Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Under Governor Branstad’s leadership, the condition of Iowa roadways has now fallen to among the worst in the nation. The Libertarian Reason Foundation released the report this week concluding that Iowa, which is ranked 40th, decreased its per-mile spending, and mileage in poor condition worsened considerably. The report showed that Iowa had the most significant increases in the amount of urban interstate mileage in poor condition, and 54 percent of Iowa’s rural primary mileage is in poor condition. AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has signed a disaster proclamation for 13 northeast Iowa counties affected by flooding. It activates the Iowa National Guard to assist in preparedness and in response. The rain-swollen Cedar River already has left its banks upstream, forcing evacuations at several communities along its path through northeastern Iowa. Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and Cedar Rapids are preparing for flooding. CHARITON, IA (IRN) – Two male teens were stabbed Thursday night in a homecoming week incident in Chariton, according to KCCI-TV. The incident stemmed from an game that teens call “The Purge,” in reference to the popular horror movie. In the game, teens wear masks and attack homes. It’s considered an act of bullying, and one parent said the teen who committed the stabbing was defending himself after getting “swarmed by bullies.” DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A Davenport man has won his fight against paying child support for another man’s child. WQAD-TV reports Joe Vandusen received a letter from the state that ordered him to pay support for a baby born to his long-estranged wife. The couple hadn’t seen in each other in more than 15 years, but had never divorced. By law, husbands are required to pay child support for any child born during the marriage. The court ruled in Vandusen’s favor. PLEASANT HILL, IA (IRN) – Southeast Polk High School seniors have elected four students with special needs to their homecoming court, according to WHO-TV. Student Body President Claire Strickland says “We think that they’re the same as us, and they deserve to have just as much fun their senior year as we do, and we love having them by our side.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A new poll from Quinnipiac University shows U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley with a growing lead over challenger former Lt. Gov. Patty Judge. Six-term incumbent Grassley now leads Patty Judge, the Democratic challenger, 55 – 43 percent. GUTTENBERG, IA (IRN) – The Guttenberg Police Department said a report of a possible child enticement last week was false. KCRG-TV reports three elementary aged children reported a man pulled up to them and yelled at them to get in his vehicle. The children ran away. Officers said the investigation showed the children weren’t being entirely honest. Officers determined the children threw a water bottle at the man’s car. He then stopped to reprimand the children. NORTHERN IOWA (IRN) – Flooding is occurring throughout much of north and northeastern Iowa. The National Weather Service says the Cedar River will crest early next week at just over 24 feet. If that happens, a large portion of Cedar Rapids, including downtown, will be under water. Residents were evacuated in Waverly and Greene yesterday. Five inches of rain fell in Ames last night, causing flash flooding. Several cars were submerged up to the windows. ROCKWELL, IA (IRN) – A DOT worker in northern Iowa was hit by a car in Rockwell. KIMT-TV reports 34-year-old Mark Nel of Nora Springs was directing traffic due to floodwater over a highway when he was struck by a car driven by 70-year-old Merlyn Tramel of Rockwell. Nel was hospitalized, and Tramel cited. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A store clerk with a hammer thwarted an armed robbery at America’s Gas convenience store in Davenport. WQAD-TV reports the store has been the target of six armed robberies in five years. On Tuesday night, two men entered the store in hoodies, swearing at the clerk and demanding money, acting like they were armed. After being threatened with the hammer, they fled. AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State football is No. 1 in something, although odds makers predict that will change this weekend. The 0-3 Cyclones lead CBSSports.com’s weekly worst 25 college football rankings heading into Saturday’s game against 1-2 San Jose State. Just nine of 128 FBS teams haven’t won this season. Iowa State, which has lost seven games in a row dating to last season, is a one touchdown favorite to win Saturday.

PLEASANT HILL, IA (IRN) – A mother and daughter running a daycare in Pleasant Hill are facing neglect and child endangerment charges. KCCI-TV reports 23-year-old Amanda Holt and 49-year-old Cindy Holt allegedly left a 9-month-old girl unsupervised in a crib for an extended period of time and she received “multiple bites throughout her entire body.” The bites were from another child and required medical attention, which was not given by her caretakers. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – With the Cedar River forecast to hit its second highest crest ever on Monday, both the city of Cedar Rapids and Linn County are preparing for the worst. KCRG-TV reports at 24-feet, water would cover downtown bridges and flood areas in New Bo and downtown, including the Paramount Theater. That level is still well below the 2008 crest of 31.5 feet in 2008 and could change drastically between now and Monday. MARBLE ROCK, IA (IRN) – At least three tornadoes were reported in northern Iowa on Wednesday evening, according to the National Weather Service. There were several reports of damage, including two machine sheds destroyed about 2 miles southeast of Marble Rock. Flooding from the Shell Rock River has forced home evacuations in many communities. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A Sioux City man who threatened to kill his girlfriend and attempted to light her house on fire Wednesday is in custody. The Sioux City Journal reports 39-year-old Karl Lyons was charged with arson and domestic abuse assault, both felonies, as well as false imprisonment, criminal mischief and public intoxication. Lyons started a fire in her living room and threw objects, including a large metal thermos, at the victim. VINTON, IA (IRN) – After not being able to reach a decision on first degree murder charges, Benton County jurors have found David Miller guilty of manslaughter in the death of his girlfriend. KCRG-TV reports officers found 25-year-old Sabrina Janish’s body last year next to a stolen truck at Miller’s mobile home north of Shellsburg. She had been stabbed several times and strangled. Miller faces up to 10 years in prison. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – One person has died and three others were hurt in a multi-vehicle accident in Cedar Rapids Wednesday. KGAN-TV reports a car, SUV and pickup truck were all involved. A woman in the car was pronounced dead at the scene. A woman and child had to be pulled out of the SUV and were taken to the hospital, as was the driver of the pickup. The three are expected to be OK. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) -The Quad Cities will be losing dozens of jobs in coming weeks as Deere & Company is cutting ties with a long-time provider, according to WQAD-TV. Deere & Company is cutting short its contract for information technology support with the Davenport office of Stefanini. But there‘s hope for the future. Stefanini management says there are always jobs for IT specialists. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An inflatable walk-in sculpture will be in Des Moines today through Saturday, according to KCCI-TV. Architects of Air have taken their soaring structures across the globe and are now at Cowles Commons with the “Arboria” Luminarium. The sculpture is from the United Kingdom, and is half the size of a football field. Visitors find it a phenomenon of light, color and sound. Tickets are $5.

LEE’S SUMMIT, MO (IRN) – Two Iowans were killed in a plane crash Tuesday evening in Missouri. WHO-TV reports 53-year-old Vincent Basile of Des Moines and his daughter, 24-year-old Kelli Basile of West Des Moines, died when the single-engine plane Vincent was piloting crashed. The Basiles were traveling to Lee’s Summit to meet family. The FAA is investigating the cause of the crash. LIME SPRINGS, IA (IRN) – A man from the northeast Iowa town of Lime Springs was killed when his horse-drawn buggy was struck by a car Monday. The Iowa State Patrol reports a westbound car ran into the rear of the buggy, which also was headed west. The buggy driver was identified as 57-year-old John Borntreger. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A former legislative clerk has been sentenced to more than a year in prison after he admitted to writing a threatening letter to a state lawmaker and bringing a white powder to the Capitol. 28-year-old Michael McRae was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison for writing the letter in 2012 to his boss, Democratic Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad. McRae pled guilty in December to conveying false information concerning a biological weapon. ANKENY, IA (KRN) – An Ankeny woman is in jail on a $1.4 million bond for allegedly hosting a series of parties for teenagers, including one where a teenage girl was sexually assaulted. WHO-TV reports 48-year-old Darcy Duncan is facing 23 felony charges. She allegedly hosted parties where she sold alcohol and drugs to teenagers. PLEASANT HILL, IA (IRN) – A man wanted on several warrants led law enforcement officers on a motorcycle chase overnight that started in Des Moines and ended in a cornfield near Pleasant Hill. KCCI-TV reports the driver was wanted on warrants for a probation violation and narcotics. He was captured trying to flee on foot through a cornfield after abandoning his motorcycle. There was a female passenger with him, but she was not arrested. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A lost little boy at this weekend’s Hawkeye game wasn’t alone for long. KCRG-TV reports Iowa State Troopers Frank Burns and Cody Reicks were working Kinnick Stadium when they heard the call for a missing child go out over the radio. Trooper Burns says “We found him within a minute. It was super lucky.” The troopers calmed the little boy down, and one trooper sat with him while the other located his parents so the family could be reunited.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A Dubuque jury has found Robert Stern guilty of murdering his daughter. KWWL-TV reports the 63-year-old was accused of shooting his daughter with three different guns in their home in June. The prosecution argued Stern felt his daughter was a burden because she was autistic, and that’s why he killed her. The defense claimed Stern was simply overwhelmed after his wife died of cancer. IOWA COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man is dead after an ATV crash that happened Friday night. KGAN-TV reports 20-year-old Jacob Baseman lost control of his ATV and crashed. He was the only one on the ATV. Baseman was found unresponsive at the scene and was pronounced dead a short time later. POCAHONTAS, IA (IRN) – An assistant police chief in northwest Iowa has been accused of punching his girlfriend. KCCI-TV reports 36-year-old Charles White, of Pocahontas, is charged with domestic assault causing injury. The woman told officers White punched her in the face Wednesday while they argued over his cellphone, which she says she took to check for information while he was dozing. White’s been placed on administrative leave. OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – An Ottumwa farmer was taken to the hospital after his gravity wagon overturned in a ditch, according to KTVO-TV. The farmer was transporting roughly 1,200 bushels of corn when the wagon went off the road, pulling the tractor with it. The driver suffered non-life threatening injuries. IOWA COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A man from the Poweshiek County town of Deep River was killed in a collision in rural Iowa County. KCRG-TV reports 74-year-old Warren Beadle’s vehicle was hit head-on by a vehicle driven by 26-year-old Ryan Grimm of Deep River. Grimm was driving north on the road, and was cited for failure to yield half of the roadway. Beadle died at the scene. Grimm has minor injuries. ANKENY, IA (IRN) – An Ankeny daycare provider has been charged with child endangerment after testing positive for methamphetamine. KCCI-TV reports 39-year-old Melinda Bales has been charged with three counts of child endangerment after a tip led the Iowa Department of Human Services to administer the drug test. Bales ran an unregistered in-home daycare out of her mobile home. WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – The Waukee Police Department is asking for help finding a suspect in a disturbing car vandalism case, according to WHO-TV. Police say someone smashed the windows out of a parked car and spray-painted swastikas on it. A $500 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in the case. BETTENDORF, IA (IRN) – In a massive $1.7 billion deal, Isle of Capri Casinos is selling its business to Reno-based Eldorado Resorts, according to WQAD-TV. The deal includes Isle Bettendorf among some 20 properties nationwide. While the news isn’t a complete surprise in Bettendorf, there is concern for nearly 1,000 employees at the casino-hotel complex. Bettendorf Mayor Bob Gallagher says his hope is that the new management will retain the current staff.