Iowa Radio News

IOWA – Election results strongly favored Republicans in Iowa. President-elect Donald Trump won 56.3% of the vote in the Hawkeye State, improving upon his margins of victory in 2016 and 2020. At least three of the four U.S. House seats are also called by the Associated Press for Republicans — Iowa District One slightly favors the incumbent, Mariannette Miller Meeks, but was too close to call. Miller-Meeks herself did declare victory late Tuesday night. IOWA – Many Iowa communities received 4-6″ of rainfall over the last week, according to the National Weather Service. The totals exceeded the previous four months combined for many cities and rain gauges. More rain appears to be on the way this Saturday, and the Climate Prediction Center has forecasted a wet November.

IOWA – Much needed rain across the State meant Iowa farmers had just 4.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending November 3rd, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included harvesting corn and soybeans, completing fall tillage, and applying fall fertilizer and manure. Harvest of the corn for grain crop reached 92 percent statewide, six days ahead of last year and two weeks ahead of the five-year average. Moisture content of field corn harvested for grain remained steady at 14 percent.DES MOINES – A shooter involved in a deadly drive-by shooting at East High School was sentenced on Monday. WHO-13 reports Alex Santiago Perdomo is going to prison for life for the killing of 15-year-old Jose Lopez. Santiago Perdomo pled guilty to first degree murder last year to the incident.

IOWA – An Iowa-based poll known for its accuracy in predicting outcomes in the state has shown a dramatic shift in the 2024 General Election just days from November 5th. The Des Moines Register Poll, conducted by J. Ann Selzer, shows Vice President Kamala Harris with a three-point lead over former President Donald Trump in Iowa. The 45th president won Iowa by significant margins in 2016 and 2020 — both of which were accurately predicted by the pollster. The numbers also show gains for Democrats on the generic congressional ballot in U.S. Districts 1 and 2 — both rated as toss-ups by national election forecasters. That includes a 16-point lead for Democrats in the district held by current U.S. Representative and Republican Marianette Miller-Meeks. The poll has a 3.3% margin-of-error. IOWA – Three more fatal crashes have added to what has been an autumn of above-average deaths on Iowa’s roadways. The Iowa State Patrol responded to three crashes in Story, Cerro Gordo, and Lee Counties from Thursday through Saturday. Among those are 67-year-old John Husted Berg of Ames, who was traveling in the wrong lane of 13th Street in Ames late on Halloween and collided head on with another vehicle while not wearing a seatbelt. Fifty-nine-year-old Michelle Schultz was walking along Interstate 35 at 1:16 Saturday morning and was struck by a box truck driven by Henry Moss, Jr. of Des Moines. A BMW driven by 234-year-old Josue Alexander Boton Pinula failed to yield at a stop sign near the intersection of U.S. 218 and Iowa Highway 16 and was struck by tractor and trailer in the southbound lanes. This comes has traffic deaths in Iowa exceed 2023 numbers by 11 in September and nine in October. That has pushed 2024 into being the second most-deadly on Iowa’s roadways in the last five years. IOWA – The average price received by farmers for corn during September 2024 in Iowa was $4.09 per bushel according to the latest USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service report. This was 7 cents abovethe August price but $1.13 below September 2023. The September 2024 average price received by farmers for soybeans, at $10.00 per bushel, was 10 cents below the August price and $3.10 below the September 2023 price.

MARENGO – An Iowa-based company could face federal charges for a December 2022 explosion in Marengo. The Des Moines Register reports C6-Zero received a warning from the Environmental Protection Agency, claiming the company is still not complying following an incident that forced evacuations of nearby homes and left chemical contamination in the area of the factory. The letter claims the company violated aspects of the Clean Air Act. COUNCIL BLUFFS – A man guilty of assaulting a former U.S. Senator in Iowa was sentenced this week. KCCI-TV reports 26-year-old Dominic Henton was sentenced to just under a year in prison and two years of probation, as well as ten-years on the sex offender registry. In November of 2023, Henton assaulted former U.S. Senator Martha McSally in Council Bluffs. IOWA – Severe drought expanded to a majority of Iowans in the latest weekly update. Just over 50% of Iowans are in the D2 category on the U.S. Drought Monitor, after a dry fall has erased a very wet spring and summer. This week’s heavy rain that fell in many Iowa communities was not included in the latest report. Another round of rain showers could drop two-to-three inches of rainfall starting overnight Saturday through Tuesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

IOWA – A large storm system swept through the state on Wednesday, bringing with it multiple rounds of rain and warnings. The National Weather Service reported five instances of wind gusts above severe limits and multiple tornado warnings were issued throughout the day for an unusual late October weather pattern. Many Iowa communities received more than two inches of rain. This comes as nearly the entire state has been in drought for several weeks after one of the driest Septembers and now Octobers on record. IOWA – Iowa’s election chief is defending a decision to challenge nearly 2,000 voters and their citizenship status. The Des Moines Register reports Secretary of State Paul Pate accused that group due to previous reports to the Iowa DOT that they were noncitizens, and sent letter to all 99 county auditors to dispute their ability to vote. The county auditors have identified several of those individuals have become naturalized since. Pate claims those who were challenged were reviewed before taking them off of voter rolls, while civil rights groups allege the move is politically motivated. SIOUX CENTER – An Iowa man has journeyed on a culinary journey that has brought him to buffets across the Midwest. KCAU reports Jason Halkias has spent the last ten years traveling in 14 states to take in every Pizza Ranch location in the U.S. Halkias finished that work Tuesday in Sioux Center, where he was greated by staff with a goodie bag and his favorite slice of pizza.