Iowa Radio News

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A Waterloo teen is in the hospital after being shot. KWWL-TV reports a 14-year-old male was riding his bike when he was shot in the leg. He was taken to a local hospital where he faces non-life-threatening injuries. This is one of two shootings reported in Waterloo on Saturday. GANESH JHORA, INDIA (IRN) – A man from the northeastern Iowa town of Randalia is dead following a climbing accident in India, according to The Telegraph of Calcutta. 20-year-old Lamar Fox was traveling with a friend on a mission trip. The men decided to climb up a rocky stream, when Fox slipped and fell and hit a rock and lost consciousness. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating a stabbing at the Kennedy Mall in Dubuque Friday night. KWWL-TV reports the victim, 22-year-old Shelvy Lee Marcus Fair of Dubuque was found bleeding from a stab wound. Police say 26-year-old Tommy Ray Price Jr. of Mount Morris, Illinois has been arrested for the stabbing. The injuries are not life-threatening. AMES, IA (IRN) – For the fourth straight year, the road team won the annual Cy-Hawk rivalry game as Iowa defeated Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday by a score of 31-17. Next week, Iowa hosts Pittsburgh and Iowa State travels to Toledo.  

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A University of Iowa sorority has been suspended after posting a video on YouTube showing members performing a profane song that references binge drinking. The Iowa City Press citizen reports the video has logged more than 95,000 views, and showed members of the Delta Epsilon chapter of Alpha Phi singing the song that includes the line: “Now watch me chug, now watch me shotgun. Now watch me chug, chug, now watch me black out.” DES MOINES (IRN) – Police are investigating a deadly shooting on the east side of Des Moines, according to WHO-TV. 28-year-old Matthew Cizek was shot just before 6 p.m. Friday evening and later died at a hospital. The suspect sped off on a motorcycle and is still at large, however police have identified him and say Cizek knew the suspect. This is the third homicide for Des Moines in less than 24 hours. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating a body found on the Coe College campus on Friday as an unattended death. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports the identity of the adult woman has not yet been determined. Her body has been sent to the medical examiner’s office to determine the cause and manner of death. Police do not believe the public is in any danger. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Former Iowa basketball star Roy Marble, the school’s all-time leading scorer, has died. The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier reports Marble, who had battled cancer in recent years, was 48. Marble led Iowa to the NCAA Tournament four times, including an Elite Eight appearance in 1987. Marble is the second high-profile Iowa athlete to die this week. Former football star Tyler Sash, 27, was found dead in his home in Oskaloosa on Tuesday. ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (IRN) – Miss Iowa Taylor Wiebers is hoping to make it to the final round in the Miss America pageant.  For the second time in as many days, Wiebers received the top spot in a preliminary round of competition. She was named the winner Tuesday for the talent preliminary and Friday she took the victory in the swimsuit preliminary round. The live broadcast is Sunday night from Atlantic City.

AMES, IA (IRN) – Six Iowa State University students living in a rented home in Ames have been vaccinated for rabies after officials learned they have collectively killed 23 bats in their home. The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier reports the first bat was found in the basement Aug. 30, and another one the next morning. The bats continued to appear and the students would walk the hallways at night with tennis rackets to combat the animals. DES MOINES (IRN) – If you can lay concrete or frame a house, chances are an Iowa company wants you.  Construction firms in Iowa and nationwide are struggling to find workers and most don’t expect the labor shortage to improve in the next year, according to a survey released Thursday by the Associated General Contractors of America. 92% of Iowa firms surveyed said they were having trouble finding workers. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) For the second time this week, Cedar Rapids police are investigating a shooting death, according to KCRG-TV. This time, the victim is a 32-year-old man. Police have not yet released the victim’s name, and there have been no arrests. Police believe the shooting was not random and that there is no risk to the general public. DES MOINES (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating a burglary at a frozen custard store Wednesday. A former employee is suspected. He should be easy to locate, having numerous tattoos including a pot leaf on his left hand, cross on his shoulder, lizard on his left forearm, a clown, a cross, a grim reaper, a biohazard symbol on his neck, the word hate on his left hand finger and love on his left hand finger, and a Tweety bird on his left leg. DES MOINES (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating after two bodies were found early this morning just north of downtown. WHO-TV reports one body was found in the middle of a street, the other behind a home nearby. Police have not said how the two people died but did say they had been investigating a report of a shooting. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids police have made an arrest in the case of a man found dead outside a church on Saturday morning, according to KWWL-TV. 56-year-old Raymond Ursino was found dead near the First Presbyterian Church. Ursino had no permanent address. 44-year-old Travis Standlee, also with no permanent address, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and willful injury causing serious injury. Ursino died by strangulation. DES MOINES (IRN) – The Office of the Iowa Attorney General says that some sexual assault test kits have remained unprocessed for decades, according to KCCI-TV. Iowa will receive $2 million in grants as part of the nearly $80 million distributed nationally to help cities and states test reported backlogs of approximately 70,000 rape kits. DES MOINES (IRN) – Governor Terry Branstad has ordered all U.S. and state flags flying on state owned buildings, grounds and facilities to fly at half-staff today to honor those killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Governor Branstad encourages all individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions to fly their flags at half-staff as a sign of respect.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – The state medical examiner has ruled a toddler death in a Waterloo in-home daycare as accidental. KWWL-TV reports 18-month-old Brody Harrelson was found unconscious June 17. Harrelson had been placed in a car seat for a nap. The immediate cause of death was determined as mechanical or positional asphyxia from the strap of the car seat. The infant also had an inflamed heart wall, possibly caused by a viral infection. POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A semi went up in flames Thursday morning before dawn after running off Interstate 80 in rural Polk County and hitting a tree. WHO-TV reports the front of the vehicle caught fire but the driver was able to escape without any injuries. HAMDEN, CT (IRN) – A Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll released today shows Bernie Sanders leads Hillary Clinton in Iowa in the race to be the Democratic Party Presidential nominee. Senator Sanders is the choice of 41% of likely Iowa Democratic Caucus participants, with 40% picking former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 12% back Vice President Joe Biden, and former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley gets 3%. CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – Some potential voters in the Cedar Falls school election Tuesday showed up at the polls late and did not get to vote due to an incorrect posting of voting hours on the city of Cedar Falls website. The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier reports the city incorrectly posted that polls would be open until 9 p.m., when they actually closed at 8 p.m.  City officials say they hope it won’t happen again. OSKALOOSA, IA (IRN) – Preliminary autopsy results are in for former Hawkeye football player Tyler Sash. The Office of the State Medical examiner says that no acute trauma was found, and that additional tests are needed to determine the cause of death. A memorial service for Sash will be held Friday at the Oskaloosa Community Stadium at the Lacey Complex. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A company that markets meat to observant Muslims has pled guilty to its role in exporting misbranded meat products.  KCCI-TV reports Midamar Corp. of Cedar Rapids entered the plea Wednesday to conspiracy to make false statements on export certificates, sell misbranded meat, and commit wire fraud. Company founder Bill Aossey was convicted earlier as part of the scheme to export mislabeled meat. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Just a few hours after University of Iowa faculty Senate voted “no confidence” in the Board of Regents for its hiring of businessman J. Bruce Harreld as the next UI president this week, student leaders passed similar votes of no confidence in the regents. KWWL-TV reports the regents have also authorized a $2.4 million dollar remodel of the new president’s home and office. COLFAX, IA (IRN) – A Colfax man arrived at his mother-in-law’s house to find an unauthorized roofing job underway. WHO-TV reports the shingles had been torn off her roof, and replacement shingles were being laid.  Deever Roofing in Des Moines was supposed to be working on a house a block and a half away.  When notified that a mistake had been made, the roofing company admitted the error, and the family will receive the new roof at no cost.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A Waterloo man was taken to the hospital following a kitchen fire Wednesday morning. The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier reports the fire broke out at about 3:20 a.m. at an assisting living apartment. The resident, who is disabled, fled to a bathroom. A neighbor who saw the fire went in and helped the man outside. BETTENDORF, IA (IRN) – A 15-year-old from Bettendorf pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the stabbing death of his 34-year-old brother. WQAD-TV reports the teen stabbed his brother with a butter knife after the brother had a verbal altercation with their mother. The teen says he thought his brother was going to hit their mother. DEWITT, IA (IRN) – Officials are working to have an Illinois man returned from Colorado to face prosecution for a shooting in front of the DeWitt Police Department in Clinton County. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports that 26-year-old Alejandro Andres Lira was arrested last week in Denver and faces Iowa charges of kidnapping, robbery and attempted murder. OSKALOOSA, IA (IRN) Former Hawkeye football player Tyler Sash was found dead yesterday. Sash was found about 8 a.m. by a family member who came to walk his dog. The cause of death is not yet known, and an autopsy has been scheduled for this morning. Sash, 27, was a member of the Hawkeye football team from 2008-2010. Sash then played for the New York Giants from 2011-2013. Sash is from Oskaloosa. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – A man was struck and killed by a car in Council Bluffs Tuesday, according to KETV. Bicyclist David Ryder, 54, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle that struck him left the scene only to return later. Stephanie Kenealy, 28, returned, saying she left because she was scared and shook up. She was charged with leaving the scene of a fatality crash.  It was dark, foggy, and raining heavily at the time of the accident. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa City police are investigating an armed robbery that began outside a McDonald’s. KWWL-TV reports a man says he left his car and was walking into the restaurant with a woman when two men approached them, one showed a handgun, and both ordered them back into the car. They had him drive into a nearby neighborhood where they robbed them. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa Faculty Senate issued a vote of “no confidence” Tuesday in the Iowa Board of Regents. The Iowa City Press Citizen reports the resolution came five days after the regents unanimously voted to name former IBM executive J. Bruce Harreld as the 21st UI president. Harreld has no university administrative experience. The other three finalists for the position included two university provosts and a college president. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – President Barack Obama will visit Des Moines next week for a discussion on college affordability at North High School, according to the Des Moines Register. First Lady Michelle Obama will also visit an Iowa community college on Sept. 17 to look at its career and technical programs. Obama last came to Iowa in January, when he announced new plans for expanding high-speed Internet access during a visit to Cedar Falls.