Iowa Radio News

BLOOMFIELD, IA (IRN) – A Bloomfield woman was killed Tuesday in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 2. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Toyota van driven by 34-year-old Kristine Kaelin of Ottumwa was stopped on the highway trying to make a left hand turn. A Dodge van driven by 63-year-old Marilyn Roberts of Missouri, was also eastbound, and failed to notice that Kaelin’s vehicle was stopped and swerved into the westbound lane, hitting a Chevy pickup truck head-on. 79-year-old Carolyn Lawson of Bloomfield was killed in the crash. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Iowa led the nation in grain bin entrapments in 2015, although overall totals declined from the previous year. KCRG-TV reports Iowa saw seven such incidents last year, a little less than one-third of the 24 grain bin entrapments reported across the country. Of the two dozen entrapments nationwide, 14 were fatal, including one in December in Benton County that killed a Keystone man. FORT MADISON, IA (IRN) – A southeast Iowa man is behind bars facing one burglary charge but more are likely to follow. KHQA-TV reports Paul Baker of Fort Madison has been arrested for one count of Burglary in Lee County. Investigators seized hundreds of stolen items from Baker’s home, mostly jewelry and electronics. Authorities say Baker could be facing multiple charges in Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police arrested a man Wednesday evening in the November shooting death of his wife and daughter. KCCI-TV reports 47-year-old Barney Fraaken of Des Moines was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Police identified the victims as 42-year-old Amy Fraaken and 16-year-old Amber Fraaken, both of Des Moines. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man was shot and killed in Cedar Rapids Tuesday night marking the first shooting homicide in the city this year. KWWL-TV reports 25-year-old Joseph Perkins Jr. of Chicago died and another man was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg. Authorities say the shooting wasn’t random. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A driver died when his vehicle crashed after an object went through his windshield, according WQAD-TV. The crash happened Wednesday on eastbound Interstate 80 in Davenport. Road debris, which investigators did not yet identify, went through the windshield of the vehicle. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. A female front-seat passenger was taken by ambulance to a local hospital; her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. FAYETTEVILLE, AK (IRN) – Former Iowa State University head football coach Paul Rhoads has been hired as a secondary coach at the University of Arkansas. The 48-year-old Rhoads will be the defensive backs coach. Rhoads was fired from ISU in November.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating a shooting at an elementary school’s parking lot Tuesday. KCCI-TV reports it was reported at Park Avenue Elementary. The man shot, 18-year-old Darrius Colter Jr., told police he knocked on three different doors before someone came outside and called 911. About 3-4 shots were heard by nearby residents. Colter told police he and friends went to buy marijuana from an unknown individual at the school. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – A White House invitation for U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley to discuss the current U.S. Supreme Current vacancy with President Barack Obama has so far gone unanswered, according to The Des Moines Register. Grassley, a Republican, is Iowa’s senior senator and chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He has vacillated in the past week over whether he would consider an Obama nominee to succeed Justice Antonin Scalia, but he issued a letter on Tuesday saying the committee would not hold confirmation hearings until after a new president take office in 2017. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A mental health patient in the psychiatric ward at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo stole an ambulance and left the facility Tuesday, according to KWWL-TV. He was found shortly after having abandoned the ambulance. When police located him he was walking down a street trying to find an unlocked car. He’s back in custody. OMAHA, NE (IRN) – A 43-year-old woman has been given jail time and told to make restitution for helping to steal cattle in Nebraska’s York County and selling them in southwestern Iowa. The York News-Times reports that Amy Springer was sentenced to six months in jail and ordered to pay nearly $1,800 to a feedlot owner in York County. Prosecutors say Springer and an accomplice stole two steers from the feedlot and sold them at a sale barn in Massena, Iowa. WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – Some Waukee students will soon start their day a little differently. WHO-TV reports Monday night the school board decided to require all high school students to begin their day with the Pledge of Allegiance. The issue was brought up by a parent who questioned why the requirement only applied to students through tenth grade. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Roosevelt High School is now the first Des Moines public school to have gender-neutral restrooms. KCCI-TV reports two gender-neutral restrooms are now open in support of the LGBT community. Officials at the school say the restrooms are a part of a widespread effort to make students and staff feel accepted. The idea was put forth by student Zoe Wagner, who said students at the school come from all walks of life. Principal Kevin Biggs says that if the change can make an impact on even one person, then it’s worth it.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa lawmakers will debate a bill that would let children use handguns Tuesday. The bill would allow children of any age to use handguns WITH adult supervision. Current law prevents anyone under the age of 14 from using handguns. MARION, IA (IRN) – A group of Linn-Mar High School parents allege Assistant Football Coach Matt Casebolt emotionally and physically abused their kids at football practice. Monday, the families filed complaints with the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners against Casebolt and his supervisors. Parents initially took their concerns to Linn Mar’s High School Principal Jeff Gustason. The district investigated and dismissed the abuse claims. Unsatisfied, the group decided to appeal to the state board. PAGE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A 25-year-old inmate at the Page County Jail died in early December due to methamphetamine toxicity, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. Jessica Lee was arrested Nov. 19 on multiple drug charges. She was found unresponsive in her cell on Dec. 1 and died the next day. Authorities determined she died because she had sneaked meth into the jail inside a body cavity, and the bag had deteriorated. CENTERVILLE, IA (IRN) – A drug bust in southern Iowa on Monday resulted in two people being charged. WHO-TV reports 38-year-old Raymond Rhodeman of Des Moines and 43-year-old Melissa Zanders of Centerville were arrested. Authorities found meth, drug paraphernalia and an automatic weapon. Officers also located an unidentifiable white powder, which was later determined to be potassium cyanide, a deadly chemical used in gold mining. Both are charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a controlled substance. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – One person is in jail this morning for arson after a shed fire in Cedar Rapids. KCRG-TV reports the fire department put out the fire and police arrested Richard Alatalo for arson and public intoxication. Officers found him shortly after the fire started. Alatalo was arrested on an arson charge last October. NEVADA, IA (IRN) – The Sloan family bought an old theater in Nevada because they love its rich history. KCCI-TV reports they found an unanticipated piece of history while remodeling. An old child’s wallet was found lodged in floorboards. A pocket calendar in the wallet revealed it had been lost in 1944. It also held World War II ration stamps, a Boy Scout card, faded photos and an ID. It’s owner is alive and well. 85-year-old Clare McIntosh saw his wallet for the first time in 71 years Monday.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The U.S. Marshals Service says it has received a “lot of response” from the public after a media report about a murder suspect who may be in eastern Iowa, according to KWWL-TV. Authorities are looking for Kevin Edwards, who’s accused in the execution-style murder of a 9-year-old boy in Chicago. Investigators believe Edwards might be in eastern Iowa. They say they’ve received many tips and are going through a “ton of information” right now. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – At least one person was hurt in a fire that heavily damaged an apartment complex in Cedar Rapids Monday morning. KCRG-TV reports fire heavily damaged one building in the complex, affecting at least two apartments and possibly a third. Firefighters say one person was taken to the hospital with injuries. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police released new information today in the murder case of a woman killed last month. The DCI Crime Lab made a DNA match with a suspect and blood evidence collected at the scene of Norma McNeeley’s murder. Ali Eisa Abdalla Yahia has been identified as the source of the blood at the scene. On Feb. 13 Yahia was shot and killed by Urbandale police officers at a hotel after firing upon them during an investigation unrelated to the McNeeley homicide. Yahia had more than 250 run-ins with law enforcement since 2006. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines woman is facing attempted murder charges after she allegedly set her boyfriend on fire Sunday, according to KCCI-TV. When officers arrived on scene, they found the victim burned from head to toe, yelling that his girlfriend set him on fire. 47-year-old Amy Thornton faces charges of willful injury and attempted murder. She’s in jail. DECORAH, IA (IRN) – An 18-year-old Decorah High School student is facing drug charges after police found drugs in his locker. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports police conducted the search Friday. John Jenkins was arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Two juveniles have also been charged. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines’ decision to enforce a seldom-applied city ordinance limiting in-home day cares to six children has triggered a cascade of consequences that could lead to the elimination of 1,800 state-approved child care slots. The Des Moines Register reports that enforcement came after one complaint. Des Moines’ rule limiting in-home day cares to six children has been in place for more than 30 years, but it has rarely been enforced. Officials in the childcare industry say if enforcement continues, it will be a “total nightmare” for parents. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A 4-year-old with a rare disease got a big boost in the form of a birthday party and cards Sunday. Olivia McCormick has a rare condition that causes her bones to break easily. WHO-TV reports Davenport police officers decided to do something special for her and surprise her with a birthday party. Police made Olivia a junior police officer and gave her a bag of over 500 handmade cards from other kids.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – A Waterloo, Nebraska woman has been charged in Iowa with stealing between $22,000 and $222,000. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 44-year-old Beth Beutler (BITE-ler) was arrested Friday and charged with 38 counts of forgery. Beutler used a checking machine to withdraw thousands of dollars. The machine allows truck drivers to access funds by giving a clerk at a truck stop an authorization code to pay for fuel, service or get cash. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A nationwide tax scam is sweeping through Iowa with phone calls from a fake IRS agent calling and threatening people to pay money. KCCI-TV reports a Des Moines woman who was targeted say she wants to get the word out so others don’t fall victim to the scam. Marlis Wagner says she’s older and retired, and thinks they are preying on older people because they tend to be more gullible. The IRS only communicates through mail and would never call or send an email. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Iowa has more structurally-deficient bridges than any other state. Nearly 60,000 bridges are structurally deficient in the U.S. and over 5,000 of them are in Iowa. A report published by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association says 21 percent of Iowa’s bridges have one or more key elements, such as the deck, superstructure or substructure, in poor condition or worse. .DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The smell of bacon filled the air in downtown Des Moines on Saturday. WHO-TV reports hundreds of people flocked to the Iowa Events Center for the 9th Annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival. Bacon lovers could try all sorts of bacon, and attend bacon lectures, bacon competitions, and the annual Bacon Queen contest. This year’s theme was “Body by Bacon.”