Category: State News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A woman who was accidentally shot at the Animal Rescue League in Des Moines early this week is angry that the man with the gun won’t face any charges. KCCI-TV reports the incident happened Sunday when 27-year-old Zackery Gwinn’s gun discharged and the single round bounced off the floor, fragmenting into several pieces. Denise Robinson, 62, said shards of the bullet hit her in both legs, and she has eight puncture wounds. Robinson’s 9-year-old granddaughter received minor cuts, and her son was not hit.

AMES, IA (IRN) – A human error means that the $23 million flyover bridge project at the intersection of Interstate 35 and Highway 30 in Ames must be rebuilt. KCCI-TV reports construction crews are tearing apart brand-new bridge piers that were to hold up the bridge because the piers are not the right height. It may be the most expensive road construction error in state history.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Incumbent Republican Congressman Rod Blum is challenging his Democratic opponent Abby Finkenauer to 12 debates. KCRG-TV reports Finkenauer has agreed to participate.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa health officials are investigating an increase in people becoming sick from the parasite Clycospora. The Iowa Department of Public Health says the illnesses appear to be connected to consumption of salads from McDonald’s restaurants. Cyclospora is a parasite commonly found in developing countries. The intestinal illness is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the microscopic parasite. The main symptom is watery diarrhea lasting a few days to a few months.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines elementary school teacher was charged with domestic assault and public intoxication early Sunday morning after an off-duty officer observed her kick a man in the chest outside an Urbandale restaurant. The Des Moines Register reports Mollie Michelle Erpelding, 28, says she doesn’t think she did anything wrong except slap her boyfriend.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man has admitted stealing trade secrets and transferring some to his new employer. KCCI-TV reports Josh Isler, of St. Ansgar, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids to theft of trade secrets and making false statements to the FBI. Isler was working as a technical service account manager for DuPont’s ethanol fuel enzyme division in August 2013,and he downloaded hundreds of electronic DuPont files after accepting a job with an unnamed DuPont competitor.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Police in eastern Iowa are looking for members of a mob of up to 40 people who swarmed into a Cedar Rapids convenience store, stealing items and destroying property in just seconds. The Des Moines Register reports that the incident happened July 3 following a nearby fireworks show. Surveillance video of the Casey’s General Store shows a large group of young people entering the store, grabbing items from shelves and coolers and rushing back out of the store’s doors – knocking over displays on the way out. From start to finish, the incident took less than 90 seconds.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Vice President Mike Pence spoke in Cedar Rapids yesterday as part of a two state swing to rally support for President Trump’s policies. KCRG-TV reports Pence told employees at Rockwell Collins that the Trump Administration’s agenda is working. He highlighted how he believes tax reform will help Iowa families.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa will soon have a woman on the state Supreme Court. On Wednesday the Iowa Judicial Branch announced three finalists for the seat soon to be vacated by retiring Justice Bruce Zager. All are women: Susan Christensen from Harlan, West Des Moines Attorney Terri Combs and Judge Kellyann Lekar from Waterloo. Governor Kim Reynolds will now choose one of the women to fill Zager’s seat.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Flags in Iowa have been ordered to fly at half-staff in honor of Iowa’s former governor Robert D. Ray who passed away Sunday. Governor Kim Reynolds issued the order that starting at sunrise on today for flags to fly at half-staff until sunset on Friday.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A store owner fatally shot a suspected burglar Wednesday morning in Des Moines, according to KCCI-TV. Police were called to Kraft 5 Star Muffler on Army Post Road at 7:17 a.m. The store owner discovered the burglary in progress when he arrived at the store, finding a pickup truck loaded with his merchandise. There was a confrontation between the store owner and the suspect, and the store owner fatally shot him.

DEWITT, IA (IRN) – An eastern Iowa factory plans to lay off workers, reduce production and delay expansion plans in response to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration on steel imported from Canada. The Quad-City Times reports that the Black Cat Wear Parts factory in DeWitt has confirmed temporary layoffs of 10 of its 17 production employees this week.

MARION, IA (IRN) – A Marion woman went to the hospital with significant injuries after losing control of her motorcycle and crashing yesterday, according to KCRG-TV. 61-year-old Valarie Biancalana was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Science Center of Iowa says flooding has closed its Blank IMAX Dome Theater until further notice, and also caused significant damage to its film collection.
Rainwater fell from the ceiling of the theater and hit the large format films. WHO-TV reports the cost of replacing each damaged film is about $20,000.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa plans to cut staff, sell property in Des Moines and make other moves in response to state funding reductions, according to KWWL-TV. The university will close seven centers and permanently furlough 33 full-time staffers. The university says it will continue to offer classes in Des Moines but will close the former AIB College of Business campus and seek a buyer for the property.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The family of former Iowa Gov. Robert D. Ray released details Monday on plans for his funeral, according to KCCI-TV. Ray died Sunday at the age of 89. He served as Iowa’s 38th governor from 1969 until he voluntarily left office in 1983. For members of the public who wish to pay their respects to Ray, he will lay in repose at the Capitol on Thursday afternoon and evening. A brief ceremony will occur at 5 p.m. Iowans will be able to pass by Gov. Ray’s casket and pay their respects between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A former Des Moines hospital employee was sentenced to 30 months in prison in U.S. District Court today. Victor Van Cleave, 29, is accused of stealing opioid painkillers from Methodist Medical Center and replacing them with saline solution.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A Waterloo woman called police to report her house was being hit by bullets on Monday. KWWL-TV reports police found several shell casings in front of the home, along with damage to the house.

NEWTON, IA (IRN) – Two people are charged in connection with the death of a Des Moines man. WHO-TV reports Jeremy McDonald, 38, was found dead last month in the back of a car in Newton. The driver, Jaycie Sheeder, called police saying McDonald had been assaulted and needed medical help. Witnesses told police 50-year-old Jeffrey Stendrup hit him multiple times with a baseball bat at a home in Colfax. Stendrup is now charged with first degree robbery, and Sheeder is charged with being an accessory to a felony. More charges are expected.

BOULDER COUNTY, CO (IRN) – Police in Colorado are investigating the death of a 31-year-old Iowa City man, according to KCRG-TV. The body of James Napier, a law student at the University of Iowa, was found near Brainerd Lake on Saturday. Napier reportedly slipped and fell while hiking with his girlfriend. The woman, who is a doctor, says Napier hit his head several times during the fall and had no pulse when she climbed down to help him.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids Police are using surveillance video to identify people involved in a crowd that shut down a Casey’s General Store Tuesday. KWWL-TV reports between 25 and 40 people gathered in the parking lot and in the store. Several fights broke out, and people were also seen stealing from the store.

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – West Des Moines announced Monday that it will bring high-speed broadband internet to Valley Junction. The project will expand Wi-Fi service with free access to students and residents in the Valley Junction neighborhood.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A police pursuit in Des Moines this morning ended with a surprise for officers. KCCI-TV reports the chase ended with a crash. Officers found a 10-year-old boy driving the car, with a 7-year-old passenger inside. There are no reports of serious injuries. The children will not be identified by police. No word so far on any charges.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Vice President Mike Pence will reportedly be in Cedar Rapids for an event this week. The Kansas City Star reports Pence will attend a political event with Rep. Rod Blum on Wednesday after he attends a campaign event in Kansas City earlier in the day. Blum, who has been a Congressman since 2014, is in the middle of a campaign where he is challenged by Democrat Abby Finkenauer, a 28-year-old state representative.

POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an accidental shooting at the Animal Rescue League. A a 27-year-old man was pulling something out of his pocket when his handgun discharged. A single round hit the floor and fragmented into several pieces. A 62-year-old female and 9-year-old female were both hit in the leg by fragments and were taken to a local hospital for treatment.

HARRISON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A hazardous materials spill Sunday closed both directions of Interstate 29 in Harrison County in western Iowa. The Iowa Department of Transportation says a driver noticed liquid coming from the tanker, and flagged down the semi.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Robert Ray, a popular Republican Iowa governor who served five consecutive terms from 1969 to 1983, died of natural causes Sunday, according to the Des Moines Register. He was 89. Ray was quiet, humble and thoughtful, yet confident in his deeply held beliefs with the courage to act, especially in the service of others. Three times Ray opened Iowa’s borders to refugee populations of Southeast Asia displaced by conflict. To critics of his refugee program, Ray said, “Don’t tell me how Christian you are. Show me.”

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Did you have your eyes to the sky yesterday evening around 8:45? KCRG-TV reports a fireball was seen streaking across the southern sky about that time. Fireballs are meteors that burn much brighter than average meteors.