Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is confirming the recent and abrupt departure of his chief of staff, according to KCCI-TV. Mark Snell’s employment ended January 3. No reason was given for the departure, and Snell didn’t submit a resignation letter. Snell had a $132,000-annual salary and had served as the top administrator since Pate took office in 2015. Pate, a Republican, is gearing up to run for re-election this year. FOREST CITY, IA (IRN) – A North Iowa teen is pleading not guilty to five burglaries. KIMT-TV reports 18-year-old Jordan Lee Meier of Forest City is accused of stealing a handgun, a rifle, a shotgun, medication, and cigarettes. Photos of some of the stolen property were found on Meier’s cell phone and there’s a DNA match between his blood and blood left behind at one of the burglaries. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health is reporting a norovirus outbreak across the state. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and a low-grade fever. It typically lasts for two days. While norovirus is often called the “stomach flu,” it’s not the same as influenza and the flu vaccine will not prevent it. If you get it, the CDC says stay home and drink plenty of fluids. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s controversial traffic enforcement cameras may be on their way out. The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill Tuesday to ban the red light and speed cameras immediately. The bill now goes to the full Senate. Last week, a House committee voted 11-to-10 to advance a similar ban. ANKENY, IA (IRN) – Ankeny-based Casey’s General Stores is looking at expanding its group of convenience stores with a major acquisition. CNBC reports Casey’s put a bid in to buy grocery store giant Kroger Co.’s convenience stores, which would include 783 stores in 19 states. Casey’s is one of several companies pursuing the stores. Kroger operates convenience stores under the names Quik Stop Markets, Smith’s Express, Loaf N’ Jug, Kwik Shop, Turkey Hill Minit Markets and Tom Thumb Food Stores. INDEPENDENCE, IA (IRN) – An AED device saved a man’s life at an Independence High School basketball game, and now the district is adding more of them to place throughout the school. KCRG-TV reports one of the referees had a heart attack, and a trainer went to his aid with the AED. Activities Director Justin Putz said, “it was pretty shocking to have an official go down, and there is no doubt the AED and CPR saved his life.”

PULASKI, IA (IRN) – A body was found Saturday morning in a burned out car in rural Davis County near Pulaski. A farmer noticed the vehicle on a farm lane off a dirt road, and called 911. An autopsy will be performed, and the investigation is ongoing. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating an overnight shooting in east Des Moines, according to KCCI-TV. The victim initially told officers he was out for a walk around 4 a.m. when a car pulled up and a person fired three times at him, hitting him in the leg. Later at the hospital, police said the man admitted that he had accidentally shot himself while cleaning his gun at home. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa House of Representatives will consider a bill that would allow those convicted of first degree murder to be put to death by lethal injection, potentially reversing a half-century-old ban on capital punishment in the state. The House proposal is much broader than a Senate version of the bill, which would apply only to those convicted of kidnapping, sexually abusing and killing a minor. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Also in Statehouse news, a bill under consideration would require high school students pass a citizenship test before graduating. Students can take the test at least once a year starting in the 7th grade. If they pass it once, the student will have fulfilled the requirement. 26% of Americans can’t name all three branches of government. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s gas prices jumped the most out of any state in the country over the past month. The current average for the state for regular gas is at $2.58 per gallon. That’s up 18 cents for the month of January. AAA says the demand for crude oil is causing the uptick. GALESBURG, IL (IRN) – A Cherokee man was arrested in Galesburg, Illinois, for allegedly trafficking five pounds of marijuana inside of a 4-foot-tall teddy bear. The Globe Gazette reports 21-year-old Hunter Parker was arrested Saturday at the Amtrak Station in Galesburg. Deputies were conducting a security check when they smelled the odor of marijuana on the teddy bear. Parker had purchased a one-way ticket to St. Louis.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – The body of a missing Waterloo woman was found at the Garden of Memories Cemetery on Friday. KWWL-TV reports 40-year-old Lakisha Williams was reported missing January 24. Williams’ husband, Fredrick Williams, has been detained in Minnesota. Police say the death is suspicious. BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – A Burlington man is behind bars after allegedly using a public library computer to solicit nude photos of an underage girl. KBUR radio reports 23-year-old Antrell Devon Branton was arrested Thursday on felony charges of enticing a minor. Branton was using a computer at the Burlington Public Library to have conversations with a 15-year-old girl. He admitted he had asked for and received nude photos of the teenager. He said he used the library computers on a daily basis because he did not own a computer or phone. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – An 18-year-old man is facing murder charges after two Sioux City teenagers were stabbed to death Sunday. The Sioux City Journal reports that police arrested Tran Walker shortly after the victims were found. Walker was taken to a local hospital for the treatment of a non-life-threatening knife wound. After treatment, he was interviewed by detectives and charged with two counts of Murder 1st. CRESCENT, IA (IRN) – A man died Saturday in western Iowa after the tractor he was driving flipped into a ditch and caught fire, according to KETV. The 44-year-old man was traveling on a gravel road near Crescent when his tractor left the road, overturned, and caught fire. He was trapped inside and perished in the flames. The cause of the crash is unknown. BUCHANAN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A woman was injured in a single vehicle crash in Buchanan County Sunday, according to KCRG-TV. Aleesha Clarke-Wilkinson was driving a Chevrolet Cavalier when she lost control of the car, crossed the centerline, entered a ditch, and rolled before coming to rest. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The fire that destroyed Plaza Lanes in Des Moines also took away a venue for high school bowling teams. This meant the Iowa High School Athletic Association had to find a new place to hold the state tournament. The association announced Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo will host the three-day tournament, in which 60 teams will compete February 19th-21st.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN0 – A $282 million water quality bill was passed by the Legislature this week. The Des Moines Register reports for farmers, it means about $150 million in new funding for cover crops, bioreactors and buffers as they seek to curb the high levels of nitrates and phosphorus entering Iowa’s waterways. Critics say the bill is a drop-in-the-bucket distraction. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Dozens of tissue samples from hunted deer in Iowa have been turned over to be tested for chronic wasting disease. Chronic wasting disease is a neurologic disease of deer, moose and elk that is always fatal. The disease first appeared in Iowa’s deer herd in 2013 and every year since. The nine-day collecting effort ends today. PALO, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s only nuclear power plant could wind up shutting down years earlier than planned, according to KGAN-TV. That’s the warning from operators of the Duane Arnold Nuclear Power Plant in Palo. In its latest quarterly filing, NextEra Energy said it is unlikely the company will extend its current contract with the plant’s primary customer, Alliant Energy. That contract expires in 2025. No deal would mean the plant could shut down after 50 years of service. The plant is licensed to continue operations until 2034. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Organizers of the 2018 Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) announced this year’s route Saturday night. The route winds through the middle of the state, starting in Onawa and traveling through Denison, Jefferson, Ames, Newton, Sigourney, Iowa City and ending in Davenport. The 46th annual ride will be the fourth flattest in the ride’s history, as well as the seventh shortest. This year’s ride will be held from July 22-28.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The state agency that came under widespread scrutiny after the unrelated starvation deaths of two 16-year-old central Iowa girls faces proposed budget cuts, which Democrats say could lead to another tragedy. Despite high caseloads and short staffing, Republicans in the Legislature have proposed to cut the Iowa Department of Human Service’s budget by nearly 10 percent. Republican legislators say they’re confident they can protect both taxpayers and Iowa children. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Also related to the legislative session, Republican lawmakers want to allow $5,000 to $6,000 per student that now goes to the public schools to be diverted to help pay for private or homeschool education. Opponents say it would be the beginning of the end of Iowa’s strong public school system, which is currently ranked 13th in the country. ALDEN, IA (IRN) – A man from the northern Iowa town of Alden currently awaiting sentencing for sexually assaulting a child has won a $100,000 lottery prize. 61-year-old Dean Edward Hilpipre presented his winning lottery ticket Wednesday and received his prize. Lottery officials say anyone from anywhere can win the lottery. CLIVE, IA (IRN) – Seven employees fell mysteriously ill inside a Walgreens in Clive Friday, according to WHO-TV. What caused them to become sick, however, is unknown. The employees were sent to the hospital with vomiting, dizziness, and headaches. A Haz-Mat team was able to rule out carbon monoxide and natural gas, and believe something might have come in through the ventilation system. The Walgreens closed for the rest of the day, and all employees have recovered.