Iowa Radio News

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Three robberies in five days has Iowa City Police urging businesses to be on high alert. KCRG-TV reports the man approaches the victims, brandishes a weapon, and then makes his demands. In each case the suspect was dressed in all black and used a handgun. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A 78-year-old Missouri woman who went missing Saturday apparently has used her debit card in Ames, according to KMBC-TV. Donna Linton left her home in Independence, Missouri, around noon Saturday. The Independence Police Department issued a Silver Alert for Linton, who has a history of dementia. ATLANTIC, IA (IRN) – Two children and an adult were injured Sunday night when a carnival ride malfunctioned in Atlantic. KETV reports a mechanical failure caused the arms of the octopus ride to slam to the ground. The ride is currently shut down. GLENWOOD, IA (IRN) – A cyclist participating in RAGBRAI was killed after being hit by a pickup truck Sunday morning. WHO-TV reports the incident happened near the town of Glenwood, the starting place of the race. 72-year-old Wayne Ezell of Jacksonville, Florida, was struck from behind by the truck. Both Ezell and the truck were traveling westbound. Ezell’s death marks the ninth cyclist killed on Iowa roads this year. CLINTON, IA (IRN) – An ADM employee was killed in an accident at the railroad switch yard in Clinton on Saturday. KWQC-TV reports officials are working to determine the cause of the fatality. AMES, IA (IRN) – A car was totaled Sunday when it ran into a house in Ames, according to KCCI-TV. 25-year-old James Hunt panicked when the accelerator stuck. The car crashed into the house, totaling the vehicle, though the house appeared to be minimally damaged. Hunt was unhurt, but a female passenger suffered a leg injury. KEYSTONE, IA (IRN) – There’s a new kind of farming in Iowa, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette–one that involves crickets. Becky and Jason Herman have opened Iowa’s first farm designed to raise insects for food. At Iowa Cricket Farmer, the “livestock” reside in blue barrels in a carefully controlled environment and eventually sold to Utah-based Chapul, a company that uses cricket flour to make granola bars and protein powder.

GRIMES, IA (IRN) – A boy was found dead and his mother unresponsive in Grimes Friday, although details surrounding the incident remain unclear, according to KCCI-TV. The deceased boy has been identified as 2-year-old Mason Wyckoff. The injured woman is 33-year-old Stephanie Erickson, the mother of Mason. Neighbors say Erickson appeared troubled at times, and that she would “sit outside and smoke and cry.” She remains in serious condition. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A passenger at the Dubuque Regional Airport tried to take a handgun through security Friday morning, according to KCRG-TV. The TSA says it found an unloaded .22 caliber firearm inside a carry-on bag. Agents took possession of the gun and let the passenger board a later flight. The TSA says it’s legal to have a gun on a plane as long as it’s unloaded, declared to the airline and properly packed inside a locked hard-sided container. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police have identified the man killed Thursday in a shooting on Des Moines’ east side. WHO-TV reports the victim in the shooting is 41-year-old James Patton of Des Moines. Police were called to a location near the East Gate Coin Laundromat. Police found Patton in the parking lot there, suffering from several gunshot wounds in the chest and groin that he later died from. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids teacher has admitted she is in a relationship with a high school boy. 24-year-old Mary Beth Haglin has been fired, and is facing charges of sexual exploitation. Haglin’s relationship is with a 17-year-old student. She claims the school found out about her relationship, and told her to keep the situation quiet. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Davenport is considering allowing vendors to serve customers on public property downtown. The Quad-City Times reports current ordinances prohibit food trucks, trailers and pushcarts from operating on public property. Under the proposed program, food trucks would be required to pay fees, operate in specific zones and set up at least 100 feet from any open brick-and-mortar restaurants.

HUXLEY, IA (IRN) – Story County authorities have released the name of the man who was killed in a fall while working on a wind turbine. KIMT-TV reports the accident occurred Thursday near Huxley. The man was working inside a wind turbine that’s under construction. He fell about 40 feet and was pronounced dead at the scene. He’s been identified as 31-year-old Christopher Thompson of Manly. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa City man is facing a felony charge for a two-year-old robbery case. KCRG-TV reports 37-year-old Larry Hook is charged with second-degree robbery for robbing the adult entertainment store Romantix in April 2014. Hook took about $61 and fled, leaving an item of clothing behind. Hook’s DNA matches DNA found on the clothing. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police are expected to release more information today in a shooting that killed one person on Des Moines’ east side Thursday. WHO-TV reports a man was found in the parking lot of the East Gate Coin Laundromat suffering from several gunshot wounds in the chest and groin. He died shortly after being transported to a local hospital. DURANGO, IA (IRN) – A woman from the northeast Iowa town of Durango has been charged with theft and elder abuse, and is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from an aunt who had Alzheimer’s. KWWL-TV reports 44-year-old Molly Bodish wrote checks to herself or for her personal use from her aunt’s account totaling more than $365,000 over several years. HUXLEY, IA (IRN) – One person died after falling Thursday afternoon in a construction accident near Huxley, according to KCCI-TV. A 31-year-old man fell approximately 30 feet inside a wind turbine that was under construction. It’s unclear what caused the fall. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A Center Point man died after a crash at the interchange of Interstates 80 and 380 near Iowa City Wednesday. KCRG-TV reports 36-year-old Justin Witter went into the curve too fast and his vehicle vaulted over a gorge and slammed into a bridge footing. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A Rock Island man is behind bars after assaulting a woman in a Davenport parking lot Wednesday, according to WQAD-TV. 33-year-old Charles Spicer came up behind a woman as she was getting out of her vehicle in a parking lot of a retail store and raped her. A sexual assault kit was performed at the hospital and DNA was found that matched Spicer. He’s in jail. MITCHELLVILLE, IA (IRN) – A transgender man who is an employee of the Iowa Department of Corrections has filed a civil rights complaint against his employer. WHO-TV reports 34-year-old Jesse Vroegh works as a nurse at the Mitchellville Women’s Prison. He alleges that despite over a year’s notice that he would be transitioning at work, no transgender policy would be written for employees because transgender issues were “too controversial.”

BOONE, IA (IRN) – Six people were hurt in a crash at a rural intersection northeast of Boone this morning, according to KCCI-TV. At least three ambulances and an air ambulance were dispatched to the T-bone crash. After the crash, one vehicle landed in the ditch and another landed on its top in a cornfield. Names and conditions have not been released. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A 17-year-old from Waterloo, who was wounded in a shooting over the weekend, has been arrested for robbery in a different case. KWWL-TV reports Dewon Campbell was arrested after a woman says she had a gun pointed at her at her apartment complex early this morning. Campbell and 20-year-old Queshandis Seals have been charged. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A 1-year-old child was dropped off by its parents at a Mason City Fire Department Tuesday night, according to KIMT-TV. The toddler was then taken to Mercy Medical Center in Mason City, and is now being taken care of by the Department of Human Services. Police are investigating. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – One Des Moines man is behind bars for nearly beating a man to death in broad daylight, according to WHO-TV. 49-year-old Harvey Singleton is charged with willful injury in an incident that happened Monday afternoon when a 42-year-old man was found on the sidewalk unconscious and severely injured. The victim is expected to survive. OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – Two people have been charged with kidnapping in Ottumwa, according to KCCI-TV. The Ottumwa Police Department was contacted by a victim who reported that she had been held against her will for several days. The victim also reported that she was repeatedly assaulted during the time she was held captive. MOUNT PLEASANT, IA (IRN) – A corrections officer at the Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility is recovering from cuts, bruising and swelling following an attack by an inmate. The Hawk Eye reports that the inmate punched the officer several times in the face before other officers could respond to help. The officer was taken to a hospital to receive stitches for cuts from the assault. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Charles City-area farmer has pled guilty to selling more than 90,000 bushels of corn that was pledged as collateral on federal Farm Service Agency loans for nearly $200,000. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that 59-year-old Leroy Jones pled guilty Monday in federal court to one count of conversion of property pledged to the agency. Jones faces up to five years in federal prison, plus fines and restitution. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – A drunken woman who refused to go with police decided to go skinny-dipping instead, according to KETV. The woman was drunk while at Lake Manawa Monday with two young children. It took nearly 10 minutes for officers to bring nude 36-year-old Brandee Steffes to shore. Her speech was slurred, eyes bloodshot, and she spit on, kicked and hit officers while being arrested. It was all caught on camera.