Category: State News

USA (IRN) – Key members of the Democratic National Committee have begun formally circulating a proposal requiring Iowa to apply to hold its prized first-in-the-nation caucuses as the party seeks to revamp its presidential nominating calendar. Republicans are committed to keeping Iowa’s first in the nation caucuses.

FAIRFIELD, IA (IRN) – A judge ruled on Tuesday that the press and public can attend proceedings in a Fairfield murder case. Jeremy Goodale and Willard Miller, both 16, are accused of murdering Spanish teacher Nohema Graber. In court Monday, their lawyers argued that court proceedings should be closed, as it would be hard to find an impartial jury at trial. Prosecutors disagreed, saying the proceedings should be held in open court unless the cases would go back to juvenile court. The teens are currently charged as adults.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines Public Works is working to control a wastewater leak into the Des Moines River after a ‘force main’ broke. The main broke near Birdland Park Marina. A pumping station that feeds the main is being shut down, but 3,500 gallons-per-minute of untreated wastewater and storm runoff is dumping into the river.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – An Iowa astronaut is set to exit the International Space Station today. NASA Flight Engineer Raja Chari from Iowa will join Matthias Maurer of Germany and go on a six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk. Their main objective is to install thermal system and electronics components on the outside of the space station.

ANKENY, IA (IRN) – 15-month-old Cooper Schmidt finally got to make his first trip home to Ankeny after spending his first 456 days on Earth at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Cooper was born with Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease and he was placed on dialysis immediately after birth. A living donor came forward and donated one of their kidneys to Cooper.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A Davenport man is charged with murder after police say he stabbed and shot a teen. Malachi Isaiah Vanderpool, 19, is charged with first-degree murder, a Class A felony, and felon in possession of a firearm, a Class D felony. Police responded to a report of shots fired Friday where officers found Tylan Sanders, 16, of Davenport, dead.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A domestic violence call in Cedar Rapids on Sunday ended with what police say was a wife’s attempt to kill her husband.Reports indicate that 36-year-old Chiquita Rollins fired a gun at her husband shortly after an argument. Investigators say she missed, and that her husband called the police after running away.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An arrest warrant has been issued for a man charged with killing two motorcyclists and injuring a third in a high-speed crash. Quntonio Herron was scheduled to go to trial Monday on vehicular homicide and other charges, but he hasn’t shown up for any pre-trial hearings. Des Moines police said Herron was speeding when he hit two motorcycles in May.

BAXTER, IA (IRN) – Baxter High School’s history teacher and wrestling coach Joe Amadeo is struggling for his life. The 27-year-old was struck by a vehicle March 16th while jogging over spring break in Palm Springs, California.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – There’s a shortage of homes in Iowa. As of last month, just over 7,000 homes were for sale. That’s nearly 14% less than what was available in February of 2021. Those houses are selling faster, and at higher prices. The median sales price has also increased 4.5% from last year. Experts blame supply chain problems, a worker shortage and an historic lack of new construction.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A shooting in the parking lot of Big Earl’s Goldmine early Saturday morning was the third outside the strip club in the last week. No one was injured, but investigators are concerned about a string of recent shootings outside the club. There were also shootings the previous Saturday and Sunday morning.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Former Hawkeye Lauren Jensen sank the go-ahead three with 15 seconds left in the game, leading the 10-seed Creighton women’s basketball team to a stunning 64-62 upset over second-seeded Iowa.

AMES, IA (IRN) – Lexi Donarski scored 20 points and the third-seeded Iowa State women’s basketball team raced to its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2010 with a 67-44 win over sixth-seeded Georgia on Sunday night. Emily Ryan had 15 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Cyclones (28-6), and Ashley Joens added 12 points.

MILWAUKEE, WI (IRN) – The Cinderella Cyclones men’s basketball team is headed to the Sweet Sixteen. Iowa State, the 11-seed in the Midwest Region, upset the 3-seed Wisconsin 54-49 Sunday night in Milwaukee. Gabe Kalscheur scored 22 points to lead the way for the Cyclones, who won only two games all last season.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A 62-year-old Cedar Rapids man who police say was the leader of a drug-trafficking ring has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. George Patrick Ashby was sentenced Friday for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Two other men who were working with Ashby have been convicted of conspiracy.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A shooting in the parking lot of Big Earl’s Goldmine early Saturday morning was the third outside the strip club in the last week. No one was injured, but investigators are concerned about a string of recent shootings outside the club. There were also shootings the previous Saturday and Sunday morning.

OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – Police in Ottumwa are asking residents to check on their elderly loved ones as authorities try to identify a woman found dead Friday in the city.

BUENA VISTA COUNTY, IA (IRN) The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and USDA have announced a second outbreak of the bird flu in Buena Vista County on Friday.
According to the USDA, a flock of 49,816 turkeys were impacted. Other impacted numbers of birds infected include 915,925 in Taylor County and 42 Pottawattamie County.

IOWA (IRN) – Emergency SNAP benefits for Iowa households will expire next month, which means these families will go back to normal pre-pandemic benefits. Food banks across Iowa are now preparing for what they say will be a noticeable increase in demand. Experts say families across the state are going to lose $27 million in benefits starting in April so that means they have to replace that food somehow.

MILWAUKEE, WI (IRN) – Freshman Tyrese Hunter, who grew up just outside of Milwaukee, poured in 23 points for Iowa State as the Cyclones upset LSU 59-54 at the Fiserv Forum Friday night. Iowa State advances to Round Two, where they will meet the winner of Wisconsin and Colgate.

AMES, IA (IRN) – Ashley Joens scored a season-high 36 points and third-seeded Iowa State rallied to beat No. 14 seed UT Arlington 78-71 in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament. The Mavericks were bidding to be the first 14-seed to ever win a game in the tournament and led by 12 in the first half before the Cyclones (27-6) came back.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team crushed the Illinois State Redbirds in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, winning 98-58 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.