Iowa Radio News

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A North Liberty man was killed Monday in a fiery crash just off Interstate 80 in Iowa City. The Iowa State Patrol reports Timothy Nelson, Jr. died Monday afternoon after hitting a traffic control pole and being ejected from his car. The 27-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities confirmed that he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. AMES, IA (IRN) – Campus visits have been scheduled for the four finalists in the search for the next president of Iowa State University. Their identities are being kept secret until a day before their visits. Officials say 64 people applied to the job, which was left vacant when Steven Leath left to take the top job at Auburn University in Alabama. JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – The Johnston school district cancelled classes for today after parents received multiple text messages with threats to kill their children. The threatening texts went out to parents of all grade levels. School district officials are working closely with the Johnston Police Department to track down the source of the texts. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A district court judge in Iowa has upheld a new state law that requires a three-day waiting period for abortions, a move that will send the issue to the Iowa Supreme Court. WHO-TV reports Polk County District Judge Jeffrey Farrell says in a ruling issued Monday that the law doesn’t place an undue burden on women. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man faces an assault charge after authorities say he bit off another man’s earlobe. The Des Moines Register reports that 42-year-old George Thomas Chambers was arrested Sunday on an assault causing bodily injury charge. He told police, “I’m Mike Tyson,” a reference to the professional boxer who famously bit Evander Holyfield’s ear during a 1997 fight. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – Students from North Iowa Area Community College collected items for a Florida community college impacted by Hurricane Irma. KIMT-TV reports Florida Keys Community College is receiving a plane full of toilet paper, notebooks, water, and other supplies. The plane and fuel for the trip were donated by local businesses.

LAS VEGAS, NV (IRN) – Des Moines native Kurt Allison who was onstage with Jason Aldean on Sunday night in Las Vegas was not injured in the mass shooting, according to KCCI-TV. All members of the band made it off the stage safely as shots began to spray the crowd. 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire on a crowd of more than 20,000 after Aldean took the stage to headline a weekend music festival. Right now the death toll stands at 58, and 500 others were injured. Allison is a 1986 graduate of Lincoln High School. He’s played with Jason Aldean since 1999. BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – One man is dead after an officer-involved shooting Sunday in Burlington, according to WQAD-TV. Police haven’t released the name, but family confirmed that 27-year-old Marquise Jones was shot and killed by a Burlington police officer after he was pulled over. Police didn’t say why they pulled Jones over, but his mom says there was a warrant out for his arrest for a probation violation. A handgun was found at the scene. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A motorcyclist is in critical condition after a hit and run crash in Cedar Rapids Sunday. KCRG-TV reports the driver of the car ran from the scene. MYSTIC, IA (IRN) – A fire in the Appanoose County town of Mystic Friday left a house destroyed. KTVO-TV reports no one was at home at the time of the fire, and no one was injured. All that’s left standing of the home is the chimney. The cause of the fire is under investigation. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – About 200 dog owners took over Gray’s Lake in Des Moines Sunday for the fifth annual PuppyUp Walk, an event that raises money for cancer research. KCCI-TV reports the group raised $23,000 during the event. The money goes toward research seeking a cure for human and canine cancer.

IOWA COUNTY, IA (IRN) – One person is dead after a crash on I-80 Saturday morning near Williamsburg. The Iowa State Patrol reports 35-year-old Aaron Meyer of Cedar Rapids was killed when his car hit the back of a semi. The truck was slowing or almost stopped as crews worked to remove another semi that crashed into a ditch days before. IOWA COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A young man is dead after flipping his car and hitting a wall four miles east of Williamsburg Saturday. KWWL-TV reports 24-year-old Cody Severns lost control around a curve. He was the only person in the car. Authorities believe it was at least a couple hours before someone discovered the accident. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Davenport Police have identified the body found along Interstate 80 earlier this week. WQAD-TV reports 50-year-old Bobbie Jo Shouse-Byrd of Davenport was found along I-80 near an overpass on Thursday. Police are not released any other information. SOLON, IA (IRN) – 2-year old Chihuahua Sprite from Solon has new wheels, according to KCRG-TV. Sprite can’t use his front legs and is getting used to wearing his wheelie vest. The vest is custom fitted with four wheels to help him move. A GoFundMe Account raised over $2,000 to help pay for it.

LINN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two people are dead after a car accident in Linn County, according to KWWL-TV. A southbound vehicle driven by 22-year-old Brianna Stastny of Cedar Rapids was attempting to pass another vehicle when it struck a northbound vehicle head-on. Brianna suffered what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries. The passenger in Brianna’s vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver and only occupant of the northbound vehicle was also pronounced dead at the scene. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A 60-year-old Des Moines woman died after she was struck by an SUV on Friday, according to KCCI-TV. The SUV was driven by a 16-year-old male Des Moines resident. Detectives say speed was likely a factor in the death. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s treasurer says Gov. Kim Reynolds’ plan to tap an emergency fund to address a budget shortfall is not compliant with state law. Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald sent a letter to Reynolds on Friday that says revenue tied to the state budget that ended in June did not drop below a certain legal threshold. Since revenue didn’t meet that threshold, Fitzgerald says funds can’t legally be transferred from the state’s economic emergency fund. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – The Davenport City Council has decided Davenport will mark Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 9, not Columbus Day. The Quad-City Times reports the council made the proclamation at its meeting Wednesday at the request of the Native American Coalition of the Quad-Cities. The group shared their concerns about celebrating Christopher Columbus and the history of mistreatment of Native Americans locally. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Friday was the first meeting of a program at Summit Elementary School in Cedar Rapids called the “Mad Scientists” Club. KCRG-TV reports students at Summit are teaming up with future teachers from Coe College after school to learn more about science. There is great interest in the program–forty students joined in less than seven days.

DAVENPORT, (IRN) – A domestic disturbance turned deadly last night in Davenport. WQAD-TV reports police responded to a report of a domestic incident, and when they arrived they heard a gunshot. They secured the perimeter of the scene, and repeatedly asked whoever was inside to come to the door. No one did, and when police entered they found a deceased person inside the front door. The investigation is ongoing. HUDSON, IA (IRN) – Hudson Police say a worker with Traer Municipal Utilities is in the hospital after nearly being electrocuted. KWWL-TV reports the 51-year-old man was working on a transformer box yesterday afternoon when he came in contact with a high-voltage line. The worker has severe electrical burns, but was breathing when he was taken to the hospital. JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – A Johnston woman faces charges after she left her four children home alone while taking a trip to Germany. KCCI-TV reports 30-year-old Erin Lee Macke is charged with four counts of child endangerment, and one count of transfer of pistol or revolver to a person under 21. The children are 12, 12, 7 and 6. Macke faces the gun charge because she left a firearm within reach of the children. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The Cedar Rapids Police Department has made an arrest in a murder in a Walmart parking lot on July 2nd. Andrew Meeks, Jr. died in the shooting; Johnny Moore, Jr. was injured. Quarzone Martin was arrested in Chicago and transferred to the Linn County Jail on Thursday. GRINNELL, IA (IRN) – A Grinnell doctor has been arrested for sexual assault. WHO-TV reports 62-year-old Roy Doorenbos was charged with two counts of Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse and one count of 3rd Degree Sexual Abuse. A woman who lived with Doorenbos claims he assaulted her three times. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School used its homecoming game to help victims of Hurricane Maria, according to KCRG-TV. Students say they’re taught at Kennedy to put others first, and always help those in need. Members of the cheer team roamed the stands collecting donations. The effort is part of the “One Campaign.” The organization was formed recently by all five living former U.S. Presidents, and money is going to hurricane relief.