Iowa Radio News

DALLAS COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A human error caused 5,842 ballots in the November election not to be counted in Dallas County. Raccoon Valley Radio reports the recount didn’t change the results of any race. The Dallas County Auditor’s office says additional checks are being put in place to ensure they won’t have a future discrepancy in election results. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Lawmakers have passed a $40 million increase in funding for Iowa schools. That’s about 1.1% higher than last year’s budget allocation for education. Democrats were pushing for a 4% increase. The governor is expected to sign the legislation. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A domestic violence situation led to a standoff with Davenport police last night. WQAD-TV reports one person found injured outside the home was transported to the hospital. The suspect, identified as Kraig Korpak, was barricaded inside his home, armed with a knife and refused to come out. Police say they tried to negotiate with Korpak before he came out and threatened them. He was tasered and arrested. URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – Urbandale police have made an arrest in a bank burglary that happened Friday night. KCCI-TV reports police were dispatched to West Bank for an alarm and found a man hiding under a desk. Samir Rakovic of Urbandale was arrested and charged with third-degree burglary. He’s in jail. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Tonight the Des Moines School Board will act on two resolutions on refugees and immigrants in response to recent executive orders signed by President Trump. WHO-TV reports 250 of the district’s students are from the seven nations under President Trump’s travel ban order. The district will consider a resolution establishing school grounds as “sanctuaries” for those students. The second resolution will require Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to contact the superintendent for permission to enter school grounds. HARPERS FERRY, IA (IRN) – Starting today, people can get their hands on a quarter featuring the Effigy Mounds National Park, according to KCRG-TV. The mounds are north of Marquette along the Mississippi River. They’re sacred to more than a dozen Native American tribes.

AMANA, IA (IRN) – A Casey’s General Store was the site of an armed robbery in Amana Sunday. According to the Iowa City Press Citizen, the lone suspect was wearing a black ski mask when he went in the store at about 7:40 p.m. He demanded cash while displaying a knife. The robber left with a small amount of cash. The suspect is approximately 5’8″ with a skinny build and is believed to be a younger white male. No one was injured. BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – Firefighters were at the scene of a house fire in Burlington for several hours Sunday. WQAD-TV reports heavy smoke and flames were coming from the home when crews arrived. Police say the fire is considered “suspicious.” No one was home at the time of the fire. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – A work-release inmate has escaped from a state facility in Council Bluffs, according to KETV. 26-year-old Colton Benson-Blaine didn’t return as scheduled from his job Sunday. He’s been imprisoned since 2011 following his convictions for voluntary manslaughter and other crimes. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – A Council Bluffs family is searching for answers after they say their 10-year-old daughter was held down on a school bus while students drew on her with a permanent marker. WOWT-TV reports two girls held her down and wrote on her face, including the word “loser” on her forehead. Her father says she’s a great student, active at school, and that she was “literally shook, and heartbroken” after the incident. WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – Grilling on the back deck may have sparked a blaze that displaced a Waukee couple from their home Saturday, according to KCCI-TV. A neighbor says it took less than a minute from when he heard a pop come from the grill until he saw flames racing through the roof. The home was seriously damaged, but no one was hurt. DUBUQUE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Canadian Pacific freight train derailed near the Mississippi River about 10 miles south of Dubuque Sunday morning. KCRG-TV reports 26 empty cars derailed. No one was injured. Kerry Rogers lives right by the train tracks. She said, “I was sound asleep, and I heard a loud crashing noise, and it felt like an earthquake was hitting the house. The whole house shook. The whole house.” WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Authorities are trying to find the owner of a dog that two fishermen pulled from the icy Cedar River in Waterloo Sunday. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that fishermen Chad and Jason Conkling were getting ready to launch their boat when the dog was spotted struggling in the current. The brothers were able to launch their boat and pull the struggling dog from the water. The dog’s OK.

OSAGE, IA (IRN) – An Osage man accused of selling fake iPhones has been charged with felony ongoing criminal conduct and misdemeanor theft. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that 35-year-old Reed Barclay was charged earlier this week after police say Barclay sold two women fake iPhones for $300. Barclay had been sentenced to 15 years in prison on a drug charge in April and was out on an appeal bond when he allegedly sold the knockoff phones. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Members of the Drake University women’s rowing team put in a little more work than they may have expected on Saturday morning, according to WHO-TV. During their practice on the Des Moines River, members of the team saw two dogs run onto the ice. The ice broke and both dogs fell into the water. Luckily, rowers were able to pull both dogs to safety, and warm them up with towels and a space heater. HOUSTON, TX (IRN) – Former University of Northern Iowa quarterback Kurt Warner has been named to the 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. The announcement was made Saturday night. Warner is the first inductee from the state of Iowa into the Hall of Fame and the first Panther to receive the honor. Warner is a two-time NFL MVP and took two different teams to the Super Bowl, winning once. LAWRENCE, KS (IRN) – The Iowa State men’s basketball team handed the Kansas Jayhawks their first home loss in three years Saturday. The Cyclones rallied from a big halftime deficit to beat No. 3 Kansas 92-89 on Saturday and end the Jayhawks’ 51-game winning streak in Allen Fieldhouse.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A mother is facing Child Endangerment charges in Waterloo, according to KWWL-TV. Investigators say 29-year-old Brenna Ann Folkers put her two-year-old son in danger by lighting a fire in their trailer home with a propane torch. She admitted to police she used the torch as a lighter as she smoked hash oil and marijuana inside the home. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The trial has been delayed for an Iowa City woman accused of trying to flush her newborn down a toilet and then leaving it for dead in a trash can. KCCI-TV reports Ashley Hautzenrader is charged with attempted murder and child endangerment. Her trial was scheduled for Feb. 14. The new starting date is Aug. 15. Hautzenrader gave birth in a bathroom at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating a pair of unusual thefts in West Des Moines, according to WHO-TV. Both incidents occurred outside the Hy-Vee store on Valley West Drive. The victims reported having their purses stolen from their shopping carts while they were loading groceries in their cars. The thieves leaned out and grabbed the purses while driving by. BETTENDORF, IA (IRN) – An armed robber got away with money from a Hallmark Shop in Bettendorf Thursday. WQAD-TV reports the suspect walked behind the counter where two workers were standing. Holding a small, silver knife, he ordered the employees to give him money and to empty both registers. They did, and the man fled with the money in a Hallmark bag. SWISHER, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Alcoholic Beverage Division wants to level the playing field between micro-distilleries and micro-breweries, according to KCRG-TV. It’s recommending allowing the smaller makers of whiskey, gin, rum and other spirits in the state to serve alcohol by the glass. Jeff Quint, founder of the Cedar Ridge Distillery and Winery near Swisher says it will allow his approximately 1,200 visitors a week to sample his product on site.

COLUMBUS JUNCTION, IA (IRN) – After a four day search, the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office located the body of a missing veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. KCII-Radio reports 34-year-old Aaron Joseph Goff was reported as missing from his residence in Columbus Junction early Monday. His body was found under a bridge with injuries consistent with suicide. DENISON, IA (IRN) – 25-year-old Ramon Hernandez of Denison, was charged Thursday with motor vehicle homicide, a felony offense. Hernandez was arrested in connection with a crash that killed 15-year-old Yoana Acosta, a passenger in the car who was found in the Boyer River after an eight-day search. Hernandez was also charged with four serious misdemeanor counts of providing alcohol to a person under 21 and several traffic charges including reckless driving. AMES, IA (IRN) – A drug that police say can be seven times more lethal than heroin is turning up in central Iowa. WHO-TV reports the drug is called “U4” or “Pink” and is synthetic. It was added to the federal list of banned substances in November. That list also includes cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin. Ames police are dealing with a number of cases. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Republican-controlled Iowa Senate has approved a bill that would pass up millions in federal dollars in order to avoid giving state funding to Planned Parenthood. KCCI-TV reports the Senate voted 30-20 along party lines to approve the bill. It now goes to the GOP-led House. The bill would shift all expenses to the state. Republican lawmakers didn’t address how Iowa would pay for the new program, which would cost at least $3.4 million. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Senate Republicans have approved an education funding bill that school officials say will force increased class sizes and teacher layoffs. KCRG-TV reports the bill also has support in the Republican-led House, where a vote is scheduled Monday. Republicans say the amount is all the state can responsibly afford amid budget constraints. Democrats say Republicans are not prioritizing students. CANTON, OH (IRN) – The Pro Football Hall of Fame announcement is Saturday and UNI alum Kurt Warner is being considered for induction for the third time. The Burlington native is the only player to win two league MVP’s and not be elected to the Hall of Fame. Warner played in three Super Bowls, winning a title in 2000 when the St. Louis Rams defeated the Tennessee Titans.