Friday, November 1, 2019

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The husband and wife owners of a West Des Moines in-home daycare are now facing child neglect and drug charges. WHO-TV reports Robert Mackey, 55, and Paula Mackey, 48, were booked into the Polk County Jail this morning. The Mackeys face multiple felony charges. They were told they couldn’t have more than five children in their unlicensed daycare but days later DHS employees again spotted at least 13 children in the home. Police found 22 guns along with a bag of knives and marijuana.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating a shooting on the southside of the city. KCCI-TV reports people in multiple vehicles were involved. A man was shot in the mouth.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State Patrol troopers had a busy 24 hours on the state’s highways as light to moderate snow fell across much of central and eastern Iowa yesterday. The agency responded to 60 crash investigations, including one fatality. Seven other crashes caused injuries. Troopers also responded to an additional 55 calls for assistance from motorists in need of help.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Thousands of people will descend on downtown Des Moines today for the Iowa Democratic Party’s Liberty and Justice Celebration — just as the city’s workforce will be leaving for the weekend. Fourteen presidential candidates are slated to speak at the party’s annual dinner, which is expected to draw at least 12,500 people to Wells Fargo Arena.

WASHINGTON, DC (IRN) – The Washington Nationals World Series celebration Wednesday night was felt all the way back in Iowa. Not one, but two Iowans could be awarded World Series rings after the Nationals beat the Houston Astros in Game 7. Des Moines Hoover grad Jeremy Hellickson is on the 40-man roster for the champion Nationals. Dan Jennings, a graduate of West Des Moines Valley, also spent some time with the Nationals this season.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State University students are pressuring the university administration to take action against people who’ve scrawled anti-Semitic and neo-Nazi slogans on campus. Dozens of protesters gathered Wednesday afternoon at university President Wendy Wintersteen’s office to push their goal of a zero tolerance university policy toward racism and anti-Semitism. Protest organizers say “Heil Hitler,” “no trans rights” and anti-Semitic slogans were written in chalk at various places on the Ames campus last week. The Des Moines Register reports that posters and stickers advocating white nationalist viewpoints have been found on campus since 2016.

MORAVIA, IA (IRN) – A woman was killed when an oxygen tank exploded Wednesday in the Appanoose County town of Moravia. KCCI-TV reports the woman had been using an oxygen machine for medical reasons when an explosion occurred. It’s unknown what ignited the fire.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – Fire crews in Fort Dodge rescued a woman trapped inside a burning house early Wednesday morning. WHO-TV reports the house only had one exit and that was in the area where the fire was. Two people were able to get out through a window, but one woman was trapped in a bedroom. Crews broke out a window to get to her. She was hospitalized.

LISBON, IA (IRN) – An off-duty law enforcement officer was taken into custody on Tuesday night after an alleged altercation at a bar in Lisbon. KCRG-TV reports Linn County Deputy Robert Amos, 48, of rural Lisbon, was arrested and charged with assault, a simple misdemeanor. He was placed on administrative leave with pay while an investigation continues.

MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – The team at Miracle Car Wash in Muscatine decided they wanted to put a special Halloween twist on the traditional car wash, according to WQAD-TV. This year marks the first time Miracle Car Wash has done a “haunted car wash.” The car wash done up with spooky decorations and the team wears Halloween costumes. Patrons stay in their cars and shut off their lights. Staff say there were plenty of screams the first night the “haunted car wash” was in operation.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – Police in Council Bluffs have identified a person whose body was found wrapped in a sheet near downtown. An autopsy showed the body is that of 35-year-old William Josephtong Dut, of Council Bluffs. Police have not revealed how Dut died, but have said his death is suspicious and that police continue to investigate.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The NCAA Board of Governors announced Tuesday that student-athletes can profit from their names and likenesses while at school. The decision comes after California passed a law allowing student-athletes to be compensated beginning in 2013. KCCI-TV reports Grand View University Sports Management Professor Scott Bull said the decision will allow well-known players to earn money from sponsorship deals. Bull said players at schools with a bigger spotlight, including the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, would have more sponsorship opportunities than players at smaller schools.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A bicyclist was airlifted to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after being hit by a semi early Tuesday morning in Franklin County. The semi’s 62-year-old driver hit the 26-year-old bicyclist travelling the same direction.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A theft after the annual Halloween parade is costing a Cedar Rapids business owner $20,000. KCRG-TV reports thieves took four golf carts, and organizers say the financial loss will make it hard to host the parade again.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Around 260 schools across Iowa are participating in the Youth Straw Poll on Tuesday. Students have the opportunity to cast their ballot for both the presidential and congressional races. This is the first youth straw poll that also sees a change in voters who are eligible in the upcoming primary. A new law allows 17-year-olds to vote in both the upcoming caucuses and primary if they are 18 by November 3rd, 2020.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – A second gender reveal explosion has happened in Iowa in the past few days. One in rural Knoxville on Saturday killed 56-year-old Pamela Kreimeyer when family inadvertently created a pipe bomb. The second was in Waukee Sunday evening. No one was injured in the second explosion.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police say they know why 23-year-old Rashid Ibrahim was shot and killed October 10 in north Des Moines– it was a drug deal that went bad. Two 18-year-olds, a 17-year-old, and a 16-year-old face murder charges.

AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State University issued a statement after a fan fell from the second story balcony of Jack Trice Stadium during the football game Saturday. The statement says the fan fell and landed on fans sitting below. Emergency medical professionals immediately responded and provided treatment. The names of the injured individuals haven’t been released.

WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – Residents were evacuated and a road was closed Monday as authorities from multiple law enforcement agencies investigated shots fired in Waukee. KCCI-TV reports officers were unable to pinpoint the exact location of where the shots came from and that no suspects or victims were found.

OMAHA, NE (IRN) – Flooding along the Missouri River has stretched on for seven months in places and could endure through the winter, leaving some Upper Midwest farmland and possibly some homes encased in ice. The National Weather Service reports there are several reasons for the flooding, including high levels along the river, saturated ground and broken levees. And with forecasters predicting a wetter-than-normal winter, it’s possible flooding could continue in some places all the way until spring, when the normal flood season begins.