Iowa Radio News

BIRMINGHAM, IA (IRN) – A woman from the southeastern Iowa town of Birmingham was arrested Friday after her 2-month-old son died from starvation and dehydration, according to KGAN-TV. 23-year-old Angel Poole called 911 saying her son, Judah Wessels, was having difficulty breathing. An hour later he was dead. She’s in jail. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – The name of the inmate who was found unresponsive in his detox cell in the Cerro Gordo County Jail has been released. 54-year-old Taras Roan of Mason City had been arrested Wednesday night for assault and public urination. An autopsy revealed the cause of death was a heart attack. There were no signs of trauma and foul play is not suspected. It’s the third inmate death in 16 months at the jail. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The department store Nordstrom is cutting more than 100 jobs nationwide, including 18 from its Cedar Rapids distribution center. KCRG-TV reports the cuts in Cedar Rapids are customer-service specialists. The Cedar Rapids distribution center primarily warehouses and ships items sold online from Nordstrom.com. After the 18 cuts, Nordstrom employs 1,825 people in Cedar Rapids. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two gymnasts who trained at Chow’s Gymnastics in West Des Moines have been inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame. The Des Moines Register reports that Des Moines native Shawn Johnson, and Virginia Beach, Virginia, native Gabby Douglas were named hall of famers Friday.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – In April 2016 three for-profit companies took over management of Iowa’s Medicaid program at the order of Gov. Terry Branstad. Branstad said the change would help save the state money. The Des Moines Register reports the three companies say they have had “catastrophic” losses on the project. They have asked the state to compensate them about $450 million in losses. The state already faces a budget shortfall. TAMA COUNTY, IA (IRN) – One person is dead after being hit by a car late Friday night. The Iowa State Patrol reports a man was driving eastbound on Highway 30 in Tama County when a man and woman were trying to cross the highway. The woman made it to the other side, but 41-year-old Randolph Papakee was hit by the car and killed. ARLINGTON, IA (IRN) – A Waverly man illegally transported thousands of gallons of fuel to different gas stations, according to KCRG-TV. 22-year-old Zachary Less was arrested Friday. He faces charges for several safety violations for not having the load properly secured and improper transport of a hazardous material. He was using a trailer and plastic tanks. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A circus in Des Moines is being met with protests, according to WHO-TV. The Za-Ga-Zig Shrine Circus is at the Iowa State Fairgrounds this weekend. Before each show, protesters say they will fight for the animals’ rights and want to inspire others to join their cause. Similar protests contributed to the end of the “greatest show on Earth.” Earlier this year, the Ringling Bros. Circus announced they will close after nearly 150 years in operation. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – “The Mayor” of Ames has been nominated to become the university’s next president after a petition surfaced to replace Steven Leath after he announced his resignation. KCCI-TV reports the petition says Chicago Bulls head coach and former Cyclone coach and player Fred Hoiberg is “the most ideal candidate…as he is charismatic, has the Ames community behind him, has a very good reputation with Alumni, and most importantly, he is beautiful.”

CLINTON, IA (IRN) – Clinton authorities have declared a five-year-old boxer-Labrador mix a dangerous dog for attacking a toddler just hours after it was adopted from an animal shelter. WQAD-TV reports the dog bit a 15-month-old boy in the face, leaving massive facial wounds. The boy will be OK, but will need reconstructive surgery for the damage to his face. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa lawmakers voted 26-21 Thursday in support of a bill that would allow county auditors to question signatures and require voters to present government-issued photo identification at the polls. Republicans say they are tackling voter fraud. Democrats say it’s an expensive solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. BOONE, IA (IRN) – Authorities are investigating two suspicious deaths after two people were found dead in a Boone home. KCCI-TV reports a woman and her son lived in the house. A neighbor says she sees the son occasionally at night, but hasn’t seen the woman in the year and a half she has lived next to them. Names and conditions of the bodies haven’t been released. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – An inmate in the Cerro Gordo County Jail has died. KIMT-TV reports the man was found unresponsive in his detox cell. Jail staff performed life saving measures and the man was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy has been scheduled. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A bill that will make it easier for police to ticket you for distracted driving has cleared a major hurdle at the statehouse. WHO-TV reports the State Senate passed a bill banning texting, web browsing, playing games and checking social media while driving. The bill stops short of a full “hands free” law that would ban the use of any electronic device that is hand held while driving. The bill now heads to the Iowa House. WASHINGTON, IA (IRN) – Opposition to House Speaker Paul Ryan’s health care bill is costing an Iowa congressman some valuable campaign support. The Wall Street Journal reports a political action committee backed by Ryan is withdrawing staff support from Rep. David Young in response to Young’s opposition to the bill. Young says that House leaders are rushing and should be more deliberate to get the Obamacare replacement right.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Officials say they didn’t have a hard time tracking down a would-be marijuana dealer in Davenport. That’s because he received 10 pounds of the drug in the U.S. mail. The Quad City Times reports 25-year-old Charles Simpson faces multiple drug charges. Simpson’s brother mailed him the marijuana to sell locally. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A man and woman wanted in Florida were arrested Wednesday after a police chase in Des Moines, according to WHO-TV. It started when a man reported being robbed of his wallet outside a Hy-Vee in West Des Moines. When an Urbandale officer tried to stop the thieves, the driver took off, and eventually crashed. The driver, Justin Marshall of Florida, and his passenger, Allison Hunter of Kentucky, are both wanted on warrants in Florida. The truck they were driving was stolen from Missouri and had license plates stolen from Iowa. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines Police believe a man wanted for questioning in a 2015 homicide is back in Des Moines and possibly disguising himself as a woman. WHO-TV reports Alf Clark is being sought as a material witness in the investigation into the shooting death of one person and the wounding of another. Police say he may be disguising himself as a woman to avoid detection. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines family of 11 has been displaced by a fire, according to KCCI-TV. Angela Fullmer and her nine children were asleep when their dog woke them up because their house was on fire. Fullmer was able to get all of her children outside in their pajamas. Her husband, a long-haul trucker, was away. Fulmer says they are now living out of two rooms in a Clive hotel, and “the little ones, three and four, keep asking when we’re going home.” CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The Cedar Rapids Fire Department doused a fire, and managed to save a cat Thursday morning. KCRG-TV reports crews conducted a search and found no one inside the home. After they put out the fire, they found an unconscious cat in the basement. The cat was given oxygen and survived. MEDIAPOLIS, IA (IRN) – Firefighters in Mediapolis are making news, far from the scene of any fire. WQAD-TV reports since August the fire department has gotten bigger and bigger. Six babies were born to the same firefighting family within seven months; three girls and three boys. Some in the fire department say to expect more babies as there are several young couples in the department who haven’t had kids yet.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Three police officers and a boy’s mother coaxed the 7-year-old into jumping from a second-story window into their arms so he could escape a fire at their home in Dubuque. KCCI-TV reports the mother escaped down the front stairs Tuesday, but smoke prevented the boy from reaching the stairs. Three officers joined the mother below the window where the boy was standing. They persuaded him to push out the screen, drop his dog to one of the officers and jump into the waiting arms of his mother and the officers. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating after receiving a report that a man shot himself in the leg near the Fairgrounds this morning. WHO-TV reports the man was taken from his home by ambulance. Police say the shooting was an accident. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A Waterloo woman is facing multiple charges after she poured gasoline on a woman and threatened to kill her and burn her children. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports 29-year-old Traynetta Ford had a plastic bottle filled with gasoline and dumped it on a woman inside a convenience store. Ford then went outside and poured gas on the woman’s SUV with three children inside. Ford then lit a cigarette lighter near the driver’s door, but the woman chased her away before the gas ignited. BOONE, IA (IRN) – A former Boone youth pastor has been charged for having inappropriate contact with a 16-year-old girl in his church. The Boone News Republican reports 47-year-old Joel Waltz turned himself into Story County Jail Monday. The victim said she first met Waltz when she was 11, and that he declared his love for her when she was 16, and that she met with him regularly until she was 18. Waltz resigned as youth pastor at Grace Community Church last March after the victim first came forward. MARION, IA (IRN) – Three people were able to escape safely from a house fire early this morning in Marion, according to KGAN-TV. One cat died from smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is unknown. ELY, IA (IRN) – Women run the city of Ely in eastern Iowa. KCRG-TV reports women make up the entire city council, as well as run a number of businesses in downtown. City Administrator Denise Hoy says having an all-female city council makes Ely unique.