Iowa Radio News

MINGO, IA (IRN) – Four people are recovering at the hospital after a semi carrying dozens of hogs ran a stop sign and smashed into an SUV Saturday in Mingo. The truck driver, as well as two adults and one child in the car, were injured. CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – A patient attacked a staff member at the Iowa Medical Classification Center in Coralville Friday morning. The Des Moines Register reports a nurse was working at her computer terminal when a patient entered the office and struck the nurse multiple times with a closed fist. The incident remains under investigation. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A traffic stop landed a man in jail on drug charges in Mason City. KIMT-TV reports the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office stopped 36-year-old Jose Santos Najera for a stolen license plate. Najera faces charges of possession of marijuana, possession of alprazolam, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of drug paraphernalia, and 5th degree theft. GRINNELL, IA (IRN) – A man is dead after a grass fire in Poweshiek County. KCRG-TV reports a grass fire was reported west of Grinnell, and crews found 86-year-old Bernhard Willfang where flames started. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The fire burned about 40 acres and 70 hay bales. The fire and fatality appear to have been accidental.

WORTH COUNTY, IA – One person was transported via Mercy Air-Med to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa after a motorcycle crash Friday afternoon. KIMT-TV reports a motorcycle driver lost control going around a curve and went into the ditch. The motorcycle went end over end 3-4 times before coming to rest. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Firefighters put out a fire at a Waterloo home Friday according to KWWL-TV. When firefighters arrived, smoke and flames were visible. Crews were able to get everyone safely out, including a dog. The fire may have started from burning incense. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s former worker’s compensation commissioner who alleges he was pressured by former Gov. Terry Branstad to resign because he’s gay plans to take his discrimination case to trial. KCRG-TV reports Chris Godfrey is seeking damages in one of the first cases trying to hold the state financially liable for actions of officials that infringed on the rights of an individual. Branstad has denied the allegations and says Godfrey mismanaged the office. ST. LOUIS, MO (IRN) – A quirk in the mail delivery system is forcing some residents of rural northern Missouri to have Iowa mailing addresses, causing problems when they vote, pay taxes and even when they die. U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill calls it “one of the dumbest things” she’s seen and has sent a letter to the Postmaster General asking that issue be resolved. The Iowa addresses aren’t recognized in Missouri’s voting system. And some affected residents have been asked to file taxes in the wrong state. RYAN, IA (IRN) – Forbes magazine has released their 2018 edition of the ’30 Under 30′ and an Iowan has made the list. Brad McDonald, a Cofounder of Agroy, made the list in the Retail & E-commerce industry category. Agroy is a company that allows farmers to buy fertilizer, seed and more online. In Agroy’s first year of business in 2016 they made over $2 million in sales. McDonald is 29 and lives in Ryan.

MISSOURI VALLEY, IA (IRN) – Two bodies were found inside a business after a fire Thursday in Missouri Valley. KETV reports the fire was at CTI Electronics. At least nine volunteer fire departments responded to the scene. GRAETTINGER, IA (IRN) – A church in northwest Iowa is missing as much as $470,000, according to KCAU-TV. Bethel Lutheran Church officials in Graettinger say the money loss dates back to 2007. A suspect has been identified, but no arrest has been made. A local bank tipped church leaders about the loss after discovering suspicious account activity. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The woman who was shot Monday night in Cedar Rapids is brain dead, but is on life support awaiting organ donation. KCRG-TV reports 33-year-old Heidi Stephens was found shot in front of a friend’s house. Her brother, Trent Hoppe, says — “she didn’t deserve it — she was a very loving person — she was the mother of three beautiful children.” No arrests have been made, but Hoppe say he thinks he knows who did it. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A man was arrested after a standoff in Des Moines yesterday, according to KCCI-TV. Police were called to a domestic dispute, and the man involved would not come out to speak with officers. He told them he had two guns. Eventually, police knocked the door in and told the man to get on the ground. No shots were fired, and no one was injured. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – Northwest Iowa police arrested a Colorado man when 77 pounds of marijuana was found in his vehicle. KWWL-TV reports police charged 34-year-old Darrel Wait of Thornton, Colorado on multiple drug charges. Wait was pulled over on a traffic stop. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – It’s Black Friday, and shoppers are heading out. WHO-TV reports while online shopping is on the increase, Iowans still love to get out and shop retail stores. Shopper Jennifer Mott says, “ I like having things in my hands, and bringing them home with me.” Shopper Bekah Johnson says you just can’t get the Christmas spirit online. “The Christmas lights, the people, the music, gets you in the spirit.”

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids Police are investigating a homicide after a body was found early Wednesday morning in an alley. KGAN-TV reports the man in his 30’s died of “fatal traumatic injuries.” Neighbors say they heard gunshots. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A Waterloo man accused of threatening Iowa senator Joni Ernst could spend the next 15 years in prison. On Wednesday a federal jury in Cedar Rapids convicted 34-year-old Joseph Dierks of sending threatening communications. Police arrested Dierks in August after he sent three threatening tweets to the senator. One included a link to scene in a movie showing a man shooting a woman in the head. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A Waterloo man is in jail following a lengthy early morning chase that included a Black Hawk County sheriff’s deputy firing shots. KWWL-TV reports no injuries were reported, and the pursuit lasted about half an hour, starting on the outskirts of Waterloo and winding through the county. 35-year-old Eric John Norelius was jailed. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Ohio woman was arrested after having to be removed from a plane at the Des Moines International Airport Tuesday. WHO-TV reports 40-year-old Carol Lamb was drunk and arguing with a business partner. She refused to get off the plane and police had to remove her. Lamb was arrested and charged with trespassing and interference with official acts.

CHICKASAW COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Nashua man is behind bars on sexual abuse charges. KIMT-TV reports 38-year-old William Maurice Dooly was charged with three counts of 2nd-degree sexual abuse, all class “B” felonies. Dooly allegedly sexually abused victims who were 4, 6 and 7 years old in 2013 in a camper bathroom. In one of the allegations, he is accused of abusing a 6-year-old and threatening the victim with a loaded gun. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa City man charged with sexually assaulting numerous students and employees on the University of Iowa campus has taken a plea deal. KGAN-TV reports 34-year-old Adam Weinstein entered an Alford plea Tuesday to assault with intent to commit injury and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. In an Alford plea, a person doesn’t admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a likely conviction. Police say Weinstein sexually assaulted, groped and harassed at least eight women on the campus during a 15-hour period in 2015. AMES, IA (IRN) – An Ames woman charged with involuntary manslaughter in the opioid overdose of her fiancée pled guilty to a lesser charge of possession of a controlled substance, according to KCCI-TV. Ames police say 22-year-old Sadie Dalgliesh purchased the drug known as U-4 that killed her fiancée, 25-year-old Tashara Burnside. Burnside’s mother says the plea deal is “a punch in the gut.” DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The City of Des Moines is considering a plan to turn one of the city’s oldest eyesores into something new. WHO-TV reports the city is considering building a new police department headquarters at the Dico Superfund site near Martin Luther King Parkway and Fleur Drive which has sat empty for years. The current century-old police building is too small. Lack of space has forced the department into seven smaller buildings. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa City is the one of the drunkest cities in the nation according to USA Today. Almost a quarter of Iowa City residents binge drink or drink excessively. Overall, Iowa is the seventh drunkest state. Most of our nation’s drunkest cities and states are in the midwest. KEYSTONE, IA (IRN) – An Eastern Iowa girl is going to be on national TV Sunday for her volunteer work, according to KCRG-TV. Raegan Junge from Keystone founded Raegan’s Relief Efforts and has raised more than $23,000 to donate and deliver products to natural disaster victims. She will join three other teens for the Nickelodeon Halo Awards. Reagan says she hopes other kids watch the HALO awards and are inspired to volunteer.