Iowa Radio News

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A Waterloo man who was detained in Nevada with 23 pounds of marijuana in August has been arrested in connection with guns and drugs found at his home, according to the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. Deputies arrested 28-year-old Charles Raymond Arceneaux for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, violation of the drug tax stamp act and felon in possession of a firearm. Over $18,000 cash was found in his possession. HAMPTON, IA (IRN) – Police in Hampton are increasing the reward to find Ethan Kazmerzak. KGAN-TV reports 22-year-old Kazmerzak went missing in the early morning hours of September 15th, 2013. The reward for any relevant and useful information leading to his location is now $100,000. It was pooled together by a group of anonymous donors. DES MOINES (IRN) – Des Moines police were called to a serious crash in a residential neighborhood east of downtown Monday morning, according to KCCI-TV. At least two people were taken to a hospital. Police said a woman passenger died in the crash. The names of those involved have not yet been released. OELWEIN, IA (IRN) – A Pennsylvania company will be bringing 350 new jobs to the northeast Iowa community of Oelwein, according to KCRG-TV. East Penn Manufacturing Co., of Lyon Station, Pennsylvania, plans to begin construction next spring on a nearly 219,000-square-foot plant and finish it by summer 2018. The company plans to invest more than $64 million on the plant, and the state of Iowa will offer nearly $5 million in incentives. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police say a man is in custody after he allegedly shot and killed his wife and daughter. WHO-TV reports forty-seven-year-old Barney Fraaken, the suspect in the case, is in a local hospital in police custody. He’s being treated for self-inflicted injuries. Forty-two-year-old Amy Fraaken and 16-year-old Amber Fraaken were found dead. DES MOINES (IRN) – Dozens of Iowa’s health care providers voiced warnings to federal officials in meetings last week about Governor Terry Branstad’s plan to privatize Medicaid management. The Des Moines Register reports one provider called it an upcoming “catastrophe of monumental proportions.” Mitch Harris of the Oncology Center of Iowa said “Trying to accomplish this in a two-month time frame and shoving this down the throats of providers is outrageous, unreasonable and shows no concern for the provider community or the patients we serve.” IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man who is interested in economics and international relations is one of 32 American Rhodes Scholars who will have the opportunity to attend prestigious Oxford University in England.  KCCI-TV reports Iowa City native Jeffrey Ding was one of the winners announced Sunday out of 869 applicants. In addition to economics, Ding is also studying political science and Chinese at the University of Iowa. AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State head football coach Paul Rhoads has been dismissed as head coach of the Cyclones. Rhoads will coach the final game for Iowa State in its season finale at West Virginia on Saturday. Rhoads’ teams have had six consecutive below .500 finishes. During his tenure, Iowa State won three of the last five in-state rivalry games against Iowa. With six years remaining on a 10-year $20 million contract, he will be paid a buyout of $4.5 million.

DES MOINES (IRN) – The White House has responded to Governor Terry Branstad’s concerns regarding the admission of Syrian refugees. The Des Moines Register reports the White House on Saturday defended how the United States accepts Syrian refugees, telling Governor Branstad the security process is extraordinarily thorough and comprehensive, involving multiple law enforcement, national security, and intelligence agencies. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Following protests over his hiring earlier this fall, the new president of the University of Iowa is getting some support from the business community. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports more than 100 community and business leaders gathered Friday morning to offer support to Bruce Harreld and to apologize for the negative reaction he has received on campus. Harreld’s hiring has drawn criticism from students, faculty and staff who say he is unqualified. OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – A southeast Iowa teen is accused of stealing cars across southern Iowa, according to KTVO-TV. 19-year-old Logan Neil Swanson of Ottumwa, was taken into custody Friday morning. He is accused of stealing cars in Ottumwa, Mt. Pleasant and Burlington. He faces felony charges of Forgery and On-going Criminal Conduct and a Misdemeanor Burglary charge. DES MOINES (IRN) – A pregnant Des Moines woman chased a robber across a Des Moines parking lot on Friday, according to KCCI-TV. Jenny Speck was unloading birthday presents outside the Target at Southridge Mall when a man grabbed her purse and took off in his car. Speck ran after the robber, eventually getting in between the driver’s side door. The suspect threw her purse back out before driving off. Speck, a kickboxing instructor, is OK.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A Davenport man has been sentenced for possession of a sawed-off shotgun for use in furtherance of drug trafficking. 19-year-old Chazz Dominic Kimble was sentenced to five years in prison in Federal Court Thursday. Kimble discharged an illegal 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun into the air during an altercation with rival gang members. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – There was a commercial structure fire in Waterloo in the overnight hours Friday.  KWWL-TV reports a massive amount of smoke and flames were coming out of the building and engulfing the yard of Con-Trol, a welding shop. The cause is unknown. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Republican Party of Iowa has canceled its plan to host a forum featuring presidential candidates that would have focused on minority communities. The party said Friday it canceled its Iowa Brown and Black Forum on December 3 at Drake University due to “unresolved scheduling conflicts.” A similar forum by the Iowa Democratic Party is scheduled for January 11 at Drake. JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – The first major snowfall of the season hit Iowa overnight. The National Weather Service reports the snow hit the northern part of the state hardest, with over 17 inches being reported in northwest Iowa. Reports of snowfall totals from 7 to 12 inches are common throughout the northern third of the state. Travel is not advised.  

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A driver who led Des Moines police on a chase early Friday remains on the run, according to KCCI-TV. Officers stopped a vehicle for traffic violations about 3:30 a.m., but the driver sped off. During the chase, a Des Moines squad car crashed into a pole. The officer was not injured, but the car was significantly damaged. The driver abandoned the minivan fled on foot.  A K9 attempted to track the driver, but couldn’t find him. KIRKVILLE, IA (IRN) – A late afternoon fire Thursday in northern Wapello County destroyed a home and killed two dogs that were trapped inside. KTVO-TV reports the homeowners were not home at the time of the fire. Firefighters say the metal roofing on the home made the fire tough to control, as the metal held in the heat and flames. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A Clinton woman told police she shot up a heroin-like opioid hours before giving birth, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Officers were called to the Labor and Delivery Unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics after staff found a suspected controlled substance. 38-year-old Heather Rice told police that she injected heroin four hours before arriving at UIHC to give birth. She faces up to five years in prison. DES MOINES (IRN) – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased slightly to 3.5 percent in October from 3.6 percent in September, according to Iowa Workforce Development. The state’s jobless rate was 4.3 percent one year ago. The U.S. unemployment rate decreased to 5 percent in October. 5000 more Iowans are working now than a year ago. DES MOINES (IRN) – The Iowa Attorney General’s Office announced Thursday that former lottery official Eddie Tipton has been connected to another lottery scam. KCCI-TV reports Tipton was linked to a 2011 Hot Lotto jackpot with a winning ticket in Oklahoma. Tipton was convicted of two counts of fraud in July of rigging a 2010 Hot Lotto case with a $14 million jackpot.  He was a security director at the Multi-State Lottery Association. He’s serving five years in prison. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A former special needs teacher at Highland Elementary School in Waterloo has been arrested after he allegedly spanked a 5-year-old student last month on the bus. The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier reports 38-year-old Robb Allen Pfohl was taken into custody last Friday for assault in the incident. He has since resigned from his position. DUNKERTON, IA (IRN) – A former Dunkerton Police Chief was arrested Thursday and charged with theft. KWWL-TV reports 55-year-old Timothy Lee Schultz of Waterloo is accused of making purchases exceeding $2,000 of gasoline with a City Fuel Credit Card. Black Hawk County Deputies arrested Schultz on Thursday. He’s charged with Theft in the Second Degree and Unauthorized Use of a Credit Card. Both are Class D felonies. He’s in jail. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – After she was on the television show the “Price is Right,” a Mason City woman can soon expect a big prize in her driveway — a new car. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports Lisa Worden won the vehicle as a contestant on the long-running CBS show in an episode that was broadcast Friday. Worden was invited to “come on down!” in part because she wore an “Aw, shucks, I’m from Iowa” T-shirt.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A robbery at a Waterloo grocery store broke into a brief gunfight Wednesday night. The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier reports no injuries were reported in the exchange of gunfire at Save More Foods. Police said the suspect walked into the business and displayed a handgun. The robber and clerk both fired guns. The suspect then fled on foot. DES MOINES (IRN) – Three teens held a knife at a boy’s throat after following him home in Des Moines Wednesday. WHO-TV reports the 13-year-old boy was approached by the three teens at McDonald’s after he left school. They asked him if they could come over to his house, but he told them no. They followed him home, kicked the door down, and two teens held him on the floor while the other held a kitchen knife to his throat. They took prescription drugs and food before leaving. FARRAGUT, IA (IRN) – A southwest Iowa school district has been dissolved after officials say it has run with a negative balance and sub-minimal educational standards. The Des Moines Register reports that the Iowa Board of Education voted to close the Farragut School District Wednesday. State officials say the district had a five-year period of deficit spending that was approaching $1 million. School board members say the legislature provides insufficient funding for rural schools. CHARLES CITY, IA – An apartment fire forced residents to evacuate their apartment complex in Charles City early Thursday morning. KIMT-TV reports the fire caused significant damage. When crews arrived around 1:00 am, they found hallways filled with smoke and flames. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire in a matter of minutes, and no one was injured. POMEROY, IA (IRN) – Authorities have arrested a man in connection with a death in northern Iowa. The Calhoun County Attorney’s Office reports that 48-year-old Freddy Crisp has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Dale Currie Potter, of Devil’s Lake, North Dakota. Potter was found dead in Pomeroy on November 10 with a gunshot wound. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Three Iowa state senators met with federal officials Wednesday morning at the White House to challenge Governor Branstad’s plan to privatize Medicaid. WOI-TV reports Iowa Senate president Pam Jochum and state senators Amanda Ragan and Liz Mathis said they made it clear to White House staff and leadership from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services they have no confidence in Governor Branstad’s proposal. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – The Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a Waterloo Police Officer hit a woman riding a bicycle. KWWL-TV reports the officer was on patrol and not responding to a call. The woman went to the hospital with minor injuries. She received citations for riding a bicycle without a light and violating 1-way traffic. The officer is not currently facing any charges. SWISHER, IA (IRN) – The mayor of Swisher in Johnson County has directed city staff to continue welcoming all refugees, regardless of their national origin or refugee status. KCRG-TV reports Mayor Christopher Taylor issued a proclamation Tuesday in response to Governor Terry Branstad’s order that all state agencies halt efforts to resettle Syrian refugees. Taylor says Swisher continues to welcome all visitors and prospective residents, regardless of national origin or refugee status.