14, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Republican Congressman Steve King has reintroduced a bill in Washington that would make English the official language of the United States. The English Language Unity Act would declare English as our official language and require all people seeking naturalization to pass an English test. OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – An Ottumwa man shot himself in the head while police were pursuing him. KTVO-TV reports police received a report that 22-year-old Zachary Lee Davidson had been seen walking along a city street. Davidson was wanted on outstanding arrest warrants. Police located him and he ran from officers to a residential yard where he got out a firearm and shot himself. He’s in critical condition. BENTON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An elderly man and his son died in a fire in Benton County early this morning while a daughter was able to jump out a window. KCRG-TV reports the woman suffered injuries and was taken to a hospital. Firefighters are searching for a cause. RUNNELLS, IA (IRN) – One person died in a rollover crash that happened early Monday morning near Runnells in Polk County. When deputies arrived, they found a white Ford pickup with a trailer attached in the ditch upside down. Rescue crews began life-saving efforts, but the driver of the pickup died at the scene. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – More than 1,000 people packed a public hearing room at the Iowa Statehouse to protest Republican sponsored changes in the state’s collective bargaining law that would impact an estimated 184,000 state workers. WHO-TV reports critics dominated the two-hour public hearing. The bill takes away most of the issues unions can negotiate on behalf of their workers, except for wages. Republicans say they were elected to save taxpayer dollars. AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State University has lost an appeal in a federal free speech lawsuit. KCCI-TV reports the court ruled Monday that ISU administrators violated the First Amendment rights of two students who were officers of the ISU chapter of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws. The students planned to print T-shirts depicting the school mascot and a marijuana leaf, but school officials claimed it violated the school’s trademark policy. The court ruled in favor of the students.


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Monday, February 13, 2017

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A woman was found dead at a Des Moines home after police were called to a stabbing early Monday morning. WHO-TV reports police were able to come up with a suspect vehicle description and a short time later the vehicle was spotted by Altoona police. The suspect fled and crashed on I-80 near Mitchellville. A man was found dead at the crash site. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – One person died and another was injured after a shooting at Hotel Davenport early Sunday morning. WQAD-TV reports both gunshot victims were taken to a local hospital. One was treated and released. The second victim was a 29-year-old man from Peoria, Illinois who was pronounced dead at the hospital. R&B artist Jacquees had been scheduled to perform at the hotel at 9 p.m., but concertgoers say he never showed up. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – What started as a report of a traffic accident in Des Moines Saturday quickly turned into a homicide investigation. WHO-TV reports police found 33-year-old Adriel Ward unconscious in his car, and suffering from a gunshot wound. He later died. Police say Ward’s injuries caused him to crash, and investigators found several bullet holes in his car. Police say evidence suggests Ward was an intentional target. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – The DCI is investigating an officer-involved shooting at a convenience store in Waterloo Sunday. KCRG-TV reports a gunman entered the convenience store and ordered everyone out of the store. Officers arrived and surrounded the store with the gunman still inside. A short time later, the gunman came out of the store firing his weapon. Police returned fire and at least one shot hit the gunman. CLINTON, IA (IRN) – A Clinton woman is in custody after attacking an antique store owner with a pickaxe. WQAD-TV reports 25-year-old Cassandra Doran faces multiple charges. Doran entered the store and began began breaking items with a pickaxe before striking the store owner several times. She then moved on to another store, where a person tackled and held her until police arrived. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – More than 1,000 people marched at the state Capitol Sunday for the March for Iowa’s Teachers rally, according to KCCI-TV. Republican legislators have proposed changes to the state’s collective bargaining law that would not allow teachers to negotiate collectively anything other than wages. State Senator Nate Boulton, a Democrat from Des Moines, says “we can’t silence teacher’s voices…”


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Sunday, February 12, 2017

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating a homicide that happened Saturday evening, according to KCCI-TV. Police initially responded to a report that a vehicle had run into a utility pole. They later discovered there was a shooting. One person was in the car when it crashed. The victim later died. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – On Saturday, pro-life Iowans joined protesters across the country as they took to the streets and sidewalks, rallying against Planned Parenthood and other abortion-providing clinics. WHO-TV reports a couple of dozen protesters in Des Moines offered quiet prayers in support of Republican legislators seeking to defund Planned Parenthood. Their opposition says taking money away from Planned Parenthood will only lead to more unplanned pregnancies. IOWA (IRN) – A slim majority of Iowans disagree with President Donald Trump’s executive order pausing refugee resettlement and barring travel to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries. Fifty-one percent of respondents to the new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll disagree with the policy, which sparked massive demonstrations amid a chaotic rollout late last month and has since been put on hold by the federal courts. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa School of Music dedicated it’s new organ Friday with a marathon performance. KGAN-TV reports Kevin Bowyer, who many believe to be the greatest organist in the world, played Sorabji’s Second Symphony For Organ. It takes 8.5 hours to play in its entirety. Bowyer says he loves the piece, but is glad the performance is over. It’s the third time he has performed it, start to finish, and he doubts it will ever be played again in its entirety.


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Saturday, February 11, 2017

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Supreme Court has made it more difficult for police to ask questions or even ask for a driver’s license during routine traffic stops if there is no suspicion a crime has been committed. In a ruling Friday, the court overturned a 30-year-old Iowa legal precedent that said officers could ask drivers to produce their license even during routine stops where no violation has been committed. DENVER, IA (IRN) – A 27-year-old Iowa man was shot to death east of Denver. The Denver Post reports that Zackery Henderson, of Mason City, was pronounced dead about 3 a.m. Monday on the street. A homicide investigation has been launched, and no arrests have been made. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A Sioux City police officer who fatally shot a South Dakota man during a traffic stop has been cleared. KCCI-TV reports officer Dylan Grimsley was justified in shooting 36-year-old Daniel Riedmann, of Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. Grimsley and his partner stopped Riedmann, who was considered armed and dangerous. Riedmann ignored the officer’s commands to show his hands. Grimsley shot him when Riedmann reached for something. A loaded handgun was found in the vehicle later. AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State University is leaving dozens of positions vacant because of state budget cuts. WHO-TV reports earlier this month, the Republican-led legislature signed off on more than $100 million in state budget cuts. Iowa State’s share is $8 million. The Ames Tribune reports the university will postpone on-campus improvements, and leave 45-50 currently unfilled positions vacant. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A dog that fishermen rescued from the Cedar River in Waterloo has a new home, according to KCRG-TV. The Cedar Bend Humane Society named the dog River and put her up for adoption when nobody claimed her after three days. Then one of the dog’s rescuers decided to take her home. Abby Cresap, with the Cedar Bend Humane Society says, “I think they kind of just fell in love with River right away.