IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa City police were called to a robbery, and were able to make an arrest, according to KWWL-TV. A male suspect displayed a knife, demanded cash from the victim, and ran away. When officers arrived, a suspect was found that matched the description provided by the victim. The suspect tried to runaway from officers, but was arrested.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Winterset police officer was sent to the hospital after he was involved in a two-car crash. The Iowa State Patrol reports 30-year-old Officer Christian Dekker was responding to an emergency call on Friday and collided with a pickup truck, driven by 49-year-old James Penny, of Winterset. The cruiser had its emergency lights on and sirens activated when the crash happened. Both men will be OK.

SIOUX CENTER, IA (IRN) – During an event with supporters and detractors Thursday night, U.S. Rep. Steve King said people shouldn’t blame guns for gun violence. The Des Moines Register reports King says culture changes, lack of prayer in schools, gun-free zones, family break-ups, Ritalin and video games play more of a role in gun violence than does access to guns.

UNITED STATES (IRN) – It’s Easter, and from colorful eggs to chocolate bunnies, this year’s Easter spending binge is expected to be the second-highest on record. Americans are estimated to spend $18.2 billion on the holiday. The top Easter shopping item is food, followed by clothing, gifts, candy, flowers, and decorations.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man threatened by city officials with legal action for saying on a website that his hometown smelled like “rancid dog food” won a free-speech lawsuit Thursday when a federal judge prohibited the city from further threats and awarded him damages. Josh Harms filed suit asking a judge to block Sibley officials from suing him. City officials said they’d sue if he didn’t stop criticizing the town’s odor problem from Iowa Drying and Processing, which makes a high-protein animal food supplement from pig blood.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating an older woman’s suspicious death. KCCI-TV reports the 71-year-old woman’s car was missing, and she had suffered an unexplained injury. Police are treating the death as a murder.

WAVERLY, IA (IRN) – Wartburg College in Waverly has begun bolstering security following reports that a man entered unlocked dorms and bathrooms and harassed female students.
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the man entered dorm rooms and bathrooms, touched students without their permission and stole money.

PHOENIX, IA (IRN) – A Phoenix, Arizona woman says her husband believed he was in the clear after escaping from an Iowa prison 37 years ago, and they were both shocked when authorities arrested him earlier this week. KWQC-TV reports Charles Cagley was serving a sentence for second-degree robbery in 1981 when he walked away from a minimum security work detail. The 68-year-old Cagley will be extradited back to Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines restaurant owner is about to hit the big time on television. WHO-TV reports Sam Auen, owner of Tacopocalypse and Krunkwich Ramen House will appear on the Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games on Sunday with Guy Fieri. The competition pits Auen against other chefs. Contestants have 30 minutes to run through a market, find their ingredients, and then whip up a dish to impress a panel of judges. Auen says that skill set is right up his alley.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – An eastern Iowa couple was sentenced to ten years in prison each after admitting to sex trafficking. KWWL-TV reports 36-year-old Lawrence Campbell, Jr. and 25-year-old Sade Campbell pleaded guilty after luring two teens from Chicago and forcing them to perform sex acts for money. Lawrence met the two girls online, bought them bus tickets, and told them he could offer them a “better life.”

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A Mason City man who opted not to pull over for police for nearly a mile is facing an eluding charge and an additional felony drug charge. KIMT-TV reports Chad Wolfe, 42, admitted he didn’t pull over because he didn’t want to go to jail. A search found a baggie of methamphetamine in his pocket.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Farmers intend to plant more soybeans than corn for the first time in 35 years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Experts say profitability is the primary reason farmers indicate they intend to plant 89 million acres in soybeans and 88 million acres in corn. Corn costs more to plant, and when the profitability of both crops is close, farmers bet on soybeans for a better return.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is trying to close a loophole to ensure guns don’t get in the wrong hands. KCCI-TV reports the office plans to create an online database of weapons permits. Deputies currently aren’t easily able to determine if a permit has been revoked, and now sellers will be able to check to see if a permit is valid online.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Tensions between Russia and the U.S. are likely to disrupt a wrestling event in eastern Iowa, according to KCRG-TV. The Freestyle World Cup is being held April 6th and 7th in Iowa City. Russia announced it’s expelling 60 American diplomats in retaliation for a similar move the U.S. made. The Russian wrestlers haven’t gotten their visas yet.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A painting of Apollo and Venus hidden in a closet for decades at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines is worth millions, according to WHO-TV. Otto van Veen, the artist, is in every major museum, and his paintings have sold at prices ranging from $4 million to $17 million. The painting was donated in the 1920’s and wasn’t displayed because if was felt to be too risque because of nudity. The painting was created between 1595 and 1600.

CALHOUN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Patrol is investigating a wrong-way crash that killed one person west of Fort Dodge on Highway 20. A Dodge Caravan was driving the wrong direction in the westbound lanes when the driver hit a GMC Yukon. The driver of the Dodge was killed. The GMC’s driver and three passengers were taken to hospitals for unknown injuries.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Legislation that will allow multiple small businesses and associations to offer health coverage plans that don’t comply with federal Affordable Care Act rules is on its way to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk for her expected signature. The plans would not be regulated by the state insurance commissioner or subject to ACA rules and regulations.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man was electrocuted at a mobile home park in Cedar Rapids Wednesday. KCRG-TV reports an investigation is underway.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A central Iowa restaurant owner has agreed to pay nearly $834,000 to 64 employees the federal government says were underpaid. KCCI-TV reports the U.S. Department of Labor says Gloria Ochoa violated minimum wage requirements by requiring servers to cash their paychecks and return part of the money, in cash, back to the restaurants, in addition to giving up $20 from their daily tips. Ochoa owns El Rodeo Mexican Restaurants in Urbandale and Clive.

IOWA (IRN) – Legislative budget cuts are hurting Iowa’s community colleges. WHO-TV reports the cuts Governor Kim Reynolds signed include slashing half a million dollars from community colleges. Rob Denson, President of DMACC says they now can’t fill open teaching jobs in key areas like IT, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and more.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – An Iowa teen is a finalist for Miss Iowa Teen, and she’s already making history. KCCI-TV reports Nadine Qadoura is the first Hijabi woman in the state to compete for the title. A hijab is a traditional head scarf some Muslim women wear. Nadine is from Cedar Rapids and is a member of the National Honor Society. She hopes to use her spot in the pageant to clear up misconceptions about her culture.