Iowa Radio News

HUMBOLDT – A former Iowa-based middle school teacher has admitted to sexual exploitation of a child. The Des Moines Register reports 32-year-old Samantha Meyer-Davis has pleaded guilty to the accusations, in which she exchanged dozens of photos and videos with a 16-year-old in November 2023. Meyer-Davis could be in prison for up to 30 years, and sentencing has not been scheduled.DES MOINES – Lawmakers in Iowa are now working beyond the May 1st date that marks the scheduled end of the 2025 legislative session. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports that disagreements on how to handle pipeline projects with eminent domain and fund pay for paraeducators are keeping Iowa House and Senate members in Des Moines beyond their per diem. DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds has signed into law a measure that allows dental assistance to work in Iowa without registration. KCRG-TV reports House File 805 creates different tiers of the profession, and many dentist offices in the state are short on staff.

DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds signed House File 782 on Thursday. The bill creates restrictions to use of electronic devices in schools, including student access during instructional hours and school safety plans and including effective date provisions. House File 782 prohibits cell phones during instructional time and includes exceptions to accommodate students with disabilities, English language learners, and those with individual education plans. The bill is effective upon enactment. LINN COUNTY – The Linn County Sheriff’s Office found two people dead in a mobile home on Thursday. KGAN-TV reports deputies found a man and a woman during a welfare check. The sheriff believes there is no additional danger to the public. Both individuals have been transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office. ANKENY – The former leader of the Ankeny Chamber of Commerce has pleaded guilty to several felony charges for stealing thousands of dollars and altering records. WHO-13 reports 47-year-old Melisa Cox reached an agreement with the prosecution to be convicted of money laundering, first-degree theft, and unauthorized use of a credit card, and an additional count of second-degree theft. Eight other charges were dismissed. Cox was accused of stealing $250,000 from the chamber over a two-year span.

CEDAR RAPIDS – Iowa Democrats have won a special election to fill a vacancy in the Iowa House of Representatives. The Gazette reports Angel Ramirez is now representing House District 78 after receiving nearly 80 percent of votes. She replaces Sami Scheetz, who resigned from the role to serve on the Linn County Board of Supervisors. DES MOINES – The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa is suing the governor to try and force the state’s top executive to release government records. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports the effort is underway after the state ultimately decided to cancel the Iowa Satanic Temple winter celebration at the Iowa State Capitol. The move in Polk County District Court comes just a few days after Reynold announced a lawsuit against the Des Moines Register to protect executive privilege in reference to communications among administrative branch staff.PELLA – Thousands of visitors are expected to travel to south central Iowa this Thursday through Saturday as Pella celebrates a milestone for its community. The 90th annual Tulip Time celebration includes parades, thousands of tulips in bloom, and more. The event will include a visit from the Dutch ambassador to the United States and a special float from Pella Corporation, who is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

DES MOINES – Lawmakers are one step closer to passing a bill aiming to shore up losses incurred by rural pharmacies. WHO-13 reports that the measure passed in the Iowa Senate will require pharmacy benefit managers to reimburse pharmacies for the full cost based on national averages and additional dispensing fees. Some Democrats opposed the measure, concerned the insurance companies would pass on those costs to consumers. SCOTT COUNTY – The Iowa Board of Nursing granted a license to a woman convicted for involvement in a $2.9 million scam. Iowa Capital Dispatch reports Chelsea Gless of Princeton has received permission to work as a nurse after initially denying the request in October due to the felony charges. Gless pled guilty to felony mail fraud and served nearly three years in prison before earning a nursing degree in 2024. She’s guilty of defrauding more than 70 clients of Royal Medals Group, mainly older, retired people. The Iowa Board of Nursing has placed Gless on probationary status for three years and barred her from working at retirement communities. IOWA – Periodic rains throughout the week resulted in just over two days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 27th, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. While needed, the precipitation slowed or stopped fieldwork and cool temperatures hampered crop emergence.Topsoil moisture condition rated 3 percent very short, 11 percent short, 75 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus. Corn planted reached 34 percent, two days ahead of the five-year average. Statewide, corn emerged was two percent. Twenty-five percent of the expected soybean crop has been planted, one day ahead of last year and four days ahead of the five-year average.

IOWA – A severe weather system could bring large hail and tornadoes to many across the state today. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has issued a moderate risk, or 4 out of 5 on its scale, for areas mainly north of Highway 20. The rest of Iowa is under a conditional enhanced risk, meaning storms will be very scattered or may not develop at all, but if they do, they could have a strong tornado and hail in excess of two inches in diameter. The threat is expected mainly in the late afternoon into the evening.CRAWFORD COUNTY – The Iowa DNR estimates hundreds of gallons of wastewater entered the Boyer River in Crawford County over the weekend. WHO-13 reports a valve malfunction at Smithfield Fresh Meats Corporation in Denison is the cause. In total, more than 500 gallons of wastewater made it to the stream, according to the DNR. Clean up efforts were under way shortly after the incident on Sunday.DES MOINES – The final day of the 115th running of the Drake Relays had some of the oldest records in recent history being broken and Olympic gold medalists competing at Drake Stadium. Ten records were set Saturday, pushing the three-day total to 21 and highlighted by a 64-year mark falling in the men’s long jump, done by Minnesota sophomore Charles Godfred. Olympic gold medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall made her Drake Relays debut and broke the Relays record in the WACT women’s invitational long jump. Clear Lake’s Reese Brownlee and Western Dubuque’s Quentin Naumann both became the second high school athlete in their respective genders to win in three events in the same weekend.