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Fort Dodge woman hit on bike and killed

News

June 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A Webster County woman is dead after an accident involving a bicycle and a truck Tuesday in Fort Dodge. Around 9:30 Tuesday morning the Fort Dodge Police Department responded to a call that a woman on a bicycle was hit by a truck and was unresponsive. Sixty-five-year-old, Melissa Ristau of Fort Dodge was found dead on the scene. Police say, a truck driven by 18-year-old Goldfield resident, Peyten Rasmussen, struck Ristau as she was crossing at an intersection.

Sioux City discouraging donations to homeless at busy intersections

News

June 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Sioux City is starting a campaign to ask drivers to not donate to the homeless people who ask for money at some of the busiest intersections in the city. Neighborhood Services Coordinator, Clara Mcfarlane-Coly, says they are encouraging drivers to give the money to agencies that help the homeless. “We encourage Sioux Citians to donate to local agencies instead of donating to panhandlers. We are not saying not to do that necessarily — but if folks are interested in donating to agencies that work with those individuals one-on-one for providing housing and that sort of thing — this is a great place to start.

Neighborhood Services Manager, Jill Wandersheid says signs asking people to say no to panhandlers are being placed in the locations where they see this happening the most. “The areas that we see the highest traffic that causes concerns of people stopping in the middle of traffic and things like that. To try and encourage them that there are other ways to give,” she says. It is not illegal to ask for a handout. Councilman Pete Groetken says he saw someone asking for money at a very busy intersection while standing on a median that was only about two feet wide. He says somewhere between 17 and 20-thousand vehicles pass through the intersection on a daily basis. “It’s so easy for something to go wrong,” Groetken says.

The Sioux City Neighborhood Services Division began a homeless street outreach and rehousing program in 2019. They say they’ve served some 200 people in the last year. Residents can make donations to the effort online at www.siouxcityassist.org.

Early morning pursuit & arrest of a Missouri man in Fremont County

News

June 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

An attempted traffic stop on a vehicle with an equipment violation this (Wednesday) morning in Fremont County, resulted in a pursuit and arrest. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports a Deputy tried to stop a 2002 Buick at around 1:37-a.m., in the 3300 block of Highway 2. The vehicle failed to yield law enforcement and fled at speeds of over 90 mph westbound on Highway 2.

David Overbeck

The driver – subsequently identified as 24-year-old David Overbeck, of Queen City, Missouri – stopped his car after attempting to evade spike strips at the intersection of Highway 275 and Filmore Street, in Sidney. Overbeck was placed under arrest for Eluding and as a Fugitive from Justice out of Nebraska. He was being held without bond, pending extradition to Nebraska.

Red Oak man arrested on an assault charge Tue. evening

News

June 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak arrested a man on an assault charge, following an altercation that took place early Tuesday evening. Authorities report 44-year-old Jason Richard Berendes was arrested for domestic abuse assault – 1st offense, and willful injury causing body injury, a Class-D Felony. Berendes was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail, pending a court appearance.

At around 8:55-p.m., Tuesday, 59-year-old Edward Michael Liford, of Red Oak, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.And, at around 4:45-p.m. Tuesday, Red Oak Police arrested 25-year-old Paige Marie Clark, of Red Oak, for Interference with Official Acts, and Accessory After the Fact. Her bond was set at $300.

Amber Alert issued Tuesday night cancelled; Suspects in custody

News

June 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

An Amber Alert issued at around 8:30-p.m. Tuesday for an eastern Iowa boy was cancelled a little more than two-hours later, with the suspects in custody and the child found safe in Anamosa. Authorities said 5-year-old Abel Lee Keil was believed to have been taken from Baldwin, in Jackson County, at around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, by 46-year-old Jeremy John Keil and 35-year-old Amy Lynn Burick.

It was believed Keil and Burick intended to take Abel to Clinton or Davenport. The case is under investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

Gubernatorial candidate Ras Smith says it’s time to be bold about the basics

News

June 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Democrat Ras Smith kicked off his campaign for governor with an online video Tuesday morning and an in-person rally in his hometown of Waterloo last (Tuesday) night.  “I believe that together we can accomplish so much more…and that means starting by being bold about the basics,” Smith said. “You see Iowa can once again have the best schools in the nation.” Smith’s mother, the pastor at the Faith Temple American Baptist Church in Waterloo, started the rally with an invocation.

“Bless this marvelous city of Waterloo, Iowa, that we might be a beacon of hope for this nation that needs to see that you are working in us to make this a more perfect union,” she prayed. A CeeLo Green song with gospel undertones played as Smith walked on stage. And Smith began his speech with a story about an Easter Sunday experience. “And so today, I’m inviting you to be a part of this campaign, to be a part of this movement and to come as you are,” Smith said, to cheers.

Smith, who is 33, has served in the Iowa House since 2017, and is seeking to be the first black Iowan to be elected to statewide office. Smith says the state’s civil rights heritage can be its path forward.  “Iowa desegregated schools before the federal government,” he said, to cheers. “We developed agriculture that feeds the globe, recognized the love is love before any other Midwestern state.” Smith is the first Democrat to officially enter his party’s race to challenge Republican Governor Kim Reynolds’ bid for reelection in 2022. Smith criticized her signature on a bill that bans teaching that the United States is systemically racist or sexist.

“We all know that something’s not right. Our government and political systems are sick,” Smith said. “…Our leaders are using their words and policy to tell you that you don’t belong here, that your black life doesn’t matter.” A statement from the Republican Governors Association accused Smith of being a tax and spend liberal and described Reynolds as a battle tested leader.

World-renowned Dobson Pipe Organ workshop in Lake City destroyed by fire

News

June 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A fire has destroyed the Dobson Pipe Organ Builders workshop in Lake City. A company statement on Facebook says an employee who discovered the fire and tried to put it out was burned, but he is expected to make a full recovery. Dobson, founded in 1974, has grown to have an international customer base and was building a pipe organ for a historic church in Sydney, Australia.

According to the company’s website its workshop in Lake City was originally built in 1898 and had been damaged by fire in the 1970s. The Dobson company currently maintains about 120 organs in the Midwest. Dobson pipe organs were just installed at the University of Dubuque and a church in Massachusetts.

20-year-old Cedar Rapids man accused of murdering his parents, sister

News

June 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Police say a 20-year-old has been charged with shooting his parents and sister to death in the family’s Cedar Rapids home. Police were called to the home on the northeast side of Cedar Rapids shortly before 8:30 Tuesday morning. They found 61-year-old Jan Perry Jackson, his 68-year-old wife Melissa and their 19-year-old daughter Sabrina had been shot to death.

Twenty-year-old Alexander Ken Jackson had a gunshot wound to his foot, according to a news release from Cedar Rapids Police, and was arrested last night after he was discharged from the hospital.

Ernst supports inspector general’s audit that may find answers about Covid-19 origins

News

June 15th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – As debate over the origins of Covid-19 continues, the Biden Administration is launching an audit of federal grants that may have supported coronavirus research in China. Republican Senator Joni Ernst has been pushing for an investigation of a U-S non-profit that sent about 600-thousand dollars in federal grant money to China’s Wuhan Institute over a six-year period.

“The information EcoHealth Alliance possesses could strengthen the case for or against the lab leak theory,” Ernst says. “It’s absolutely critical that we get access to that information.” The head of the EcoHealth Alliance has called the lab leak theory pure baloney and suggests it’s more likely China is covering up the role its wildlife markets played in spreading Covid from animals to humans.

Ernst says EcoHealth Alliance failed to respond last summer to Trump Administration questions about the work it subcontracted to the Wuhan lab. She’s seeking other senate co-sponsors of legislation that would cut off federal grant money to organizations that fail to provide all the information federal investigators seek about federally-funded research. “There’s no reason Iowa taxpayers should continue to foot the bill for organizations that fail to follow federal laws,” Ernst says, “particularly one that could hold answers to the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

C-N-N is reporting today (Tuesday) that the Inspector General’s Office in the U-S Department of Health and Human Services is launching an audit of how some organizations and subcontractors used National Institutes of Health grants over the past seven years. Several news organizations have reported recently that classified intelligence indicates three researchers at the Wuhan Institute got sick in the fall of 2019, before the Covid outbreak was reported. In May, the U-S Senate unanimously passed an Ernst proposal that would ban any federal funds from being spent at the Wuhan Institute.

Mother of Sarah Root testifies at hearing on immigration amnesty

News

June 15th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The mother of a Council Bluffs woman who was killed in an accident by a man who was in the country illegally testified at a U-S Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today (Tuesday) on an immigration amnesty bill. Michelle Root’s daughter Sarah had just graduated from college with honors when the accident happened in January of 2016.

“She was taken way too soon because people failed to follow our laws, and the administration at the time failed to secure our borders. To date, justice has not been served for my daughter and her killer remains on the loose,” Root said. Omaha police said 19-year-old Eswin Mejia, a native of Honduras, was drag racing and caused the crash, but he was released on bail and disappeared. Root says the same thing could happen again under “The Dream Act” legislation. She says the bill has no age limit — which allows anyone to apply.

“This bill allows illegal immigrants who have been deported from the United States previously to still apply. This bill protects people who simply apply to remain in the United States while their application is pending,” she says. Root says the bill does not include an office that would help Americans who have been harmed by illegal immigrants. She says the Trump Administration created such an office.

“This office has helped many families, and it appears that the Biden Administration wants to dismantle it,” Root says. “In fact, last week they changed the name of the office and vowed to help illegal immigrants who claim to be victims to gain access to support services — diminishing its sole mission of helping Americans.” Root says this law opens immigration up with no consequences for those who shouldn’t be here.

“I know people come here to live a better life, to live out their dreams,” according to Root. “My family, like many American families, holds no ill will toward people but there have to be limits and boundaries. People need to be vetted and they have to be deported when not eligible for immigration benefits.” Root says her daughter Sarah had dreams — and they will never be realized because of someone who was here illegally. She says this law won’t keep the same thing from happening again.

“Our laws are intended to keep us safe, and this legislation does not do that. It rewards the illegal behavior that my daughter’s killer carried out. It excuses their criminal history and does not make America better,” Root says. Root says there needs to be passage of Sarah’s Law, which would require ICE to detain illegal immigrants who have been charged with a crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another person.