Author: Iowa Radio News

VINTON, IA (IRN) – The National Weather Service says an EF2 tornado went through Vinton Sunday morning, with winds speeds up to 130 mph. KWWL-TV reports high winds hit several multi-family apartment buildings and one business. The buildings sustained serious structural damage, losing roofs and walls. Several residents suffered minor injuries.

BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – Suspects accused of an armed robbery in Burlington tried to outrun police and ended up crashing into a garage, according to WQAD-TV. The victim was approached by three men shortly after midnight. One of the men held a handgun to the victim’s chest and demanded the items in his pockets. The victim followed orders, and the three suspects fled. A chase ensued followed by a crash and a short foot chase. Two are in custody.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A Mason City Councilman has died at the age of 34. KIMT-TV reports Alex Kuhn died Friday. Kuhn has been a City Councilman for several years and has been active in the Mason City community. Law enforcement officials are investigating and not releasing any information regarding his death.

CLEVELAND, OH (IRN) – The Republican National Convention begins today in Cleveland, and Iowa Senator Joni Ernst will be the focus on opening night. Ernst will deliver a prime-time speech on security.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating a crash where a young child was hit by a vehicle Sunday, according to KCCI-TV. The child was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition. One person is in custody and charges are pending.

CHARLES CITY, IA (IRN) – A motorcycle crash has left one man dead near Charles City. KWWL-TV reports 23-year-old Thomas Houdek was driving on Highway 18 pulling on to Highway 218 northbound when he was hit by a semi, driven by Joshua Brood of Plainfield.
Houdek was pronounced dead at the scene, and Brood was airlifted to Mason City for his injuries.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating a shooting that killed a 21-year-old man and injured two other people in Waterloo yesterday, according to KCRG-TV. The two hospitalized have non-life-threatening injuries. Police have not announced any arrests.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The National Governor’s Association summer meeting in Des Moines ended yesterday, and state leaders spent the day giving back. WHO-TV reports they teamed up with the Outreach Program, an organization that packages meals for people in need. The organization’s mission is to end hunger across the world. However, on Sunday, the mission was focused on helping thousand of Iowans. The group packaged 50,000 meals for the Food Bank of Iowa.

CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – The trial for a Coralville man accused of knowingly spreading HIV has been pushed back to October. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that the trial for 34-year-old Adam Musser had been set to begin Tuesday. It will now begin on Oct. 25. Musser was sentenced to a 50-year prison term in 2004 after being convicted of knowingly spreading HIV, but he was paroled in 2012. After he was paroled, he told two women he was disease-free.

POLK CITY, IA (IRN) – A 20-year-old man died early Saturday in a single-vehicle rollover north of Saylorville Lake, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The victim, whose name is being withheld pending family notification, was the sole occupant of the vehicle when it rolled over. The cause of the accident is unknown.

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A 9-year-old boy from West Des Moines who went missing Saturday has been found safe, according to WHO-TV. Wyatt Morris was reported missing from his home Saturday morning after a disagreement with his parents. No further information has been released.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque is taking advantage of the growing popularity of the game Pokémon GO by incorporating it into one of its yearly events. KCRG-TV reports the museum is planning their annual Ding Darling Day event around the mobile game. Staff member Emily Graves says, “Our campus has exploded… it’s kind of taking over. So we thought we’d just embrace it and have a lot of fun with it.”

FORT MADISON, IA (IRN) – Police are warning businesses not to take checks from a southeast Iowa couple wanted on 18 felony warrants. WGEM-radio reports the Fort Madison Police Department is asking for help finding Ashley and Brandon Erb, of West Point. Police say they have 16 warrants for lottery fraud, one for second-degree theft and one for identity theft.

ZEARING, IA (IRN) – A Zearing woman lost her husband in a semi accident near Iowa Falls a day before she delivered the couple’s third child. KCCI-TV reports the accident happened Monday as 34-year-old Luke Lodermeier was driving a semi on Highway 20 and as he was coming onto a curve, he struck another semi that was on its side after that driver lost control. Wife Kimberlee says, “I know Luke is shining down on his new baby–he’d be proud of little Edwin.”

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Two homes and a vehicle were struck by bullets overnight in a Davenport neighborhood. WQAD-TV reports the incident was reported just after midnight on Friday. There were no injuries, and police haven’t identified any suspects.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The Eastern Iowa Airport invites people to play “tug of war” with a FedEx 757 airplane, according to KCRG-TV. It’s part of the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight’s fundraiser so more veterans to fly to Washington D.C. on honor flights. Teams of 15 to 25 people can sign up to see who can move the plane 20 yards the fastest. It costs $100 per person to participate, but free to watch. The event will be held August 6.

GRANT COUNTY, WI – Authorities are blaming a kitten on the Iowa-Wisconsin Bridge for a multi-vehicle crash that snarled rush-hour traffic for more than an hour Thursday evening. KCRG-TV reports a woman began slowing after seeing a kitten on the bridge. Two cars behind the woman also slowed, but a fourth vehicle wasn’t able to stop. A chain reaction ensued, and all four vehicles were damaged. Everyone is OK, including the kitten.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Runnells woman was sentenced Thursday in a crash that happened while she was texting and driving, according to KCCI-TV. 20-year-old Lydia Ellen George was charged with texting while driving causing serious injury. On Oct. 9 George’s passengers had asked her to stop texting because she was scaring them, but she continued. The crash that happened next seriously injured one of her passengers. She was ordered to complete a driver’s safety course and 120 hours of public service.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – Fort Dodge police responded Thursday night to a report of a home invasion. KCCI-TV reports 57-year-old Orval Rasmussen of Fort Dodge allegedly kicked through a side door to get inside the home. Rasmussen was armed with a knife and assaulted a woman inside the home. The woman sustained a minor injury to her arm. Rasmussen faces multiple charges.

BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – Police are scouring a small eastern Iowa lake looking for additional human remains, weeks after a decomposed human foot was found near a spillway. The Hawk Eye reports Burlington police searched Lake West by kayak on Tuesday looking for additional body parts.

MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – About 15 detasselers who came into contact with herbicide north of Conrad Thursday afternoon have been hospitalized, according to KCCI-TV. A Monsanto crew was contaminated when the wind carried an herbicide being applied by a ground sprayer into the area they were working. Workers started having trouble breathing, and complained of sore throats and itchy eyes. All workers are expected to be released today.

SAC CITY, IA (IRN) – A human skull was found Monday afternoon near the Raccoon River in southern Sac County. KWWL-TV reports the state medical examiner concluded it was the skull of an adult white man. It has been forwarded to a forensic anthropologist in Kansas City for further examination.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – More than 20 governors of both parties are registered to be in Des Moines this week. For the second time in 10 years, Iowa is the host state for the National Governor’s Association Meeting. Governor Terry Branstad says the governors are there to learn from each other.

AYSHIRE, SCOTLAND (IRN) – Cedar Rapids native Zach Johnson is among the leaders in the first round of The Open Championship at Royal Troon golf course in Scotland. KCRG-TV reports Johnson is in a tie for 2nd at 5 under par through 14 holes, but he is three strokes behind the leader, Phil Mickelson, who is at eight under through 17 holes. Johnson won his first Open championship last year in dramatic fashion in a 3-hole playoff. Johnson won the Masters in 2007.

MANCHESTER, IA (IRN) – A Manchester woman has been charged with child endangerment after she left her child in the car because the child was misbehaving at a restaurant. KWWL-TV reports Christin Pasker left the three-year-old in a locked car while Pasker went back into the restaurant to finish her supper. Witnesses say the child was left alone for 10 to 15 minutes.

WAYLAND, IA (IRN) – Two people were hospitalized after a car vs. semi collision near Wayland Wednesday night according to KCII-Radio. A semi loaded with hogs and a car collided causing the semi to roll onto its side, with hogs getting loose. The driver of the semi, Randolph Keller of Albia, was cited for failure to obey a stop sign.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Two Davenport teens were arrested for assault and robbery after allegedly attacking a man and his girlfriend in the Walmart parking lot and stealing the man’s wallet. WQAD-TV reports one teen punched the robbery victim’s girlfriend in the face while the other took a wallet out of the man’s pocket.

POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a significant increase in reports of credit and debit card fraud. Over the past three days they have received numerous reports of fraudulent activity with most of those reports taking place in the City of Bondurant. They suggest everyone pay close attention to their credit and debit card statements.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A teen who was hit by a minivan while playing a game with friends has died. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that 16-year-old J.C. Meardon and two friends were standing on a road Monday night when two of the boys were hit. The boys were playing a game called “hostage,” in which players are blindfolded and dropped in a random area. They then call friends, describing their surroundings, asking for a ride. The other boy wasn’t seriously injured.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Waterloo police responded to a home last night after a man was stabbed. KWWL-TV reports the man was stabbed in the leg and torso. He refused to be taken to the hospital. Police do not have a description of a suspect.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A marine struggling with PTSD and addiction reached out to the VA Medical Center in Iowa City but was not admitted, according to WHO-TV. 33-year-old Brandon Ketchum then committed suicide last Friday. His family now wants answers from VA officials about why he didn’t get the help he wanted. The VA won’t comment–citing privacy laws.

CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – Demolition on the former Sears space at the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville got underway yesterday, and a single-story building will go up in its place. KCRG-TV reports six retailers, many of them new to eastern Iowa, will occupy the new space. It’s expected to be open to shoppers in the fall of 2017.