(Des Moines, Iowa) – Auditor of State Rob Sand today released a report on a special investigation of the City of Elgin located in Fayette County. The special investigation was requested by City officials as a result of concerns regarding certain financial transactions processed by the former City Clerk, Rhonda Dales, and covered the period October 1, 2017, through June 30, 2021.

Sand reported the special investigation identified $131,212.73 of improper disbursements and $7,531.67 of unsupported disbursements. The improper disbursements identified includes $104,282.70 of unauthorized payroll and additional checks issued to Ms. Dales and related payroll costs, $19,204.10 of unauthorized reimbursements issued to Ms. Dales, and $5,881.00 of excess insurance premium payments issued to Ms. Dales. Sand also reported the improper disbursements identified includes personal purchases made using the City’s debit card and interest and late fees to IPERS.

The $7,531.67 of unsupported disbursements identified includes $6,595.93 of reimbursements issued to Ms. Dales and $935.74 of purchases made with the City’s debit card. Sand reported it was not possible to determine the propriety of these disbursements because they were not supported by documentation sufficient to determine if they were for City operations or personal in nature.

The report includes recommendations to strengthen the City’s internal controls and operations, such as improving segregation of duties, perform bank reconciliations, and ensure disbursements are properly supported by sufficient documentation.

Copies of this report have been filed with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Fayette County Attorney’s Office, and the Attorney General’s Office. A copy of the report is available for review on the Auditor of State’s web site at Special Interest Reports.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports one arrest took place, Wednesday (March 1st). Authorities say 23-year-old Ashley McWilliams, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving While Barred. McWilliams posted a $2,000 cash or surety bond, and was released.

(Oakland, Iowa) – Current Iowa 4-H fair judges, as well as those considering becoming a 4-H judge, are invited to attend training on Saturday, March 18, at the Oakland Community Center, Oakland, IA. It will be held from 9:00a.m. – 2:00p.m. This training is geared toward adults who are interested in working with young people and evaluating exhibits at county fairs. Topics covered include positive youth development, how to evaluate, educate and encourage during conference judging, and 4-H exhibit expectations and guidelines. The training will be delivered by Iowa State University Extension & Outreach Youth Program Specialists. Information will be presented regarding numerous exhibit areas, including clothing events, communication events, ag and natural resources, photography, family and consumer science, and more.

“We would like to encourage those who are new to 4-H judging to come to the training and check it out. We are always in need of more adults who can support youth in this way,” said Rhesa R. Leiding, ISU Extension and Outreach Youth Program Specialist. She added, “This is also a great time for those who have been judges in the past to get updated information.” In addition to current and new judges, 4-H club leaders and others interested in learning more about judging at fairs are welcome to attend. The cost of the training is $25, which covers snacks, lunch, and all materials.

Registration forms can be obtained by contacting Rhesa Leiding rleiding@iastate.edu OR Mary Taggs mtaggs@iastate.edu .

Registration forms and payment are due by March 13th to Fremont County Extension and Outreach, 610 Clay Street PO Box 420 Sidney, Iowa 51562.

Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – Officials with Guthrie County ISU Extension and Outreach report an in-person NO COST Grant Writing 201 Workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, April 5th, 2023, in Guthrie Center, Iowa. Representatives of nonprofits, local government, schools and other organizations from Guthrie County and the surrounding area are encouraged to register for the Grant Writing 201 workshop presented by an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach – Community & Economic Development Specialist.

Grant Writing 201:

Grant writers who want to upgrade and polish their skills may register for Grant Writing 201, presented from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5th, in Guthrie Center, IA at the Guthrie County Iowa State University Extension and Outreach office. The target audience for Grant Writing 201 is individuals with prior grant writing or grant management experience, or who have previously participated in Grant Writing 101. If you have grant experience but have not previously participated in Grant Writing 101, please email Lindsay Henderson at lindsayh@iastate.edu prior to registering and describe your prior grant writing experience in the email.

Participants are encouraged to come with an active project or program in mind for which they are seeking grant funding. A workbook will be provided for drafting a grant proposal during the session, and participants may also bring any information for a grant program of interest to the April 5th workshop.

Topics addressed will include documenting need with evidence, methodology, logic models, evaluation, budgets, and writing tips. Participants will have time to work on sections of their grant proposal during the workshop and receive feedback from their instructor and peers. Participants should also bring a laptop or tablet device to the workshop.

The hands-on workshop is being sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach of Guthrie County at no cost to participants. The workshop will be held at the Guthrie County Extension office located at: 212 State Street, Guthrie Center, Iowa 50115. Registration is required by April 4th. Go to https://go.iastate.edu/RNKX0R to register.

Grant Writing 201 will be presented by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Community Development Specialist, Lindsay Henderson, who has extensive experience writing and reviewing grant applications and working with various federal, state, local and private foundation grant programs. For more information about the workshops, contact Lindsay Henderson at lindsayh@iastate.edu or 515-835-6605. For assistance with registration, contact Krista Downing at the Guthrie County Extension office by calling 641-747-2276, or email kristad@iastate.edu.

(Creston, Iowa) – A woman from Creston reported to police Wednesday night, that a trailer was stolen from her back yard in the 600 block of S. Vine Street. The trailer was described as a 2019 Roadclipper 5 X 8, is black, with side rails. It has a wood deck and a ramp on the back. The trailer is valued at $1,500.

(Radio Iowa) – High school students in at least 20 different Iowa districts staged walk outs yesterday (Thursday) to protest bills in the legislature that they say unfairly target L-G-B-T-Q youth. The president of the sophomore class at Storm Lake High School said during a demonstration outside her school that students just want to remember their high school years as normal and fun, but Iowa legislators are making that really hard for a certain group of students.

Some central Iowa students protested outside the governor’s residence. Others rallied in the Iowa Capitol rotunda, chanting: “we say gay.”The chant is a reference to a bill introduced in Iowa and other states to ban classroom discussions about sexual orientation in elementary schools. The bill is sometimes called the “don’t say gay” bill.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Red Oak Police Wednesday evening, arrested a man from Shenandoah. Police say 22-year-old Zachary Lee Miller was arrested on a Montgomery County warrant for Failure to Appear on an original charge of Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. Miller was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 cash-only bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who are getting a refund on their federal taxes this year should expect it to be a smaller check than it was last year, according to I-R-S spokesman Michael Devine. “About 11% less per tax return,” Devine says, “and that’s because many of the credits that were pumped up during COVID have returned to their 2019 levels.” If you haven’t already filed your returns, Devine urges Iowans to file electronically, though you do still have more than six weeks.

“E-file is the fastest and safest and absolutely the most accurate way to do your return, because the software doesn’t make an arithmetic mistake,” he says. “It doesn’t put the wrong number on the wrong line.” If you’re due a refund this year, Devine says e-filing is the fastest way to get what you’re owed.

“When you e-file your return and use direct deposit, so the money goes right into your bank account, you get your tax return processed faster,” he says. In most cases, Devine says you can expect a refund within 21 days and often, even faster. The deadline to file your 2022 federal return is April 18th, while state returns are due May 1st.

(Radio Iowa) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a rule to let E-15 be sold year round in the Midwest — starting in 2024. Governor Reynolds says she is thrilled the E-P-A has approved the waiver she and the governors of seven other Midwest states requested, but Reynolds says year round sales of E-15 should begin THIS summer. She calls the delay unacceptable and plans seek another waiver.

Reynolds is scheduled to speak this (Thursday) morning to the National Ethanol Conference in Florida. Farm groups and the renewable fuels industry say waiting another 14 months for higher blends of ethanol to be sold year round injects uncertainty into the corn and ethanol markets.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has selected a New York company to administer the new state-funded Education Savings Accounts created by a law she signed in January. Earlier on Wednesday, Odyssey was one of four companies that applied for the Iowa contract. The governor’s office announced state officials will now start negotiating contract details with the company.

Starting this fall, low-income parents who enroll a child in a private school will apply for about 76-hundred dollars from the state to cover tuition and other expenses. In the third year, all private school parents will qualify for the state funding. Odyssey is managing Education Savings Account programs in Arizona and Idaho.

According to the governor’s office, the company will be in charge of customer service and fraud detection. Critics say the law Reynolds signed does not provide enough direct oversight to prevent fraud.