Iowa Radio News

MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – A person was found seriously injured after several gunshots were reported in a neighborhood near the river in Muscatine, according to WQAD-TV. Officers found a gunshot victim outside of a vehicle who had serious injuries. Several shell casings were also found in the area. MONTROSE, IA (IRN) – The body of one of two Iowa fishermen missing since their boat capsized Jan. 3 on the Mississippi has been recovered by Illinois officials downstream. KCRG-TV reports the body of 68-year-old Bill White Sr., of Argyle, was recovered Saturday in Hamilton, Illinois, across the river from Keokuk. White drowned. The boat carrying White and his fellow commercial fisherman, 48-year-old Ron Wagner, of Montrose, was seen capsizing in the freezing cold water after they launched near Montrose. Wagner’s body is still missing. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Authorities are investigating the death of an 18-year-old man as a homicide after his body was found in Davenport. The Quad-City Times reports that Demetrius Allen’s body was found with gunshot wounds in a parking lot. Police were called to the scene Sunday after someone saw a man lying in the lot. POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Polk County sheriff’s deputies found a woman’s body in an overturned car that had crashed into Fourmile Creek Sunday morning. KCCI-TV reports a bicyclist discovered the car resting on its top while riding on a nearby bike trail. A woman found in the car was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name is not being released, pending notification of family. OSKALOOSA, IA (IRN) – Fire crews worked for several hours to put out a fire in Oskaloosa Sunday morning, according to WHO-TV. Nobody was injured when fire broke out at B & B Bedding. Crews say the fire was difficult to put out due to windy conditions. The cause of the fire is unknown. SANDYVILLE, IA (IRN) – Iowans were outraged after 19 dogs were found living in deplorable conditions in two homes in Sandyville, but there’s at least one happy ending, according to KCRG-TV. Karma, a bloodhound, was one of the dogs rescued. Karma was in hypovolemic shock due to hypothermia and had extensive injuries. One of her rescuers, Warren County Sheriff Brian Vos, hadn’t been able to get Karma out of his mind, and when she was cleared for adoption, Karma found a new home with the Vos family.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – Accused double murderer Peter Veal has been found not competent to stand trial, according to KIMT-TV. The determination was made in court in Mason City on Friday. Veal is being sent to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center, a forensic psychiatric hospital, for treatment. Veal is charged with two counts of 1st degree murder in the deaths of Melinda Kavars and Caleb Christensen. Their bodies were found at Christensen’s home in November of 2016. CRAWFORD COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A man accused of crashing his car into a river in western Iowa, killing a teenager, has pled not guilty to all nine charges against him in the case. KCCI-TV reports that 24-year-old Ramon Hernandez drove through a farm field with four teenagers in his car before it plunged into the Boyer River on Jan. 19. He and three others reached safety. The body of 15-year-old Yoana Acosta was found a week later. SIDNEY, IA (IRN) – Authorities have determined a teen driver was texting when his pickup truck crashed into a school bus in southwest Iowa last month. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 18-year-old Drew Graham has been ticketed on suspicion of texting while driving, driving on the wrong side of the road and not wearing a seat belt. Graham’s truck hit a bus leaving Sidney Junior-Senior High School grounds. He was seriously injured, and three on the bus suffered minor injuries. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Sixth graders from Central Lutheran School in Newhall supported local law enforcement in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, according to KCRG-TV. They were at Cassill Motors handing out blue light bulbs. The students told people to use them on porches to show support for local law enforcement at night. The event was part of an effort from a group called Project Blue Light Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Thieves are targeting coin-operated laundry machines in apartment complexes in Des Moines, where in most cases, the $500-600 machines are destroyed in the process. KCCI-TV reports there have been more than 30 reported cases in the last three months. POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Collins-Maxwell Middle School teacher is facing federal charges after investigators say he sent nude pictures of himself online to someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl. WHO-TV reports Luke Crouse faces multiple charges. The “girl” was actually a federal Homeland Security agent. Crouse was wearing a Collins-Maxwell shirt in one of the pictures he sent. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Rumors of immigration raids have sparked fear in Iowa’s Latino community after heightened concerns over President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement strategy. KCCI-TV reports an anonymous Iowan says, “We’re confused…the whole Latino community, are scared. What’s going on? Are they stopping randomly? Should we be ready to have documentation? Are we being discriminated against because we’re Hispanic?” DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Iowa organization held a rally in support of President Trump today. The group Main Street Patriots held the Spirit of America rally at the Statehouse. The Des Moines Register reports approximately 100 people attended. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa City downtown district is looking for a nighttime mayor to help boost nightlife and the economy, according to KCRG-TV. It’s an idea that came from Europe. They are looking for someone who is a great communicator who can talk to community members and venues, and promote nightlife downtown. Candidates will need to write a 500-word biography to apply for the job.

CHARLES CITY, IA (IRN) – The scoring system for large animal facilities known as the ‘Master Matrix’ was set in place 15 years ago and now several counties are looking to update it, according to KIMT-TV. The Group Iowa Citizens for community improvement as well as area county leaders and the public came together in Charles City to discuss the Master Matrix. Many say there needs to be more local control. JACKSON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has found the truck two escaped inmates stole during their getaway Tuesday. KCRG-TV reports the truck was found in Clinton. Both 20-year-old Brian Willey and 19-year-old Andrew Combs were wearing orange shorts when they escaped from the Jackson County Jail. Deputies found a pair of orange shorts under the passenger side front seating area. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man faces charges after police found him passed out behind the wheel with his two children in the car. KCCI-TV reports an officer found a Chevrolet Impala that had struck the back door of a business. 26-year-old Corey Dixson was passed out behind the wheel, with his two infant children in the rear seat. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A bill that would prohibit most abortions after 20 weeks advanced Thursday in the Iowa Senate, while three other anti-abortion bills failed because of a lack of support. The Des Moines Register reports a “personhood” bill, which declares that life begins at conception didn’t have enough votes to pass through the Senate Judiciary Committee. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Rumors of immigration raids are circulating throughout the Latino community in Des Moines, according to WHO-TV. One after school program is alerting members of the Latino community about alleged ICE raids. The group is called Al Exito! They’re an after school program that focuses on setting minority students up for success in college and beyond. They say part of that education is what’s going on in the community. ZWINGLE, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Senate has declared December 10, 2017 as “Tim O’Connell Day,” in honor of the cowboy from the northeastern Iowa town of Zwingle who is the world’s number one bareback rider. KWWL-TV reports O’Connell got his start as a kid riding sheep at Three Hills Rodeo, just outside of Bernard. O’Connell is taking his fame in stride. He says “I’m very proud and honored to be from Iowa, and I just try my best to represent this state the best I can.”

MARION, IA (IRN) – At least three 5-year-old kindergarten students were repeatedly sexual abused at Starry Elementary School in Marion by a Marion High School student volunteer, according to KCRG-TV. The 15-year-old student was charged with 3 counts of sexual abuse. CHARLES CITY, IA (IRN) – The man arrested after allegedly shooting someone in the chest with a crossbow pistol has pled guilty to a lesser charge. KIMT-TV reports 19-year-old Devin Lee Hundley of Charles City was accused of willful injury causing bodily injury after an incident where he got into an argument with his then-roommate. On Wednesday, Hundley pled guilty to a simple misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct and was sentenced to six months of unsupervised self-probation and a $65 civil penalty. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Republican lawmakers are fast-tracking a bill that labor unions say would reduce compensation benefits for workers injured on the job in Iowa. KCRG-TV reports the proposed measure includes provisions to end worker benefits at age 67, reduce benefits for injuries tied to pre-existing conditions and minimize late fees for employers. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa is reversing course on a plan to cut scholarships already awarded to students in the face of public backlash and a lawsuit. WHO-TV reports the school announced it was cutting the scholarships in order to meet a budget cut demand from the Governor’s office. The scholarships won’t be offered in the future. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Iowa lawmaker who is pushing a controversial bill that caps the number of Democrats that universities can hire as professors has claimed that he got a business degree from the Forbco Management School on the Iowa State Republicans website. NBC-TV reports Republican State Sen. Mark Chelgren’s alleged alma mater is actually a company that operated a Sizzler steak house franchise in California and he doesn’t have a degree as claimed JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – Johnston fourth-grader Cayson Irlbeck has been color blind since birth. KCCI-TV reports Cayson was unable to tell the difference between blues and purples and reds and greens until a few weeks ago. Home video from the Irlbeck family shows the moment when a special pair of glasses changed his worldview forever. Cayson says seeing the colors is “amazing,” and his family says the $300 glasses were well worth the investment.