Category: State News

AMES, IA (IRN) – An Ames house fire this morning that caused thousands of dollars in damages remains under investigation, according to KCCI-TV. Authorities said nobody was home during the fire and that residents of a neighboring duplex were evacuated without injury. Firefighters said $30,000 in damages to the building have rendered the home uninhabitable.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – A Council Bluffs high school band teacher has been arrested on accusations that he engaged in sexual activity with one of his female students, who is now 17.
The Des Moines Register reports Frederick Mendell, 56, is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation by a school employee.

TIFFIN, IA (IRN) – Five people were taken to the hospital following crashes early Thursday morning on I-80 near the exit for Tiffin. Around 2:30 a.m., one driver made a U-turn from I-80 west to I-80 east after missing the off ramp. As he made the cross, he was broadsided by another vehicle. Both vehicles flipped and landed on their roofs. As troopers were investigating, a semi rear-ended another semi that was waiting in stopped traffic.

BOONE, IA (IRN) – A Boone County man who couldn’t speak called 911 for a medical emergency Wednesday, yet first responders couldn’t find him because his flip phone was too old for police to track. WHO-TV reports the 78-year-old caller was able to confirm his address after several hours had passed, and first responders were able to get him to the hospital.

ALLEN PARK, MI (IRN) – Two former Hawkeye tight ends went in the first round of the NFL Draft yesterday. The Detroit Lions selected tight end T.J. Hockenson with the No. 8 overall pick and the Denver Broncos selected Noah Fant with the 20th pick. The two became the first tight end teammates ever selected in the first round of the draft.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Legislature has approved a property tax bill that forces counties and cities to publicize and pass by a two-thirds vote any property tax increase over 2 percent. The bill was touted by Republican Sen. Randy Feenstra as a truth in taxation bill that creates transparency in the budgeting process at county and city levels. Democratic Sen. Pam Jochum says the bill flies in the face of the constitutional home rule amendment added in 1968 that grants cities and counties local control. She says there’s already adequate public input and visibility of local budgets and taxes.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A 36-year-old Sioux City man has been arrested following an altercation last week at a construction site. KCAU-TV reports Roel Trevino allegedly struck a man in the head with a hammer following a dispute over a phone. The victim was able to get away from Trevino, who chased the man to his truck. Trevino then threw a lunchbox at the man’s truck and shattered the back window. When arrested, Trevino had brass knuckles in his pocket.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Animal Rescue League is caring for dozens of cats and kittens that were rescued from a one-bedroom apartment in Des Moines Tuesday. WHO-TV reports when Animal Control officers arrived they found cats and kittens everywhere. The owner had thrown some of the cats outside of a window before they arrived. In total, 26 cats and kittens, were taken from the residence.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s Republican-led Legislature has passed a bill that limits the powers of the state’s Democratic attorney general. Under the measure, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller would need the governor, Legislature or executive council to sign off on out-of-state litigation. His ability to pursue in-state litigation wouldn’t be affected.

CHARITON, IA (IRN) – Hawkeye football star T.J. Hockenson will be in the spotlight this evening, walking on to a stage in Nashville, Tennessee — and into millions of living rooms via national television — as a first-round NFL draft pick. The glow will extend to the 4,122 people in his hometown of Chariton. His former coaches will be among the overflow crowd expected to gather at the Hotel Charitone, where a community watch party has been planned for weeks.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A child and her mother have been awarded $10 million in a civil lawsuit against Dean Hilpipre, of Webster City. KCCI-TV reports the woman and her 9-year-old daughter were entitled to $10 million after the child’s paternal grandfather sexually molested the girl for four years.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man who fell from a downtown Cedar Rapids construction site has died of his injuries, according to KCRG-TV. Michael Dean Patterson, 47, of Norwalk, fell off a beam while working at a construction site. He was found lying in an alley.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State Representative Andy McKean was the longest serving Republican in the Iowa Legislature until he switched parties Tuesday. McKean, of Anamosa, says he’s leaving the party because of President Donald Trump. He says that Trump sets a “poor example for our nation and particularly for our children.”

OXFORD, IA (IRN) – The assistant fire chief for the City of Oxford in Johnson County is facing charges for allegedly starting multiple grass fires. KGAN-TV reports a Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputy was on patrol in the area of the fires and discovered 30-year-old Timothy Hora stamping out flames near his pickup truck while intoxicated. Through GPS monitoring, authorities found that Hora’s vehicle had stopped at the fire locations prior to the fires being called in.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Rep. Steve King told constituents Tuesday that he has “better insight into what (Jesus) went through for us,” likening criticism from accusers in the U.S. House after fellow GOP colleagues stripped him of committee assignments. Earlier this year, King was blocked from committee assignments after lamenting that white supremacy and white nationalism have become offensive terms. King’s likening his experience to that of Jesus has also been widely condemned.

SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A Sioux City woman has claimed her $1 million Mega Millions lottery prize. Iowa Lottery officials say 27-year-old Angelica Chavez turned in her winning ticket Monday at lottery headquarters in Clive. Chavez says she played numbers she’d written down a few years ago. She wants to put some of the money aside for her daughter’s future and is considering buying rental properties.

SHENANDOAH, IA (IRN) – A man has been taken into custody in connection with a homicide in Shenandoah. Toby McCunn, 34, is accused of first-degree murder in the death of Joshua Jordan, 33. Shenandoah police received a 911 call Monday saying that a shooting had just taken place. Upon investigation, police found Jordan’s body.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A judge today is expected to sentence a former Linn-Mar School District nurse who took an Alford plea for having sex with a 16-year-old. KCRG-TV reports while Angela Beik doesn’t admit guilt, she does admit there is enough evidence to convict her. She admitted to to having a sexual relationship with the teen to coworkers. Beik faces an unrelated charge of assault for punching a person in a Cedar Rapids Starbucks drive-thru, following an argument on social media.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids construction worker is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries after falling from a beam at a construction site. KGAN-TV reports the man is in his mid to late 40’s.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A bill that would legalize betting on sporting events and fantasy sports in Iowa has passed the Iowa House and now heads to the governor’s desk. It passed the House 67-31 Monday evening.

LOCKRIDGE, IA (IRN) – One man has died in a fire in Lockridge in Jefferson County. KCII-Radio reports fireworks ignited a mattress inside the home. 66-year-old Michael Goosey was found inside, and efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. Other people at the home were treated for smoke-related injuries.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A man is facing charges after he allegedly threatened to kill everybody at a QuikTrip gas station in Des Moines. The Des Moines Register reports Gerald Evans Jr. was arrested Saturday on a threat of terrorism, intimidation with a weapon, operating a vehicle while intoxicated and eluding. Evans allegedly called 911 several times to say he was driving to the QuikTrip to kill everybody inside – including his girlfriend – and then himself. He told police he had two guns and planned to drive his car into the building.

MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – A fire nearly destroyed a Muscatine home on Easter. KWWL-TV reports when crews got there, they could see fire in the rear of the house, which then extended to the main part of the home. One person was checked out for smoke exposure and a firefighter was hurt.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Electric car owners might be seeing an additional annual fee in Iowa next year. Last week, the House voted through a bill with bipartisan approval that would charge people with electric cars $130 on top of their yearly registration fee. Owners of gasoline filled vehicles pay gas taxes that go to pay for roadways, and with this fee electric car owners would be supporting roadways as well.

CLIVE, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Lottery says a $1 million Mega Millions ticket has been sold in northwestern Iowa. The ticket was bought at Fleet Farm Fuel in Sioux City