Iowa Radio News

IOWA (IRN) – The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning in effect for most of the state until 6 a.m. Wednesday. Snow expands from west to east this morning, increasing in intensity during the afternoon. Impressive snowfall rates are possible along with gusty winds and a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and even rain showers during the afternoon in southern Iowa. Snow amounts will vary from less than 4 inches in the western part of the state to bands of heavier snow around central Iowa, producing nearly 8 inches of fresh snow. Travel is not advised starting at noon today in central Iowa. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Coronavirus-related hospitalizations and admissions ticked higher in Iowa Monday after several days of decline as the state will end the year with over 3,700 dead from the virus. State Public Health data shows the number of deaths in October was 21% higher than the average monthly deaths for October over the past four years. IOWA (IRN) – Long-term care facilities across Iowa began distributing the first round of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to staff and residents on Monday. WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – Waukee fire crews said two people were injured in a fire at an apartment complex Monday evening. It happened near downtown Waukee. Two people were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. All seven families living at the complex have been displaced. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – One of the Tyson Foods managers fired for betting on how many workers would contract COVID-19 at an Iowa pork plant said the office pool was spontaneous fun and intended to boost morale. Don Merschbrock, a former night manager at the plant in Waterloo, Iowa, said he was speaking in an attempt to show that the seven fired supervisors are “not the evil people” that Tyson has portrayed. “We really want to clear our names…We actually worked very hard and took care of our team members well.”

ONAWA, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing his grandmother in 2018. Eliot Stowe was sentenced in the beating death of 66-year-old Cheryl Stowe at her rural home in Castana in June 2018. Stowe declined to address the court before he received the mandatory sentence for first-degree murder. Prosecutors say Cheryl Stowe’s body was found wrapped in a rug and duct tape at the edge of a cornfield near her home. GENESEO, IA (IRN) – A woman was found dead in a burning house in Geneseo on Christmas. Firefighters and officers with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office found the woman on the floor, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. BLACK HAWK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Five people were sent to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries after a head-on collision on Highway 20 in Black Hawk County on Sunday morning. Authorities say the highway was covered with snow and ice. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The football season for the Hawkeyes is over. On Sunday afternoon the Mizzou Football team tweeted “COVID-19 knocks Mizzou football out of TransPerfect Music City Bowl.” The Mizzou Football team is temporarily pausing activities until Jan. 2 due to COVID-19 concerns among student-athletes, coaches and staff. THE MIDWEST, U.S.A. (IRN) – A winter storm will move across the Plains and Upper Midwest this final week of 2020 and will make for difficult, if not treacherous, travel conditions for much of Iowa on Tuesday. Tune in to (your station ID here) for current severe weather and travel information.

POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a rollover crash that killed the driver of a pickup truck Saturday night. Witnesses say a 2015 Dodge Ram was travelling at a high speed when it ran a stop sign entered a field and rolled over. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Approximately 20 to 25 train cars derailed near Des Moines Friday after a small bridge collapsed. No one was injured. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Waterloo police say a local man inappropriately grabbed a Casino server this month. Sandi Dedic, 42, allegedly has a history of such abuse. INDIANOLA, IA (IRN) – The gravestone of Chris Street in Indianola has been vandalized. Chris, was a basketball player at the University of Iowa in the early 1990s before he was killed in a car accident 27 years ago.

TODDVILLE, IA (IRN) – A Center Point woman was arrested for OWI and texting while driving after a head-on collision in Toddville on Friday afternoon. Jennifer Buelow, 33, has been charged with Operating While Intoxicated, Use of Electronic Communication Device While Driving and other traffic charges. The person driving the other vehicle was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. MINNEAPOLIS (IRN) – Brandon Johnson made all four of his 3-point attempts in overtime and finished with 26 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota in a 102-95 win over No. 4 Iowa. Iowa led by 3 with 15 seconds to play. Joe Touissant had a chance to ice it, but missed both free throws. That allowed Marcus Carr to come down and send the game into overtime with a three. AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State running back Breece Hall and linebacker Mike Rose are The Associated Press Big 12 offensive and defensive players of the year after the Cyclones’ best conference season ever. Matt Campbell earned coach of the year honors. The Big 12 runner-up Cyclones will play in a New Year’s Six bowl for the first time, facing Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A cat named Lottie has been reunited with his Des Moines owners just in time for Christmas after he went missing nearly five years ago. 37-year-old Kara Hanlon figured the cat had died until she got a letter in the mail saying otherwise. The Animal Rescue League’s animal control division had picked up Lottie and identified him by scanning his microchip. She got him back Monday.

ES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 1,425 additional COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. There have been 71 additional COVID-19 deaths for a statewide death toll of 3,739. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A four-year-old boy received a life-threatening gunshot wound Wednesday in Cedar Rapids. The shooting appears to be unintentional. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Outgoing Iowa Rep. Steve King filed an ethics complaint Wednesday against the leader of the House of Representatives. King said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s decision to pull King off of all congressional committees last year deprived Iowa’s 4th Congressional District of equal representation. McCarthy stripped King of his committee assignments after King made comments perceived as racist. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A federal judge has granted a temporary injunction to stop the University of Iowa from dropping its women’s swimming and diving team in the 2021-2022 school year. The program was one of a handful cut by the University in August. Several female athletes filed a federal lawsuit accusing the university of committing Title IX violations after it was cut. IOWA (IRN) – A winter storm has hit Iowa, and the northwest part of the state was hit the hardest. Several county sheriff’s departments have stopped responding to calls because deputy vehicles are stranded. The Iowa State Patrol said Iowans in the northwest part of the state should stay off the roads until the storm passes.