January 28, 2012

You are here: Home / 2009 / Archives for September 2009

Woman now charged in fatal hit and run

September 28, 2009 By
Angela Marie Arellano

Angela Marie Arellano

Des Moines Police  have charged a woman in the fatal hit-and-run that happened late Saturday night. Police say 36-year-old Angela Arellano of Des Moines is charged with one count of vehicular homicide and one count of serious injury by vehicle.

Police found her 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee on Sunday and believe it’s the vehicle involved in the deadly hit-and-run. Three Des Moines teenagers were walking across a city street when they were hit by a Jeep. The 13-year-old boy, Devin Fry of Des Moines, was run over and died Sunday morning.

A 17-year-old girl is in critical condition at a Des Moines hospital. Police say she is expected to survive. Another boy was hit by the Jeep’s side mirror but his injuries weren’t serious.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Agriprocessors could be adding more jobs

September 28, 2009 By

A former Postville city councilman says the Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in Postville could soon be expanding its workforce. The northeast Iowa plant was the focus of an immigration raid last year that led to bankruptcy and for a time was operated by the federal government. A company with Canadian ties called S-H-F Industries bought the plant in July.

Aarron Goldsmith recently co-authored a book about Postville and the immigration raid and says the future of the plant and community is bright. “The community is still undersized compared to where it used to be, but it is stable right now and that’s a positive thing,” goldsmith says. Part of the bright future includes plans to expand at the meat processing plant.

“We see that they’re looking into adding a beef line and that could bring quite a few more jobs into the town and it looks like they’re going to do that in a slow and careful way which I think is healthier for Postville,” Goldmsith says. He says the company is also considering bringing in the U.S. Department of Labor to help with developing safety standards which he says was a failure and criticism of the previous operators.

Goldsmith says Agriprocessors will probably never return to having one thousand workers as it did before the raid. The plant currently employs about three hundred and only processes poultry. Former plant executive Sholom Rubashkin is facing federal charges including bank fraud and harboring illegal immigrants. He is scheduled to go on trial next month in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Filed Under: Business

Interim director hopes for stability at eastern Iowa animal shelter

September 28, 2009 By

The interim director of an eastern Iowa animal shelter is hoping to bring stability to the organization, after two long-time co-directors were fired in August. Cathy Boyes was hired as the interim director of the Cedar Valley Humane Society in Linn County earlier this month. “I don’t know a lot of the past and I don’t want to,” Boyes told KCRG-TV. “My time is from this day forward.”

But, Boyes can’t completely ignore the past. The organization’s executive board’s decision to fire the co-directors sparked all kinds of rumors and accusations. “I try not to listen to the rumors. It doesn’t affect me,” Boyes said. “I strongly suggest people come here and see our animals and know that I’m speaking the truth.”

There is one rumor Boyes is rejecting. She says the shelter is not using euthanasia to make space for animals. The shelter currently has about 40 dogs and 115 cats. Boyes says the humane society leans on other rescue organizations to help adopt animals they can no longer house on site. The executive board plans to hire a permanent director for the Cedar Valley Humane Society within the next two weeks. Boyes says she’s interested in the job.

Contributed by Mark Geary, KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids

Filed Under: Human Interest

Vets fly to Washington from Winnebago County

September 28, 2009 By

About 300 people turned out Saturday night at the Mason City airport to welcome home World War Two veterans from “Honor Flight Winnebago.”  The organization takes area veterans on a chartered flight to the nation’s capitol to see the World War Two Memorial and other places in the Washington D.C. area.

One veteran who made the trip was Royal Molander of Garner. He served in the Navy during World War Two and ended up as a chief boilermaker on the U.S.S. Chicago. Molander says the Honor Flight was a great experience.

“This has been a wonderful day,” Molander says, as people cheer in the background. “I just couldn’t visualize it being like this, except for the weather — it was wonderful and they treated us all so good out there. When we got off the plane in Washington D.C. this morning, we had people like this, they were congratulating us, from Boy Scouts on up to officers in the service.” Molander says he was able to bond with other veterans during the day-long trip.

He says he was surprised that he was among very few Navy veterans on the trip. Neither the veterans nor their families are allowed to pay for the trip as the cost is fully funded by private donations. Molander was able to enjoy the trip with some of his family members who helped out on the journey.

Molander has two sons and a grandson in his 30s. His youngest son, from Des Moines, served as Molander’s guardian for the day and flew on the jet with him, while his other son and grandson met them in Washington. They spent the day together and “that’s really a highlight because they were so interested,” he says. The next Iowa Honor Flight will take place next month.

Contributed by Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City

Filed Under: Human Interest, Military

Mason City couple injured in accident with train

September 28, 2009 By

A Mason City couple is hospitalized after the truck they were traveling in was struck by a train Saturday night. Mark and Wendy Mahoney were struck by an Iowa, Chicago & Eastern freight train at the railroad crossing just northeast of Mason City on 280th Street just east of Quince Avenue shortly before 7 o’clock.

The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s office says Mark Mahoney was driving the pickup truck, failed to yield to the oncoming train, and was struck. The train dragged the pickup about 100 yards before coming to rest. Both Mahoneys were taken to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City.

Mark Mahoney at last check was in fair condition, while Wendy Mahoney was in stable condition. The investigation into the accident according to the sheriff’s office continues.

Contributed by Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Rural Sioux City farmer dies in accident

September 28, 2009 By

A weekend farm accident claimed a the life of a northwest Iowa man. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s office reports 66-year-old Leonard Dunn of rural Sioux City was applying fertilizer on a farm field near Hinton.

Authorities say it appears Dunn lost control of the farm tractor which caused it to overturn. The accident was reported late Saturday afternoon.

Contributed by Joanne Glamm, KLEM, Le Mars

Filed Under: Agriculture, Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Woman sought as “material witness” in hit and run

September 28, 2009 By
Angela Marie Arellano

Angela Marie Arellano

Des Moines Police believe they’ve found the S.U.V. that was involved in a fatal hit-and-run late Saturday night. Des Moines police have impounded a black 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee. A 36-year-old Des Moines woman, Angela Marie Arellano, owns the Jeep. Police have issued a warrant for her arrest as a “material witness” to the accident.

Three Des Moines teens were walking across a street when the Jeep struck a 13-year-old boy and 17-year-old girl and ran over them. The 13-year-old has died; the 17-year-old is in critical condition at a Des Moines hospital. Another boy was hit by the Jeep’s side mirror but was not seriously injured.

In a news release issued late Sunday night, Des Moines police said the Jeep’s owner may be a passenger in a blue 1990 Toyota Celica with Iowa plates.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »