Iowa Radio News

IOWA (IRN) – While it wasn’t a red wave across the nation, it was in Iowa. Incumbent Republicans Governor Kim Reynolds, Senator Chuck Grassley, and Representatives Miller-Meeks, Feenstra, and Hinson all won re-election. Republican Zach Nunn has defeated incumbent Democrat Cindy Axne. Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller has conceded to challenger Republican Brenna Bird. Republican Roby Smith defeated Democrat Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald, and incumbent Secretary of State Paul Pate beat Democrat Joel Miller. State Auditor Democrat Rob Sand leads Republican challenger Todd Halbur, but the race is too close to call. The Iowa Gun Rights amendment passed. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines Police have arrested five people who they say were involved in a drug-related kidnapping. A resident was reported missing on Nov. 7 amid a rumor that the person had been kidnapped. Police say the victim had been held against their will and assaulted at an apartment then later moved to another apartment where he was again held against his will and assaulted. The victim was released and later located by police at a local hospital. The victim was treated for significant facial injuries and later released. Police believe the victim owed a drug debt. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – ABC-affiliated Iowa news station KCRG was reportedly blacklisted from the Iowa GOP’s election results party. According to KCRG, it was denied media credentials for the Iowa Republicans’ GOP Victory Party at a downtown Des Moines hotel where Gov. Reynolds, Sen. Grassley and other top candidates and leaders watched election results live. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa teenager charged with killing her accused rapist is back in custody. 18-year-old Pieper Lewis Lewis had been serving probation at Fresh Start Women’s Center in Des Moines, for the 2020 stabbing death of Zachary Brooks. She left the facility on Nov. 4, cut off her GPS tracker, and was on the run ever since. WRIGHT COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Bird flu has hit a second commercial egg-laying facility in north central Iowa’s Wright County, forcing producers to destroy 1 million hens to contain the highly contagious disease.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Finance Authority awarded $5 million in federal and state grants to 44 homeless assistance organizations in the state. The Board of Directors voted to allocate thousands of dollars in federal and/or state grants to support organizations’ emergency shelters and other housing programs for adults, families and youth in need. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An arrest warrant has been issued for Pieper Lewis, an Iowa teenager who admitted to killing her rapist in 2020. In September, a judge sentenced her to five years’ probation and gave her a deferred judgment, which means the sentence would be expunged from Lewis’ record. This probation violation could cost her decades in prison because she originally faced voluntary manslaughter and willful injury charges. This means Lewis could serve 20 years in prison upon apprehension. LUCAS COUNTY, IA (IRN) – One person died in a head-on crash in Chariton Friday evening. Amy Finnell, 56, was traveling northbound while Riley Voss, 22, was traveling southbound. Finnell crossed over the center line into the southbound lane and struck Voss’ car head-on. Both Finnell and Voss were transported to a nearby hospital. Voss was later released with minor injuries. Finnell passed away from her injuries at the hospital. FAYETTE COUNTY,IA (IRN) – On November 4th the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office executed 6 different drug house warrants stemming from an investigation. Twelve individuals were taken into custody. EARTH (IRN) – A total lunar eclipse took place overnight. The southern limb of the Moon passed through the center of the Earth’s shadow. It’s called a blood, or beaver moon.

TAMA, IA (IRN) – A Tama man is facing multiple charges after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase on a motorcycle. Police say 20-year-old Jacob May was arrested after a chase that began in Poweshiek County and ended in Tama just after midnight on Sunday. Tama police joined the chase in progress, as May was heading northbound on Highway 63 on a motorcycle at speeds of more than 100 mph. Police said the speeding motorcycle was reported by an ambulance for tailgating. The ambulance was reportedly running with its emergency flashing lights at the time. MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – Marshalltown police have identified the four teenagers killed in a car crash on Friday. Sisters Linette Lopez, 15, and Yanitza Lopez, 17, lost their lives in the crash. Brothers Adrian Lara, 13, and Isacc Lara, 16, were also killed. All were students in the Marshalltown school district. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A teenager who drew national attention after being charged with killing her rapist has escaped an Iowa Department of Corrections facility. Pieper Lewis was listed as escaped from a women’s residential facility in Des Moines by the Iowa Department of Corrections. Lewis cut her required GPS-enabled tracking device off in her room before escaping. Lewis, now 18, admitted to killing Zachary Brooks, 37, in Des Moines when she was 15 years old. FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – Fort Dodge police are investigating a shooting that sent two people to the hospital Saturday night. Multiple people called 911, saying vehicles and people were leaving an apartment complex after shots were fired. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – As the holiday shopping season approaches, UPS is adding more than 400 workers in the Des Moines area. It’s adding around 100,000 seasonal employees nationwide. In Des Moines, UPS said it’s looking to add delivery drivers, CDL truck drivers, and warehouse workers in both the Des Moines hub and at the airport.

IOWA (IRN) – A change to Iowa’s election laws in 2021 restricted absentee voting in several ways. Previously, absentee ballots had to be postmarked prior to Election Day. Now the county auditor must receive it prior to 8 p.m. on Election Day. County auditors are telling voters it’s too late to put their ballots in the mail. MAQUOKETA, IA (IRN) – A Maquoketa man has died after being shot near Fulton on November 2. The victim, identified as 60-year-old Michael Berg, was transported to the Jackson County Regional Health Center, where he later died. Police are investigating. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Another Iowan is pleading guilty to participating in the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol. Chad Heathcote of Adel took a plea deal yesterday. Heathcote admitted to parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building, which is a misdemeanor. In return, the government dropped several other misdemeanor charges against him. Heathcote is the fourth Iowan to plead guilty to the attack. Kyle Young received the harshest sentence – more than seven years for attacking a police officer. NEWTON, IA (IRN) – Wind blade manufacturer TPI Composites says it will reopen its Iowa plant that employed as many as 700 people before the Arizona manufacturer closed the facility last year. Officials say they hope to fully restore its 700-employee workforce. TPI, which manufactured wind blades for GE in Iowa from 2008 to 2021, was once Jasper County’s largest private employer.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A student fell from a sixth-floor window in Mayflower Hall at the University of Iowa, landing on a second-floor roof. Initial reports state that students were playing catch in a residence hall room when a student leaned back and fell through the screen of an open window. The student was transported to a nearby hospital immediately. There is no word on their condition. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A 21-year-old Mount Mercy University student is recovering from injuries he received in a shooting near the college’s Cedar Rapids campus Thursday. A male student was shot and is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The university went into lockdown, and nearby Regis Middle School and Garfield Elementary were placed in lockdown as well. Home security video in the area captured sound of the shooting with more than a dozen shots fired. Neighbors said several homes and buildings were struck by bullets. ALTOONA, IA (IRN) – A Johnston police officer was injured after shooting themself in the foot at the Altoona Police Department shooting range. The officer was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – On Thursday, during a rally in Sioux City, former President Donald Trump discussed the probability of running for president again. Trump was in Iowa rallying for Republican candidates on next week’s midterm ballot. Trump told the rally crowd that it was likely he will run again for president. INDIANOLA, IA (IRN) – Iowa Democrats held three gatherings Thursday. The first was a “People Over Politics” news conference in Marion with Iowa House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst. Senate candidate Admiral Michael Franken held a “Secure Our Future” Rally at Franklin Junior High in Des Moines. Democratic candidate for governor, Deidre DeJear, Democrat party chair Ross Wilburn and U.S. House candidate Christina Bohannan were at Simpson College in Indianola.