1 Gov. Reynolds Claims State Sent COVID-19 Relief Back To Government
(Des Moines, IA) -- Governor Kim Reynolds says the State of Iowa returned 95-million dollars in coronavirus relief to the federal government. Reynolds said on Fox News Thursday the government gave Iowa the money to get kids back into classrooms but she says the state returned it. She said Iowa didn't need the money because students have been in class since August.
2 Chicago Man Convicted In Cedar Falls Heroin Death
(Cedar Rapids, IA) -- A Chicago man is headed to federal prison in connection with the heroin overdose death of a Cedar Falls woman. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Cedar Rapids says Eric Griggs was convicted Thursday of distribution of heroin resulting in the death of a woman in 2018. He was also convicted of other drug charges. He's facing life in prison and a one-million dollar fine.
3 One Hurt After School Bus Crash In Williamsburg
(Williamsburg, IA) -- One person's hurt after a crash involving a Williamsburg School District bus. KCRG-TV reports the bus crashed with a car in rural Williamsburg Thursday afternoon. Only two children were on the bus at the time of the crash and only the driver of the car was hurt. Their injury isn't serious.
4 No Injuries After North Liberty Apartment Fire
(North Liberty, IA) -- No one's hurt after an apartment fire in North Liberty. The fire broke out in the 100 block of Sugar Creek Lane Thursday afternoon. Everyone got out safely and it took firefighters over four hours to completely put the fire out. It's unclear how much damage was done.
5 Senators Ernst, Grassley Support Military Sex Abuse Prevention Bill
(Washington, DC) -- Both of Iowa's U.S. Senators are supporting a bipartisan bill to prevent sexual abuse in the military. The bill calls for training and survivor protections and would apply to military personnel up and down the chain of command. Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley have both voiced their support for the bill, which was recently introduced by New York Democrat Kristen Gillibrand.
6 J&J Vaccine Returns To Quad Cities
(Milan, IL) -- The Johnson and Johnson vaccine makes its return to the Quad Cities at the vaccine clinic at the Camden Centre in Milan [[ MY-lun ]]. The vaccine was paused by the FDA and the CDC earlier this month due to health concerns but health leaders have determined the benefits outweigh the risks. Quad City health leaders agree the vaccine is safe. It was used for the first time in the Quad Cities since the pause Thursday.
7 Man Sentenced In Connection With 2020 Deadly Stabbing In Davenport
(Davenport, IA) -- A Davenport man will spend the next 30 years in prison in connection with a deadly stabbing. Trai [[ TRY ]] Anderson pleaded guilty to attempted murder in March and was sentenced Thursday. Anderson's accused of stabbing and killing his uncle Danial Bradley at a Davenport hotel last year.
8 Two Arrested In Moline On Child Sex Crimes
(Moline, IL) -- A man and woman are arrested in Moline on child sex charges. Joseph and Marlana Richardson are accused of forcing a child to record them performing sex acts. They're facing several charges in connection with the crime.
9 Freight House Farmers Market Returns To Davenport This Weekend
(Davenport, IA) -- The Freight House Farmers Market returns to Davenport this weekend. Organizers say the market will return for its outdoor season Saturday at 8:00 a.m. The market takes place Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Wednesdays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
10 Picture Perfect Weekend On Tap For Iowa
(Undated) -- It looks like a picture perfect weekend across Iowa. The National Weather Service says it'll be sunny and warm across much of the state with highs Saturday getting into the 80's. Rain chances return for much of the state Sunday night into next Monday.
1Ames Police Investigating Suspicious Death Of Toddler
11 Ames, IA) -- Ames police are investigating the recent death of a toddler as suspicious. Police say they were called to the 12-hundred block of Florida Avenue last weekend about a child needing medical attention. The child was taken to the hospital and died Sunday. Ames police and the Department of Human Services are both investigating but no arrests have been made.
12 One Man Dead, Another Hurt In Northern Iowa Crash
(Worth Co., IA) -- One man's dead and another's hurt after a head-on crash in northern Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol says Scott Caron hit a pickup truck driven by Michael McCoid just north of Mason City early Thursday morning. Caron wasn't wearing a seatbelt and died at the scene.
13 Prison Staff At Clarinda Prison Investigate Inmate Overdoses
(Clarinda, IA) -- Prison staff at the Clarinda [[ cluh-RIN-duh ]] prison in southwest Iowa spot a problem with inmates showing signs of drug abuse. The Iowa Department of Corrections says prison staff recently started investigating after a large number of inmates showed drug abuse symptoms in a short amount of time. The department says it's seen cases of illegal drugs being mailed to prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic.
14 DM Water Works Says Water Is Safe After Taste Complaints
(Des Moines, IA) -- Some people in Des Moines are complaining on social media about bad tasting water. Des Moines Water Works says the water is safe, but river quality changes on a daily basis and they used powdered carbon to treat the water. Water Works says sometimes the balance is off.
15 Casey's Selling Six Locations To Acquire Omaha-Based Bucky's
(Ankeny, IA) -- Casey's is selling six of its gas stations in Iowa and Nebraska amid antitrust claims. The Federal Trade Commission ruled earlier this week Casey's must sell the locations in order to acquire the Omaha-based Bucky's chain. The FTC says buying the chain would increase Casey's monopoly of convenience stores in Iowa and Nebraska.
16 Wisconsin DHS: 45 Hundred Vaccine Doses Spoiled
(Madison, WI) -- Doctors and nurses across Wisconsin have had to toss thousands of coronavirus vaccine doses. The state's Department of Health Services yesterday said 45 hundred doses have been thrown-out so far. While 45 hundred doses may sound like a lot, it's actually about one-tenth of one-percent of the over four million doses handed-out since December. DHS says nearly 43 percent of people in the state have gotten one dose of the vaccine, another 33 percent have gotten both doses.
17 Two Wisconsin Farmers Challenge Biden Farm Loan Forgiveness Program
(Milwaukee, WI) -- A pair of Wisconsin farmers want to know why they can't apply for farm loan forgiveness under President Biden's stimulus package. Calumet County farmer Adam Faust and Crawford County farmer Christopher Baird are part of a lawsuit that challenges the program based on race. Their suit says the Biden Administration's loan forgiveness program applies only to non-white farmers. They are challenging that. Faust says the economic impact from the coronavirus didn't hurt one race more than another as far as agriculture goes.
18 RICO Health Department Asking Again For People To Get Vaccinated
(Rock Island, IL) -- Public health managers in Rock Island County are all but begging people to get their coronavirus shot. The county yesterday said there are more than enough doses available, and they are expanding walk-in clinic hours to try and get those doses into people's arms. Health Department COO Janet Hill said they are looking for a way to make it as easy as possible for people to get the shot. Hill didn't have new numbers for vaccinations, but the state of Illinois says just over 27-percent of people in the county are fully vaccinated.
19 Illinois Closing-In On Four Million Fully Vaccinated
(Springfield, IL) -- Illinois is about to hit another coronavirus vaccine milestone. The Illinois Department of Public Health yesterday said three-point-nine-million people are now fully vaccinated. The state could hit four-million full vaccinations by next week. That would be more than three times the number of people who ever tested positive for the virus. But while the IDPH says four-million full vaccinations is to be celebrated, the state says fewer and fewer people are showing-up to get a shot.
20 Davenport Police Look Into Shooting At 12th And Brown
(Davenport, IA) -- Police in Davenport are looking for whoever fired off a few shots just up the hill from downtown. Officers found several shell casings near 12th and Brown yesterday afternoon. They didn't find anyone hurt. Police are asking neighbors for tips in finding the triggerman.
21 Davenport Man Pleads Guilty, Gets 30 Years In Stabbing
(Davenport, IA) -- A plea deal isn't keeping a Davenport man out of prison for a deadly stabbing in January of last year. A judge yesterday sentenced 27-year-old Trai Anderson to 30 years in prison for stabbing and killing 46-year-old Danial Bradley at the Relax Inn early last year. Prosecutors never gave a motive for the crime. Anderson pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of attempted murder back in March when he was originally facing murder charges.
22 Rock Island County Democratic Boss Derek Jones Stepping Down
(Rock Island, IL) -- Rock Island County Democrats need a new boss. County Chairman Derek Jones announced his retirement yesterday. Jones says he wants to spend more time with his family, but will remain active in the party. Jones took over in 2018 for longtime Rock Island County Democratic Chairman Doug House. Jones oversaw Democratic victories in the 2018 and 2020 elections.
23 (KCRG) - After hosting last year’s Chalk the Walk festival in a virtual setting because of the pandemic, the annual outdoor event will return this weekend to Mount Vernon. With three blocks of the city’s uptown area closed to traffic, the event brings together artists who recreate famous works of art with chalk and others who sketch their own original designs. At the center of it all, attendees are invited to color in a community piece large enough to take up an entire street intersection. As a fitting nod to what the world has endured for over a year, this weekend’s community piece design will be Edvard Munch’s “The Scream,” complete with a mask on the subject’s face.
24 (KCRG) - Johnson County hosted a food box giveaway and vaccine clinic at the Johnson County Fairgrounds on Thursday. Drivers started by picking up a food box in the front of the parking lot, and then getting the option of taking a quick turn around the corner for a COVID-19 vaccine. People got a choice, between the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine or the two-shot Moderna vaccine. Volunteers gave out more than 800 boxes of food, full of milk, cheese, chicken and more. Dozens that went through the line also pulled up to get their vaccine taken care of. Johnson County Supervisor Royceann Porter helped to organize the event. She says it’s important to continue making COVID-19 vaccines accessible to people.
25 (KCRG) - Students at the University of Iowa are once again able to get the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine at their college. Staff running the appointments on Thursday say they’re seeing a demand for it. Around 100 students signed up to get their shot on Thursday. Some students getting the vaccine say they had no worries about getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after it was paused, and were happy to not have to go back for a second dose. The University of Iowa will continue offering students the chance to get Johnson and Johnson vaccines early next week.
26 (KCRG) -Just as Americans are ready to get out of town, gas prices could spike. It’s not just due to an increase in demand, but a shortage of truck drivers to haul fuel. Molo Companies sells and transports fuel to convenience stores. COO Glen Hasken says they are struggling to find workers. He hopes the salary can fuel up interest in a tough industry. That’s one reason why Hasken says it’s hard to find workers. The pandemic also dropped the demand for gas.
27 KCRG) - Police are investigating after a man was shot and later died in Iowa City on Wednesday night. Officers were called to the 2400 block of Lakeside Drive for a report of gunfire just after 8 p.m. Upon arrival, officers said they found a man with gunshot wounds. The man was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where he was later pronounced dead. Officials are withholding the name of the victim pending notification of the family. The incident remains under investigation. Iowa City police are asking for help identifying
28 (KCRG) - The latest drought monitor was released Thursday morning. With little rainfall through the month of April, this may not come as a surprise to many Iowans, but drought conditions have expanded into eastern Iowa. Portions of Allamakee, Winneshiek, Chickasaw, Bremer, Howard and Floyd counties are under a moderate drought. Abnormally dry conditions then expand southeast through Dubuque, Jones, Linn, and Iowa counties. So far through 2021, Cedar Rapids has picked up 5.71″ of rainfall, which is 1.33″ below what we normally see. Waterloo and Dubuque are at a deficit of rainfall by over 2″. So far Iowa City is not included in dry conditions but is still below normal for rainfall by 0.36″.
29 (KWQC) - Since the fall of 2020 there have been at least four homicides involving youth under the age of 18 in the metro Quad Cities. Police and other local leaders have said that juvenile crime is a problem that the community must work together to solve. One new local group is looking to work with at risk teens through a men’s mentorship program. Reverend Troy Lockhart and his wife Jonique established Higher Elevation Ministries after moving back to the Quad Cities from Florida a few years ago.
Lockhart says that youth these days just don’t see the same kind of leadership that he did when he was young. Part of Lockhart’s ministry has been putting together a program called “HOIST,” or Helping Other Individuals Succeed Today. It is a 501c3 program that is meant to help stop recidivism, as well as give Veterans and the homeless a second chance at life by offering them a place to go and work on themselves. And Lockhart believes that this area’s youth could benefit from such a program. The men’s group, which meets each Saturday at Lockhart’s location on Locust Street, is looking for members to join who are willing to mentor at risk youth and brainstorm different ways to keep teens positively entertained.
30 (KWQC) - A new center for children on the autism spectrum opened today in Davenport. The Caravel Autism Health Center offers all kinds of support for families of children with autism. One of their most important programs, according to their Clinical Director, starting treatment with families in early childhood. The Davenport location is the first Caravel Autism Health Center in Iowa and is offering support to any family in the Quad Cities. The center is credentialed with major insurance providers in both Illinois and Iowa.
31 (KWQC) - Local non-profit YouthHope is helping students navigate learning during the pandemic, and it’s doing it with help from the United Way of the Quad Cities. YouthHope serves kids, kindergarten through high school, in Rock Island County and offers after-school, weekend, and summer programs. In February 2021, The United Way announced 25 local organizations would be awarded $275,000 in grants as part of the United for Equity fund to “help reduce and prevent racial inequities in education, income, and health.” YouthHope received $30,000.
32 (KWQC) - Starting on Thursday, April 29, work will begin on Avenue of the Cities from 18th Street A to 19th Street in Moline. Work will be done on a new water main, sanitary sewer, a new driving surface and sidewalk improvements according to officials with the I-74 River Bridge. City officials in Moline encourage drivers to use a different route while the construction work is being performed. The construction is expected to last until August.
33 (KWQC) - The 61 Drive In Theatre will be opening for its 71st season on Friday, May 7. They announced Thursday they will be open on Fridays and Saturdays. Opening weekend will feature Tom & Jerry and Godzilla. Officials with the theatre say they pride themselves in providing “affordable quality entertainment” and a family-friendly environment with free train rides, a swing set, sandbox, basketball court and more.