Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Patrol will conduct a special enforcement effort aimed at cracking down on speeding. The statewide Traffic Fatality Reduction Task Force effort will be happening Thursday, Sept. 16. Recent data tracking speeding violations from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020, shows a 74 percent increase in drivers exceeding the speed limit by 25 mph or more. Officials said 1,497 drivers were cited for speeds that exceeded 100 mph. Violations increased 108% compared to the four-year average. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Hospitals in Iowa are seeing a troubling trend — an increase of child patients. From RSV to COVID-19 to traumatic injuries, whichever the ailment, authorities say there aren’t enough beds to go around. Seven percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Iowa are patients 17 and under. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines mother is facing charges after witnesses captured video of her abusing her son at a gas station. Rejanie Morris is charged with child endangerment and two counts of assault. Witnesses recorded her yelling at her 9-year-old son before picking him up by the arms and throwing him face down on the ground. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday set a special legislative session for Oct. 5 to approve redrawn legislative and congressional district maps. Reynolds signed a proclamation convening the special session to take up redistricting, a once-a-decade process that was complicated by the pandemic and a delay in getting the data from the Census Bureau. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids Jefferson won’t play crosstown rivals Kennedy in football this Friday night. Activities Director Chris Deam announced the program will not be able to field a varsity football team due to COVID-19 cases and ‘mounting injuries.’

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police say a man stabbed his stepbrother after an argument about laundry. Enrique Rivas is charged with attempted murder. He allegedly planned the attack after his stepbrother took his clothes out of the laundry. The stepbrother was treated for a dozen stab wounds, as well as bite marks. Police say the two lived together for six years. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A federal judge has ordered the state of Iowa to immediately halt enforcement of a law passed in May that prevents school boards from ordering masks to be worn to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Judge Robert Pratt said in an order signed Monday that the law substantially increases the risk of children with health conditions of contracting COVID-19. Governor Kim Reynolds says she will appeal the decision. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines Public Schools will reinstate its mask mandate. All students, staff and visitors will be required to wear masks in the district’s schools starting Wednesday, Sept. 15. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – School district officials in Iowa City said that their district is likely to implement a face mask mandate for all people in school buildings in the wake of the ruling. Superintendent Matt Degner said that the district will discuss the ruling at the district’s board meeting today. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The Cedar Rapids School Board met just hours after the ruling, and the topic was added to the agenda at the last second. No decision was made.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Jill Biden will be in Des Moines on Wednesday to speak at Des Moines Area Community College. Biden will join Rep. Cindy Axne to highlight the Biden Administration’s efforts to support families through the American Rescue Plan and its Build Back Better agenda. WINNEBAGO COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Authorities say what began as a ruse Saturday night ended with an officer-involved shooting. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office said it took a report of an alleged domestic assault call in the town of Thompson. It was determined the call was a ruse to lure law enforcement to the location before the shooting took place. No additional details have been released. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – One person was shot and another was assaulted in an altercation in Cedar Rapids early Sunday morning. Police say 34-year old David Walker assaulted a 21-year old woman after he was shot in the leg by one of her relatives. Both have non-life-threatening injuries. Walker left the scene before police arrived and went to a local hospital. After being treated, he was taken to the Linn County Correctional Center. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A fight between two roommates resulted in a stabbing in Des Moines Sunday. Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the fight. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An impressive defensive performance by Iowa in the Cy-Hawk Trophy game Saturday pushed the Hawkeyes from No. 10 to No. 5 in the Associated Press college football poll. Iowa State dropped from No. 9 to No. 14.

CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – Law enforcement officials are investigating after a man reported being shot during an attempted robbery in Cedar Falls on Friday. Police say a man exited his vehicle, and was approached by “several masked subjects” who tried to rob him. The man was shot in the lower half of his body. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Hundreds of people demonstrated outside of Terrace Hill in Des Moines on Saturday afternoon. The protesters called on Gov. Kim Reynolds to ban vaccine mandates. The three major hospitals in the Des Moines area have required employees to be vaccinated. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Hospitals in Cedar Rapids are limiting elective procedures because of increased numbers of patients driven partly by a surge in COVID-19 admissions. AMES, IA (IRN) – Jack Campbell returned a fumble 6 yards for a touchdown and No. 10 Iowa ran its winning streak against No. 9 Iowa State to six games with a 27-17 victory Saturday that ruined the most-anticipated home game in Cyclones history. It was the first Cy-Hawk Trophy game matching ranked teams in 65 meetings.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – On Sept. 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists and crashed into various locations on the East Coast. American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 struck the Twin Towers in New York City. American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon. United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field after passengers attempted to overthrow the hijackers. Iowans all across the state are commemorating the tragic event. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A body was found inside a burning home in Mason City this week. An investigation is underway. USA (IRN) – The Big 12 Conference has extended invitations to four universities after the eight remaining members voted unanimously to approve the move. BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston will all receive invitations to join the Big 12, ultimately growing the league to an eventual 12 teams after the slated departure of Oklahoma and Texas in 2025 to the SEC. ​​AMES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Cyclones and the Iowa Hawkeyes are both ranked in the AP top 10 heading into the highly anticipated Cy-Hawk football game today. Iowa State is ranked No. 9 in this week’s AP Top 25 Poll and Iowa is ranked one spot behind at No. 10.