WATERLOO, Iowa (KCRG) – One person died in a home explosion in Waterloo early Wednesday morning. Waterloo Fire Rescue said the explosion happened at a home on the corner of Sager Avenue and Sheerer Street. Neighbors in the area told TV9 they heard what sounded like an explosion between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. According to Waterloo Fire Battalion Chief Ben Petersen, there was a large explosion, and after that crews found a small gas leak and a small fire. One neighbor said the explosion blew their door open and broke a few items inside their house. Following the explosion, more than 250 people were reported to be without power in the area for several hours. MidAmerican Energy says the Waterloo Fire Marshall made a preliminary determination that MidAmerican’s gas delivery system or equipment was not responsible and that the source was inside the home. The gas company has done testing in the area and didn’t find any gas leaks. MidAmerican Energy specifically noted that in the last five years there have been no reports or complaints of suspected gas leaks from this neighborhood.
WYOMING, Iowa (KCRG) – Law enforcement officers are investigating the attempted theft of an ATM at a bank in Wyoming, Iowa. An image from a TV9 viewer shows a pickup truck with chains still attached to it. Multiple law enforcement vehicles can be seen responding to the bank in the image. It appears the attempted theft happened at a Citizens State Bank. The Jones County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to TV9 an investigation into the incident is underway.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A request for a nude photo to prove a girl was not a cop is why a Hiawatha man was acquitted on a sexual exploitation of a minor charge. A judge found Douglas Norem, 51, not guilty earlier this month after a one-day bench trial. Norem was arrested last November on a charge of sexual exploitation of a minor and interference with official acts. According to court documents, Norem responded to a prostitution ad Cedar Rapids police placed online as part of a sting operation. Norem requested to meet up for a “car date” but first asked the police officer who was posing as a 15-year-old girl for a picture of her naked breast as proof she was “legit”. When Norem showed up at a meeting spot, police arrested him after a short foot chase. In his ruling, Linn County District Court Judge Christopher Bruns wrote that prosecutors could not prove the request for the nude picture was “for the purpose of arousing or satisfying his sexual desires as required by Iowa Code”. Instead, he said the evidence suggested the request was to prove the girl was not law enforcement. The judge also dismissed the interference with official acts charge, finding that Norem stopped running once he realized police were attempting to arrest him.
DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) – The Iowa Senate Monday voted to shield pesticide companies from cancer lawsuits. Chemical giant Bayer has paid out billions in damages due to lawsuits over glyphosate, the weed killer commonly known as Roundup. The bill protects pesticide manufacturers from lawsuits alleging the company failed to warn consumers of negative health impacts of the product if the label requires with federal guidelines set out by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA does not consider glyphosate to be carcinogenic. The vote on this bill was extremely close–26 voted in favor. That’s the minimum number of votes needed to pass a bill in the Senate. A similar bill passed the Senate last year, but the House failed to take it up. It remains to be seen if this bill will meet a similar fate. Six Republicans joined every Democrat in voting against the bill. Bayer says it completely stands behind the safety of Roundup.
