Iowa Radio News

AMES, IA (IRN) – A crash involving dozens of vehicles has forced the closure of I-35 southbound in Ames. Approximately 50 vehicles were involved in the crash, which has closed the southbound lanes of I-35 near Lincoln Way. Officials at the scene report a mix of injuries from serious to walking wounded. People caught in the crash are being picked up by officials. GEORGE, IA (IRN) – One person died in a house fire in the small northwest Iowa city of George. Crews from six communities helped fight the fire, which was complicated by cold temperatures that caused water from the trucks to repeatedly freeze. The name of the deceased has not been released. CENTER POINT, IA (IRN) – Two firefighters received minor injuries from a house fire Sunday in the Linn County town of Center Point. KGAN-TV reports the home suffered major damages but everyone inside escaped without injury. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The 2018 Iowa County Caucuses are tonight. While there is no presidential election this year, Iowans will decide who will be governor and many legislative positions in November. Tonight, attendees will discuss the candidates, policies, and determine their representatives for their county committees. LAMONI, IA (IRN) – Layoffs are underway at Graceland University in Lamoni. The private liberal arts university is one of the largest employers in Decatur County on the Iowa-Missouri border. The university will cut 15 full-time employees and 4 part-time workers. Decatur County is the poorest county in Iowa. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Legislature is considering making first offense possession of marijuana that’s 5 grams or less a simple misdemeanor. KCCI-TV reports supporters say it would lessen penalties, save the state money, and reduce racial injustice. Half of the 3,400 cases brought in 2016 involved 5 grams or less. In the same period, 18% of people convicted were African Americans. IOWA FALLS, IA (IRN) – An Iowa Falls man who is a former Philadelphia Eagles player got a special message from the team Sunday. KCRG-TV reports Russell Verhousky signed with the team as a free agent halfback in 1953, and is now battling a terminal illness. He received a signed jersey with the message that read in part, “You have a loving team in your corner. Sincerely, your friends at the Philadelphia Eagles.”

NEVADA, IA (IRN) – A Nevada man was hit by a train after he allegedly killed his 2-month-old daughter. KCCI-TV reports 29-year-old Calvin White was charged Friday with first-degree murder and child endangerment after the baby’s mother came home to find the infant not breathing and alone with another child. Officers were called to the apartment, and shortly after to the scene of a pedestrian/train accident. White wasn’t seriously injured. He’s in jail. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man will spend two years in prison for killing a puppy by snapping its neck. KCRG-TV reports Christopher Vogel killed his neighbors’ 12-week-old Corgi named “Baby.” The neighbors had refused to give Vogel their Wifi password. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A former dentist who had operated clinics in West Des Moines and Des Moines has been sentenced to nearly two years in prison for drug and gun convictions. Prosecutors say 39-year-old Shawn Michael Kerby would prescribe the opiate painkiller to patients who didn’t need the drug. He then would have the patients return the pills to him once they were filled at a local pharmacy. The gun charge stemmed from a search of his home and dental offices that turned up several handguns and shotguns. AUDUBON, IA (IRN) – Super Bowl Sunday will feature an Iowa landmark in a commercial airing during the game. WHO-TV reports Audubon’s Albert the Bull will be featured in a Cenex Commercial, which is expected to air during the third quarter. The add premiered last week in Audubon, and officials hope it will draw tourists to the community.

NEVADA, IA (IRN) – Police in Nevada arrested the father of a two-month old baby two days after the baby’s death. KCRG-TV reports 29-year-old Calvin White faces charges of first degree murder and child endangerment causing death. Officers responded to a call for an infant not breathing on Monday. A short time after they arrived, the baby died. No cause of death has been reported. POWESHIEK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A teenager was killed in a two-vehicle collision in Poweshiek County yesterday. The Iowa State Patrol reports 16-year-old Connor McCrary of Montour drifted off the roadway, overcorrected, and slammed into another vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle was hospitalized with unknown injuries. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – $50 a tip. That’s how much students at Lincoln High School will get paid under a new program that allows them to report crimes anonymously. WHO-TV reports the program uses smartphone technology and allows students to get paid for tipping off school officials to crimes on campus. The partnership with Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa was the idea of the students. The program is called “Quick 50.” DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines parking enforcement officer was injured when a driver ran over her foot to avoid having her car towed. KCCI-TV reports the meter checker was having 22-year-old Shyla Chilous’ vehicle towed because of outstanding tickets. While waiting for the tow truck to arrive, Chilous showed up and tried to take her car, and ran over the checker’s foot. The checker screamed for Chilous to get off her foot. She did, and then ran on foot. Police chased her, used force to stop her, handcuffed and arrested her, and hauled her to jail. The meter checker will be OK, and authorities say people should just pay the ticket.

KANSAS CITY, MO (KRN) – The University of Missouri Kansas City campus is cutting tuition costs for more Kansas students and making it cheaper for students in seven other states, including Iowa. Iowans will receive the “Heartland Rate,” which will save them approximately $10,000 a year. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Fire crews responded to a fire at Rich Metals in Davenport late Thursday. KWWL-TV reports there were no injuries. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A Davenport teen has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the shooting death of a 15-year-old girl caught in the crossfire of rival gangs. WQAD-TV reports Trevor Owens, now 19, accepted a plea deal in the June 2016 shooting death of Ayana Culbreath. She was shot in the chest and killed when Owens and another teen started shooting at each other during a backyard party in Davenport. Owens says he’s sorry. NEWTON, IA (IRN) – A Newton man who confessed to committing sex acts on a ten-year-old girl is being set free as 16 class B felony charges against him have been dropped. WHO-TV reports 42-year-old Shawn Cooper pleaded guilty to all charges but was released from jail Monday. The reason? The court found him incompetent to stand trial. The county attorney’s office is seeking to have Cooper committed. The 10-year-old girl’s family is outraged. FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A woman has been charged with attempted murder after she intentionally rammed another woman with her car in Fort Dodge. KCCI-TV reports 27-year-old Leah Cervene was drunk when her car hit the woman at 1 a.m. on Saturday. Cervene fled the scene, but witnesses were able to describe her car, and police quickly apprehended her. The victim was hospitalized. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A good deed was followed by good luck for a Cedar Rapids man. KCRG-TV reports Ivan Guinard won $30,000 from a $3 crossword lottery ticket. Ivan says someone broke into his friend’s home and ruined the door, and he bought the ticket immediately after he fixed the door for free. He plans to give $1,000 from his winnings to the woman who sold him the lottery ticket.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – Council Bluffs police are investigating an officer-involved shooting early Thursday morning. KETV reports an officer was responding to a call of a suspicious vehicle when the officer fired shots while trying to take the driver into custody. Police say after the driver was shot, he or she took off in the vehicle and crashed, causing the car to flip on its roof. The driver then ran from the crash, but was quickly caught. The driver was taken to Nebraska Medicine with critical injuries. DYERSVILLE, IA (IRN) – A Dyersville man has been arrested for vandalizing the Field of Dreams in Dyersville. KCRG-TV reports 20-year-old Austin Pape faces multiple charges. He turned himself in this morning. The Field of Dreams is a baseball field just outside of Dyersville. It was the site of the 1989 movie of the same name, starring Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, and Ray Liotta. WEST VIRGINIA (IRN) – Three Iowa members of Congress were on the train carrying Republican members of Congress that collided with a garbage truck Wednesday on their way to a retreat. They’re OK. One person in the garbage truck died, and another was injured. IOWA (IRN) – Iowa House Republicans are proposing a 1% increase in per-pupil funding to K-12 public schools next year, roughly a $32 million increase. The Des Moines Register reports that’s less than the $54 million Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed in her Condition of the State address, and it’s less than the $40 million they approved for schools last year. Public school advocates say they are grateful to see any increase as the state continues to face sluggish revenue growth, but it doesn’t do enough to address their budget concerns. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Three juveniles were arrested Tuesday night after a police chase involving a stolen truck in Des Moines. WHO-TV reports the chase started on the south side of town during an attempted traffic stop, and ended when the driver deliberately left the road and crashed into a tree in the backyard of a home on a cul-de-sac. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Younkers announced yesterday it will be closing two stores in eastern Iowa. The Westdale Mall store in Cedar Rapids and the College Square Mall store in Cedar Falls will close by May. A total of 47 Younkers stores will close this year. Store officials blame the internet, and say they are moving “forward with a more productive store footprint.”