Iowa Radio News

MITCHELL COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A bicyclist has died after being hit by a car in Mitchell County in northeast Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol says Grace Harken of Riceville was pedaling eastbound on Highway 218 Wednesday when the car struck her from behind. The driver, Courtney Johnson of Osage, pulled over to assist. Harken was taken to the hospital where she died of her injuries. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A worker with a Davenport tree company died Wednesday after being pulled into a wood-chipping machine. The Quad City Times reports no foul play is suspected. The victim’s name is not being released until family is notified. BOULDER, CO (IRN) – A Boulder, Colorado police officer shot and killed a stabbing suspect and 2010 Iowa City High graduate late Monday night. KWWL-TV reports a 911 caller said a man was high on LSD, and had attacked someone with a knife. When police arrived they found the suspect, later identified as 22-year-old Samuel Forgy, naked on a stairway railing, preparing to jump down on them. When a stun gun didn’t stop Forgy, an officer shot and killed him. LOGAN, IA (IRN) – A man has been charged in the Independence Day hit-and run death of a woman in the western Iowa town of Logan. KETV reports Austin Arndt, 25, turned himself in. A Logan Police officer located the body of Charlotte Anderson, 50, the evening of July 4 along the highway near Logan Magnolia High School. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Prosecutors have decided to drop a nearly 2-year-old case in Iowa City, according to KWWL. The case involved 53-year-old Ronald Williams, who allegedly followed a woman into a porta-potty at Kinnick Stadium in 2013 and tried to make her have sex with him. The case was dropped because of a speedy trial error. The victim says the dismissal is unjust, that she has gone through “hell,” and fears Williams will attack again. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – The FBI says a robbery at the Iowa Heartland Credit Union in Mason City on Tuesday may have been the latest crime by the serial robber known as the “AK-47 Bandit.” KIMT-TV reports a customer reported that there was trouble at the bank, and when police arrived employees were all in the vault. He’s robbed banks in California, Idaho, Washington, Nebraska, and now Iowa. The man was armed with an AK-47 with a high capacity drum magazine. GUTTENBERG, IA (IRN) – The Iowa DNR and two federal agencies are investigating the source of a sheen reported Tuesday afternoon on the Mississippi River near Guttenberg. The DNR, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Coast Guard are looking for the pollution source. The DNR has notified downstream drinking water utilities in Davenport, Burlington and Keokuk. DES MOINES (IRN) – The Iowa Events Center has had its most successful year to date, with profits up more than 50 percent from last year, according to KCCI-TV. The complex is owned by Polk County, and County Supervisors accepted a $1.9 million check Wednesday. Big acts like the Dave Matthews Band and Comic Con contributed to the record-breaking year.

DES MOINES (IRN) – Bird flu restrictions are forcing a young magician to come up with new animals in his act, as the Iowa State Fair says he can’t use his pet doves because of the avian flu outbreak. That means 19-year-old Michael Osman – or Mike Oz on stage – can’t use his doves when he competes Aug. 13 in the Iowa State Fair Bill Riley Talent Search. Osman says he’s started experimenting with fish instead. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man who fought extradition from Canada has pled guilty to charges he helped smuggle thousands of pounds of high-grade marijuana into the United States. The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier reports Jason Leonard Boyachek, 42, of Edmonton, Alberta, pled to a single count of conspiracy to distribute over 800 pounds of marijuana during a Monday appearance in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. He faces 10 years to life in prison. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) An Iowa man who pled guilty to torturing his roommate’s cat will not be going to prison, according to KCCI-TV. Instead, 21-year-old Leo Nopoulos was sentenced to probation after authorities say he tortured the animal for hours. Tom Colvin, the executive director of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, says probation is not enough. He wants Nopoulos to go to prison. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Strong storms moving through the state Tuesday evening produced heavy rain and caused over 7,000 homes and businesses in central Iowa to lose power. More than six inches of rain fell in Warren County. Flash flooding happened throughout the area, and flooding along Volunteer Creek in Carlisle caused the evacuation of several homes. Des Moines rainfall totalling 2.44 inches broke the record for that date set in 1892. DES MOINES (IRN) – A man in handcuffs ran away from a Polk County Deputy, but was later captured. The Deputy noticed a vehicle speeding in rural Polk County Tuesday, and pursued it until it struck a utility pole. After the driver, Maurice Daye, 27, of West Des Moines was placed into handcuffs, he broke free from the deputy’s grip and took off running on foot. He was apprehended shortly later without incident. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A child riding a bike was injured Tuesday after being struck by a vehicle in Sioux City. The Sioux City Journal reports the driver failed to yield at a stop sign and struck the child. The child was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – University of Iowa officials are planning multi-million dollar projects for Kinnick Stadium, according to KCCI-TV. New stadium plazas and patios will be added, among other amenities. Plans call for a $35 to $45 million dollar upgrade. According to officials, the north stands are functionally obsolete. The request comes at a time when the school predicts a $3 million drop in football revenue for next season due to slow ticket sales.  

STONINGTON, CT (IRN) – A Council Bluffs man and his son have been killed in a tractor-trailer crash on Interstate 95 in Stonington, Connecticut. Police say 31-year-old Sergio Castellon, of Council Bluffs, and his 7-year-old son, Sergio, were pronounced dead at the scene Monday night. The truck struck a guardrail and bridge abutment. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A former field hockey coach who was fired at the University of Iowa last year has filed a state civil rights complaint. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that Tracey Griesbaum’s action is a step toward filing a lawsuit. Griesbaum said gender bias under athletics director Gary Barta led to her firing. The university denies the allegations CYLINDER, IA (IRN) – A 58-year-old Iowa man tried to rescue his son who was overcome by fumes in a hog manure pit, but both men later died. The Des Moines Register reports the accident occurred Saturday afternoon in the northwest Iowa town of Cylinder. Gene Opheim and his 32-year-old son, Austin, were making repairs when Austin was overcome by gases. His father then entered the pit to save his son but was also overcome. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – Authorities have arrested two people for an illegal fireworks manufacturing operation at their home in Council Bluffs.  According to KETV, 55-year-old Craig Woodward and 22-year-old Katelyn Reynolds were arrested Monday afternoon, and were charged with manufacturing fireworks without a license. A large quantity of fuses and powder was found. DES MOINES (IRN) – Police are investigating the burglary of a church in Ankeny. WHO-TV reports the burglar caused several thousand dollars worth of damage Monday, and escaped with an unknown amount of money. Father Steve Orr of Our Lady`s Immaculate Heart Catholic Church has a message for him. Orr says if the burglar is that desperate, he needs help, and that’s what the church is for. You don’t need to burglarize the Church for it to help you. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) –  Close to 100 people rallied outside Iowa City Hall Monday evening demanding change after a video surfaced online of a black teen being forced to the ground during an arrest. The teen was playing at the recreation center when he didn’t comply with a police order. Iowa City Police are changing department policy as a result to use “verbal de-escalation techniques” when possible rather than force. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – The U.S. Marshals Service is looking for a fugitive from a work-release program. The Sioux City Journal reports Michael Euchner II, 25, is wanted for violation of his parole for sex abuse stemming from a 2009 conviction in Ida County. Euchner removed his GPS monitoring bracelet while at work and fled his place of employment in Sioux City. WASHINGTON, DC (IRN) – Iowa’s college graduation rates and loan default rates are better than most states, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette. The national average for students graduating within six years is just over half, at 55 percent, while Iowa is at 63 percent. The percentage of those who defaulted on student loans within three years is 5 percent, less than half the U.S. rate of 11 percent. For-profit colleges have the worst rates.

DES MOINES (IRN) – The Des Moines Water Works reported Monday that nitrate removal from the city’s drinking water has cost $1.5 million so far this year, according to KCCI-TV. The facility has operated a record 148 days. Water Works staff said elevated nitrate levels in its water sources are largely attributed to upstream agricultural land practices. The facility is suing three northern Iowa counties for their alleged upstream pollution. DES MOINES (IRN) – A fire destroyed a $490,000 Waukee home Monday morning, burning through the roof, the garage and two cars. Flames started inside the garage, but residents didn’t know about the fire until a neighbor knocked on the door to warn them. No one was injured. CEDAR COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two Muscatine men were killed in an accident early Sunday morning on Interstate 80 in Cedar County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a semi tractor and trailer were legally parked on the shoulder of the Interstate when for an unknown reason the 2009 Toyota driven by 22-year old Gregorio Javier Tapia ran into the back of it. Tapia and his passenger, 19-year-old Anthony Nunez, died in the collision. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Three men have been charged with robbing a Dubuque man at gunpoint on Saturday. The Dubuque Tribune Herald reports Anthony Logan, 20, of Dubuque, Hakeem Cage, 17, of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Michael Burdunice, 20, of Davenport were charged with first degree robbery. Burdunice was also charged with providing false identification and Cage is charged with carrying a concealed weapon and interference with official acts. The robbers stole a cellphone and a wallet. GUAM (IRN) – An Iowa National Guard Airman has drowned in Guam. Dead is Senior Airman Drew Bellairs, 20, of Osage. Bellairs drowned while swimming Saturday. He was a member of the Maintenance Group, 185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard based in Sioux City, and was serving on temporary duty in Guam. He graduated from Osage High School in 2013, and was a student at Iowa State University, majoring in Criminal Justice. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – Authorities pulled a man’s body from the Missouri River Sunday, and are working to determine who he was and how he ended up there, according to KETV. The body was reported near the Ameristar Casino on the Council Bluffs side of the river.  A 911 caller on the Nebraska side saw the body floating near the south Omaha bridge. FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – Two people are dead in an accident in Webster County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2002 Ford Mustang driven by Chad Grell, 38, of Fort Dodge accelerated excessively to pass a vehicle when it lost control, entered a ditch, and struck a utility pole. Grell was ejected from the vehicle. A passenger in the vehicle, April Montgomery, 34, of Otho was also killed. Injured was Amanda Imhoff, 25, of Fort Dodge. DES MOINES (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating two shootings that happened over the weekend near Drake University, according to KCCI-TV. Two people were wounded Sunday morning near a Kum & Go. Police are also investigating a shooting that happened Friday night that involved a police pursuit of an SUV. Two suspects eventually abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot, eluding police.  

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (IRN) – An Amber alert issued Saturday night in Iowa, South Dakota, and Minnesota for a Sioux Falls boy has been cancelled.  Authorities say they have located 1-year-old Keegan Vortherms in Minnesota. TOLEDO, OH (IRN) – Arizona Cardinals rookie receiver and former University of Iowa receiver Damond Powell Jr. was wounded by gunfire outside his Toledo, Ohio home Friday evening. KCCI-TV reports 22-year-old Powell was wounded in his driveway from shots fired from a car. Witnesses reported seeing three men wearing masks in a gold-colored vehicle. Powell’s injuries did not appear to be life-threatening. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – Woodbury County needs a new jail, according to Sheriff Dave Drew. The Sioux City Journal reports the facility was designed to hold 140 prisoners with a current population of 210. A five year plan to address the new jail estimates a new facility designed to hold 350 inmates would cost $65 million. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) –  A Shenandoah man has been sentenced in the Southern Iowa District Federal Court to 16 years in in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. James Paul Davis, 31, participated in a network that brought in large quantities of methamphetamine to southwestern Iowa from the border region in Texas for distribution across southwestern Iowa and eastern Nebraska.