Category: State News

LAMONI, IA (IRN) – A small plane crashed near Lamoni along Interstate 35 this morning. The sheriff’s office said the incident happened around 8 a.m. The plane crashed near the south end of the runway at the Lamoni Municipal Airport on airport property. The Federal Aviation Administration said that preliminary reports indicate two people were on board the single-engine Cirrus SR-22.

ANAMOSA, IA (IRN) – One of the two men accused of murdering two Anamosa prison employees during an attempted escape in March will have his fate decided by a judge rather than a jury. Michael Dutcher, 29, requested the bench trial after he was warned by the judge that moving the case due to pretrial publicity might take some time. Dutcher’s trial is scheduled for August 3 in Anamosa.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A woman was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in prison for damaging valves and setting fire to construction equipment along an oil pipeline that crosses Iowa and three other states. Thirty-nine-year-old Jessica Rae Reznicek also was ordered to pay nearly $3.2 million in restitution and serve three years of supervised release after her prison term for conspiracy to damage an energy facility ends.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A former horticulture teacher who oversaw the Des Moines Public Schools’ greenhouse operations, is accused of misspending more than $19,000 – and possibly more – in a report released by State Auditor Rob Sand. That includes more than $18,000 paid to his wife to serve as his assistant and $1,300 in misspent Menards rebates.

WASHINGTON, DC (IRN) – President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a mental health bill into law named for Sgt. Brandon Ketchum – an Iowa veteran who took his own life after being denied mental health services in 2016. The ‘Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans’ Mental Health Act’ was written by Iowa congresswoman Cindy Axne. The bill creates new programs within the VA that are specifically targeted at increasing mental healthcare access in rural areas.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Overturning a landmark $1.5 million jury verdict, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that former Gov. Terry Branstad did not illegally discriminate or retaliate against a gay state official. The court found a lack of evidence to show that Branstad discriminated against then-Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Chris Godfrey because of his sexual orientation.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gun deaths are surging in Iowa as a law is set to go into effect Thursday that will allow people to more easily buy handguns and carry them in public without training or a permit. A record 353 Iowa residents died from gunshot wounds in 2020, including 263 suicides and 85 homicides,

SIOUX CENTER, IA (IRN) – It’s been less than eight months since the 2020 presidential election, but Republicans considering runs for the White House in 2024 are already coming to Iowa to lay the groundwork for potential campaigns. The latest is Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, who participated in a GOP event in Sioux Center Tuesday night.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The emergency room at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids is seeing an uptick in traumatic-type injuries, and is specifically related to more e-scooters available in the city. Common activities, like bicycling and riding all-terrain vehicles also contribute to the recent increase in patients coming into the ER.

VICTORIA, BC (IRN) – Former Iowa State basketball star Bridget Carleton is headed to Tokyo to play for Canada in the Olympics. The Ontario native averaged 5.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in qualifying. This will be Carleton’s first Olympics.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office is opening a new position to help in its response to people experiencing a mental health crisis. The sheriff’s office and two mental health providers in eastern Iowa, Foundation 2 and the East Central Region, will employ a mental health liaison within the department. Dubuque County Sheriff Joe Kennedy said since the pandemic began, more people have been calling saying they feel suicidal, and when someone is in distress, having a mental health professional respond makes sense.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Protesters once again disrupted a Des Moines City Council meeting Monday, resulting in at least one arrest. Police took a demonstrator away in handcuffs.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A disaster proclamation has been issued by Governor Kim Reynolds after severe weather hit three counties this month. Those three counties are Linn, Monroe, and Wapello. Qualifying residents in those counties can now apply for grants up to $5,000 to cover the cost of home or car repairs, replacement of food or clothing, and temporary housing expenses.

EUGENE, OR (IRN) – Former Indian Hills Community College sprinter Kenny Bednarek is headed to Tokyo after his runner-up finish in the 200 meters at the Olympic trials on Sunday. Bednarek, 22, was a two-time NJCAA champion while at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa. Bednarek also qualified for the American 4×100 relay team.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) -The Fort Dodge Police Department said a driver learned the hard way not to ignore road signs after their car became stuck in wet concrete. Officers cited a 37-year-old Webster City woman for failure to obey a traffic control device after she drove past barriers construction crews had placed while they were doing concrete patch repair. The woman said she was just following her GPS directions.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines City Council meeting will be held in person today. It comes two weeks after things got rowdy. Loud demonstrators forced the June 14 meeting to adjourn. Protesters were upset over the city’s plan to spend $10,000 to send a police officer to a training session.

PLEASANT HILL, IA (IRN) – A car burst into flames after a three-car crash in Pleasant Hill Sunday, and deputies are now searching for the driver responsible for it. A Chevy Cruze was rear-ended by a GMC Acadia SUV, which caused the Cruze to slam into a Kia Sportage. The Cruze caught fire, but all of the passengers inside, including a pregnant woman, made it out safely. The flames also ignited fireworks that were being hauled inside of the sedan. The SUV fled the scene.

ROCKWELL, IA (IRN) – Three people from the Cerro Gordo town of Rockwell were taken to the hospital by private vehicle after a UTV rolled Friday afternoon. The 15-year-old driver, another 15-year-old, and an 11-year-old were hospitalized.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A Waterloo Iowa woman has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for stealing roughly half a million dollars from her husband’s ailing aunt. Kimberly Anny Henny was sentenced Friday for taking advantage of her husband’s aunt, who was blind and suffered from diminished cognitive abilities. She spent the money on a family vacation, furniture, spa expenses and other personal items.

EUGENE, OR (IRN) – Urbandale native Karissa Schweizer has now qualified for two events in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. Schweizer finished in second place in the 10,000 meters at the Olympic trials on Saturday. The Dowling Catholic graduate has now qualified in both the 10,000 and 5,000 meters.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines Police Department said Saturday that a body was discovered in the Des Moines River. They are investigating.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Two people were injured in a shooting outside of a Waterloo strip club early Saturday morning. Police say both victims showed up at the hospital in private vehicles after the shooting. One of them was seriously injured while the other had non-life-threatening injuries.

DENISON, IA (IRN) – A missing 6-year-old Denison girl has been found “safe and sound,” according to the Crawford County Emergency Management Office Saturday afternoon. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation had asked for the public’s assistance finding her.

EUGENE, OR (IRN) – Urbandale native Karissa Schweizer has now qualified for two events in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. Schweizer finished in second place in the 10,000 meters at the Olympic trials on Saturday. The Dowling Catholic graduate has now qualified in both the 10,000 and 5,000 meters.