Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A woman has died from injuries she suffered in a crash near the Des Moines International Airport Tuesday night. A Chrysler Pacifica was speeding southbound on Fleur Drive when it rear-ended a Cadillac Escalade. The driver of the Escalade, 67-year-old Nancy Jean Horton, died from her injuries on Thursday. The Pacifica caught fire, and bystanders had to pull the unconscious 24-year-old driver from the vehicle. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The body of a 22-year-old man found Friday morning in a Cedar Rapids park marks the second homicide of the year in the city. Thursday was the first. A bus driver saw the body at Cedar Valley Park on Friday morning. 22-year-old Kavon Johnson had at least one gunshot wound. They believe whoever killed him knew and targeted the victim. IOWA (IRN) – The eight overnight RAGBRAI stops for 2022 have been announced. From west to east they are: Sergeant Bluff, Ida Grove, Pocahontas, Emmetsburg, Mason City, Charles CiTY, West Union, and Lansing. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The latest installment of the Penn State-Iowa wrestling rivalry went to the Nittany Lions, as top-ranked Penn State beat No. 2 Iowa 19-13 Friday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Jester Park Nature Center in Polk County is considering hiring security after several tense confrontations over masks. County officials at Jester Park do require visitors to wear masks inside the nature center — compliant with Polk County’s decision to require masks in their buildings. They say most people don’t cause any issues, but recently, a handful of visitors have argued with staff and volunteers. ANKENY, IA (IRN) – A man who was shot in the face in Ankeny Tuesday has died. Police say 21-year-old Eli Reed passed away Wednesday. Reed was injured in a shooting at the Ankeny apartment he shared with friend 24-year-old John Peak. Peak was drunk and handling a loaded gun when the shooting happened. Reed was struck in the face by the bullet. Peak will be charged with involuntary manslaughter. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – One person is dead after a shooting in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. Police responded to reports of a shooting, and found the dead man lying in the street. Investigators say it appears it was a targeted incident. LINN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids and Swisher Firefighters rescued a man trapped in a corn silo at a farm in rural Linn County on Wednesday. They successfully freed the man using specialized panels to isolate him and then remove the grain that was trapping him. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – After months of planning, a USL Championship pro soccer team will kick off in central Iowa starting in 2024. Krause Group and USL made the announcement on Thursday night at the Greater Des Moines Partnership Dinner. The team’s name will be chosen with help from the community.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An overnight fire quickly engulfed a mobile home in Kings Mobile Home Park in Des Moines around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. The home was destroyed, but everyone was able to make it out alive because of a hero. That hero is 9-year-old Juan Gomez. Juan woke up to the smell of smoke, saw flames and ran to his mother, waking her up. Flames were blocking the door, and the ceiling started to fall. Juan and his mother were able to rescue his little sisters and the family’s two dogs because Juan acted so quickly. ANKENY, IA (IRN) – An Ankeny man is out on bail after allegedly shooting a man in the face Tuesday night. 24-year-old John Peak was drunk and handling a loaded 9-millimeter handgun in a “reckless manner,” and intentionally pulled the trigger. The bullet struck the victim in the face causing serious injury. Peak is charged with reckless use of a firearm-serious injury. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids Police arrested 19-year-old Aryan Green on Tuesday in connection with an August 2021 shooting. Green and another person agreed to meet with the intent to fight in a secluded alley. As the two met, Green drew a handgun and shot multiple times at the intended victim. Both fled on foot. The intended victim wasn’t injured. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Senate Republicans revealed their plan to cut taxes Wednesday. The proposal calls for a 3.6% flat individual income tax rate by 2028. That’s compared to Governor Reynolds’ call for a 4% flat individual income tax rate by 2026. Senate Republicans also want to cut the corporate tax rate by 2%. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Doug Hargrave, former GoCR financial director, pled guilty to one count of federal bank fraud yesterday. Prosecutors say in 2018 GoCR executives falsified budgets and ticket sale projections for a three-day festival to increase their line of credit from the bank. NewBo Evolve lost $2.3 million. Hargrave could face up to 30 years in prison and a fine of a million dollars.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A crash late Tuesday night on Fleur Drive in Des Moines has left four people hospitalized, two of them in critical condition. It happened just before midnight as an SUV was exiting the Des Moines International Airport. A Cadillac Escalade turned south onto Fleur Drive and was then hit by a southbound Chrysler Pacifica that appeared to be speeding. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A stranger walked into the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit at MercyOne medical center in Des Moines and bottle-fed a baby that wasn’t his. Police don’t know why, and the family is frightened. WINNESHIEK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two students and a bus driver were injured in northeastern Iowa yesterday morning after their bus was hit by a train. According to the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office, only three people were on the bus. The bus was totaled in the accident, while the train sustained minor damage. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Iowa legislator “flipped off” those he said don’t believe as he does during a rally at the Iowa Statehouse Tuesday. Representative Bobby Kaufmann–a Wilton Republican–made the obscene gesture as he finished his remarks before a few hundred supporters of the Convention of States movement in the Capitol Rotunda. Kaufman said, “When it comes to these gun-grabbing, freedom-hating, over-regulating, civil liberty-violating tyrants, Here’s my message…” Kaufman then held up both middle fingers. IOWA (IRN) – Remember, it’s cold out there! Wind chills this morning dipped as low as 30 below zero in northern Iowa with wind chills of up to 20 below zero in parts of central and southern Iowa. Northern Iowa will remain bitterly cold all day while parts of central and southern Iowa will see a brief warming this afternoon, but bitter cold conditions return this evening.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s unemployment rate fell to 3.5% in December. The rate was down from November’s 3.7% rate and reflected that 5,200 more people found jobs, according to Iowa Workforce Development. The percentage of Iowans in the labor force also increased slightly.vIowa’s rate is ranked 20th nationally. BONDURANT, IA (IRN) – Polk County authorities are calling the death of a woman at an assisted living facility in Bondurant “suspicious.” On Friday, a woman staying at the Courtyard Estates at Hawthorne Crossing, an assisted living facility for people with dementia, was found outside. The low temperature that morning was -9 degrees. Assisted living programs for people with dementia are required to have an operating alarm system on each exit door. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – The FBI continues to make arrests and charge people in connection with last January 6th’s storming of the Capitol by supporters of President Trump, and that now includes a Sioux City man. Agents arrested Kenneth Rader last week on charges of illegally entering a restricted building, disrupting government business, disorderly conduct and picketing in the Capitol. IOWA (IRN) – MidAmerican Energy has announced plans to build a $3.9 billion renewable energy project in Iowa. The project, known as “Wind PRIME,” would provide energy to more than 700,000 customers. It’s the next step of MidAmerican’s goal to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. 88% of the energy supplied to customers now comes from renewable sources. The Wind PRIME project will move it to 100%. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – For the first time, the Redbull Soapbox Race will be heading to Des Moines. On June 18th, 2022 The Red Bull Soapbox Race will challenge “the most fearless, fun-loving and foolhardy teams to prototype and create the wackiest of rides.” The course will run along East Walnut Street just south of the Iowa Capitol Building.