JULY 13TH IS A SAD ANNIVERSARY FOR THE LOVED ONES OF ELIZABETH COLLINS AND LYRIC COOK-MORRISSEY, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY OF EVANSDALE. TODAY MARKS THE NINTH YEAR SINCE THE COUSINS WERE ABDUCTED WHILE RIDING THEIR BIKES ON A SUMMER AFTERNOON. THE SEARCH WHICH FOLLOWED INVOLVED LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS, LASTING FOR MONTHS UNTIL THE GIRLS’ BODIES WERE DISCOVERED IN A BREMER COUNTY WILDLIFE AREA THAT DECEMBER. NO SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN FORMALLY IDENTIFIED IN THE CASE, WHICH REMAINS OPEN. CEDAR VALLEY CRIME STOPPERS CONTINUES TO ACCEPT TIPS THROUGH C-V-CRIME-STOP.COM.
IOWA SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY HAS ADVOCATED POLICIES WHICH WOULD PROTECT SMALL LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS IN DEALINGS WITH MEAT PROCESSORS. LAST WEEK, THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OFFERED JUST SUCH A PLAN. SPEAKING WITH KXEL, GRASSLEY VOICED HIS SUPPORT. THE USDA PLAN ANNOUNCED FRIDAY WOULD INVEST 500 MILLION DOLLARS TO EXPAND MEAT PROCESSING CAPACITY AND BOOST COMPETITION IN THE FIELD. AG OFFICIALS SAY THE EFFORT WILL LEAD TO A MORE RESILIENT FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN.
A MAN WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED IN DOWNTOWN CEDAR RAPIDS LATE SUNDAY AFTER PLUNGING OFF A BUILDING. THE VICTIM WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF 1ST AVENUE AND 4TH STREET. THE MAN WAS FIRST SEEN CLINGING TO THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING AROUND 11:30 AND FELL AS FIRST RESPONDERS ARRIVED.
CONVICTED MURDERER CRISTHIAN BAHENA RIVERA IS DOUBLING DOWN ON HIS CLAIM THAT SOMEONE ELSE KILLED MOLLIE TIBBETTS IN 2018. NEAR THE END OF HIS TRIAL EARLIER THIS YEAR, BAHENA RIVERA TESTIFIED THAT TWO OTHER MEN WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ABDUCTION AND DEATH OF THE BROOKLYN, IOWA, COLLEGE STUDENT. NOW LAWYERS ARE ASKING FOR A MISTRIAL, ARGUING THAT A JAIL INMATE IN ANOTHER COUNTY MADE STATEMENTS OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT SUPPOSEDLY EXONERATE THEIR CLIENT. ATTORNEY ERIC TINDAL IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE CASE, BUT OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9 ASKED FOR TINDAL’S ANALYSIS OF THE SUPPOSED NEW EVIDENCE. IF A RETRIAL IS NOT GRANTED, BAHENA RIVERA WILL BE SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR KILLING MOLLIE TIBBETTS ON THURSDAY.
TEST IOWA LOCATIONS WERE CLOSED THROUGHOUT THE STATE EARLIER THIS YEAR. NOW THE FREE COVID-19 SCREENING EFFORT IS RE-APPEARING AS A TEST-AT-HOME PROGRAM. ON FRIDAY, NEW KITS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE. RATHER THAN A NASAL SWAB, TESTING WILL NOW BE COMPLETED WITH A SALIVA SAMPLE SHIPPED TO THE STATE HYGENIC LABORATORY. STATE OFFICIALS SAY THE KITS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT MORE THAN 100 LOCATIONS OR CAN BE SENT DIRECTLY TO ADDRESSES WITHIN THE STATE. IN JUST OVER A YEAR SINCE THE FIRST TEST IOWA SITES OPENED, MORE THAN A HALF MILLION SAMPLES WERE PROCESSED BY HEALTH OFFICIALS.
THE CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS HAVE WON SEVEN STRAIGHT GAMES. THEY TAKE THAT STREAK ON THE ROAD STARTING TONIGHT IN SOUTH BEND. LAST MONTH, THE KERNELS WON FIVE OF SIX WHEN THEY HOSTED THE SOUTH BEND CUBS. THE NEW SERIES BEGINS AT 6:05 IN NORTHWEST INDIANA. THE KERNELS ARE NOW 34-26.
THE LINN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IDENTIFIED THE DRIVER INVOLVED IN A FATAL WEEKEND ACCIDENT ON MONDAY. 80-YEAR-OLD LOIS WINCH OF HOPKINTON WAS KILLED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 151 WEST OF SPRINGVILLE. WINCH’S SUV WENT OFF THE ROAD AND OVERTURNED, ENDING UP ON ITS ROOF IN CRABAPPLE CREEK. WINCH WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD BY FIRST RESPONDERS ARRIVING AT THE SCENE. IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHY THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL BEFORE CRASHING.
U.S. SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY WAS A GUEST THIS MORNING DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL. THE NEW HARTFORD REPUBLICAN OFFERED HIS OBSERVATIONS ABOUT FURTHER EFFORTS TO CURB THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AS VACCINATION RATES HAVE LEVELED OFF SHORT OF THE TARGETS SET BY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. ANTHONY FAUCI HAS BEEN A KEY FIGURE IN THE FEDERAL CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE AND SERVES AS DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES. FIND SENATOR GRASSLEY’S COMPLETE INTERVIEW ON DEMAND AT KXEL.COM.
RAIN IN SOME PARTS OF THE STATE LAST WEEK, AND A FORECAST FOR MORE, IS LEADING TO OPTIMISM IN THE LATEST USDA CROP REPORT. IOWA’S TOPSOIL MOISTURE LEVELS NOW MEASURE AS ADEQUATE OR BETTER IN 60 PERCENT OF THE STATE. 66 PERCENT OF CORN AND 65 PERCENT OF SOYBEANS ACROSS IOWA WERE RATED FROM GOOD TO EXCELLENT BY THE USDA.
