Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Although opioid use is going down in Iowa, methamphetamine use is going back up. A new state report on Iowa’s Drug Control Strategy shows opioid overdose deaths are slowing down. However, over 10,000 Iowans have been treated for meth use disorders so far this year – an all-time high. Marijuana is still one of the most commonly used illicit drugs in Iowa. Iowa has the nation’s lowest overall rate of illicit drug use at just under 7 percent. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Demonstrators gathered at the Iowa Statehouse and in other Iowa cities Thursday to protest President Donald Trump’s firing of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and hiring of Iowan Matt Whitaker as acting attorney general. Sessions has been in the president’s crosshairs ever since he recused himself from the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. There have been reports that Whitaker has no plans to recuse himself, despite the fact that he has commented that the investigation has gone “too far.” URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – A crash killed one person Thursday night in Urbandale, according to KCCI-TV. The driver of the car tried to exit I-80 onto I-35, but then hit a pole and rolled into the ditch. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A vehicle chase through Davenport yesterday resulted in the arrest of four juveniles who stole the vehicle. WQAD-TV reports the chase ended in a crash. The juveniles were aged 14, 14, 13, and 12. One of the juveniles had numerous active felony charges, and police found a loaded handgun in the wrecked car. MARION, IA (IRN) – The effort to set aside a thousand acres of land in Linn County for monarch butterflies and other pollinators is getting closer to happening. KCRG-TV reports the City of Marion is looking at donating 29 acres this year to the 1,000 Acre Pollinator Initiative. The program sets aside urban public land to increase pollinator habitat. Area municipalities have set aside more than 170 acres to date.

LINCOLN, NE (IRN) – The Iowa man accused of killing a 23-year-old Lincoln Nebraska woman and dismembering her body has been deemed mentally competent to stand trial. KCCI-TV reports Aubrey Trail told investigators he killed Sydney Loofe, then dumped her remains in a Clay County field. This allegedly happened after Loofe and Bailey Boswell, a co-defendant in the case, arranged a date through Tinder. The same day, surveillance video at a Lincoln Home Depot showed Trail and Boswell buying supplies that prosecutors think were used to kill Loofe and dispose of her body. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Ankeny native Matt Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney in Des Moines and starting tight end for the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 1991 Rose Bowl, is now the acting U.S. attorney general after President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday. Whitaker is a Trump loyalist and trusted adviser to the president. He will lead the Department of Justice, which includes overseeing Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the president and the 2016 campaign. BETTENDORF, IA (IRN) – Bettendorf firefighters responded Wednesday evening to a fire that injured two people at a home. Officials say flames broke out as family members were celebrating a religious holiday with candles. One person caught fire, and a second person was burned while trying to assist the first. One of the victims was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and the other was flown to Iowa City for treatment. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – With more than 1.3 million ballots cast in Iowa, the 2018 general election set a record for the most votes ever cast in a midterm. Turnout among registered voters was an outstanding 60.94%. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Drake University announced Wednesday it will start serving beer at its home basketball games, making the Bulldogs the first Division 1 team in the state to offer alcohol sales to fans. Initial offerings at the Knapp Center will include a selection of national and local craft brands.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A Dubuque woman stole more than $35,000 from the estate account of her late father. 54-year-old Molly Behnke, of Dubuque, is charged with theft. The Telegraph Herald reports that an estate attorney told police that Behnke, as one of the executors for her father’s estate, was authorized to withdraw money to pay his final bills. Behnke made withdrawals from May to July that were not used to pay off the debts. IOWA (IRN) – The 2018 midterm elections are over. Nationally, Democrats have secured the House, and Republicans have strengthened their hold in the Senate. Iowans sent a mixed message, choosing Republican Kim Reynolds as Governor over Democrat Fred Hubbell, while Democrats Cindy Axne and Abby Finkenauer have unseated incumbent Republicans David Young and Rod Blum in the House. Also in the House, Republican Steve King and Democrat Dave Loebsack retained their seats. MOUNT PLEASANT, IA (IRN) – Zachary Koehn of Mount Pleasant was convicted of first-degree murder and child endangerment causing death on Tuesday, related to a 2017 neglect incident that resulted in the death of his son. According the the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Koehn was convicted after less than hour of deliberations by the jury. Koehn’s infant son, Sterling, had died of dehydration, malnutrition, and a diaper rash infection that had spread. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A Sioux City man has died after an assault over the weekend, according to KCAU-TV. Police have no suspects. IOWA (IRN) – Iowa has moved to the top of a list–the state with the most tornadoes in 2018. Iowa and Louisiana lead the nation so far, tallying 84 and 69 preliminary tornado reports, respectively, through Nov. 2, according to data from NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center. Iowa typically ranks about eighth, and Louisiana 14th.

BUENA VISTA COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The U.S. Justice Department is monitoring compliance with federal voting right laws by deploying personnel to 19 states, including Iowa, for today’s general election. Federal personnel are in northwest Iowa’s Buena Vista County, which has a large population of immigrants employed in agriculture and the meat packing industry in the Storm Lake area. WINNESHIEK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A northeast Iowa man is accused of going armed with intent and stabbing himself before having to be Tased. KIMT-TV reports 30-year-old Joshua Draves was arrested around 3 a.m. Saturday in Freeport. Draves allegedly slashed the tires on a vehicle belonging to the victim’s sister before entering a residence and jumping on the victim as she was sleeping. He then allegedly held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her before putting the knife to his own throat. He stabbed himself when authorities arrived. He’s in jail with minor injuries. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Drake University students are on high alert after multiple reports of armed robberies near campus in the past month. KCCI-TV reports Drake officials say they are ramping up security measures after three armed robbery reports in four weeks. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man was shot twice in the leg in Cedar Rapids Monday, according to KCRG-TV. No names of the victim or any suspects were released. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Volunteers are helping at-risk dogs in Des Moines by building fences for owners who may not be able to afford them. WHO-TV reports the group sees dogs that are chained in yards, that have never had the experience of running free, and build fences for them. The Fence Project of Des Moines has built 95 fences in the past seven years.

MOUNT PLEASANT, IA (IRN) – A private school in southeast Iowa is on the verge of closure despite a recent enrollment increase. The Hawk Eye reports that Iowa Wesleyan University in Mount Pleasant needs to raise more than $2 million for its spring semester and at least $4.5 million to stay open for another year. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A jury has found a Waterloo man guilty of manslaughter and child endangerment resulting in death for the 2017 beating death of his girlfriend’s 4-year-old son. The Courier reports that Walter Cordell Williams was convicted Friday. The 24-year-old man faces more than 50 years in prison. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A person was stabbed behind La Juanita’s Restaurant in downtown Sioux City Saturday night, according to KCAU-TV. The victim was stabbed once in the chest after being jumped by two men. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – People protested a Cedar Rapids roller skating rink after two transgender teens say they were kicked out. KCRG-TV reports the protest stemmed from a recent skating event where two transgender boys, who asked to remain anonymous, said they were asked to leave the roller rink while skating during a “boys only” skate session. IOWA (IRN) – Democratic businessman Fred Hubbell heads into Election Day with a narrow lead over Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds among likely voters, according to a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll. Forty-six percent of likely voters say they support Hubbell, and 44 percent say they support Reynolds. Two percent say they support Libertarian Jake Porter, and the rest are undecided.