Friday, January 31, 2014

Waterloo drug ring

A man has gotten prison time for running a Waterloo drug ring... Dwayne Appling was sentenced to more than 27 years in federal prison... he has to serve 10 years of supervised release after he gets out of prison... he and his accomplices allegedly distributed heroin throughout the Waterloo area between 2007 and march of 2010. He was arrested in South Dakota in November of 2012. His organization allegedly involved more than 39 people.

Twyner Hearing

A change of plea hearing has been set for a former Newtown doctor accused of wrongdoing in prescribing painkillers. Lafayette Twyner has decided to plead guilty... he's been charged with more than 100 counts of health care fraud and unlawfully disseminating controlled substances... he surrendered his state medical license to settle accusations with the state board of medicine. Twyner previously denied any wrong doing. the change of lea hearing has been set for February 21st.

Plant Explosion

Authorities say an explosion and fire have been reported at a metal plant in central Iowa, but there are no injuries. About 35 employees were inside the Janco Industries plant in Sully when they reported an explosion Thursday morning and saw smoke and flames. All workers escaped unharmed. Fire crews from several surrounding areas helped battle the blaze, which was extinguished by noon. At least half of the plant was damaged. Sully Fire Chief Mike Vander Molen said that it's not clear what caused the fire.

Solar Power

An environmental group says Iowa's solar electrical potential outranks states like Georgia, Utah, and South Carolina... the Iowa environmental council says Iowa ranks 16th in the nation for how much solar power it could reasonably produce... the group says solar power projects are being put in at farms, universities, businesses, and homes... the council says just like wind energy became more popular in Iowa, solar can too. the report was largely paid for by the Iowa energy center at Iowa state university.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Teen robberies

6 Des Moines teenagers have been arrested in a coupe of recent armed robberies.  Two of the suspects are 18-year olds Tony Kpedeh and Stephen Meja.  The others a 17, 15, and two 16-year olds.  One of the a holdups was at Dahl’s on Ingersoll Friday night.   Meja is charged with two counts of first degree burglary, Kpedeh with one count of first degree burglary.

Unemployment down

Iowa's unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent last month, down from 4.3 in November according to new numbers released today. The Iowa Workforce Development agency says more than 1.6 million Iowa residents held jobs in December, and an estimated 70,200 remained unemployed.

Water Works master plan

A new master plan to turn Des Moines Water Works Park into an educational/recreational destination's will be unveiled at the Des Moines Arts Center tomorrow.  An open house to view the plan's set for 5 to 7p.m. Almost $165,000 in grant money's been raised for the project so far, and KCCI reports another $35,000 come in from private donors.  

Zaun candidacy

Republican state Senator Brad Zaun says he's running for the U.S. House seat being vacated by Congressman Tom Latham.  Zaun announced his candidacy today in Clive.  Several other candidates have already announced plans to run in the GOP primary race for the seat.  Latham announced last month his plans to retire after finishing his 10th term.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Fatal fire

Five bodies have been recovered from the charred remains of a home destroyed by fire Friday morning in Fayette County. The house in Arlington, Iowa was owned by a man who rented part of it out to others. Authorities believe three adults and two children were killed, but it may take some time to positively identify the victims. The State Fire Marshal's office says the damage is so extensive it would be difficult to collect enough evidence to determine the cause of the fire.

Drug kidnapping case

An Iowa man has been found guilty in connection o a drug deal kidnapping last year... prosecutors had said Trey Boykin and Garry Patterson lured a Briar Cliff University student into Boykin's car with the idea of selling him marijuana... prosecutors allege the two robbed the student after driving him away from campus... Boykin was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and kidnapping... he was found not guilty of two weapons charges.

Bank thief sentenced

A 40 year old woman from Tarkio, Missouri, has been sentenced in an Iowa bank theft. Prosecutors say in 2012, Tiffany Stanley told deputies in Fremont county -that she was forced to give money to a male robber while she was working at Great Western Bank of Riveron... it turned out Stanley allegedly reported the robbery to hide her theft of money from the bank. She was sentenced to four months behind bars and four months of home confinement... she had pleaded guilty.

Bad car dealer

A used car dealership in eastern Iowa has been ordered to refund fees that officials say were improperly collected from customers. Urbana Motors was accused of collecting improper fees, sidestepping legal protections for consumers behind n payments, and not disclosing some costs. They have 90 days to contact affected customers. Attorney General Tom Miller said in a news release Thursday that Urbana Motors will return fees that state law did not entitle the company to collect.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Voter Fraud

Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz says nine additional cases of potential voter fraud have been reported in the state. The charges announced Wednesday all involve felons who did not have their voting rights restored. Eight cases were filed in Black Hawk County. One was filed in Lee County. Schultz, who has announced he will run for Congress this year, used a $280,000 federal grant to launch a two-year investigation into voter fraud in Iowa. Schultz has said his use of the money is appropriate

Iowa School Enrollment

There's been another increase in the numebr of students attending Iowa's public schools... the state education department says enrollment hit almost 479 thousand students for the 2013-2014 school year... it was up by 6-tenths of a percentage point over the previous year... this is the second year in a row for an enrollment jump... it comes after the state had falling numbers for 17 years. the head of the bureau of information and analysis for the department says he two years of higher numbers were partly because of a temporary jump in Iowa birth rates that started ten years ago.

Campground Hosts

The Department of Natural Resources is looking for campground hosts a several sites... hosts get free camping for their work... they help park staff with things like helping campers and talking about rules... they also serve as on-the-fly tour guides and help with registration... they might also do some cleaning and light maintenance. They're needed for the season at several state parks...officials hope to have hosts in place by mid-march... applications are available on the website for the DNR.

Convention Center

A bond referendum is set for march 4th - that could result in Ames getting a convention center. The register says the bond referendum, totaling 19 million dollars, needs to get approval from 60 percent of voters... A contribution from Iowa state would help to pay for the addition and renovation of the Scheman building.. the addition would total 128 thousand square feet... the project would total 32 million dollars. There's been not vote yet, though, with the Iowa Board of Regents on the university's share.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Roadside Cleanup Project

A three-month pilot program is kicking off to help keep roadside cleaner in east-central Iowa... several groups are collaborating for the program, which is led by environmentalist Doug Elam and will also include the organization keep Iowa beautiful and the city of Cedar Rapids... it'll involved recruiting groups and individuals to adopt two miles of Iowa roadside... they'll agree to clean their designated stretch of road twice a year. Roadside signs will tell you that the area is kept up by volunteers.

New YMCA

It will take $30 million to transform the old Polk County Convention Complex into the new Wellmark YMCA. Yesterday community leaders held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the project. Doors are slated to open next year. The 180,000 sq. ft. facility will feature an elite training center. It's something city leaders tell ABC5 is the first of its kind in the state. Governor Branstad praised the building's potential contribution to Iowa's healthiest state initiative.

New City Manager

Business and community leaders say Des Moines is positioned well as officials begin their search for a city manager to replace the outgoing Rick Clark. Clark is retiring after 40 years with the city. Civic and business leaders tell the Register the national recognition garnered by the city in recent years and its downtown resurgence and ongoing economic development efforts make it an attractive place for high-quality managers to vie for the city’s top job.

Child Death

Authorities have been investigating the death of a 15 month old child in northwest Iowa... but Spencer police say no crime was involved in the child's death. Paramedics were called to a home in Spencer Friday night, and the young boy was taken to a hospital...and the child died. Police say investigators and doctors found no evidence of foul play. The exact cause of death has not yet been determined.

More Cold Weather

Be careful if you're outside today... colder temperatures have moved in to the area... and that will continue for the next couple of days. We're expecting wind chills as low as 20 below zero today... just in the teens tomorrow and single digits for a high on Thursday... then we're back in the 30s by friday. If you're traveling out of state today, check ahead... some areas of the east and northeast are getting up to ten inches of snow today.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Suspects throw bags of marijuana out of car during chase

Des Moines Police say three people tossed pot bags out of their vehicle during a chase last night.

Jason Halifax from the police tells the Des Moines Register that 23-year-old Walter Green of Chicago, 26-year-old Jeffrey Welch of Des Moines, and a third person stand accused of possession with intent to deliver.

An officer tried stopping their vehicle for a traffic violation near 19th Street and University Avenue. The vehicle did not stop, prompting a low-speed eastbound chase that ended on Tenth Street.

Man engages in high-speed chase with kid in car

A chase last night began in Des Moines and ended in Ames.

Jason Halifax from Des Moines Police tells the Des Moines Register that the suspect stands accused of child endangerment because the vehicle had a kid inside it during the chase.

An officer tried stopping Thomas Davis for a traffic violation near Ninth Street and University Avenue. However, Davis's vehicle hit I-235 and started accelerating.

Scott Bright from the state patrol says the patrol took over the chase when Davis entered I-35 at the East Mixmaster a mile and a half past East Euclid Avenue.

Bright says the Story County Sheriff's Office used stop sticks, and the vehicle's right back tire hit one of them. He claims Davis drove four more miles before stopping in Ames.

Bright says the chase did not cause injuries or damage to police cars.

Halifax says Davis has a felony warrant against him for possession of a controlled substance.

Branstad expected to announce re-election bid

The governor tonight may say he wants to stay in office.

Terry Branstad makes a major announcement this evening in West Des Moines prior to his beginning a statewide tour.

Branstad has already served five terms, albeit not consecutive. He has strong approval ratings.

The governor continues touting property tax cuts, education investments, and a decline in unemployment as key accomplishments.

Branstad's campaign has announced that he has $4 million in his campaign account.

State Senator Jack Hatch of Des Moines has already announced his intent to unseat Branstad.

Friday, January 10, 2014

Wild Rose Entertainment

The developers of a proposed casino in Greene County are expected to present their plan to Iowa's Racing and Gaming Commission in march.  KCCI reports Wild Rose Entertainment wants to build a $35 million casino complex near Highway 30 in Jefferson.  Greene County residents have already approved a referendum supporting the project.

Water Main Breaks

Des Moines Water Works crews are working around the clock to make repairs after a record number of water main breaks this week.  Some 30 breaks have been reported over the past seven days.  Water Works says it's implementing a new automated system to notify customers about interruptions in their water service. The CodeRED notification system send out alerts to residents about outages, boil orders and other public health notifications.

Case break in 1984 triple homicide

An Iowa man who was executed in Missouri for the 1987 murder of a 12-year-old girl has now been linked to an unsolved triple homicide three years earlier. New DNA evidence implicates Andrew Six in the 1984 bludgeoning deaths of 20-year-old Justin Hook Jr.; Hook's fiancee, 19-year-old Tina Lade; and Hook's mother, 41-year-old Sara Link, according to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Teen Resentenced

A Charles City teenager convicted of killing his three-year-old cousin is getting a new sentencing hearing... The iowa court of appeals upheld the convictions for Edgar Concepcion Junior... but his life setnences were overturned, and the case will go back to district court for re-sentencing. Concepcion was 14 at the time of the 2009 death of three year old Krystel Banes... and he was given two life sentences. But... a US supreme court ruling says it is unconstitutional to sentence juveniles to sentences without the possibility of parole. He was found guilty of first-degree murder in 2010.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Council Bluffs Woman Bequeaths 2.5 Million to Library

Quite a windfall for the Council Bluffs Public Library. Former teacher Ann Cook taught school across the Missouri River in Omaha and retired in 1997. She had inherited money and was well off and spent her retirement years volunteering at the library in Council Bluffs. When she died it was discovered she had left her estate of 2 and a half million dollars to the library foundation, which will use the money to upgrade technology and improve book collections.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Burger King Employee--Robber in Cahoots

An employee at a Burger King in Altoona called police to say he was closing up when a gunman wearing a ski mask demanded money and he ran away with cash from the store safe. But police sensed something was wrong with the story and on New Year's Eve charged the Burger King employee with being in cahoots with the man who took the money. 19 year-old Edis Gracanin of Des Moines and 21 year-old Andrew Potter of Knoxville are charged with theft and conspiracy, and the employee, Gracanin, was charged with a false report.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

2013 Great Year for Iowa Corporations

Iowa companies had a robust 2013. All 21 publicly traded companies in Iowa finished in positive territory at the end of the year, and all but four beat the Dow Jones industrial average, which had its best year since 1995. If you owned equal shares of all 21 Iowa stocks, you would have seen a return of 38%.

Des Moines City Manager Leaving

The city manager in Des Moines is leaving for Ohio. Rick Clark says he's moving to Cleveland where his wife has accepted a new job. Clark has been city manager since 2006, but began working for the city in 1973.

Snow on the Way

Winter storm Hercules will pass through the Des Moines region during the day and may deliver up to 4 inches of snow, but it will do far worse in Chicago where it will drop a foot, and in New England, where it could dump up to 18 inches.

Johnny Orr Dies

Johnny Orr has died. The iconic coach of Iowa State who gave up the head coach position at powerhouse Michigan to come turn the losing Cyclones program around was 86. He became Iowa State's winningest coach and losingest, too, with a 14 year record of 218 and 200. And his 1984 and 85 team played in the NCAA tournament for the first time in 40 years. He was the father of Hilton magic and his teams won nearly 80% of the games played at Hilton Coliseum, including 20 wins over top 25 teams. His last major appearance was at the Hilton in November when he pumped his fists to the joy of the crowd and Iowa State beat Michigan 77 to 70.