Iowa Radio News

FOREST CITY, IA (IRN) – A man died after falling from a silo in north Iowa Monday morning. KIMT-TV reports a 46-year-old male fell from a silo near Forest City. No additional information has been released. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An early morning chase in a stolen vehicle landed a woman in the Polk County Jail Wednesday, according to WHO-TV. 34-year-old Christine Bolanos was arrested after she tried to elude officers. Bolanos is facing theft charges as well as carrying weapons, possession of a weapon as a felon, eluding, possession of methamphetamine, traffic charges, and more. BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – A judge sentenced a Burlington man to 50 years in prison for the beating death of his 3-week-old son.The Hawk Eye newspaper reports 24-year-old Randall Payne was sentenced to a mandatory 50 years in prison before he will become eligible for parole. Payne didn’t speak at his sentencing but told a pre-sentence investigator he “needed to serve some time, but 50 years is ridiculous.” BOONE, IA (IRN) – Boone police and the ATF have made two arrests in connection with a narcotics investigation. KCCI-TV reports methamphetamine, several thousand dollars and a stolen handgun were seized. 33-year-old Dallas Forkner and 35-year-old Alicia Jo Fucaloro were arrested and charged with failure to affix drug stamps, possession of a firearm by a felon, trafficking in stolen weapons, possession with intent to deliver, and conspiracy to deliver meth. RICEVILLE, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says a fish kill on the Wapsipinicon River south of Riceville can be traced to runoff of liquid fertilizer applied to a nearby farm field. Staff traced high ammonia levels to the field where waste from Big Ox Energy was applied. Big Ox processes industrial food and agricultural wastes into methane, and liquid fertilizer is a byproduct of the process. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Real or perceived threats from people dressed as clowns are increasingly common. KWWL-TV reports the University of Iowa Police have received reports of clown sightings around campus, but they have not received reports of clowns harming or threatening anyone. However, they want people to call and let them know if they see a clown on campus.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A woman suffered a stab wound in a group fight in Davenport, according to WQAD-TV. Police said “an unknown object” caused the woman’s stab wound. The injury was not life-threatening, but she was taken to the hospital for treatment. 18-year-old Sandra Cisneros from Moline, and one juvenile, were charged with disorderly conduct. More arrests are expected. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – More information about a deadly plane crash that killed two Des Moines residents has been released, according to WHO-TV. Vincent Basile and his daughter Kelly died last month when their plane went down as it was attempting to land in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Witnesses say the plane touched down once then went back into the air. It then made a sharp turn about 300 feet off the ground, and then crashed. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man serving a life sentence for a 1974 murder has died of colon cancer while an inmate at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. 71-year-old Atwell Conner was convicted along with George Nowlin in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Maureen Connolly in Cedar Rapids. Connolly and a friend had run out of gas and were walking along a road when Conner and Nowlin picked them up. Nowlin died in prison in 1989. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The mother of a Dubuque boy who accidentally shot himself in the face has pled guilty to child endangerment. KCRG-TV reports 26-year-old Raven Harris faces up to 10 years in prison. Her son was playing with a handgun in January when it went off, wounding him in the jaw. He was only two at the time, and has since recovered. The boy’s father, Willie Horsely, also faces charges. KEOKUK, IA (IRN) – A man suspected of killing a woman in Keokuk was found dead in the basement of his home. KWWL-TV reports officers investigating the weekend shooting death of Carrissa Rivers found 39-year-old Russell Tallman dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. 29-year-old Rivers had been shot to death in an alley. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Terry Branstad is planning a trade mission with Iowa business representatives to China and Japan in November that will focus on Iowa’s beef and pork exports. Stops include Beijing and Tokyo. Branstad says the trip will allow Iowa companies involved in meat processing to expand their markets abroad. China recently announced plans to lift a 13-year ban on beef imports from the United States. WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – West Des Moines Police Officer Shawn Miller was posthumously promoted Monday night, according to WHO-TV. Miller was killed in a motorcycle accident while on the job in August. He was a 26-year veteran of the department and was preparing to be promoted to the rank of sergeant. He was also in the process of earning a Master’s Degree at Drake when he was killed. The university is planning to award the family his degree.

SANDUSKY, IA (IRN) – Thirty protesters were arrested Saturday at the Dakota Access oil pipeline’s southeast Iowa construction site, according to the Des Moines Register. About 200 protesters were at the site near Sandusky, Iowa Saturday, where they dismantled part of a fence surrounding the construction site. The activists oppose construction of the pipeline, which will cross Iowa to transport oil from North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields to Illinois. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson is expected to testify in a civil trial, according to KCCI-TV. Cheryl Bronson filed a $20 million suit against Ryan Foley and Thomas Foley in Polk County. Bronson alleges she was injured in a drunken driving crash. Ryan Foley pled guilty to OWI first and failure to yield in the crash. Bronson is Johnson’s aunt. Johnson is expected to testify about how the crash has affected her aunt’s quality of life. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man is behind bars following a weekend stabbing. KCCI-TV reports 67-year-old Donald White was arrested early Sunday and charged with willful injury. Police say he stabbed a man in the back. The victim is expected to survive. White tried to get away, but police found him just two blocks away from the location of the stabbing. He’s in jail. CERRO GORDO CO., IA (IRN) – Thousands of hogs died in a major hog confinement fire overnight near Ventura in Cerro Gordo County. KIMT-TV reports approximately 250 female hogs, and 2,500 piglets were lost in the fire. The building was a total loss. No human injuries were reported. LINN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A 44-year-old Marion man was killed in a crash between a train and his pickup truck south of Alburnett in Linn County Sunday. KCRG-TV reports a 2005 Ford pickup, towing a flatbed trailer loaded with a skid steer, drove into the path of a Canadian National freight train. The truck caught on fire from the impact, and the man died at the scene. KEOKUK, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting the Keokuk Police Department with a homicide investigation. Just after midnight Sunday morning the Keokuk Police Department responded to shots fired in an alley. When officers arrived on scene, they found 29-year-old Carissa Rivers unresponsive. Rivers was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead. JOHNSON COUNTY, (IRN) – A man died after he was hit by multiple cars in Johnson County, according to KWWL-TV. It happened just before 9:00 p.m. Sunday evening on U.S. Highway 218, just south of Interstate 80. A 2001 Pontiac hit the pedestrian, as did two other vehicles following the Pontiac. The crash is under investigation. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Several of Iowa’s federal politicians use private email accounts for personal matters and campaign contacts. U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, as well as U.S. Reps. Steve King, David Young and Dave Loebsack, told The Des Moines Register they have private email accounts in addition to their official government accounts. Rep. Rod Blum didn’t respond to requests for information. Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been heavily criticized for her use of private email accounts as Secretary of State.

URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – A car crash victim is finally awake after 28 days in a coma, according to KCCI-TV. Amber Martinez says she’s tired and sore and in a lot of pain. She suffered a broken neck, broken arm and a shattered wrist and ankle after Scott Grimes, a fugitive on the run from the FBI for assault on a peace officer, burglary, and possession of controlled substance, slammed into her car in Urbandale during a police chase. OELWEIN, IA (IRN) – An Oelwein man charged with two counts of 3rd degree sexual abuse has been arrested in Florida. KCRG-TV reports 35-year-old Randy Eschen had been granted pretrial release with a GPS monitor. Eschen deactivated the device, and fled. U.S. Marshals captured him in Cocoa, Florida. SABULA, IA (IRN) – A treacherous bridge across the Mississippi River is getting replaced, according to the Des Moines Register. The Illinois Department of Transportation will debut an $80 million replacement in 2018. The new bridge is being constructed 100 feet downriver from the old one, and connects Savanna, Illinois with the island community of Sabula, Iowa. As of last week, crews had several of the piers up. The old bridge was built during the Great Depression. IOWA (IRN) – Northwestern scored 21 straight points in the second half to win at Kinnick Stadium 38-31 yesterday. The Hawkeyes had won nine straight games in Big Ten play and were facing a team with a 1-3 record. In Ames, Iowa State lost when No. 13 Baylor rallied from 14 down in the the fourth quarter to win 45-42. And the University of Northern Iowa crushed Southern Illinois 42-21 for Homecoming.

LOCKRIDGE, IA (IRN) – Approximately 50 head of cattle were on the loose near Lockridge in Jefferson County early Friday, causing six separate accidents. KTVO-TV reports none of the drivers were injured, but about 10 cattle weren’t so lucky, including several that were hit by a train. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – An 18-year-old man has died after a stabbing in Cedar Rapids, according to KGAN-TV. Police are working to figure out what led up to the stabbing. Officers took several people in for questioning but so far have not announced any arrests. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – One of three men charged in the stabbing and beating death of 29-year-old Romane Nunn Sr., this summer in Davenport has pled not guilty. The Quad-City Times reports 45-year-old Terrell Bloch entered the plea Thursday. Nunn was in LeClaire Park where scores of people were playing Pokémon Go when he was stabbed. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Stanford University is doing what it can to bring people to the middle of the country, by offering to pay students to attend its graduate business school if they agree to work in the Midwest. WHO-TV reports Stanford’s USA MBA fellowship will pay for approximately $160,000 in tuition over two years. LISBON, IA (IRN) – Candace Jeffrey and other cheerleaders at Lisbon High were told that a celebrity was waiting inside the mascot at Friday night’s homecoming game. KCRG-TV reports the cheerleaders were imagining who they would soon meet. But when the announcer said “our guest Leo the Lion has been played by Staff Sgt. Joe Jeffrey…” Candace was overjoyed. Staff Sgt. Jeffrey took off the mascot head as Candace and her sister Elise ran to hug their father. It’s the first time they’ve seen him since Christmas. He’s been stationed in Afghanistan.