Iowa Radio News

OTTER CREEK, IA (IRN) – Responders from four Jackson County fire departments freed a rural Otter Creek man from a grain bin Monday afternoon. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports that the man was engulfed in corn, and that it took approximately 90 minutes to free him with an aerial fire truck using rescue tubes. Grinnell IA, (IRN) – The Grinnell Regional Medical Center and the local community are working together to prevent head-injuries to young bicyclists. The Toledo Chronicle and Tama News-Herald report that the hospital is giving over 500 new bicycle helmets to third graders in the Grinnell area this year. The program has been ongoing since 1996. MODALE, IA (IRN) – Two people are in custody after a short pursuit led to gunfire on Interstate 29 in western Iowa yesterday. The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation reports that a Department of Transportation officer was checking on a car parked on the shoulder of the road, when the driver of the vehicle started acting suspicious and drove away.  During the pursuit, at least one round was fired, hitting the law enforcement vehicle. The male driver and female passenger were apprehended when the driver lost control and hit a vehicle at a rest area. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture has announced four new probable cases of avian influenza in Sac and Sioux counties.  Two are turkey farms, one is a backyard chicken flock, and the other a backyard duck flock. Iowa now has 56 cases of the disease. Over 25 million poultry have been impacted, with total economic losses nearing $1 billion in Iowa and Minnesota, the two states hit hardest by the disease. NEW YORK, NY (IRN) – Des Moines has been named one of the top “business-friendly” cities in the country.  MarketWatch, a Dow Jones and Co. financial reporting website, ranked 100 cities nationwide on business climate, economic outcome, and the performance of companies located in each city. Des Moines ranked fourth, behind Dallas, San Francisco, and Seattle. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Safety announced the formation of a Child Abduction Response Team yesterday. The purpose of the program is to have readily trained experts in the field of child abduction investigations able to respond immediately, assist local law enforcement agencies, and bring additional resources to aid in the recovery effort. DES  MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Governor Terry Branstad joined U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to urge Iowa landfill operators to take the carcasses of millions of chickens and turkeys that have been destroyed during the bird flu epidemic. Speaking at his weekly news conference, Branstad urged landfill operators to impose reasonable and fair fees for the disposal.  WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The city of West Des Moines and its Police Chief are facing a sexual discrimination lawsuit. The lawsuit claims Chief Shaun LaDue discriminated against female employees and despite their complaints, the city did not investigate. The women say LaDue reduced their duties, kept them from completing professional development their male co-workers were offered, and gave favorable treatment to male officers with less experience and training.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The National Weather Service reports patchy frost is possible tonight north of U.S. Highway 30. Very cool weather for mid to late May is expected through the middle of the week. Gusty northwest winds are bringing in cold air today with lows reaching the 30s to low 40s Tuesday morning. Warming is expected later in the week with thunderstorms a possibility for the weekend. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds have announced the debut of a website designed to make state government more transparent. The site—rules.iowa.gov—will give the public 20 days to comment on proposed administrative rules. The goal is to allow the public to assist the state in reforming burdensome rules and prevent overregulation that discourages efficiency, economic growth, and job creation. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The annual Memorial Day “Click-it or Ticket” campaign is underway. Over the past ten years, Iowa has averaged 5.3 traffic fatalities during the three-day Memorial Day weekend.  Research shows that nearly half of the passenger vehicle occupants killed on our nation’s roadways were not wearing seat belts. The national campaign runs through May 31. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Farmers around the world are being notified that we are now in an official El Nino weather event. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says this likely means moist, cool weather for the midwest. Meteorologists predict the event will continue through the autumn. EDDYVILLE, IA (IRN) – A driver and his passenger are dead after a two-vehicle accident north of Eddyville. The Iowa State Patrol reports that Eric David Hansen, 24, of Oskaloosa was driving a 2001 GMC pickup northbound on a rural road when he ran a stop sign at an intersection and was struck by an eastbound vehicle.  Hansen’s passenger, Megan Marie Moser, 24, of Winfield was also killed. MARENGO, IA (IRN) – An Ainsworth man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting at a man at a hotel in Williamsburg. KGAN reports that Roy L. Boughner, 48, is accused of shooting at an Iowa City man with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. Boughner missed, attempted to fire again, only to have his gun jam, allowing the man to escape. WASHINGTON, Iowa (IRN) – Law enforcement officers were responding to a two-vehicle accident on Highway 92 near Washington early Sunday morning, when a third vehicle hit a patrol car and rolled onto its top. One person was injured in the first accident. KCII radio reports that authorities arrested all three drivers for operating while intoxicated, among other charges. JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – Severe weather struck Iowa over the weekend. The National Weather Service reports that a tornado touched down near Ogden in the early morning hours on Sunday, and straight line winds and a possible tornado caused damage in Decatur, Clarke, Dallas and Boone counties.  Near Osceola, empty train cars were blown over by winds estimated at 80 mph.  No injuries were reported. AMES, IA (IRN) – An Ames based research firm has developed a vaccine that could possibly protect poultry from the H5N2 avian influenza virus. The Des Moines Register reports that Harrisvaccines will start testing the vaccine next week, with trials lasting four to eight weeks. The bird flu has been reported in 14 Iowa counties, and nearly 25 million chickens and one million turkeys have been destroyed.