Iowa Radio News

WAPELLO, IA (IRN) – A semi-truck hit a moped in Wapello Monday night and a teenager died. KCII Radio reports 15-year-old Sierra Jane Bowdre failed to yield upon entering a highway and was struck by the semi. The semi was driven by 57-year-old Steven Lutman of Colfax, Illinois. Bowdre died at the scene. TRIPOLI, IA (IRN) – The Bremer County Sheriff says two 10-year-old boys fought off an abduction attempt with a hockey stick. The incident was reported Monday morning in Tripoli. Two 10-year-old boys told deputies they were approached by a man who offered to help them collect cans. The boys said he grabbed one of them and then let the boy go after the other hit him with a hockey stick. URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – An Urbandale man was arrested Monday on child pornography and sexual exploitation charges. KCCI-TV reports 28-year-old Justin Chugg has been charged with sexual exploitation of a minor and nine charges of possession of child pornography. Authorities received a tip from Skype that Chugg was viewing child pornography. A detective then traced the IP address to Chugg’s computer in his parents’ Urbandale home. MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – A man died during a work accident at Emerson Electric in Marshalltown last week. KCRG-TV reports Craig Petersen was a 17-year employee. Investigators are looking into the cause of death. MADISON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Police in Madison County are searching for an arsonist who torched the Cedar Bridge this weekend. WHO-TV reports the original Cedar Bridge was destroyed by an arsonist in 2002 and replaced in 2003. Last night stakeholders met and decided to rebuild the bridge again. Officials say an engineer is working to calculate how much the project will cost. In 2003, it was a hefty half million dollars to rebuild. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A bill allowing Iowa’s craft liquor distillers to mix cocktails at their manufacturing facilities was passed at the legislature Monday, with both Democrats and Republicans praising the bill as a good step for economic development. The Des Moines Register reports distillers say the legislation puts them on a level playing field with Iowa’s craft breweries and wineries, which already are able to open tasting rooms where patrons can buy a glass of beer or wine made on-site.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Terry Branstad signed two bills into law today toughening the state’s ban on texting while driving. The first bill makes it a primary offense, so police will be able to pull you over if they see you writing, sending or reading from your smartphone. The other will allow police to add the charge of reckless driving to a vehicular homicide charge if the driver was found to be using a cell phone at the time of the crash. The two new laws will take effect July 1. CAMANCHE, IA (IRN) – The Clinton County Attorney’s Office has declared that no criminal charges will be filed in regards to a fatal shooting in Camanche in February. KWQC-TV reports no charges will be filed against the person who shot and killed 25-year-old Nicholas Jordan Luskey because the shooter was acting in self-defense. JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – An arrest has been made in connection to a Saturday night homicide in Johnston. Police were dispatched to an apartment complex on reports of gunshots. 34-year-old Agnes Yarlee has been identified as the gunshot victim. 38-year-old Abraham Roberts was taken into custody at the Canadian border in International Falls, Minnesota, attempting to cross into Canada. Yarlee and Roberts lived together and had children. The kids are safe. URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – Authorities have recovered the body of a man found in a large pond in front of a business in Urbandale. KCCI-TV reports two men went swimming, but one did not return to shore. Efforts to recover the body were hampered by the pond’s large size and murky conditions. The men were out-of-state workers and guests at a nearby hotel. It’s unclear whether alcohol played a factor in the drowning, and police are investigating. The temperature of the water at the time was approximately 54 degrees. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A body was found in a ditch on the outskirts of Dubuque Sunday morning, according to KWWL-TV. After investigating, police say it appears a 64-year-old man passed away of natural causes while riding his bicycle. GRUNDY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A bear cub was spotted in Grundy County over the weekend, according to KCRG-TV. The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office said a cub was spotted by motorists in a ditch near Highway 20’s Wellsburg exit. It was running along the fence line and heading south when last seen.

JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – A Johnston woman is dead and police are looking for her killer. WHO-TV reports police were called to an apartment complex for reports of a domestic abuse assault in progress, followed by gunshots. When police arrived they found a dead adult female. Police have issued a warrant for a person of interest, 38-year-old Abraham Roberts. He’s considered armed and dangerous. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A juvenile is in custody Saturday night after he beat up a pizza delivery man and took his car in Des Moines. KCCI-TV reports a second person may have been involved. No weapons were shown during the scuffle, but the delivery man was beaten. Police spotted the vehicle a few blocks away and chased it until it slammed into a tree. One individual fled on foot, but the juvenile was captured. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – The Davenport School Board is making a bold stand that could bring it down. WQAD-TV reports the board will continue to illegally spend cash reserves unless state lawmakers pass funding reforms. While reform legislation easily cleared the Senate, it’s stalling in the House, with just days left in the session. Superintendent Dr. Art Tate uses reserves to make up the difference from a funding formula that shortchanges nearly 300 Iowa school districts. Tate says, “it would be immoral not to use the reserves, regardless of consequences.” He may lose his license, and the board could be impeached. DES MOINES – It’s time to get that tent and cooler ready for summer. WOI-TV reports campers flocked to the Iowa State Fair campgrounds for opening weekend yesterday. Over 2,000 camp sites are fully equipped with water and electrical hookups. Many were filled.

MADISON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – One of Madison County’s iconic covered bridges was destroyed early this morning by fire. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office received a report of the fire at the Cedar Bridge at about 6 a.m. The bridge was fully engulfed by the time fire crews and law enforcement got to the scene. The bridge and others like it have been the target of arsonists in the past. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A sheriff’s deputy shot at an Ankeny man who led police on a high-speed chase, according to KCCI-TV. Officers were sent to a Casey’s General Store in Des Moines on reports of a domestic dispute. 27-year-old Martin Andrews fled on his motorcycle. The chase hit speeds of over 100 mph until Andrews drove into a ditch, turned, and then began to drive toward a deputy, who then shot at him. Andrews is in jail. FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A Fort Dodge man was arrested after attacking a state conservation officer. The Iowa DNR reports 30-year-old David Dayton took a swing at the officer on Thursday after being found fishing without a license. Once in custody, officers learned Dayton had two outstanding arrest warrants. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Governor Terry Branstad’s proposed budget cuts could have a big impact on worker training programs at Iowa’s community colleges. KCRG-TV reports the governor has called for a more than 10 million dollar cut in funding. Kirkwood Community College officials say the cuts are a bad idea. They say the programs help families and the state. People who participate in the programs get jobs that bring in tax dollars and they get off public assistance. JASPER COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Just in time for visitors to head to state parks as they open, a new addition arrived at the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge in Jasper County. The U.S. Department of the Interior tweeted a photo of the first baby bison born this year.

OMAHA, NE (IRN) – The owner of a day care center in Omaha was arrested in Missouri Valley, Iowa, yesterday according to KETV. Omaha police alerted the public when they couldn’t locate 58-year-old Lynn Rowe. Video turned into police shows a woman believed to be Rowe slapping and shaking a 4-year-old girl. The woman is heard to say “I hope this hurts you,” and “do what you’re supposed to do,” as she slaps the child’s arms, then shakes the child. The child briefly cries, then says “OK.” BUFFALO CENTER, IA (IRN) – A Winnebago County man is going to plead guilty to defrauding a Clear Lake seed and fertilizer company. KIMT-TV reports 47-year-old Richard Fred Wubben of Buffalo Center was hired by Titan Pro to sell the company’s chemical and seed products. Titan Pro started a new inventory management program which led to a check of Wubben’s buildings. That examination found that approximately $320,000 worth of Titan Pro products were unaccounted for. Wubben sold the products and kept the money for himself. AMES, IA (IRN) – Ames parents are concerned their kids are getting sick from outdated conditions at the indoor pool, according to KCCI-TV. One parent says kids suffer from chronic coughing, sinus infections, nosebleeds, and bronchitis-like symptoms. Some parents blame mold, others the amount of chlorine in the water, or the old air filtration system. STRATFORD, IA (IRN) – A Life Flight helicopter had to make an emergency landing Thursday morning near the town of Stratford. WHO-TV reports the helicopter, based at Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge, was in the air when a bird smashed through the windshield. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in a field. No one was injured. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa children struggling with reading skills will no longer have to attend summer school to avoid repeating third grade. The law is part of the Education Reform Act of 2012. Lawmakers say summer school is too expensive at $14 million per year and don’t think it helps children become better readers. CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – A police officer and two bystanders rescued a man who slipped and fell into the Cedar River Thursday. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the rescue happened near the Ice House Museum in Cedar Falls. A man in his 40’s was fishing next to a dam when he fell into the water below the flood gates. He was unable to swim against the current, lost consciousness and drifted downstream, where he was rescued.