Southwest Iowa Transit Agency (SWITA) welcomed a new transit director Monday, August 18th. Officials announced Thursday that Mark Lander comes to SWITA with 12 years of transportation experience. Lander most recently worked at Werner Trucking out of Omaha, NE the Supervisor of Load Planning for the Southeast Region of the US and their fleet of over 3,000 trucks. While at Werner Lander performed many roles including dispatcher, route planning, fleet coordination, and driver supervision.

SWITA Executive Director John McCurdy says “Mark’s work experience in transportation, as well as leadership skills, made him the ideal person for the position. His knowledge will be an asset to our communities, clients, and staff.”

Lander attended Dana College in Blair, NE, and was an All American Wrestler for the school. Lander is also an assistant wrestling coach at Underwood in his free time. Lander resides in Shelby with his wife Ganna and five-year-old daughter.

SWITA is the public transportation agency for the eight counties of southwest Iowa; Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby. SWITA provides approximately 400,000 rides a year and travels 1.5 million miles. In addition, they employ 60 drivers and 9 office staff in the eight counties served. For more information on SWITA please visit our website at www.swipco.org or call our office at 800-842-8065. SWITA is an equal opportunity employer, lender, and provider.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The candidates running for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat have agreed to three debates this fall. The campaigns for Democrat Bruce Braley and Republican Joni Ernst announced Thursday that the candidates will face off around the state. On September 28 they will likely appear in Indianola. They’ll be in the Quad Cities on October 11 and in Sioux City on October 16.

Braley and Ernst are locked in a tight race for the Senate seat, which is open because longtime Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin is retiring. The race will play a key role in the battle for control of the chamber.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A review from the state auditor shows that since 2010, Iowa has paid out $2.4 million in settlement payments, mostly to former employees. Auditor Mary Mosiman on Thursday released a report on the grievance process and settlement payments made between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2014. The report was prompted by discussion during the 2014 legislative session about settlement agreements that included confidentiality clauses.

Mosiman found 2,679 grievances were filed during that time. Most were denied or resolved without payment, and hundreds were settled by providing back-pay. A total of 38 people, most former employees, received settlement payments totaling $2.4 million. The report says 42 current or former employees had settlement agreements with confidentiality clauses.

Branstad signed an executive order on March 24 ending the use of confidentiality provisions.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa attorney general’s office has filed a lawsuit against a cosmetology school chain, accusing it of defrauding students. The Des Moines Register reports the lawsuit filed Thursday in Polk County District Court accuses the La’ James chain of cosmetology schools of fraudulent practices. It says students experience a high instructor turnover that results in teacher-less classrooms and inconsistent education.

The attorney general’s office also argues that the beauty school chain unfairly charges students who fail to graduate by an arbitrary deadline. Depending on which program they select, students pay at least $4,750 and up to $18,660 in tuition. A lawyer representing the beauty school chain says his client denies any wrongdoing.

The beauty school chain has several locations in Iowa and one each in Illinois and Nebraska.

Sheriff’s officials in Page County report a Shambaugh man was arrested this (Thursday) morning, on a warrant out of Missouri. 54-year old Jimmy Wayne Blank was taken into custody without incident, at around 8:50-a.m.

Jimmy Blank

Blank was wanted in Missouri for violating the terms of his parole. He was being held at the Page County Jail, pending extradition proceedings.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Federal prosecutors say a 48-year-old Omaha man has been convicted of conspiracies to launder money and sell controlled substances, among other crimes in Nebraska and Iowa.
John Ways Jr. was found guilty on Wednesday after a 13-day trial in U.S. District Court in Omaha.

Prosecutors say that from February 2010 to December 2012, Ways operated head shops in Nebraska and Iowa called Exotica. Among other things, the stores sold drug paraphernalia and controlled substances that included synthetic drugs such as K2 and bath salts. Prosecutors say Ways laundered the proceeds from the sales through transactions at various banks and credit unions in the Omaha area.

He faces up to 55 years in prison and must forfeit more than $1.1 million in cash and property.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 46-year old Timothy John Konfrst, of Pacific Junction, was arrested Thursday (today), on a warrant for Criminal Mischief in the 1st degree. Konfrst was arrested at around 5:10-a.m. in Pacific Junction. He was being held in the Mills County Jail on $5,000 bond.

Mills County Attorney Eric Hansen reports a woman who formerly served as a librarian for the Malvern Public Library, was arrested for misappropriation of funds. A warrant was issued Wednesday for 41-year old Stacey Buick, for felony Ongoing Criminal Conduct and 1st degree Theft. If convicted, Buick faces up to 35-year in prison.

Authorities say Buick allegedly misappropriated over $20,000 from the Malvern Library while she was employed there, from July 1st, 2006 to October 31st, 2013.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in its investigation by the State Auditor’s Office. The State Auditor’s Office investigated the records of the Malvern Library finding the misappropriation by Buick, who allegedly used altered receipts, primarily. The State Auditor’s report may be found on their website.

Buick was seen by the Magistrate and was released. Her preliminary hearing will take place September 17th. She will be represented in court by Attorney Mark Rater, of Council Bluffs.

Police in Clarinda report a College Springs woman was arrested this (Thursday) morning on burglary, theft and tampering charges. At around 12:40-a.m., officers responded to a report of vehicles being broken into at the Maplewood Trailer Court. As a result of an investigation, Clarinda Police arrested 20-year old Torri Grace Perry.

Perry was arrested on complaints of burglary of a motor vehicle, theft of items valued between $200-500, and unlawful tampering with a motor vehicle. She was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Page County Jail. Perry was being held on $3,000 bond, pending an appearance before the Page County Magistrate Court.

Reports have been forwarded to the Page County Attorney’s Office for review regarding the filing of formal charges.