Category: State News

SIOUX CENTER, IA (IRN) – A former northwest Iowa fifth grade teacher is facing 140 criminal charges for allegedly sexually abusing students. WHO-TV reports 35-year-old Curtis Van Dam faces 14 counts of sexual exploitation by a teacher, 72 counts of 2nd degree sexual abuse, 12 counts of 3rd degree sexual abuse, three counts of lascivious acts with a child, 34 counts of lascivious conduct with a minor, and five counts of indecent exposure. More charges are expected. The alleged abuse happened while Van Dam taught at Sioux Center Christian School.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man was arrested after forcing someone to withdraw cash from an ATM in Cedar Rapids Tuesday. KGAN-TV reports a man was sitting in his pickup in a Target parking lot when 31-year-old Quincy Franklin approached. He then allegedly showed the victim what appeared to be a handgun and told him to withdraw cash. Police say Franklin followed the victim into the store where he withdrew cash. Franklin was identified in video surveillance and was arrested at a nearby hotel.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A man charged with first-degree murder and arson in the death of his stepson is back in Iowa, according to KCCI-TV. 41-year-old Randy Miles Jr. of Des Moines, had been in a North Dakota jail on unrelated charges. Miles is accused of intentionally setting his stepson on fire. Prosecutors say Miles set a car on fire in August while his stepson was inside.

PALO, IA (IRN) – A Palo man is recovering from an accident while hunting. KCRG-TV reports Jeff Pavek was bow hunting by himself when he fell 20 feet backwards off a tree stand. When he didn’t come home that night, Pavek’s girlfriend and friend Ron Grimm went looking for him. Ron said that he knew where to find him, because they had hunted in the same place for 30 years. The pair found Pavek facedown, hidden in the brush, with a collapsed lung, broken ribs, vertebrae, a broken sternum, and a skull fracture.

VAN BUREN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Van Buren and Harmony School Districts in southeastern Iowa are one step closer to merging, according to KTVO-TV. The merger will go up for a vote in February to residents in both school districts. If a majority of voters from both districts approve the reorganization, the new school district will be called Van Buren Community School District. The completed merger is expected in July 2018.

AMES, IA (IRN) – An Ames High School Chemistry Teacher has been named the Iowa 2018 Teacher of the Year by the Iowa Department of Education. Aileen Sullivan and the entire High School were called to a secret assembly for the announcement. Sullivan said she knew she wanted to be a teacher in the third grade, when she drew a picture of herself at a desk in front of a classroom.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – 25-year-old Codie Matz has been booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail on two counts of 1st degree murder. KIMT-TV reports police went to a Mason City home for a welfare check and found two bodies. Matz was taken into custody near Bondurant.

MISSOURI VALLEY, IA (IRN) – Harrison County Supervisor Russ Kurth died Tuesday morning in a grain bin accident in Missouri Valley, according to KETV. Kurth was 63. Kurth and another man were checking a door on a recently-filled grain bin where corn was spilling out. The door burst open, burying Kurth in corn. The other man escaped. It took more than an hour to rescue Kurth from under the pile of corn. He was elected to the Harrison County Board of Supervisors in 2014.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A 24-year-old man was shot three times in a Dubuque alley Tuesday, according to KCRG-TV. Police say the victim told them three males wearing masks tried to rob him and then shot him. The suspects remain at large.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines Police are investigating after a woman was shot in the shoulder overnight. KCCI-TV reports the woman walked into a QuikTrip convenience store with a gunshot wound and was transported to a hospital.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An eastern Iowa man is facing charges after allegedly threatening doctors and police officers at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. WHO-TV reports 49-year-old Scott Colebank walked into the hospital drunk and began arguing with staff Monday. When an ER physician tried to talk to him, he allegedly threatened to start killing people. A bystander started suffering chest pains during the altercation. When police arrived, Colebank fought with officers. He’s in jail.

JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – What’s the smartest city in Iowa? The career website Zippia says the answer is Johnston. Johnston beat out number two Iowa City and number three West Des Moines for the “smartest city” honor. Don’t feel bad–experts say there’s more than one way to measure intelligence.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – Two bodies were found this morning in Mason City and a person is wanted as a material witness. KIMT-TV reports police are looking for 25-year-old Codie Matz in connection to the investigation. Matz may be armed and suicidal.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Authorities say an inmate has been listed as escaped from the work release facility in Des Moines. The Iowa Corrections Department says 30-year-old Samuel Washington Jr., didn’t return to the facility as required Monday night. The department says Washington is serving time for domestic abuse assault, third or subsequent offense, in Polk County.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A gas station employee was injured during a robbery in Davenport, according to WQAD-TV. The robbery was reported at the Mt. Joy BP/Amoco gas station at around 9 p.m. There have been no arrests.

MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – One person has died of carbon monoxide poisoning at a Marshalltown church, according to WHO-TV. Fourteen others were inside the church when they too suffered carbon monoxide poisoning and were hospitalized. A gasoline generator was being used inside the confined space. The Marshalltown Fire Department deemed the building unsafe in 2011, and neighbors were surprised to hear people were congregating inside.

INWOOD, IA (IRN) – Two people are in the hospital with serious injuries following a helicopter crash in northwest Iowa. KSFY-TV reports the helicopter went down Monday afternoon in a field near West Lyon High School in Inwood. The helicopter was helping search for 300 head of cattle when it hit a power line and crashed.

INDIANOLA, IA (IRN) – Simpson College announced a new initiative Monday that will offer free tuition to incoming freshmen next fall. KCCI-TV reports “The Simpson Promise” will cover the full cost of tuition for students with families who have a 2016 adjusted gross income at or below $60,000. To qualify, students must be from Iowa and must be 2018 graduates from Iowa high schools.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Just because you don’t have sight, doesn’t mean you can’t have vision.
KWWL-TV reports Dubuque third grader Ryder Drapeau proved that recently, when his art piece, “Blue Dog Blue,” won first place in a national art competition. Ryder says art is his favorite subject at school. While his classmates might draw a scene, Ryder cuts foam and paper to make his three-dimensional works of art. His teacher says, “ he really is amazing, it’s amazing what he comes up with.”

PLEASANT HILL, IA (IRN) – A Pleasant Hill man has been charged with first-degree murder after he got in a fight with his girlfriend’s father and killed him early Sunday. The Des Moines Register reports 26-year-old Ricky St. John is being held without bond at the Polk County Jail. 46-year-old Timothy Neal was pronounced dead at Iowa Lutheran Hospital. No weapons were involved.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Johnston mother accused of leaving her four children home alone while she traveled to Europe has pled not guilty. KGAN-TV reports Erin Macke tried but failed to make child care arrangements for her children — two age 12, one 7, one 6 — before leaving Sept. 20 for a vacation in Germany. Police say the father of one of the children was called by his child the next day, and he called police.

DELAWARE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A landowner in Delaware County found more than a dozen dead rabbits at the base of a wind turbine on his property Wednesday. KWWL-TV reports the black and white domestic rabbits had their necks snapped, and were scattered under the propellers of a wind turbine. The Sheriff’s office suspects the rabbits were likely placed under the turbine to attract eagles and other birds into the path of the propellers by anti-wind activists.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A judge has ruled that a man accused in a deadly shooting on Iowa City’s pedestrian mall cannot avoid trial using Iowa’s new “stand your ground” law as a defense. The Press-Citizen reports the judge ruled that 23-year-old Lamar Wilson’s case must first be heard by a jury. Wilson is charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder in connection with an Aug. 27 shooting that killed one man and injured two others. He has pled not guilty.

OELWEIN, IA (IRN) – Someone shot and killed a zebra in Oelwein, according to KCRG-TV. The zebra’s owner says he knows who did it after receiving online threats for months. The accused man says he has mental health issues, and made the threats, but didn’t kill the zebra.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – What began as a community service project has become a tradition for a group of hair stylists in Des Moines. WHO-TV reports a few times a year, Salon Spa W hair stylists visit the Central Iowa Shelter and Services to give free haircuts and manicures. On Sunday, they cut hair for about 75 people. Salon owner China Wong says,”You hear a lot of life stories. Sometimes they’re sad stories of loss and hardship, but I also hear a lot of stories that are very empowering and are of hope.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Postal workers will protest in Des Moines next week according to WHO-TV. The demonstrations are in response to the U.S. Postal Service’s decision to cut jobs in Des Moines. Critics say it will lead to mail service delays. The postal service plans to cut more than 20% of the Des Moines postal workforce, and half of the cuts have already been made. Postal workers and supporters will protest on Wednesday outside the downtown Des Moines office.

WEST BRANCH, IA (IRN) – A substitute teacher who pled guilty to being drunk at an eastern Iowa school has lost her state license. The Des Moines Register reports that the Iowa Board of Education Examiners suspended the teaching license of 60-year-old Kiaya Rickard-Urban for a minimum of two years. Students at West Branch High School reported that Rickard-Urban smelled of alcohol and wasn’t acting right during class.

MORGANTOWN, W.V. (IRN) – West Virginia held on for a 20-16 victory over No. 14 Iowa State on Saturday at home. West Virginia became bowl eligible and knocked the Cyclones out of a four-way tie for first place.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Nate Stanley threw for 226 yards and five touchdowns, and Iowa throttled sixth-ranked Ohio State 55-24 on Saturday, dealing what’s likely to be a fatal blow to the Buckeyes’ playoff hopes. With the win, the Hawkeyes beat their fourth top-5 opponent in their last five tries at home.