Iowa Radio News

BREMER COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A woman on a tube was hurt last night on the Cedar River near Waverly after being struck by a boat. She was taken to the hospital with head injuries and was treated and released. The DNR is investigating the accident, and determining if alcohol was involved. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A teen father faces first degree murder charges after police say he beat his eight-month-old daughter to death. WHO-TV reports 17-year-old Jayden Straight turned himself in to police early Sunday morning. The child’s mother isn’t part of the investigation. ALTOONA, IA (IRN) – A second-grade student in the Southeast Polk Community School District has died due to complications of E. coli, according to KCCI-TV. Natalie Baker, who attended Willowbrook Elementary School in Altoona, died unexpectedly on Friday. Natalie’s mother says that parents should take children’s stomachaches seriously because that’s how Natalie’s symptoms started. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) A woman was shot in the leg in Cedar Rapids last night, according to KGAN-TV. She was taken to the hospital, and is expected to survive. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Don Emmons of Davenport is restoring an antique tractor for a good cause. WQAD-TV reports he recently lost his wife of 58 years, Loretta, who had been previously diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Emmons says in the month following her death, “I was just laying there, didn’t have nothing to do, and I just thought, I’ll just take a ratty old tractor and see how good I can make it. I’ll make it the best looking tractor I got just for her and donate it to Alzheimer’s.” Emmons adds, “It was hard. I miss the old gal. I miss her really bad.” The tractor will be sold at the 2018 Gone Farmin’ Iowa Premiere, November 8-10.

EVERLY, IA (IRN) – Law enforcement officials in northwestern Iowa are investigating the death of a South Dakota woman whose body was found in a camper. The Sioux City Journal reports that Clay County sheriff’s deputies were called to a rural area near Everly late Thursday night for reports of an unresponsive woman. Deputies found 30-year-old Casey Blaine Eleeson, of Huron, South Dakota, dead in the camper. Investigators say her death is suspicious. AMES, IA (IRN) – Ames police are advising women to use the buddy system after two women reported sexual assaults near Campustown this week. KCCI-TV reports one woman says two white men attempted to grab her and tried to pull her behind some buildings Sunday, but she was able to get away. Two white men grabbed another woman Tuesday and sexually assaulted her. FAYETTE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A crash after a chase by law enforcement has resulted in the death of a 28-year-old man. The Iowa State Patrol reports Fayette County Sheriff’s deputies were involved in a high speed chase with a 2008 Kia Spectra driven by Jared Hill of Jefferson City, Missouri. Hill hit an unoccupied parked car and died in the crash. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The final Sears store in Des Moines will close this fall when the national retailer shutters its Merle Hay Mall location. The Des Moines Register reports the company notified employees Thursday that it will close the store in mid-October. The nearly 60-year-old Sears building will most likely be razed and a new strip mall for two or more new tenants built in its place.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Russian military officials allegedly scouted the election administration websites of Iowa counties as they sought to hack into computer systems and sabotage the 2016 presidential election. The Des Moines Register reports those allegations are included in an 11-count indictment unveiled Friday as part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate says Iowa’s systems weren’t compromised. COLO, IA (IRN) – Two men were taken to the hospital Friday afternoon after they were struck by lightning at a Story County golf course. KCCI-TV reports the men were in the Twin Anchors golf course parking lot outside Colo when they were struck by lightning around 4 p.m. The men were hospitalized, but are expected to recover. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A termination letter shows that a member of the Iowa State Patrol was fired this month because of “intimidating, threatening and unwelcome” interactions with colleagues. The patrol fired Des Moines-based trooper Wade Karp on July 3 after a 10-month paid administrative leave. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A cement truck fell into a sinkhole in Des Moines Friday, according to WHO-TV. The ground gave way under the weight of the truck, but the driver made it out okay. The affected sewer system is reportedly old, in an older neighborhood, and made of wood.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A woman who was accidentally shot at the Animal Rescue League in Des Moines early this week is angry that the man with the gun won’t face any charges. KCCI-TV reports the incident happened Sunday when 27-year-old Zackery Gwinn’s gun discharged and the single round bounced off the floor, fragmenting into several pieces. Denise Robinson, 62, said shards of the bullet hit her in both legs, and she has eight puncture wounds. Robinson’s 9-year-old granddaughter received minor cuts, and her son was not hit. AMES, IA (IRN) – A human error means that the $23 million flyover bridge project at the intersection of Interstate 35 and Highway 30 in Ames must be rebuilt. KCCI-TV reports construction crews are tearing apart brand-new bridge piers that were to hold up the bridge because the piers are not the right height. It may be the most expensive road construction error in state history. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Incumbent Republican Congressman Rod Blum is challenging his Democratic opponent Abby Finkenauer to 12 debates. KCRG-TV reports Finkenauer has agreed to participate. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa health officials are investigating an increase in people becoming sick from the parasite Clycospora. The Iowa Department of Public Health says the illnesses appear to be connected to consumption of salads from McDonald’s restaurants. Cyclospora is a parasite commonly found in developing countries. The intestinal illness is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the microscopic parasite. The main symptom is watery diarrhea lasting a few days to a few months. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines elementary school teacher was charged with domestic assault and public intoxication early Sunday morning after an off-duty officer observed her kick a man in the chest outside an Urbandale restaurant. The Des Moines Register reports Mollie Michelle Erpelding, 28, says she doesn’t think she did anything wrong except slap her boyfriend.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man has admitted stealing trade secrets and transferring some to his new employer. KCCI-TV reports Josh Isler, of St. Ansgar, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids to theft of trade secrets and making false statements to the FBI. Isler was working as a technical service account manager for DuPont’s ethanol fuel enzyme division in August 2013,and he downloaded hundreds of electronic DuPont files after accepting a job with an unnamed DuPont competitor. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Police in eastern Iowa are looking for members of a mob of up to 40 people who swarmed into a Cedar Rapids convenience store, stealing items and destroying property in just seconds. The Des Moines Register reports that the incident happened July 3 following a nearby fireworks show. Surveillance video of the Casey’s General Store shows a large group of young people entering the store, grabbing items from shelves and coolers and rushing back out of the store’s doors – knocking over displays on the way out. From start to finish, the incident took less than 90 seconds. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Vice President Mike Pence spoke in Cedar Rapids yesterday as part of a two state swing to rally support for President Trump’s policies. KCRG-TV reports Pence told employees at Rockwell Collins that the Trump Administration’s agenda is working. He highlighted how he believes tax reform will help Iowa families. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa will soon have a woman on the state Supreme Court. On Wednesday the Iowa Judicial Branch announced three finalists for the seat soon to be vacated by retiring Justice Bruce Zager. All are women: Susan Christensen from Harlan, West Des Moines Attorney Terri Combs and Judge Kellyann Lekar from Waterloo. Governor Kim Reynolds will now choose one of the women to fill Zager’s seat. DES MOINES, Iowa – Flags in Iowa have been ordered to fly at half-staff in honor of Iowa’s former governor Robert D. Ray who passed away Sunday. Governor Kim Reynolds issued the order that starting at sunrise on today for flags to fly at half-staff until sunset on Friday.