Iowa Radio News

ANKENY (IRN) – An Ankeny man faces three decades in prison for his role in a fatal crash in Story County. The Des Moines Register reports Micah Denman was sentenced to 30 years in prison following a guilty plea of vehicular manslaughter. The Iowa State Patrol attempted to stop Denman in April, and a subsequent pursuit saw speeds approach 130 MPH. Duan Sievert of Maxwell was rear-ended as a result, and died from injuries related to the collision. CRESTON (IRN) – A Creston man charged in August with 40 counts of sexual abuse has entered a plea of guilty. KCCI-tv reorts Ryan Kissell abused a child for more than a decade, and will receive a ten-year prison sentence. Kissel was arrested at Nadaway Valley High School. IOWA (IRN) – Several rounds of needed rainfall are likely through Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Many communities north of Interstate 80 could see upwards of four inches of precipitation by opening kickoff of football games Friday, with other areas receiving closer to a few inches. Nearly all of Iowa is in drought and has been since mid-summer. IOWA CITY (IRN) – Mercy Iowa City announced the winning bid for its bankruptcy auction Tuesday. KGAN in Cedar Rapids reports American Healthcare Systems and Preston Hollow Community Capital will assume control of the struggling hospital. The University of Iowa made an offer, but the owners deemed it inadequate. The hospital will be reorganized into a non-profit organization.

HARDIN COUNTY (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a fatal hunting incident that occurred Sunday night in northern Hardin County. Mark Arends, 53, of Alden, was hunting coyotes with friends on private land approximately two miles north of Alden. The hunters were separated by several hundred yards when, around 8 p.m., Arends was struck by a single rifle shot. The incident remains under investigation. JEFFERSON COUNTY (IRN) – Sac County prosecutors dismissed all charges against a State Senator arrested during RAGBRAI. WHO-13 reports Adrian Dickey was charged with Interference with Official acts after he allegedly refused to move out of a roadway when asked to by a police officer. Dickey denied wrong-doing and said through his attorney that the incident was a misunderstanding with officers. AMES (IRN) – A man was arrested after he’s accused of hitting a police car and CyRide bus in Ames. WHO-13 reports Ty Shoulders was arrested with felony eluding. Police responded to a wrong way driver Monday afternoon. During the pursuit, police say Shoulders hit a CyRide bus and a police car. No injuries were reported.

MERRILL (IRN) – A juvenile was killed in a collision with a semi while riding a dirt bike near Merrill Saturday morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports the unidentified boy was southbound on a private driveway and a grain trailer hauled by a truck was traveling on Highway C-38. The juvenile entered the road and struck the left side of the trailer. AMES (IRN) – The Iowa State Cyclones spent the past week celebrating the namesake of their home stadium. KCCI-TV reports the university honored Jack Trice 100 years after his death while playing football for the Cyclones. A commemoration was held on Sunday, where Trice was awarded his animal husbandry degree posthumously, with distant relative George Trice there to accept it. IOWA (IRN) – A widespread freeze is expected across most of Iowa, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures near freezing are the expected low temperatures for most of the state along and north of Highway 20, with frost likely in other areas as far south as the Highway 34 corridor. TIFFIN (IRN) – While it wasn’t the grand prize, somebody who bought a lottery ticket in Tiffin Saturday is now a millionaire. The Des Moines Register reports the Iowa Lotter is looking for the winner of a $2 million Powerball prize purchased at a Casey’s in the town on Saturday. The overall jackpot is up to $1.55 billion for tonight’s drawing.

OSCEOLA (IRN) – A south central Iowa community is suffering water supply issues due to a worsening drought across the state. KCCI-TV reports Osceola’s main source for water is West Lake, and it stands five feet below normal — and the amount being used by customers is exceeding safe withdrawal limits. The Osceola Water Works Board of Trustees is encouraging residents to start conserving use now, especially with little rainfall in the short-term forecast. There are several restrictions imposed by the city in place as well. IOWA (IRN) – Iowa Democrats will hold a caucus on January 15th, but nobody will know who wins the nomination from the Hawkeye State until Super Tuesday next March. WHO-13 reports the measure is an attempt to keep first in the nation status while also avoiding sanctions from the national party. Democratic voters will choose their nominee by mail between January 15th and March 4ht of 2024, with all down ballot candidates being chosen by the more traditional practice in the first month in person. Iowa Republicans will also have their caucus on January 15th, but they will release the results immediately. MINNEAPOLIS (IRN) – An Iowa woman was denied a unique material for jewelry by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on her way back stateside. The Des Moines Register reports the unidentified woman was attempting to bring in a box containing the feces of a giraffe upon her arrival to Minneapolis from Kenya. The woman said she’d planned to use the feces to assemble a necklace, and had done so in the past with smaller samples from mice. Giraffe poop is allowed to be transported into the country with proper permits and inspections — and the woman won’t face sanctions because she declared the material to agents.

IOWA (IRN) – The U.S. Drought Monitor shows drought at its worst in east central Iowa. The weekly report shows portions of Benton, Linn, and Tama counties are now in the exceptional category — the highest on the scale. More than 2/3rds of Iowans are experiencing severe drought or worse, with little rainfall in sight into mid-October, according to the National Weather Service. GRINNELL (IRN) – The Grinnell Police Department refutes a president candidate’s claim his car was struck intentionally. The Des Moines Register reports Vivek Ramaswamy posted Thursday that protesters intentionally hit his rented vehicle while at a campaign stop. An investigation by Grinnell police found no evidence to substantiate that information. The campaign for Ramaswamy doubled down, showing video of a confrontation with protesters prior to his event downtown. MALCOM (IRN) – A man has been charged with murder and abuse of a corpse in relation to a body found in a car along Interstate 80 earlier this week. An Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation press release indicated the Iowa State Patrol found 23 year old Jihad Abdul Malik Gasaway attempting to restart a stalled vehicle near Malcom. After Gasaway was detained and was found with a weapon, police conducted a subsequent search of the car. Troopers found the body of Kemp Savier Sherrod Harriel on the floor and slumped over the passenger seat, covered in clothing with apparent gunshot wound. Gasaway faces charges of first degree murder and abuse of corpse.