Iowa Radio News

NEW YORK, NY – Gov. Kim Reynolds appeared on CBS This Morning today and talked about Iowa’s recent ranking as #1 in U.S. News and World Report’s Best States. The magazine lists Iowa #1 in infrastructure, #3 in health care, #4 in opportunity, #5 in education and #9 in quality of life, giving Iowa the #1 ranking overall. However, the state ranked near the bottom in some categories, including #46 for business environment, #36 in growth of the young population, #38 in venture capital investment and #45 in entrepreneurship. MONROE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two people are dead following a head on collision involving a stolen vehicle in Southeast Iowa last night. KTVO-TV reports a suspect robbed and assaulted a pizza delivery man, and stole his car. Shortly afterward, a collision occurred on Highway 34. The suspect driver, 28-year-old Nathaniel Wesley Stroud of Centerville, was westbound at a high rate of speed when he struck an oncoming car driven by 34-year-old Summer Leanne Cox of Allerton. Both Stroud and Cox were pronounced dead on scene. ANAMOSA, IA (IRN) – The Anamosa city council has fired the police chief after media reports showed he sent emails with racist and sexist comments. KCRG-TV reports Chief Bob Simonson offered to retire, but the council unanimously decided to fire him Monday night instead. Simonson must return his gun and gear by noon today. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A motorcycle driver was hospitalized Monday after wrecking his bike in Des Moines. When police arrived on scene the man was under the motorcycle in the middle of the street. Authorities believe alcohol played a role in the crash. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa drivers are the most ticketed in the country when it comes to speeding. According to the online insurance company, Insurify, Iowa drivers get more speeding tickets than anywhere else in the United States. That’s despite having the lowest per-capita number of police officers among the other highest ticketed states. Over 23% of Iowa drivers reported having a speeding violation in the last seven years, the highest percentage in the nation. BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – The late-winter thawing of an eastern Iowa marina has left a smelly surprise: thousands of tiny dead shad. The Hawk Eye reports fish in Burlington’s Bluff Harbor Marina slowly ran out of oxygen during two months of freezing temperatures and ice build-up. Pelicans, gulls and eagles are taking advantage of the opportunity to feed.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Johnston mom accused of leaving her four kids home alone while she took a vacation to Europe pleaded guilty Monday morning. WHO-TV reports Erin Macke faces a maximum of eight years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for sometime in April. MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – A 17-year-old juvenile has been arrested and charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon after a shots fired incident in Muscatine. KWQC-TV reports there were no injuries. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating a fatal crash involving a car and a pedestrian that happened Sunday night. KCCI-TV reports it appears the man was struck by a vehicle which left the scene. Police have now arrested a woman in the incident. She faces numerous charges, including giving police a false identity once she was arrested. ALDEN, IA (IRN) – A 61-year-old Iowa grandfather has been sentenced to five years of probation and sex offender treatment for molesting his 6-year-old granddaughter. KCRG-TV reports Dean Hilpipre of Alden was sentenced Friday in a plea deal. The girl’s mother criticized prosecutors for failing to send Hilpipre to prison. NEVADA, IA (IRN) – Public safety officials are concerned about up to 500,000 bales of flammable stover that are stored across central Iowa and will be left over after a cellulosic ethanol plant is sold. The Des Moines Register reports that the newly merged DowDuPont is selling its $225 million cellulosic ethanol plant in Nevada, and many residents are asking what will happen to the stover. The plant’s corn cobs, husks and stalks are a major fire liability. WARREN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Dozens of Iowans sprinted into 34 degree water at Lake Ahquabi in Indianola Saturday as a part of the Special Olympics Iowa Polar Plunge fundraiser. Athlete John Fitten says the organization helped him believe in himself. He says, “I was told that I would never have a job, and would be home living with my parents. I surpassed what everybody told me I couldn’t do and now I’m here, married, I have a job, and I’m participating in one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Ankeny man whose baby died after becoming wedged between a mattress and a wall has pleaded guilty to several charges. The Des Moines Register reports that 48-year-old Matthew Cohara pleaded guilty to child endangerment and possession of marijuana and cocaine in a plea deal. Police were called to the home of Cohara and 33-year-old Michelle Atwell in August after the 7-month-old baby was found not breathing. An autopsy found a cocaine byproduct in the baby’s system. Atwell has pleaded not guilty. MARION, IA (IRN) – A man and a woman are in the hospital after an SUV hit a home in Marion. KCRG-TV reports around 5:30 Saturday night, a Toyota SUV crashed into a bedroom in the front of the home. No one was inside at the time. The car was totaled. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – County supervisors in Woodbury County have renewed a ban on guns in the courthouse after a dispute over allowing weapons in parts of the building where court services aren’t held. The Sioux City Journal reports one supervisor switched positions, saying it’s impractical to allow guns into portions of courthouse floors, while restricting them on other floors. DES MOINES, (IRN) – Iowa athletic officials are reminding everyone about new security measures at Wells Fargo Arena. Next week, fans will pack the arena for the Iowa Girls State Basketball Tournament. Officials say fans may want to arrive a little early. The event with be the first to include walk-through metal detectors. Keys, phones, and wallets will need to be put into a bowl before security allows guests to walk through the detectors.

MONTICELLO, IA (IRN) – A former Iowa Barnstormers basketball coach has left the organization amid a criminal investigation into secret video recordings of nude teenagers. The DCI says it served a search warrant Thursday at 42-year-old Greg Stephen’s home. Stephen hasn’t been charged. Investigators say they were looking for evidence of child pornography and invasion of privacy. IOWA (IRN) – An arrest has been made in one eastern Iowa school threat investigation, but another remains open. WHO-TV reports classes were cancelled in the town of Riceville on Thursday after the school received a threat. A former student was arrested Friday. Classes were canceled at all Dubuque schools on Friday due to a threat. That threat has since been found to be not credible. Police are investigating. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – 31 Iowans died last week of influenza-related complications, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. The total number of flu-related deaths in the state is 157 since October. It’s the worst flu season since the swine flu outbreak in 2009. No Iowa children have died of the flu this year. Most deaths have been in older people born before 1960. BETTENDORF, IA (IRN) – A World War II veteran who lost his home in a fire in Bettendorf got a surprise from students at a local elementary school. KWQC-TV reports the students raised more than $2,200 for 95-year-old Max Wilson and presented the money, a blanket and an American flag to him at an assembly. Max called the gifts “unbelievable.” At the assembly, Jacob Beaver, a student who saw Wilson’s home in flames and told his parents, was given a police department award and a medal of honor.

CRESTON, IA (IRN) – Investigators have determined the death of a Creston man on Valentine’s Day was a homicide. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says rescue crews were called to perform a welfare check at an apartment. When officers arrived, they found the body of a deceased male. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The campaign manager for Gov. Kim Reynolds has left her staff. KGAN-TV reports Phil Valenziano has moved on and that Gov. Reynolds would name his replacement in coming weeks. Reynolds had kept Valenziano despite an incident last summer, when he was arrested for public intoxication after being seen urinating outside a West Des Moines bar. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Classes are cancelled at Dubuque Senior High School today due to the threat of a possible shooting. KDTH-Radio reports the school district sent out an alert late last night, informing parents of several social media reports of a possible threat. Police are investigating. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Senate Republicans’ plan to overhaul Iowa’s tax code is on the fast track, having passed through two key parts of the legislative process just over 24 hours after it was first introduced. KGAN-TV reports Republicans say the 130-page bill is projected to cut taxes by $1 billion annually and reduce personal income taxes rates by 30%. Democrats say there has been no analysis on the fiscal impact the bill would have on the state budget. MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – A train horn quiet zone was implemented this morning in downtown Muscatine. WHBF-TV reports Canadian Pacific engineers will no longer blow the locomotives’ horns on their approach to crossings in Muscatine. City leaders say the goal is to assist businesses and residents who live near the railroad tracks in the downtown area. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Dubuque police have made an unusual drunk driving arrest. KCCI-TV reports police tried to pull a man over for running a red light, but he wouldn’t stop and the officer lost track of him. The driver then called dispatch to report himself for drinking and driving, hitting another car, and “losing the cops.” He now faces multiple charges.