Iowa Radio News

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Patrol is investigating a deadly crash near the Fort Dodge Country Club that apparently began much earlier in Des Moines. KCCI-TV reports a victim was robbed of his white Ford van at gunpoint in Des Moines. At approximately 4:30 a.m., an officer with the Story City Police Department located the stolen vehicle on Interstate 35. A chase began that then ended in a crash in Fort Dodge. The driver was ejected from the vehicle and killed. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines fire officials are investigating what caused a fire at a home late Wednesday in the Drake neighborhood. KCCI-TV reports one victim was seen being taken from the house on a stretcher. BLACK HAWK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two women and a child were taken to the hospital after a crash Wednesday night in rural Black Hawk County. KCRG-TV reports a 28-year-old man driving a Cadillac CTS rear-ended a Chevy Yukon, which then crashed into a Chevy Cruze. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A school bus drove into a laundromat in Sioux City yesterday, according to KCAU-TV. The bus was on its way to pick up children. No one was injured. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Steve King, the controversial 4th District Congressman from Kiron, will face a Republican challenger in the primary. Three-term State Senator Randy Feenstra, a Hull Republican, has announced that he will run for King’s seat in 2020. Governor Kim Reynolds says she will stay on the sidelines, and not endorse either candidate. King has faced criticism in the past for endorsing a white supremacist mayoral candidate in Toronto last year and for his comments about immigrants.

WAPELLO COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A 73-year-old woman Ottumwa woman suffered a gunshot wound to the back of her head while in her kitchen cleaning her stovetop. She heard a loud noise and felt pain to the back of her head and then discovered she was bleeding. She drove herself to the hospital where doctors removed a bullet. Authorities arrested Lee Joseph Ryals, 34, of Chillicothe. A felon in possession of a firearm, Ryals was drunk when he reportedly fired a shot from a 30-30 rifle at a deer from the front deck of a nearby trailer where he was staying. The round missed the deer, traveled across a field and a street before striking the woman in the head. She’ll be OK. He’s in jail. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Harding Middle School in Des Moines was put on lockdown yesterday after a shooting near the school, according to WHO-TV. Witnesses reported that a man on foot fired several shots at a car. The suspect and the car both fled the scene. EVANSDALE, IA (IRN) – A woman faces charges related to two incidents just hours before a suspicious fire. According to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Jennifer Dicken faces charges of trespassing and harassment. On Jan. 1, Dickens went to a home in Evansdale where her estranged husband lives. She threatened to take their children and pulled a knife. She then called and threatened him and their children’s lives. Later that evening, his house burned down. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced Tuesday that the benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will be funded through February. Other USDA programs funded through February include school lunches and WIC — which provides nutritional assistance to pregnant women, mothers and children. KCCI-TV reports there are 335,000 Iowans on SNAP. Polk County food pantries could see 60,000 additional Iowans if the shutdown doesn’t end soon. IOWA (IRN) – A new phone app will make it easier for truckers who need to pull over to get some sleep. KGAN-TV reports Iowa is one of eight states adopting a smart parking system using sensor technology to detect when overnight parking spots become available at rest stops. The hands-free app called “Trucks Park Here” will be available by the end of January.

AMES, IA (IRN) – A school principal under fire in the Ames School District has resigned. The Ames Tribune reports the school board approved the resignation of Dan Fox, former Ames Middle School principal after a special closed-session meeting Monday night. Parents had complained about a toxic student to student bullying environment at the school, amid allegations of racism and discrimination against LGBTQ students. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A person was shot in the head with a 9mm handgun in Sioux City yesterday. KCAU-TV reports the victim was taken to the hospital to be treated. It appears to have been an accident. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – If the government shutdown continues, it could impact the Federal Court system in Iowa. WHO-TV reports court employees could be furloughed, and that would impact the 131 federal court hearings scheduled from January 22 to January 31 and after. The judiciary says it has enough reserve money to last until January 18. AMES, IA (IRN) – The ISU Police Department announced the death of one of its police officers Monday. Authorities say that Officer Scott Lindley “unexpectedly passed away” on Jan. 2. A spokesperson wrote, “His heroism in the Army National Guard and as a police officer has extended beyond his time here through organ donation where people will continue to see his positive impact for years to come.” The spokesperson added, “Rest in peace, Officer Lindley; we’ll take it from here.” NORWALK, IA (IRN) – On the heels of “Aquaman” becoming the highest-grossing DC Comics movie ever, Jason Momoa returned to Iowa over the weekend. The Norwalk native grew up splitting his time between Iowa, where his father lived, and Hawaii, where his mother was. Why did he come back? To visit his Grandma. Momoa shared on Instagram that he “Needed to come home to Iowa and give my grams some aloha…Love u forever grandma.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man faces charges after he told a 17-year-old girl he was an undercover cop. KCCI-TV reports Kent A. Smith, 60, is charged with impersonating an officer. According to police, Smith followed a 17-year-old girl to her home and blocked her in her driveway. He allegedly told the girl he was an undercover officer and said he was not going to leave until police arrived. When they did arrive, they placed Smith into custody. He’s in jail. MARION, IA (IRN) – Marion police are investigating a stabbing that sent one person to the hospital Sunday night. KCRG-TV reports 32-year-old Quincy Franklin allegedly stabbed the victim during a fight. He’s in jail. STORM LAKE, IA (IRN) – A man wielding a selfie stick and a “Keep America Great” sign was arrested Saturday in Storm Lake for allegedly becoming aggressive with attendees at a political rally for Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Randal James Thom, 58, of Lakefield, Minnesota, was charged with disorderly conduct. ELDRIDGE, IA (IRN) – A gun-making group moving to eastern Iowa is bringing with it a $25 million contract to make rifles for a European nation’s military. The Quad-City Times reports that Lewis Machine & Tool is relocating from Milan, Illinois, to its new and much larger plant in Eldridge, Iowa, where it will supply the Estonian Defence Forces with 16,000 rifles. Estonia borders Russia and the Baltic Sea in northern Europe. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Female wrestlers in Iowa will get a chance to win a state title later this month. The Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association announced on Friday plans to host a high school girls’ wrestling state tournament. The competition is set for Jan. 19 at Waverly-Shell Rock High School. Over 16,000 girls are wrestling in high schools across the country.

CLINTON, IA (IRN) – An eastern Iowa firefighter died Saturday morning after an explosion at a grain processing facility, according to KWQC-TV. A fire at the ADM Grains facility in Clinton led to an explosion. The incident resulted in the death of 33-year-old Lt. Eric Hosette. Hosette was with the fire department for 12 years and has a wife and young daughter. LAKE RED ROCK (IRN) – A kayaker drowned in the Des Moines River at Lake Red Rock yesterday, according to KNIA/KRLS radio. One kayaker went too close to the eddies at the foot of the dam was sucked in. The other kayaker followed in an attempt to rescue his friend. The second kayaker drowned in his rescue attempt. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – One was hurt after a truck smacked into a Cedar Rapids home, Saturday afternoon, according to KCRG-TV. The driver of the truck was hurt and taken to an area hospital. Neighbors say the vehicle apparently rolled down a hill, hit a mailbox and crashed into the house’s front exterior wall, creating a small hole to the inside. AMES, IA (IRN) – Marial Shayok scored 24 points, and Iowa State routed No. 5 Kansas 77-60 on Saturday in men’s basketball for its fifth straight win.