1 Over Half Of Iowans Half At Least One COVID-19 Vaccine Dose
(Undated) -- Over half of Iowans have at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. The Iowa Department of Public Health says over 930-thousand people are fully vaccinated. The state's seven-day coronavirus positivity rate also sits just over four percent. Iowans between 18 and 29-years-old continue to lead all age groups in new cases.
2 Med Examiner: Teen Girl Found Dead At Iowa Hog Building Died Of CO Poisoning
(Kossuth Co., IA) -- The Iowa Medical Examiner says a teenage girl who was recently found unconscious at a rural northern Iowa hog building died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Victoria Parra-Lerdo was found near Swea [[ SWAY ]] City Monday and she later died at the hospital. The medical examiner says she was exposed to carbon monoxide from a power washer unit.
3 Marion Arrested In Iowa City Peeping Case
(Iowa City, IA) -- A Marion man's arrested after being accused of looking at women in their apartments in Iowa City. A criminal complaint accuses Patrick Martinson of peeping at two different women over three separate nights last October. Martinson is charged with two counts of invasion of privacy and one count of trespassing.
4 Kirkwood Community College Opens Vaccine Clinic To Walk-Ins
(Cedar Rapids, IA) -- Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids is now accepting walk-ins at its coronavirus vaccination clinics. The next clinic is scheduled for today from 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Three dates for second doses are scheduled for next month.
5 Iowa Home Sales Up Over Six Percent In March
(Undated) -- The Iowa Association of Realtors says home sales are up. The association says sales in Iowa were up six-and-half percent in March compared to last year and prices were up about six percent. The association also says the number of homes for sale was down nearly 40 percent in March.
6 Two People Hurt In Davenport Shooting
(Davenport, IA) -- Two people are hurt after a shooting near downtown Davenport. Police say they found two people shot in the 13-hundred block of Marquette Street Thursday afternoon. The victims were taken to the hospital in unknown condition. No arrests have been made.
7 Student At Williams Intermediate School Found With Gun
(Davenport, IA) -- Williams Intermediate School in Davenport says a gun was found in a student's backpack on campus. The school sent an email to families saying the gun was found Thursday and immediately confiscated. Police are now investigating. It's unclear if the student is facing discipline.
8 Man Accused Of Running Into Muscatine Building Sentenced To Prison
(Muscatine, IA) -- A man accused of driving a car into the Muscatine Public Safety building is sentenced to 12 years in prison. Gilberto Castillo [[ cass-TEE-oh ]] the third pleaded guilty to several charges in March and was sentenced earlier this month. Castillo's brother also pleaded guilty in the case in March and will be sentenced next month.
9 Moline Man Accused Sexually Abusing Two Kids Under 12
(Moline, IL) -- A Moline man is accused of sexually abusing two underage children. Trenton Curtner was arrested Thursday and charged with two counts of second-degree sexual abuse. Curtner's accused of abusing two kids under the age of 12 between last May and October.
10 Iowa National Guard Opens New Facility In Davenport
(Davenport, IA) -- The Iowa National Guard opens a new multi-million dollar facility in Davenport. The new Readiness Center features enhanced classrooms and a maintenance bay with an overhead crane for working on vehicles and other equipment. The old armory will go to the Davenport School District. District leaders recently approved a land swap that allows the Guard to build the new facility on district property off West Kimberly.
11 Mistrial Declared In Des Moines Triple Homicide Case
(Des Moines, IA) -- A mistrial is declared in the trial of a man charged in a Des Moines triple homicide. The jury deliberated for nearly four days on three murder charges against Marvin Esquival Lopez, also known as Marvin Escobar Orellana [[ or-ay-AH-nuh ]]. On Thursday his defense team motioned for a mistrial, which was granted by the judge. The prosecution will now have the opportunity to try the case again. Lopez is accused of murdering a woman and her two kids in 2019.
12 ACLU Against Suing State Of Iowa Over Gender-Affirming Surgeries
(Undated) -- The ACLU of Iowa is again suing the state over its law that prevents medical coverage for gender-affirming surgeries. The ACLU says an Iowa woman's doctor approved her gender-affirming surgery, but that the woman's been denied medical coverage. The ACLU previously sued on behalf of the woman in 2019.
13 It's Getting Easier To Get COVID-19 Vaccine In Polk Co.
(Polk Co., IA) -- It's getting easier to get the coronavirus vaccine in Polk County. Nola Aigner-Davis [[ NO-luh ]] [[ EYE-gnuhr ]] [[ DAY-viss ]] with Polk County Health says the county's starting to see an increase in vaccine supply. She notes there are still plenty of people who are hesitant to get the vaccine. She says coronavirus cases also continue to fall.
14 Des Moines Man Admits To Starting Apartment Fire
(Des Moines, IA) -- A Des Moines man is in custody after police say he turned himself in and admitted to starting an apartment fire. Police say Orlando Bright set an apartment building on fire on Lower Beaver Road north of Beaverdale Thursday morning. The fire department says no one was hurt in the fire.
15 Iowa Participating In National Drug Take Back Day
(Undated) -- Dozens of Iowa communities are taking part in National Drug Take Back Day this weekend. On Saturday Iowans are encouraged to dispose of any unused or unwanted medication at drop-off sites. Events will be held in about 100 communities across the state. Hundreds of cities also have permanent year-round drop-off sites.
16 Davenport, Developers Mum On Warehouse Specifics
(Davenport, IA) -- City leaders in Davenport are talking about the one-thousand jobs that may come with a new warehouse facility, but they are not talking about anything else. The Greater Davenport Redevelopment Corporation said back in December it optioned 160 acres west of Davenport's airport. The city says the land is to be used for a warehouse, but no one is saying who would own the warehouse or what would be stored there. There's also no word when any of those details will be finalized.
17 Galesburg Closes Elementary School Over Coronavirus Spike
(Galesburg, IL) -- Kids at Galesburg's King Elementary School will be learning from home for the next two weeks. The school district yesterday closed the school because of a number of new coronavirus positives. Kids won't return to in-person classes until at least Monday, May 10th. Families who rely on school meals can pick-up a school lunch at Galesburg High School, starting next week.
18 Illinois Governor Orders 80 Million-Dollars Spent On Past-Due Utility Bills
(Chicago, IL) -- Folks who owe on their power bills can now get more help from the state of Illinois. Governor JB Pritzker yesterday signed an executive order that expands the state's Energy Assistance Act. The governor is earmarking 80-million-dollars to pay past-due power bills. Anyone who qualifies for LIHEAP or other assistance can apply. The governor's office says people can get between 250 and five-thousand-dollars to pay what they owe before their electricity is shut off.
19 Niabi Zoo Welcomes New Fennec Foxes
(Coal Valley, IL) -- The Niabi Zoo yesterday announced the birth of three new Fennec foxes. The three, big-eared kits were born back in February, but the zoo shared the news yesterday. All three are boys. There's no word about plans for naming the new foxes.
20 Wisconsin Hits Four Million Dose Mark, Vaccine Interest Slows
(Madison, WI) -- Wisconsin's latest vaccine milestone is coming with a warning. The state's Department of Health Services yesterday said doctors and nurses have handed-out just over four-million vaccine doses since the end of last year. But, DHS says interest in the vaccine has slowed. DHS says daily doses have fallen steadily since April 11th. Doses were down by almost 100-thousand last week.
21 Wisconsin DNR Warns Of Weekend Fire Danger
(Madison, WI) -- It will likely be another weekend full of wildfires across Wisconsin. The state's Department of Natural Resources yesterday said fire danger in the state is high or very high in most counties. The state continues to remain a bit dry, and weekend winds could spread fires quickly. DNR says over 440 fires this spring have already burned 16-hundred acres in the state.
22 Lawmakers Want UW To Allow Parents At Graduations
(Madison, WI) -- The latest plan at the Wisconsin Capitol would make sure mom and dad get to see their kids walk across the stage at UW's in-person graduations. State Senator Andre Jacque's plan would require UW campuses to allow parents and guardians to attend any in-person graduations this year. Fifteen other lawmakers have signed-on to the plan. A UW spokesperson yesterday said they'd love to have families back in the crowd for graduation, but social distance requirements and coronavirus safety means that cannot happen this year.
23 (KCRG) - For more than 100 years, the building that is now home to Washington Middle School has welcomed Washington County students and fostered their learning. But the building has also gone without a major renovation since opening in 1918. In many ways, Stone said, the school simply isn’t built for 2021 and needs to be updated.
Its entrance lacks security features, like routing visitors to an office before they can access school hallways that are the norm in more modern buildings. Classrooms are still heated with radiators, and the staff can’t control the building’s air intake and ventilation through its HVAC system. Other issues are worsening as time passes, like a leaking chimney that is disintegrating a wall in the school’s auditorium. School leaders are considering four options for what that project could look like, and they want people who live in the district to decide which choice is best. The final option will be up for a bond referendum vote in September, to determine if the district will get the taxpayer funding it needs to see the work through.
24 (KCRG) - Viewers - and social media posts shared with KCRG-TV9 - reported a loud, low-flying aircraft passing over parts of Eastern Iowa Thursday night. The reports started coming in shortly before 8:30 p.m. with several people saying they saw at least one low flying plane that resembled a fighter jet. The first reports came in from the Cedar Rapids-area, then progressed to northern Jones County and the Dubuque-area. Photos and video submitted to KCRG YouNews show what appears to be a fighter jet flying near the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids. Pam Hinman, Director of Marketing and Communications at the Eastern Iowa Airport, said that the airport did not have any information and that the airport is not automatically notified of air traffic in the area.
25 (KCRG) - A partnership between Travel Dubuque and Voices Productions will bring a new rotating mural initiative to downtown Dubuque. Once a year over the next ten years, a new mural will be brightening up the wall located at 105 Locust Street. The idea is that each mural will showcase new artists and will explore aspects of life in Dubuque. President and CEO of Travel Dubuque Keith Rahe said murals are a big attraction for visitors. A Connecticut-based painter has already started working on the first mural. That one will be focused on Dubuque’s relationship to baseball. The first MLB game in Iowa will take place in August at the Field of Dreams movie site.
26 (KCRG) - A potential 3500-acre solar farm project has people in Linn County complaining about a lack of transparency and information. In March, Next Era Energy announced its plans to re-purpose the Duane Arnold Nuclear power plant in Palo into a large solar farm. The project, the company said, will produce 690 megawatts of energy along with 300 construction jobs. This will come from three different locations in Linn County. The first location is expected to be 245 acres and expected to be complete in November 2023. The other two locations are both over 1,000 acres and expected to be completed in August 2023. But, the location of those three projects hasn’t been decided yet. Next Era Energy doesn’t own the land to build those projects either. So, it has begun talking to people about leasing their land. But, some homeowners are scared the company might begin to kick them off.
27 (KCRG) - A Cedar Rapids man is facing charges after leading police on a high-speed chase in a stolen car on Wednesday. Adam Blair Davis, 28, was arrested for Felony Eluding, Driving While Revoked, 2nd Degree Theft, and Interference with Official Acts.
28 (KCRG) -$47 million. That’s how much Iowa City and Johnson County governments stand to get from the most recent federal COVID-19 relief package. A local coalition wants them to spend that on people who got virtually nothing from that relief package: undocumented immigrants and migrant workers. Here’s a breakdown of their demands: they want $20 million to go to an excluded workers fund. That could help provide payments for undocumented excluded workers. $20 million for hazard pay to go hospital workers, public employees, and school employees. $5-million for affordable housing for undocumented workers. Previously incarcerated people, and refugee settlement, and finally $2 million for transportation, including a bus service on Sundays.
29 (KCRG) - An Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) worker was hospitalized with serious injuries after rear-ending a cement truck on Thursday morning. At approximately 7:22 A.M., Dubuque County Sheriff’s Deputies located a car crash near the intersection of Highway 20 and Cox Springs in Peosta. Authorities say a cement truck owned by Horsfield Construction was traveling eastbound in the slow lane on Highway 20 when the DOT worker-also traveling eastbound-struck the rear of the cement truck. The driver of the DOT vehicle was taken to a local hospital and then airlifted to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the cement truck was not injured.
30 (KCRG) - Waterloo police are investigating a shooting Thursday morning. Police say it happened at 414 Sunnyside Avenue just before 6 a.m. Officials said 20-year-old Aaliyah Lewis suffered a gunshot wound to the leg. Lewis was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Officers said they were able to identify, locate and arrest a suspect, 24-year-old Jakwone Watkins, who was reportedly in the area. He has been charged with Carrying Weapons, Willful Injury and Possession of a Firearm as a felon.
31 (KCRG) - The American Red Cross is adding incentives for blood donors in May as it outlines its upcoming donation opportunities. It comes at a time when the Red Cross says the need for blood donations remains, especially from those with type O blood. The organizations also said it’s safe for people to donate, even after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Donors who give blood, platelets or plasma in May will be automatically entered for a chance to win a travel trailer camper. Anyone who donates from May 1-15 will receive a $5 Amazon gift card by email. Schedule an appointment on RedCrossBlood.org, using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
32 (KWQC) - So far this year the Mississippi River is staying within its banks, but the city of Davenport is looking into how to improve the efficiency in fighting future floods. The city released a video outlining possible ideas to add to the cities flood mitigation efforts. The city is currently asking residents on which parts they would like to see the city invest in. Plans range from protecting against floods from 18-23 feet all the way to 27 feet, which is three feet about the 100-year flood stage. In 2019, Davenport was hit with three of the top ten crests in the recorded history of Mississippi flooding, including the record crest of 22.7 feet. The city is asking residents to fill out a survey that can be found at the website or a physical copy can be picked up at the libraries.
33 (KWQC) - The Rock Island Auction Company says they have what they call “The Holy Grail” of items lined up for their upcoming auction. The local auction company is number one in the world in auctioning firearms. The company will be auctioning off a pair of pistols once owned by Alexander Hamilton in May. Preview day at the Rock Island Auction Company is Thursday, May 13th. That’s when the firearms collection is open for public viewing. The auction itself is Friday, May 14th through Sunday, May 16th.
34 (KWQC) - The Davenport NAACP issued a press release earlier in the week urging the community to call on their senators to oppose a new bill that could impact food assistance to families in need. According to the release, the Iowa State Senate will be voting any day on Division XIII of Senate Bill 1267, which will allegedly take 1,466 Iowans off of their SNAP benefits and Food Eligibility Assistance by creating barriers and limitations on eligibility.
35 (KWQC) - A portion of West 3rd Street is closed in Davenport for emergency work according to Public Works. West 3rd Street is closed between Telegraph and Pine for emergency sewer lateral and main repairs. City officials say work is estimated to be finished by Tuesday, April 27, but may be completed earlier pending additional onsite issues.
36 (KWQC) - Great news for chalk art fans - the 5th annual Chalk Art Fest will be live and in-person this year according to officials with Quad City Arts. This will be on June 26 & 27. The event went virtual last year with artists chalking up driveways, porches and sidewalks. The free, two-day street painting festival brings together hundreds of local and regional artists that spend hours transforming the blank cement pavement into magnificent works of art, using only the medium of chalk. There is no fee for artists to participate and they may register as an individual or as a team of up to 4 people.
37 (KWQC) - The city of Davenport will be conducting controlled burns of prairie starting on Friday, April 23. The series of controlled burns to take place this spring will be conducted by both the City’s Parks and Recreation and Public Works Department. Burns will start on Friday, April 23 at Lindsay Park. Two additional locations will be scheduled for controlled burns before mid-May. Those sites include a prairie situated just north of Duck Creek Golf Course and the Eastern Avenue Library.