Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Polk County gave $844,000 in grants to ten private, religious schools despite a state law prohibiting public funding for such schools. The Des Moines Register reports that Polk County gave the money in 2012 and 2013 to nine local Catholic schools and one Protestant school by giving the grants to a corporation that passed the money to the schools. The money came from gambling revenue generated by the Prairie Meadows Casino and Hotel. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A sewer line collapse in Mason City caused untreated wastewater to flow into the Winnebago River in northern Iowa. The DNR reports repairs have been made, but sewage had been discharged into a storm sewer that ends up in the river. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A motorcyclist died Sunday morning in a single-vehicle crash in Pleasant Hill. KCCI-TV reports the victim crashed into a chain link fence. Emergency personnel had to use bolt cutters to get to the victim, who died at the scene. Police say speed may have been a factor in the collision. JASPER COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A 9-year-old child was flown to a Des Moines hospital after being located underwater at Rock Creek State Park in Jasper County Sunday afternoon. The Des Moines Register reports the child’s condition has not been released. MONTICELLO, IA (IRN) – A well-known special needs camp near Monticello is shutting down to sanitize after more than a dozen staff members became ill. KCRG-TV reports the leadership of Camp Courageous decided Sunday to close and do the mass cleaning as a precautionary measure. At least 16 staff members have recently become ill. Officials are unsure what the illness or its origin might be, but said symptoms were flu-like. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Fourth of July might be a little quieter this year for Des Moines residents. WHO-TV reports the Des Moines city council has banned the use of fireworks. Vendors are still allowed to sell them within city limits.

CORYDON, IA (IRN) – A man accused of killing a deer hunter in south-central Iowa has been found guilty of misdemeanor charges in a separate burglary case. The Daily Iowegian reports 27-year-old Ethan Davis was found guilty of misdemeanor counts of assault causing bodily injury and child endangerment. Police say Davis was armed when he burst into a Seymour home on Nov. 24 where his ex-fiance and her boyfriend were. Police say he pistol-whipped the boyfriend and fired a shot into the ceiling before trying to leave with is 1-year-old son. Later that day, Davis allegedly shot and killed 31-year-old Curtis Ross, of Cedar Falls, whose body was found Dec. 2 in a remote area of Appanoose County with multiple stab wounds. WAPELLO COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Authorities in Ottumwa are searching for a fisherman after his boat was found unoccupied and wedged into the riverbank on the Des Moines River. KCCI-TV reports the Ottumwa Fire department and the DNR are using sonar equipped boats to search for the missing fisherman. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A man with a gunshot wound showed up to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines early Saturday, according to the Des Moines Register. Police say the victim was uncooperative and refused to supply information. IOWA (IRN) – Iowa’s unemployment rate is down, according to new numbers from the Iowa Workforce Development. The data shows the state’s unemployment rate is now the third lowest in the country. In May, the rate fell to 2.7%, compared to 3.2% at the same time last year.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Democratic governor nominee Fred Hubbell has chosen eastern Iowa farmer and legislator Rita Hart as his running mate. Hubbell announced Saturday morning that Hart, a state senator representing Clinton and part of Scott counties, was his pick for lieutenant governor. Hart and her husband, Paul, run a farm near Wheatland, northwest of Davenport. She also worked for more than 20 years as a teacher in the Calamus-Wheatland and Bennett school districts. She was elected to the state Senate in 2012 and re-elected in 2014. KNOXVILLE DO NOT READ THIS SECOND STORY PELLA, IA (IRN) – A man drowned below the Lake Red Rock Dam Friday. KNIA/KRLS radio reports a seven year old female who was playing at the water’s edge became caught up in the currents of the Des Moines River. The girl was pulled out by a nearby boater, but was unconscious and not breathing. After pulling several other people trying to rescue the girl to safety, the boater was able to resuscitate the girl by performing CPR. Her uncle, Cha Charles Lee, 42, of St. Paul, MN also tried to save her but drowned. NEVADA (IRN) – A Story County man who admitted to killing his 2-month-old daughter by placing pillows on her face pleaded guilty Friday to child endangerment causing death. The Des Moines Register reports Calvin Curtis White, 30, of Nevada, was later struck by a train in an attempt to kill himself. He will be sentenced to 50 years in prison. WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – West Des Moines police have arrested two people for using an ATM skimmer to clean out the bank accounts of dozens of people. KCCI-TV reports Cardozo Da Silva, 40, and Jamily Silva Sousa, 26, are charged with identity theft, forgery, credit fraud and using an illegal skimming device. Police aren’t sure where the men are from. BELLE PLAINE, IA (IRN) – Firefighters in the eastern Iowa town of Belle Plaine were tasked with keeping a truckload of hogs cool after it got stuck on railroad tracks yesterday. KCRG-TV reports the firefighters sprayed down the hogs with water to keep them cool until they were transferred to another trailer. IOWA (IRN) – NASA astronaut and Iowa native Peggy Whitson announced she is retiring. Whitson has completed three long-duration missions to the International Space Station. In 2002, she become NASA’s first Space Station science officer, and in 2008 become the first female commander. Last year, Whitson became the first woman to command the Space Station twice, claimed the title for most spacewalks as a woman, and set the record for the most time in space by a US astronaut with 665 days.

ELDRIDGE, IA (IRN) – Five people are in the hospital after two cars crashed in a “T-bone” type collision at an intersection east of Eldridge on Thursday evening. WQAD-TV reports one is in critical condition while the others have non-life threatening injuries. EASTERN IOWA, IA (IRN) – Students from Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida will be holding March For Our Lives rallies in Cedar Rapids and Marion on June 21. The students are travelling to about 20 states protesting gun violence. Seventeen people died in the school shooting in Parkland on February 14. DUNKERTON, IA (IRN) – Authorities say there is no foul play involving the death of a 6-year-old in Black Hawk County on Wednesday. KGAN-TV reports first responders were sent to a home in Dunkerton on a report of a child who was not breathing. The preliminary cause of death is sepsis due to acute peritonitis due to acute appendicitis. COLUMBUS JUNCTION, IA (IRN) – Emergency personnel responded to an unresponsive child at the Columbus Community Swimming Pool Wednesday, according to KCII Radio. Upon arrival first responders were told the five-year-old boy had been rescued from the pool. CPR was performed on the child, and from these efforts the child became responsive. The child was then transported by Air Care to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. SWISHER, IA (IRN) – Johnson County law enforcement officers detonated three homemade explosive devices found at a Swisher home yesterday. KCRG-TV reports police responded to a hit and run crash involving a driver who displayed a firearm and left the scene. Deputies obtained a search warrant for the man’s home and found the three devices. The Bomb Team took them to a gravel road and detonated them. No arrest has been made. FAIRFIELD, IA (IRN) – An inmate at the Jefferson County jail is facing additional charges after police say she smuggled drugs into custody in her pants. KTVO-TV reports the 50-year-old woman became disruptive and appeared to be under the influence of drugs. Officers placed her in a detox cell, where she was later found in possession of prescription drugs. She’s still in jail. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines rehabilitation facility held its ninth annual Game Show Gala last night, an event that helps pay for services for people with substance abuse disorders. KCCI-TV reports hundreds of people turned out for House of Mercy’s event, which raised more than $350,000.

CLIVE, IA (IRN) – A proposed psychiatric hospital in Clive is getting some pushback from potential neighbors who don’t want the facility in their backyard. KCCI-TV reports mental health advocates are pushing back, too, saying the concerns are based in ignorance. Mercy Medical Center would build its facility right next to an existing campus just east of Interstate 35/80, but some neighbors want it elsewhere. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines woman faces multiple felony charges, including possessing methamphetamine with children in the home. KCCI-TV reports an FBI led raid happened Monday at the home of 41-year-old Crystal Carney. An 11-year-old child in the home and had access to the meth. This is Carney’s third meth related criminal charge. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King is facing widespread condemnation for retweeting a Nazi sympathizer on Tuesday. The Des Moines Register reports King recirculated a tweet from Mark Collett, a well known white supremacist in Britain. King retweeted Collett’s post on immigration, writing, “Europe is waking up…Will America…in time?” Collett has described himself as a “Nazi sympathizer” and said he admires Adolf Hitler. King has not responded to the criticism. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Humboldt volunteer firefighter has resigned after being accused of driving a fire engine drunk. WHO-TV reports the man was responding to a 911 call when police on scene said he smelled like alcohol and was slurring his speech. His blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit. He had volunteered on the department for 18 years. BETTENDORF, IA (IRN) – In 10 years, Honor Flight of the Quad Cities has organized 45 honor flights for local veterans, according to WQAD-TV. The flights carry veterans from the Quad City International Airport to Washington D.C. for one day. Yesterday, grocery chain Hy-Vee announced that they would donate $50,000 to the organization to help sponsor the 45th flight. Over the years, Hy-Vee has sponsored 10 flights and has donated approximately $450,000.