Iowa Radio News

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A Waterloo man was arrested and faces multiple charges including assault, harassment, child endangerment and multiple firearm-related charges after an incident on Saturday. Police said the victim had been in an argument with Detrone Redd, 38, over the well being of his children. While the two were outside arguing, police said Redd headbutted the victim and pulled a handgun from his waistband, and fired the weapon into the ground on two occasions. Police said the child endangerment charge was related to leaving unsecured weapons where children could get to them. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids man who posed as a police officer, beat an older Coggon couple, and stole $50,000 from their safe, has been sentenced to 60 years in prison. In July, a jury convicted Brandon Lee, 33, of two counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of willful injury, first-degree theft, and impersonating a public official. MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – Over four years after a destructive EF-3 tornado caused significant damage, the Marshall County Courthouse opened its doors for a public rededication ceremony on Saturday. The courthouse suffered severe damage to its iconic clocktower dome in the storm, as well as sustaining other damage. The building sustained additional damage in the August 2020 derecho which cut across the center of the state. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Park Avenue Presbyterian Church in Des Moines will be closing its doors due to a dwindling amount of members. The church has been around for the last 119 years. PASADENA, CA (IRN) – Two Iowa women will be honored in California early next year for helping to save the lives of many through organ donations. Amanda Wilken of West Des Moines and Emily Bohnsack of Wilton were both organ donors after their deaths. On Sunday their families made floragraphs of them, which will be attached to the Donate Life float in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California.

IOWA (IRN) – Eight people, including six children, have lost their lives to house fires in the last week in Iowa. The first happened Monday in Walcott at a mobile home, killing a 2-year-old. Then Wednesday, flames in Mason City killed four children. And Thursday, two adults in their 70′s died when their Cedar Rapids home caught fire. The latest tragedy struck Friday morning in Onslow, killing a child. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids woman accused in connection with a deadly shooting in Cedar Rapids this year has been extradited back to Iowa from Illinois. Pierra Baugh, 33, is awaiting trial in the Linn County jail, facing multiple charges, including 1st degree murder. She’s being charged in connection with the death of Cordal Lewis. IOWA (IRN) – Iowa Democrats have reelected their legislative leaders as they prepare for the 2023 legislative session, where they will hold fewer seats than they have in decades. Republicans are expected to hold a majority of either 63 or 64 seats in the 100-member Iowa House and a 34-16 majority in the 50-member Iowa Senate. Legislative Democrats voted to keep Rep. Jennifer Konfrst and Sen. Zach Wahls as their party’s leaders in the Iowa House and Senate, respectively, for the 2023 Iowa legislative session, which begins on Jan. 9. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Rob Sand has earned another term as the state auditor. Sand’s opponent, Republican Todd Halbur, conceded Friday. With 99 counties reporting, Sand collected 50.08% of the vote total. Halbur said the Iowa Republican Party didn’t give him enough support. The Iowa Republican Party says Halbur didn’t work hard enough.

ONSLOW, IA (IRN) – One person has died and multiple people were injured in a house fire in Onslow, in Jones County, early Friday morning. Officials have not confirmed exactly how many people were injured. Fire crews responded to the fire just after 4 a.m. POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A central Iowa man has been arrested again, this time for strangling his girlfriend. Ricky St. John was booked into the Polk County Jail Wednesday night for domestic abuse assault. St. John also pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter after he choked and killed Timothy Neal in 2017 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but he was released in May 2022. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – An early Wednesday morning house fire that killed four children and injured two more people in Mason City originated in an electrical power strip on the main floor of the home. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Two people are dead after a fire broke out Thursday just after noon in Cedar Rapids. The two victims are 72-year-old Charles Osterkamp and 70-year-old Sheri Osterkamp. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. MANHATTAN, KS (IRN) – Not only did No. 4 Iowa lose at Kansas State, but All-American Caitlin Clark had to be helped off the court after injuring her ankle on the final play. No update on the injury was available. Gabby Gregory hit a free throw with four seconds left to put the Wildcats on top 84-83.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police have made an arrest in connection to a bank robbery in Des Moines. Police say 55-year-old Joe Mitchell Pendegrass, of Des Moines, is charged with robbing the U.S. Bank downtown. Police say he walked into the bank Tuesday and got away with some cash. Pendegrass allegedly had a weapon on him but didn’t show it. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – Four children died in a house fire in Mason City Wednesday morning. Drako Mcluer, age 6, John Michael Mcluer, age 12, Odin Thor Mcluer, age 10, and Phenix Mcluer, age 3 were all pronounced dead at the hospital. Six people in total were transported to the hospital. A 55-year-old and 11-year-old were able to evacuate the home before firefighters arrived. MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – Marshalltown police have arrested a man who threatened two teenagers outside a school using a gun. Jose Luis Galaviz, 19, is facing six charges for the accusations by the Marshalltown Police Department. A police investigation revealed Galaviz threatened a 14 and a 17-year-old and displayed a gun during the incident. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Patrol was busy Wednesday morning during the season’s first snowfall. Statewide troopers covered 55 crashes and also responded to 49 motorist assists calls. TIPTON, IA (IRN) – It takes just seconds to saw a six-inch hole into an old Igloo cooler, turning it into a cat shelter. From there, they can be placed outside where outdoor cats can use them to cuddle up for a warm nap, or just to safely get out of the cold. Sue Schroeder of Tipton started on this project several years ago and has made it a priority every year as soon as the weather gets colder. The insulation better protects the cats from harsher temperatures and elements. She gets the coolers from Goodwill, online, and from the landfill.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating the robbery of a downtown Des Moines bank that happened Tuesday afternoon. It happened around 4:15 p.m. at the U.S. Bank. A male suspect entered the bank and said he had a weapon. No weapon was displayed. The suspect fled the bank on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured in the robbery. IOWA CITY IA (IRN) – According to a new report, in 2020, there were 38 reports of sexual assault on or near the University of Iowa campus. That number jumped to 68 in 2021. MAHASKA COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Investigators believe snowy road conditions early Tuesday morning were the cause behind a crash that claimed the life of a Fremont man southeast of Oskaloosa. The investigation shows 22-year-old Morgan Sanders, of rural Fremont, was traveling northbound when the snowy conditions caused him to lose control of his 2008 Ford Mustang. The car then slid sideways into the southbound path of a 2013 Toyota Tundra driven by 29-year-old Ethan VanDeKieft of Oskaloosa. Sanders was pronounced dead at the scene. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Sara Craig Gongol led Kim Reynolds’ first gubernatorial election campaign, served four years as her chief of staff, and remained in the position as Reynolds won re-election last Tuesday to another four-year term. Craig Gongol is resigning effective December 1st to become the new executive director of the Republican Governors Association. MAR-A-LAGO, FL (IRN) – Former President Donald Trump, aiming to become only the second commander-in-chief ever elected to two nonconsecutive terms, announced Tuesday night that he will seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. This means Iowans may see the former president many times as he travels the state prior to our first-in-the-nation Republican caucuses.