Iowa Radio News

ANKENY, IA (IRN) – The Lakeside Center, a special election polling location in Ankeny, was evacuated this morning after a suspicious device was found at the scene. The device may be a pipe bomb. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A two year-old is in critical condition this morning after being shot in an apparent drive-by shooting. The incident occurred around 11:00 p.m. last night in Des Moines. Police say they responded to reports of gunfire and a child being shot. NEWTON, IA (IRN) – Two parents in Newton were charged after a doctor discovered their 3-month-old had several broken bones. Stormy Agan and Jessica Agan are charged with child endangerment and neglect. Doctors said they found a broken rib and broken leg bone that had already begun healing while examining the child. WINTERSET, IA (IRN) – A Norwalk man faces life in prison after being convicted of shooting his ex-girlfriend to death in Madison County. Jerome Moyer III, 27, was convicted Friday of shooting Roseanna Otto, 23, at her Winterset home in 2019. Otto was the mother of three when she was killed. Moyer was the father of two of her children. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Mobile home owners are asking the Iowa legislature to pass a bill that would better protect them from out-of-state park owners. Supporters are reporting abuses associated with new park owners who come in and increase the rent by 30 to 70%, evict longtime homeowners without a cause, and raise other fees on utilities. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Six central Iowa high schools announced Monday that their athletic teams will leave the Central Iowa Metro League as soon as possible. Des Moines, Ames, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, Mason City and Ottumwa are withdrawing. The six schools plan to create a new conference where “students can have a more equitable and successful interscholastic experience.” Non-suburban schools have a winning percentage of just 16.5%. Officials also point to various inequities that exist outside the playing field as a reason for the decision.

EARLHAM, IA (IRN) – A southern Iowa man is accused of purposely ramming his car into a pickup, then stabbing that vehicle and assaulting deputies on Interstate 80 in Earlham. Thirty-year-old Brandon Carroll, of Russell, told authorities he intentionally crashed into a truck because he saw it try to run law enforcement off the road. The Dallas County Deputy who responded says he was the only law enforcement in the area, and that he was 10 miles away. Carroll tried to grab the deputy’s firearm multiple times while he was being arrested, and told the deputy “I am going to kill you.” He faces multiple charges. MARENGO, IA (IRN) -The Pride of Iowa Sandwiches manufacturing facility in Marengo burned to the ground Saturday night. The facility was closed and no injuries were reported. The company makes pre-packaged sandwiches for vending machines, deli cases, schools, prisons and hospitals. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Fair is set to to be back this year after the pandemic caused it to be canceled last year, but a popular program could be on the chopping block. The fair board is looking at axing the Avenue of Breeds exhibit for budgetary reasons. A final decision hasn’t been made. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A store that brought men’s fine fashion and well-crafted suits to Des Moines for decades is closing. Badowers on Ingersoll Avenue is closing its doors after serving the community for more than 70 years. The owners say sales slowed because of the pandemic. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa men’s basketball team has a new all-time assists leader. Sunday afternoon against No. 4 Ohio State, Hawkeye senior Jordan Bohannon collected his third assist of the game, which was the 613th of his career. That moves him past Jeff Horner, who had the previous record with 612. Iowa crushed the Buckeyes 73 to 57.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines Police are investigating the city’s first homicide of 2021. Officers found a 52-year-old man with a gunshot wound around 11:20 p.m. Friday. He was taken to a hospital but died early Saturday morning. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The total number of vaccines for the novel coronavirus given in Iowa so far has doubled in the last 20 days, according to new data from the state. Over 650,000 people have been vaccinated. Hospitalizations are well below their autumn peak. WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – February’s bitter cold weather bumped up gas utility bills for many, but some Waukee residents were shocked to learn just how much they owe. Residents are complaining bills were a couple hundred dollars more than usual. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa men’s basketball team will be without a key contributor during the home stretch of the season due to a knee injury. Jack Nunge, the redshirt sophomore guard from Newburgh, Indiana, tore the meniscus of his right knee during a game against Michigan on Thursday. He will undergo surgery and likely spend between four to six months recovering. Nunge is the team’s leading scorer coming off the bench.

POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A 20-year-old woman was killed in a crash Friday morning near Grimes. The driver of a Nissan Sentra was southbound on Highway 141 when she turned into the path of an oncoming semi. Her name hasn’t been released. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The Dubuque County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to extend the county-wide mask mandate, which was set to expire on Monday. The mandate will now stay in place until June 15 or until those who are eligible and want to receive their COVID-19 vaccines on Phase 1B do so. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A new bill introduced at the Iowa Statehouse would force the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa to hold in-person graduation ceremonies this year. The bill, introduced this week by Republican Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, would also force universities to allow each graduate to have two guests attend the ceremony. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The city of Des Moines is undergoing a plague of potholes. The city said the number of concrete craters has increased by 2,000% in the past week. As of Friday, 720 potholes have been reported, when last week it was about 35.

IOWA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Transportation reports there has been an increase in vehicles hitting plows and state patrol vehicles. Between the DOT and the Iowa State Patrol, 63 vehicles have been hit on Iowa roads this year. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Police have arrested an Iowa City landlord, accusing her of breaking into an apartment to forcibly remove a tenant and hitting her with a baseball bat. Police say 67-year-old Suzanne Dashner and three men, all armed with baseball bats and a 2-by-2 board, broke into the apartment as the tenant hid in a bedroom and called 911. Dashner and the men kicked open the woman’s bedroom door and threatened her, hitting her on the leg with a baseball bat. Dashner faces up to 30 years in prison. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A California man faces a murder charge for a case from 2011 in Cedar Rapids. Mykel Roberts, 29, from Modesto, allegedly shot Dexter Meeks in June 2011. Andrew Meeks and his brother Dexter were sitting on the porch of an apartment building when Roberts allegedly stopped in the street and began shooting a handgun at them. Andrew was able to get inside the building, but Dexter was struck in the head by a gunshot and killed. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – For the first time since July, Iowa’s hospitalizations for COVID-19 patients are under 200. The Iowa Department of Public Health reports there are 196 hospitalized patients suffering from the coronavirus. IOWA (IRN) – Two young women are making history as the first female Eagle Scouts in Iowa. Angelina Hemphill,16, of Ankeny and Hannah Massey, 15, of Ottumwa join 1,000 young women in the national organization’s inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts.