Iowa Radio News

FAIRFIELD – A Fairfield High School student who plotted to kill his Spanish teacher will have to serve 35 years in prison before the possibility of parole. The Des Moines Register reports the Iowa Supreme Court affirmed a lower court decision that Willard Chaiden Miller will receive the full sentence. There is an Iowa law that deals with mandatory minimum sentencing and juveniles — both Miller and his accomplice Jeremy Goodale were teenagers at the time of the murder of Nohema Graber. CALHOUN COUNTY – The man accused of murdering a teenager in Calhoun County has entered a plea of not guilty on Friday. WHO-13 reports Nathaniel Bevers-McGivney faces charges of abuse of a corpse and first degree murder for the death of 17-year-old Michele Luna Jackson of Farnhamville. A criminal complaint alleges that Bevers-McGivney cut the victim’s throat with a knife and stabbed her multiple times, and then attempted to hide her body on September 22nd. IOWA – A couple of record highs were tied on Friday in both Des Moines and Ottumwa with 86 degrees at each site. The previous record for both was in 1962. This comes during an unusually warm and dry fall season so far, with some locations in Iowa having received less than an inch of rain since early August, according to the National Weather Service. Most Iowans will see their first frost of the year early next week, but warmer weather returns by next Friday.

IOWA – Active solar weather has continued in 2024, with many Iowans taking in the aurora borealis multiple times this month, including late last night. Several observers have found seeing the northern lights much easier with the use of longer exposure videos and images on smart phones. There were multiple instances of the northern lights visible in Iowa back in May as well. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has found solar activity to be high this year, which has also disrupted some radio and GPS services intermittently. CEDAR RAPIDS – A Cedar Rapids woman has been arrested for allegedly abandoning two children this summer. KCRG-TV reports Heather Ann Perez Miranda is accused two children younger than 10 years old at the corner of a street on June 30th. One of the children found has been determined as not being able to care for themselves due to medical issues. Police say video shows the mother dropping off the two children near Interstate 380 in Cedar Rapids. Perez Miranda faces two counts of neglect and child endangerment. IOWA – Drought has once again expanded in Iowa as an unusually warm and dry October continues. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor Report shows now more than half of Iowa is once again in drought, seven percent of which is considered severe. While no major precipitation is on the horizon, many corners of the state are expected to see their first frost by early next week, according to the National Weather Service.

IOWA – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is the lead state attorney on a lawsuit challenging a federal rule that changes the Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Car Facilities. The Des Moines Register reports Bird is joining 17 other Republican-led states in a challenge that increase standings for nursing care in facilities that receiving Medicare and Medicaid. The rule requires those places to have a registered nurse on-site 24 hours a day. Bird alleges that facilities lack the staffing to meet those requirements and that it would require the hiring of 100,000 full-time employees that don’t currently exist.TAMPA – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has responded to a request from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for National Guard aid. KETV reports Reynolds is deploying the Iowa National Guard for hurricane relief as Milton moves off-shore. This is the second major hurricane in just a few weeks to hit the Sunshine State. IOWA – The peak of fall colors in 2024 is still more than a week away for the majority of Iowans, according to the DNR’s weekly update. Prime viewing season has started in northern Iowa and should reach the best color by October 15th; most of the southern half of the state is projected to do so closer to October 19th and 20th.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Supreme Court heard oral arguments about a law that allows a carbon pipeline company to enter and survey a landowner’s property. The Iowa Capital Dispatch says a large audience was in attendance for the hearing on Tuesday in the Iowa Supreme Courtroom at the Capitol. This follows a district court decision that ruled that landowner Kent Kasichke could not interfere with Summit Carbon Solutions and their attempts to enter his property for a land survey in Hardin County. He is appealing that decision, claiming it is unconstitutional for the company to enter his property before a project is approved through eminent domain. STORY COUNTY – One of four family members accused of torturing fifth person in their household is heading toward a guilty plea. WHO-13 reports Aaron Williams has a hearing scheduled on October 15th to potentially plead down to lesser charges. The other three family members charged, including Gary Graham, Danielle Graham, and Kaitlynn Williams, all have trials scheduled as of now over the next several months. The four are accused of abusing another son of Danielle Graham, who was found in Zearing with several life-threatening injuries and severe malnourishment this past March. BOONEVILLE – A couple in Booneville was arrested for alleged child endangerment. KCCI-TV reports Jacob Mitchell and Ariel Paul are out of custody now but were charged after Dallas County deputies found six children, ranging from 11 months to 13 years old, covered in feces and the home to be in disarray. Those kids have been placed in foster care.

CLINTON COUNTY – Three children were killed in a rear-end crash along Highway 30 in Clinton County Monday. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Jeep Grand Cherokee was stationary in the outside lane of the U.S. Highway just after 9 a.m. for an unknown reason, and was rear-ended by a 2023 Dodge Ram tow truck. Three children under the age of five lost their lives according to the Clinton Herald, and were occupants in the stationary jeep — none of whom were wearing a seat belt, according to the report. The crash remains under investigation. Three other injuries were reported to adults. WINNESHIEK COUNTY – Investigators are looking into why a tractor and train collided Monday afternoon, resulting in one death. WHO-13 reports the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash at 2:32 p.m. along Highway 24. The collision resulted in a fatality. IOWA – Iowa experienced another week of dry and windy conditions, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s weekly report. Corn and soybean harvest continued to be the primary field activities for the week. Combine and other equipment fires were reported as weather conditions increased the risk of such fires. Topsoil moisture condition rated 22 percent very short, 42 percent short, 36 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 16 percent very short, 44 percent short, 39 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Corn maturation reached 90 percent, six days behind last year but 5 days ahead of the five-year average. Corn harvested for grain reached 22 percent. Livestock water resources continue to be a concern.