Iowa Radio News

JEWELL – A north central Iowa community paid tribute to a former student on Friday night recently died in an Indiana plane crash. KCCI-TV reports South Hamilton honored the late Owen Renaud, who received his diploma this past spring and was the captain of last year’s football team. Renaud was one of four people who died in the accident last week. LAKE WAPELLO – Three people face felony charges for allegedly taking photos of children with a noose around their neck. The Gazette says Jerry Nelson, Denise Nelson, and Jennifer Nelson of Des Moines have been accused of going armed with intent, conspiracy to commit a non-forcible felony, assault, and child endangerment. The Iowa DNR reports the group allegedly tied a noose in a rope and hung it from a tree, and then instructed two teenagers to take a chair from inside of a cabin at Lake Wapello and place it beneath a noose. INDIANAPOLIS – It didn’t take long for a former Hawkeye standout to make her name in the pros. WHO-13 reports phenom Caitlin Clark has set the record for the most assists by a player ever in a WNBA season. The Indiana Fever point guard and likely Rookie of the Year has been locked in, especially after the Olympics break, and is on pace to score the most points of any-first year player in the league’s history as well.

DES MOINES— Governor Kim Reynolds gave the keynote address at the US-India Business Council’s India Ideas Summit in Delhi on the second day of her 10-day trade mission to India. Gov. Reynolds told the audience of Indian and American businesses and government officials that she aims to play a leading role in the relationship between the countries. The governor and her delegation continue their trade mission with a trip to Mumbai for the Iowa-India Trade and Investment event. COUNCIL BLUFFS – An Audubon man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor. According to public court documents, 27-year-old William Roland Brubaker initiated a sexual relationship with a minor and produced videos recorded on a cell phone and shared through a social media application. After completing his term of imprisonment, Brubaker will be required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Brubaker will be required to register as a sex offender.DES MOINES – The theme of the 2025 Iowa State Fair has been announced. “Fair Sweet Fair” will be held August 7th through the 17th in Des Moines. This comes after a record-breaking crowd attended the 2024 event this past August.

MAHASKA COUNTY – A four-year-old has died from an accidental shooting just east of Oskaloosa Wednesday. WHO-13 reports the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call for a child with a gunshot wound. Police say it was the result of an accidental discharge. CLAY COUNTY – A motorcycle rider was killed in a three-vehicle collision in Clay County Wednesday morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports 54-year-old Douglas Wayne Nielson of Everly was riding a motorcycle and rear-ended a Chrysler. Nielson was thrown from his bike and into an oncoming pickup truck. DES MOINES – A Des Moines businessman pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. According to public court documents, Jeffrey Walter Gray, 61, created and possessed child sexual abuse material for more than a decade. Some of the material was created at the photography business Gray owned and operated in the Des Moines area—Wicked Imagery, and included images from hidden cameras placed in the changing rooms. In November 2023, investigators recovered a hard drive which was later determined to contain images and videos including at least fifteen minor victims. Gray is scheduled to be sentenced on January 8, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and maximum sentence of 30 years.DES MOINES – Three Libertarian candidates running for congress in Iowa will not be on the November ballot. The Associated Press reports the Iowa Supreme Court affirmed a decision by a three-member panel of state officials that charged the party failed to follow state laws for nomination. Republicans argued the candidates improperly held county conventions on the same day they selected delegates.

DES MOINES— Gov. Kim Reynolds left the state on Tuesday for an official trade mission to India. The delegation joining her includes Iowa Economic Development Authority and Iowa Finance Authority Director Debi Durham, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and agricultural and business leaders from Iowa. The purpose of the mission is to work toward strengthening Iowa’s trade and investment relationships with one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The 10-day mission includes time in Delhi and Mumbai where she will meet with key Indian government officials and American business leaders. Reynolds will be a keynote speaker at the U.S.-India Business Council’s 49th India Ideas Summit.The trade mission was organized by the Iowa Economic Development Authority with support from the U.S. Embassy in Delhi and U.S. Consulate in Mumbai.CINCINNATI – Hundreds of birds were seized by the Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office for an alleged cockfighting operation. KCCI-TV reports a search warrant was issued at a residence just a few miles outside of Cincinnati in south central Iowa, and more than 400 roosters and hens were found. A press release indicates the investigation focused on the possession, breeding, transfer, and sale of the animals. HARDIN COUNTY – Two people died in a Monday crash in Hardin County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Ford Edge collided head-on along County Road D-15. Both Tevin Williams of Paris, Texas and Steven Kramer of Waterloo died in the crash.

DES MOINES – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned an indictment charging 18 individuals with offenses related to bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy. As alleged in the Indictment, defendants orchestrated a nationwide scheme to defraud financial institutions and draw funds from stolen business checks. They first obtained the stolen checks from uncharged co-conspirators, registered sham entities with the IRS and state government agencies—including the Iowa Secretary of State, and after obtaining registration documents and IRS employer identification numbers, opened or attempted to open accounts at banks and credit unions. Defendants and their co-conspirators attempted to deposit at least $10 million worth of stolen checks into fraudulent accounts and were able to obtain at least $2.1 million in proceeds from their criminal conduct.IOWA – Dry conditions have settled into most of the state after one of the most active spring and summer seasons on record. This week’s Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows 94 percent or more of the state’s crops remain in good shape, even as roughly 70 percent of the state’s soil had adequate moisture. DES MOINES – Lost in the shuffle of the wild finish to CyHawk football this past Saturday Defendants and their co-conspirators attempted to deposit at least $10 million worth of stolen checks into fraudulent accounts and were able to obtain at least $2.1 million in proceeds from their criminal conduct.was another special moment for an Iowa-based football program. The Drake Bulldogs defeated FCS program Eastern Washington, the first win for the Des Moines non-scholarship program against a team that has scholarship athletes in nearly two decades.