Category: State News

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The trial for a man who’s accused of randomly attacking, raping, and killing a woman on a street in Dubuque two and half years ago will happen. KCRG-TV reports the Iowa Supreme Court has said it will not rule on the mental competency of Helmon Betwell. The 22-year-old faces charges that include first degree murder and first degree sexual abuse.
For the last couple of years, the lawyers in the case have gone back and forth on whether he is mentally able to stand trial.

CRESTON, IA (IRN) – An Iowa couple and their two young children were found dead in a rented condominium in Mexico, according to KCCI-TV, and there is no news yet on the cause of death. The Sharp family was reported missing by relatives in their hometown of Creston early Friday, about a week after the family left for vacation. Creston police say they contacted the U.S. Department of State, and the bodies were found during a welfare check at the condo in Akumal near Tulum, Mexico. Police said there were no obvious signs of foul play.

KINGSLEY, IA – A propane explosion yesterday in the northwestern Iowa town of Kingsley injured two people and destroyed four rural buildings. The Sioux City Journal reports the explosion happened when two men walked into a hog nursery building. A propane leak in the building likely touched-off the explosion and resulting fire when door was opened, kicking on an automatic heater. The blast severely injured the two men.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa City is already a testing ground for self-driving vehicles, according to KCRG-TV. Iowa City leaders think self-driving cars are in the city’s future, so the council is hiring a researcher to find out what their effect could be on traffic, parking, and more. This comes just days after a self-driving Uber car struck and killed a woman in Arizona.

IOWA (IRN) – An end of the season snowstorm is hitting northern and eastern Iowa, and many cities have issued snow emergencies. John Haase, meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Quad Cities office, says some parts of the region could receive 10 inches of snow.

CRESTON, IA (IRN) – An Iowa couple and their two young children were found dead in a rented condominium in Mexico, according to KCCI-TV. The Sharp family was reported missing by relatives in their hometown of Creston early Friday, about a week after the family left for vacation. Creston police said they contacted the U.S. Department of State, and the bodies were found during a welfare check at the condo in Akumal near Tulum. Police said there were no obvious signs of foul play.

OSKALOOSA, IA (IRN) – A man accused of killing a college basketball player in Oskaloosa says he was defending himself. The Des Moines Register reports twenty-three-year-old Luke VanHemert is charged with second-degree murder, accused of stabbing to death 22-year-old Marquis Todd earlier this month. Todd played for William Penn University.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – Two men were arrested yesterday in connection with a homicide that took place at the Joshua House in Council Bluffs. KETV reports police were called to the homeless shelter, and found that a middle aged man had been stabbed to death. All three men lived at the shelter.

AMES, IA (IRN) – An ISU student has been accused of threatening other students. WHO-TV reports 21-year-old Billy Noy threatened a female student by posting on Facebook he was going to use an AK-47 on her and others because “of what they did to him.” No weapon was found at his residence, but police say during an interview he spoke about the Sandy Hook shootings, and his feelings of harming others. He’s free on $5,000 bond after a ten-day stay in a behavioral health facility.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Senate is moving forward with a bill that would allow taxpayer money to be used for private school tuition. KGAN-TV reports the “Iowa Student Opportunity Act” would give $4,000 in state money, about 60% of state per-pupil funding, to go towards private school tuition. Critics say the bill would seriously hurt Iowa’s public schools.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – President Trump’s plan to impose $60 billion in tariffs on products coming from China has Iowa leaders worried. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig say the tariffs will hurt Iowans. 39% of China’s soybean imports are from the United States. Iowa Soybean Association President Bill Shipley says the tariffs pose a grave threat to Iowa Agriculture, and that no one wins a trade war.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Former Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett says Republicans who filed a challenge to his run for Governor on Wednesday are just the latest example of Reynolds supporters trying to derail his campaign. KGAN-TV reports on Friday Corbett turned in more than 4,000 signatures he’s collected in his bid to run against Governor Kim Reynolds in the June 5th primary. Now party member Craig Robinson, a Reynolds supporter, claims to have discovered several duplicate signatures. Corbett says he “smells a rat,” and the accusations are “bogus.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Senate moved forward with a possible amendment to Iowa’s Constitution on Wednesday. KCCI-TV reports the measure would recognize owning firearms as a fundamental individual right and any restrictions would face strict scrutiny. Opponents say the term “strict scrutiny” would make it nearly impossible to pass future gun legislation.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Meredith Corporation announced plans Wednesday to lay off at least 1,200 employees and sell off magazine titles including TIME, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, and Money as it transitions following its acquisition of Time, Inc. earlier this year. Meredith says its trying to find $400-$500 million in “cost synergies.”

CENTER POINT, IA (IRN) – Emmet Cummings of Center Point isn’t going to be allowed to be part of the American Legion program, Boys State. KCRG-TV reports Cummings was born a female and is transitioning into a male. He was accepted into the program last fall after his local American Legion Post gave him the good news he was their nominee. The state board said no.

LAMONI, IA (IRN) – The small town of Lamoni turned out in a big way Wednesday to welcome back their national champion Graceland University men’s basketball team. WHO-TV reports Tuesday night the Yellowjackets beat LSU Alexandria in the NAIA National Championship in Kansas City on a buzzer beater 3-point shot in overtime. It’s the first national title in Graceland’s history.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Wisconsin man convicted of enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. 26-year-old Carson Sibley, of Lacrosse, Wisconsin admitted that he persuaded a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity in 2017. Sibley twice travelled to Grundy County hoping to have sex with a minor. He met them while playing online video games.

VINTON, IA (IRN) – A couple has been charged with three counts of Child Endangerment each after a search warrant found hundreds of animals in unsanitary conditions in a Vinton home. KCRG-TV reports in January 16, police and found around 700 animals, dead and alive, in the home of Barbara and Marshall Galkowski. The couple lived in the home with their three kids under the age of 14.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Davenport police were led on a chase that at times exceeded 100 mph yesterday. WQAD-TV reports the chase ended when the vehicle with four people inside hit a tree. Police have arrested the four people who were in the car, but are still looking for a silver Ford Focus that got away. The original call came from a report of shots fired.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa House has approved more than $35 million in mid-year cuts to Iowa’s $7.2 billion budget. The Republican-controlled chamber voted 59-41 Tuesday along party lines for the reductions. The cuts affect various government agencies, but the University of Iowa and Iowa State University will suffer the most with a cut of more than $10 million.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Two murals celebrating diversity at the University of Iowa have been defaced by Nazi graffiti, according to WHO-TV. The campus is no stranger to hateful messages. Last year, a white supremacy card was found in the library and another unity mural was vandalized. In January, white nationalist fliers were spread across an Iowa City neighborhood.

SOLOMON ISLANDS (IRN) – Wreckage from the USS Juneau — a World War II cruiser sunk by a Japanese torpedo in 1942, has been discovered by a team of explorers led by billionaire Paul Allen on the floor of the South Pacific off the coast of the Solomon Islands, according to CNN. The Juneau was lost on November 13, 1942, during the Battle of Guadalcanal in an attack that killed 687 men, including five brothers from Waterloo: Joseph, Francis, Albert, Madison and George Sullivan.

CLAYTON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A driver is facing charges for a deadly February crash in Clayton County that killed two teens. KGAN-TV reports the Iowa State Patrol and the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office arrested Kory Doeppke, 20 of Elkader, on two counts of homicide by vehicle.

WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – The first daughter and presidential assistant Ivanka Trump spent Monday morning with Gov. Kim Reynolds and Waukee students. KCCI-TV reports Trump toured the Waukee Innovation and Learning Center, which serves as the hub for the Waukee Community School District’s APEX program. APEX, or Aspiring Professional Experience, allows high school students to learn job skills by working directly with companies.

DECORAH, IA (IRN) – There will be no baby eagles to view this year at the Decorah North Nest Eagle Cam. KWWL-TV reports that only one egg laid was laid, and it has been crushed. Something was possibly wrong with the shell, or the egg was broken by an intruder attack.

STORY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Story County Conservation Board is outlawing the use of lead shot for hunting on all public grounds, according to WHO-TV. Only non-toxic ammunition will be allowed. The Iowa DNR already prohibits the use of lead shot on state land, and it has been illegal on federal lands for the last 27 years. Ingesting even a small amount of lead shot can be lethal to wild animals.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Efforts by the city of Dubuque’s Housing and Community Development Department to revitalize a downtown neighborhood are working. KCRG-TV reports the Department buys foreclosed homes, renovates them, and offers no-interest loans to qualified buyers. The program has helped 85 families purchase homes since the program’s beginning in 2006.