Iowa Radio News

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids police are investigating a fight between three males inside a convenience store that led to shots fired on Wednesday night. Police say as they left the store, a male in the rear seat of a blue SUV fired multiple shots at people in a small, gold SUV. Everyone involved fled the scene before police got there. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police have arrested a man who lured a 12-year-old girl into a vehicle and assaulted her. The victim was in a business after missing a bus and the suspect offered her a ride. The victim reports that the suspect drove her to a location other than her destination and assaulted her. The victim was able to run from the vehicle to a nearby business where a concerned citizen contacted police. 64-year-old Michael Dwayne Dunbar, of Saylor Township, is charged with third-degree sexual abuse. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds canceled official activities on Thursday and Friday due to an illness, but her spokesman said she tested negative for COVID-19. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Police in Scott County are renewing a reminder for everyone to lock their cars, as part of the “Lock It Down” campaign. Throughout the Quad Cities area in 2021 police reported more than 800 cars were stolen, an increase from 2020, when about 750 cars were reported stolen. IOWA (IRN) – A winter storm watch has been expanded to include most Iowa counties until 6 a.m. Saturday, and a winter storm warning has been issued for five northwest Iowa counties. The winter storm will bring 4+ inches, possibly 9+ inches of snow to much of central and southern Iowa Friday into early Saturday morning.

COGGON, IA (IRN) – Linn County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 33-year-old Brandon Lee of Cedar Rapids on charges related to a home invasion in Coggon. Lee allegedly knocked on the door of a man and wife, both 72 years old, claimed to be a law enforcement officer, and demanded entry into the home. He then demanded money and assaulted the two residents before fleeing the scene. WOODBURY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two Woodbury County Deputies responded to a report of a burglary in progress at a mobile home park. A witness directed the deputies to a man who was attempting to force his way into a trailer home. The man advanced towards the deputies with a tire iron in his hand. A deputy fired their taser, but the taser was ineffective. After being struck with the tire iron, the second deputy fired their firearm striking the man. He died at the hospital. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – A Washington, D.C., judge has denied Doug Jensen’s request to be released from jail yet again. Jensen faces a litany of charges after videos show him at the front of the pack at the riot inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Jensen is from Des Moines. IOWA (IRN) – The Iowa Board of Regents voted to permanently remove the ACT and SAT requirements for all three of our public universities – Iowa, Iowa State, and UNI. IOWA (IRN) – A Winter Storm Watch is in place for much of Iowa on Friday into Saturday morning. Snow will begin to pick up between 9 AM and noon on Friday. Five to seven inches of snow is predicted for central Iowa, up to five inches in southeast and southwest Iowa, with higher amounts in northern Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police say they have located a vehicle involved in a deadly hit-and-run crash just before 3 a.m. today. The man died at a hospital. Police say evidence at the scene indicated that a yellow 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier two-door struck the pedestrian prior to the driver fleeing the scene. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed Tuesday night in her annual Condition of the State message to the Legislature that Iowa cut taxes by nearly $2 billion by moving to a 4% flat income tax phased in over four years. She also proposed allowing middle- and low-income families and students to take 70% of state allocated per-pupil funding — about $5,300 per student — to move their child to the education system of their choice. Critics say this would gut our public school system. HENRY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – One person has been arrested following a house fire in Mount Pleasant on Sunday. After an investigation, officials determined James Seth Ollom, 37, of Mount Pleasant, intentionally set fire to the inside of the residence after a family disturbance. ARLINGTON, IA (IRN) – No students were injured Tuesday after a car rear ended a Starmont school bus carrying more than 40 students south of Arlington. The bus was slowing down due to a vehicle that had broken down on the side of the road, when a passenger vehicle driven by a teen rear-ended the bus. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Now that the NCAA Division I college football season is over, the Associated Press has released its final standings and the Iowa Hawkeyes have made the Top 25. The Hawkeyes started off the season at #18 and rose to #2 in Week 7. But after finishing with a 10-4 record capped by losses in the Big Ten Championship game and the Citrus Bowl, Iowa ended the season at #23.

RED OAK, IA (IRN) – A child has died after a crash in Red Oak involving a patrol car. The Iowa State Patrol said it happened around 7 p.m. Monday. Red Oak officers were responding to an apartment fire when a patrol car hit a child in the road. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s Senate president opened the legislative session with an attack on the media and claims of a sinister agenda to normalize deviant behavior against children. Republican Jake Chapman used his opening speech Monday to challenge lawmakers to take a stand. He argued there is a “sinister agenda occurring right before our eyes.” Chapman has earlier called for jailing educators who provide what he considers obscene material to children. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The December derecho that hit Iowa is now considered a $1 billion disaster. The derecho was the final $1 billion disaster of 2021. Last year, the United States saw 20 disasters totaling at least $1 billion. That includes the historic deep freeze in Texas and wildfires in the West. LINN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Linn County Board of Supervisors voted 2-1 Monday night to support rezoning 750 acres of high quality farmland to be used for a solar farm west of Coggon. The applicant for the project is an Idaho clean energy company called Clenera. Clenera is proposing to operate the solar farm for 35 years, then remove the panels, restore the land and give it back to farmers in north Linn County. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowans wagered over $2 billion on sports in 2021. That’s a significant increase from 2020, when $575 million worth of sports bets were placed in the Hawkeye state. This past year, Iowans could register on their phone to place bets, instead of having to register in person at a sportsbook. 90% of sports bets in the state were placed online.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health reports the state’s 14-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is now close to 20%. IDPH released new virus data Monday, showing 32,732 positive tests in the last seven days. That’s up from 24,935 at the last report on Friday. The state’s 14-day positivity rate is now 19.9%, up from 17.5% at the last report. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – One person died Saturday after a shooting at a Waterloo convenience store. Waterloo Police said officers found the victim with several gunshot wounds around 10 p.m. Saturday at the Prime Mart. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating a bombing threat at a Des Moines church. A crisis line counselor called Des Moines police saying they had been in an online conversation with a person who said they had placed multiple devices outside Burns United Methodist Church. The pastor of the historically Black church decided to hold services online as a precaution. Des Moines police searched the church and did not find a threat. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – West Des Moines police are investigating racial slurs targeting black Iowa lawmakers. On Friday, the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and Progress Iowa hosted a “People’s Condition of the State” event ahead of the 2022 Iowa legislative session. The meeting was hijacked via Zoom. Hijackers said racist slurs and projected racist slurs and images onto the screen. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s labor commissioner says the state will not enforce the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for businesses with 100 employees or more. This decision comes as the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments regarding the mandate.