Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A semi carrying about 170 pigs tipped over Tuesday morning in Des Moines. The semi was southbound on I-35 when the driver tried to merge onto Highway 30 and lost control of his truck tipping it. Investigators say it may be due to the animals shifting in the trailer. Three pigs escaped. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police were called to robbery at Financial Plus Credit Union early Tuesday morning. KCCI-TV reports a teller reported the robbery before the business opened. According to police, an armed man wearing a Halloween mask confronted an employee and left the credit union with an undisclosed amount of cash. Police were at a second scene in a nearby neighborhood after tracking footprints with a K-9 unit. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids police arrested a man early Tuesday morning for throwing rocks and breaking windows at several buildings. KCRG-TV reports that includes the Cedar Rapids Public Library, Ground Transportation Center and the Veterans Assistance Outreach. Police arrested 43-year-old Michael Whitehorn shortly after the first calls started coming in. KOSSUTH COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two Iowans died after their vehicle was involved in a crash in Kossuth County. The Iowa State Patrol says the vehicle was heading westbound on Highway 18 when the driver approached an intersection, crossed the centerline, and went into a ditch. The vehicle then went up an embankment and went airborne, hitting a power pole. The driver, 63-year-old Harry Fraker and a passenger, 65-year-old David Ludwig, both of Algona, died from their injuries. Both men were wearing seat belts. WILLIAMSBURG, IA (IRN) – Iowa farm equipment maker Kinze Manufacturing says it will lay off 121 workers as low grain prices have slowed farmer purchases. The Des Moines Register reports the Williamsburg-based company announced Monday that office and factory worker cuts will be effective June 18. Kinze also cut 215 workers last June citing slowed business and the farm downturn. The eastern Iowa company makes planters and grain carts. WINNESHIEK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – One of Iowa’s smallest school districts will close its doors for good in just three years, according to KCRG-TV. The North Winneshiek Schools will consolidate with Decorah Schools after the spring of 2019. There are now only 126 students in the school system, down from more than 600 in the 1970’s. There will be only six students in next year’s kindergarten class. WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TN (IRN) – An Iowa Olympian has said “I do” to an NFL player. WHO-TV reports West Des Moines-native and Olympian Shawn Johnson tied the knot this weekend to Oakland Raiders player Andrew East. The two said “I do” Saturday in Williamson County in Tennessee, where East is from. The couple got engaged last July on Wrigley Field before a Cubs game. Johnson took home the gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The two now live in Nashville.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Former Iowa State basketball star Nikki Moody is suing coach Bill Fennelly, the university, and the state for racial discrimination and retaliation, according to KCCI-TV. A lawsuit in state district court says that Fennelly, who has been Iowa State’s coach since 1995, constantly demeaned, berated, harassed and discriminated against Moody, who is black. The University has no comment. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating a shooting in southeast Cedar Rapids this afternoon that wounded at least one person. KCRG-TV reports that person was hospitalized. An investigation is underway. CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – A police chase ended in Cedar Falls when a motorcycle ran into the back of an Iowa State Patrol cruiser. KWWL-TV reports the incident happened Saturday when a motorcyclist didn’t stop as patrol officers tried to pull him over for an expired registration. The chase started in Waterloo and reached speeds of more than 100 mph. The man was taken to a hospital. Charges are pending. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Authorities are looking for a 42-year-old woman who didn’t return to a work release program in Waterloo after a furlough. KGAN-TV reports Shannon VanArsdale failed to return to the facility on Saturday. Since 2004, VanArsdale has been serving a 30-year sentence for burglary, assault on a police officer, possessing drugs and escape. She has been in the work release program since February. BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – A child is in the hospital after a dog attack near Burlington. WQAD-TV reports a four-year old was attacked by four dogs. The child was taken to a nearby hospital but later airlifted to Iowa City. The child is in critical but stable condition. Police are investigating. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A nurse at a Des Moines care facility is facing charges after being accused of having an intimate relationship with a mentally vulnerable patient. KCCI-TV reports 56-year-old Samuel Fristo was arrested and charged Friday with dependent adult abuse. The two met at Union Park Health Services, a senior living center. The 55-year-old victim told another caregiver about her relationship with Fristo, and that caregiver reported the crime. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police in Des Moines are investigating an armed robbery at a Hy-Vee store in the southern part of the city. WHO-TV reports the suspect approached a clerk at the customer service counter, displayed a gun and demanded money. The suspect escaped with the money in a black Chevy Avalanche. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Drake students walked over 30 miles from Drake University to ISU in Ames on Sunday. WOI-TV reports the walk was to raise money and awareness for Ethiopian refugees. Proceeds will be used to buy books for refugee children. 34 students started the walk and 17 were able to make it the full distance.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – The driver of a sedan and a motorcyclist are in the hospital after they collided Saturday afternoon in Waterloo, according to KWWL-TV. Witnesses say the biker was going too fast, hit the car, and the motorcycle flipped in the air several times. The rider was thrown from the motorcycle and landed in a nearby driveway. He wasn’t wearing a helmet. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Police responded to a shots fired call in Davenport on Friday. WQAD-TV reports bullets hit a parked car and a business. Police say it appears the incident stemmed from a verbal altercation between a person in a car and people standing outside of a business. A person got out of the vehicle and shot at the people standing outside. No injuries were reported. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The Cedar Rapids Community School District will cut staff numbers and classes before the next school year, due to a reduction of $2.3 million from next year’s budget. KCRG-TV reports the reduction is the result of low levels of supplemental state aid, with years of declining enrollment also playing a role. The district will eliminate 10 elementary school and 13 high school teaching positions. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines woman and her family came to the rescue after a plane crashed off the coast of Florida Friday morning. KCCI-TV reports Sandra Rasmussen and her family were on their yacht, the Free Spirit, traveling to Fort Lauderdale when the captain saw a plane carrying three people crash to the north. The family then helped get the people on their boat. No injuries were reported.

GRINNELL, IA (IRN) – The Grinnell Police Department is currently investigating a death that took place overnight near a railroad crossing, according to WOI-TV. Authorities say around 2:15 a.m. Saturday, first responders were called out to the railroad crossing. They found 39-year-old Forrest Michael Duncan of Grinnell, unresponsive after being struck by a train. Duncan was pronounced dead by the Poweshiek County Medical Examiner. URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – An Urbandale mom is facing assault charges for allegedly instructing her adoptive children to physically punish each other while she watched. WHO-TV reports police arrested 38-year-old Mindy Knapp on two counts of assault causing bodily injury or mental illness. Two of Knapp’s adoptive children were the victims of punishment at the hands of other adoptive children, all under her direction. It’s on video. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – University of Iowa graduate students protested the state of higher education funding on Friday, according to KCRG-TV. The Campaign to Organize Graduate Students says they’ve seen 346 graduate assistant positions cut in the past seven years. They add mandatory fees and low pay are impacting their ability to provide quality education for undergraduates. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – CRST International has laid off 38 administrative employees, including 25 of its roughly 550 employees in Cedar Rapids, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette. The Cedar Rapids-based trucking and logistics company employs approximately 1,250 nationwide. Officials say it’s the economy. INDIANOLA, IA (IRN) – The nonprofit Character Counts gave out its annual Robert D. Ray Pillar of Character Award Friday night, according to KCCI-TV. The award recognizes Iowans and athletes, with past winners including Dan Gable, Hayden Fry and Norman Borlaug. This year’s winner, Casey Blake, is from Indianola. He had a 12-year-career in Major League Baseball, and then brought his family home. He’s now an Indianola philanthropist, and girls basketball and softball coach.

JOHNSON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The team of dispatchers who received the initial 911 calls for the Coral Ridge Mall shooting back in June has been honored as this year’s Team Telecommunicator of the Year, according to KWWL-TV. The team works for the Johnson County Joint Emergency Communications Center. In the first three minutes of the shooting, the team handled 41 911 calls, along with 46 radio transmissions from responding officers. Over the next 90 minutes, the dispatchers received and processed a total of 215 phone calls. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – Paul Hill of Sioux City has pled guilty to child endangerment causing bodily injury in the death of his four-month-old daughter Friday morning. KTIV-TV reports in 2010, Hill was found guilty in the death of Tryniti Hill and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. He confessed to police that he had hit the girl in the stomach as he buckled her into a car seat. But last year, Hill was granted a new trial after the Iowa Court of Appeals found merit in his claim that officers violated his right to remain silent during questioning. ROCK ISLAND, IL (IRN) – Ten search warrants were executed in Rock Island and one in Davenport on Thursday in connection to a dog fighting ring. WQAD-TV reports 64 pit bulls along with narcotics and a gun were seized during the effort. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has been called in to help transport to the dogs to a temporary shelter until custody is determined. Two Rock Island men were arrested. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Members of the Republican-controlled House have advanced a budget bill that would remove state funding for Planned Parenthood, according to KCCI-TV. The proposal is not expected to survive the Democratic-majority Senate. The House Appropriations Committee voted along party lines Thursday for a bill that would remove Medicaid funding for family planning facilities that provide abortions, even though Medicaid dollars are not used for abortions in Iowa. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A man was taken to the hospital in Waterloo Thursday night after he was shot in the foot, according to KCRG-TV. Police say the man suffered non-life threatening injuries. Six to 12 shots were fired, and a vehicle was hit by bullets. Waterloo police have no suspects in custody. BLACK HAWK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A pickup driven by 39-year-old Rickey Cook, of Waukon, failed to yield at an intersection in rural Black Hawk County and collided with a car driven by 24-year-old Lindsey Wagner, of Denver, Iowa. KWWL-TV reports Wagner was unresponsive at the scene and was flown by AirCare to the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City. Cook and his passenger were treated for minor injuries. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – MidAmerican Energy announced a wind project Thursday on a scale Iowa has never seen before, according to WHO-TV. Gov. Terry Branstad called it the “largest economic development project in Iowa history.” If approved by the Iowa Utility Board, MidAmerican Energy would spend $3.6 billion on the project. Farmers are now calling wind a “third crop,” as a single wind turbine pays $8,000-$10,000 a year. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The message from leaders in Dubuque was loud and clear Thursday– racism in their community will not be tolerated. KCRG-TV reports community leaders were responding after police discovered two burning crosses. Police Chief Mark Dalsing said “We will not allow these cowards to destroy what we have accomplished over the last 25 years.” Chief Dalsing was referring to a dark chapter in Dubuque’s history. In 1991, cross burnings were followed by a Ku Klux Klan rally to protest the city’s effort to attract more minorities to their community.