Category: State News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two minors were captured a short time after a bank robbery was reported this morning in Des Moines. KCCI-TV reports at around 9:30 a.m., an armed robbery was reported at a Great Western Bank. Police caught up to two juvenile suspects in a Mercury Mountaineer a short time later, using a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle. The two juveniles were taken into custody.

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – After losing nearly 25 percent of its stores, 44-year-old Valley West Mall in West Des Moines could soon undergo substantial changes. Mall management said Monday that Valley West Mall may transform into Valley West Commons — a mixed-use space for entertainment, restaurants and housing.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines University announced Monday its plans to relocate the campus to a space in West Des Moines. WHO-TV reports DMU signed a letter of intent to purchase a 90-acre piece of land that sits on the north side of West Grand Avenue, located near South Jordan Creek Parkway. DMU has been located at its current location since 1972.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s unemployment rate remained at 2.4 percent in January, leaving the state tied for the lowest jobless rate in the country. The rate leaves Iowa tied with New Hampshire for the lowest percentage of unemployed, just ahead of North Dakota and Vermont. The national unemployment rate in January was 4 percent.

AUSTIN, TX (IRN) – Former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke is making his first trip to Iowa of the 2020 campaign, visiting the state that kicks off presidential voting amid intense speculation that he’ll enter the race for the White House. KCCI-TV reports O’Rourke will visit the University of Northern Iowa on Saturday to campaign for Eric Giddens, the Democratic candidate running in a state Senate special election there. O’Rourke released a video Monday night from Texas backing Giddens and wearing a UNI cap.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – Mason City police officers found themselves in a dangerous situation this weekend when a man allegedly threw knives at officers after they responded to a domestic incident. KIMT-TV reports Joshua Martin, 35, of Mason City faces multiple charges after authorities responded to the residence after Martin allegedly hit a woman in the face before grabbing her throat.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Waterloo police have identified a 16-year-old found dead early Sunday morning. KCRG-TV reports police found Tayshaun Jenkins lying face down and unresponsive on a sidewalk. Officials called the death suspicious.

GRUNDY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – One person was thrown from an SUV and six others were injured during a weekend accident in Grundy County. KWWL-TV reports the driver of the SUV lost control of the vehicle in the slush, and it went into the median and rolled. All of the injured are from Des Moines.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man is in jail following a serious crash that left one person injured. WHO-TV reports Eber Ceniceros, 21, faces multiple charges after his vehicle left the roadway and rolled. His passenger, an 18-year-old man, was ejected from the vehicle, and is in critical condition. Ceniceros was treated at the scene for minor injuries before being taken to jail.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The field of Democrats seeking the party’s nomination for president in 2020 is large, but for Iowa’s most likely caucus goers, two names stand above the rest: former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. According to the Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll, 27 percent of those surveyed say Biden is their first choice. Sanders has 25 percent support. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, trails with 9 percent support, and Sen. Kamala Harris, of California, followed Warren at 7%.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Sen. Bernie Sanders was back in Des Moines on Saturday at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. He says his campaign, and those who support it, have unfinished business.
Sanders says, “I am delighted to see the signs that say ‘Bernie’ and hear you yelling out ‘Bernie!’ But it `aint Bernie. It’s not me, it is us together!” Sanders spoke about many issues he campaigned on during the 2016 election such as income inequality, green energy and closing tax loopholes for the extremely rich.

BREMER COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A 76-year-old Bremer County man died after being thrown from his SUV in a single vehicle accident Saturday morning. The Iowa State Patrol says Eugene Lampe of Frederika, lost control of his SUV and went into the ditch rolling several times.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids business owner says someone stole more than $200,000 in merchandise after breaking in. KCRG-TV reports ownership at A-1 Performance Motorsports reports multiple motorcycles and mopeds were stolen this week. The owner said it marked the tenth time they have seen their business burglarized in a five-year span, and after the most recent incident, they are contemplating closing the business down entirely.

U.S.A (IRN) – Daylight Saving Time went into effect early this morning. Firefighters say it’s time to change the batteries on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – State officials are reporting the season’s first child death due to the flu. The Iowa Department of Public Health says influenza activity has not been as high as last season but there are signs it is increasing.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Authorities are investigating a homicide after a man was found dead early Saturday in a Des Moines parking lot. KCCI-TV reports circumstances surrounding his death weren’t immediately clear.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – The Davenport Community School District has announced teacher and staff cuts for the upcoming school year, following budget cuts approved by the school board. The Quad-City Times reports that the cuts include 75 teachers. The cuts follow the board’s budget-reduction plan approved Nov. 29 after a loss of more than 2,000 students over the last 10 years and the loss of more than $13 million in state funding.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer is taking a leadership role in the 116th Congress. She has been appointed to serve as an Assistant Whip. A whip is an official whose task is to ensure party discipline on votes during a session.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A warmer forecast means that there are flooding concerns for much of Iowa. With near-record moisture levels in the ground and a 21-inch frost depth, any rain Iowa gets over the weekend or any quick snow melt will have nowhere to go. Street flooding could be a problem.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police have apprehended two suspects in a Council Bluffs homicide, according to KCCI-TV. The incident started with a stolen vehicle, and when stopped, the suspects fled into a northside neighborhood but they were quickly caught.

WINNESHIEK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Department is warning area residents of an ongoing scam. KWWL-TV reports the scammers claim to be law enforcement and the caller ID actually reads as the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office phone number. The caller demands numbers off of gift cards and says they will issue a warrant for the person’s arrest if they don’t give them what they want.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids police are looking for two men after they took a woman’s wheelchair from outside her apartment Wednesday. KCRG-TV reports Cynthia Helms, the wheelchair’s owner, was dumbfounded. She said “it’s just not fair…I don’t understand. I don’t understand why they would do something like that.” Helms started using the chair about two years ago after arthritis made it too difficult to walk outside her home.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Students at state-run universities may have fewer options for casting a ballot if a bill at the statehouse is approved. KGAN-TV reports the bill would restrict state-owned buildings from serving as satellite voting locations. That would mean the University of Iowa, ISU, and UNI would not be able to have early voting locations inside their buildings.

IOWA (IRN) – The National Weather Service has released its second and final spring flood outlook of the season, which indicates the potential to reach major flood stage. Recent heavy snow has fallen across Minnesota and Wisconsin, and there is a chance that the Mississippi River could experience near-record or record flooding this spring, depending on how fast the snow melts and how much rain falls.