(Radio Iowa) – This is Cyber Monday, as online holiday shopping hits a peak, and Iowans are being warned to plan ahead to keep porch pirates from stealing their packages. Iowa’s largest home insurer is reporting a 26-percent increase in residential theft claims nationwide compared to last year, and State Farm spokeswoman Michal Brower is offering tips to avoid being ripped off. If you just want to be sure you know when something is delivered, Brower says requiring a signature is a simple and effective option.  “With quite a few people either having odd working hours or even working from home,” Brower says, “that might work great to be able to sign for a package directly at your house, but you can also request that it be delivered to say your work office.”

Requiring a signature for package delivery also ensures you’ll receive the package directly and it won’t be sitting in front of your house for any length of time. As an alternative, Brower touts using a community package delivery box for another layer of safety. “Those are locked and secure and that just gives a great option for having a secure delivery of your package,” Brower says. “How that usually works is that when your package is delivered, you receive a code so that you get notification and then you can go and safely retrieve your purchase.” Doorbell security cameras are relatively easy to install, they’re not expensive, and can enable you to talk with someone who’s at your front door from your couch or across the country. Brower says home security systems are becoming very popular, and may even get you a discount on your insurance premiums, while thwarting those porch pirates.

“Visible security cameras, logos or markings that there is a home monitoring system in place, this all can help deter those thieves to keep them from even entering your front porch or your steps to start with,” Brower says, “and another thing, too, actually is outdoor lighting.”

If you don’t want to spring for a security system, fake cameras, complete with blinking red lights, are another available option to deter would-be thieves.

(Radio Iowa) –  The Iowa Democratic Party has hired a national consulting firm to handle the party’s first-ever mail-in system to determine which presidential candidate Democrats in Iowa prefer. The traditional Iowa Democratic Party Caucuses are no longer first in the nation after a software meltdown significalty delayed reporting results from the party’s caucuses in 2020. The Iowa Democratic Party is now letting Iowa residents who are registered Democratic voters request a presidential preference cards. The cards will be mailed in and the results will be announced in March.

Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart uses the word impressive to describe the firm hired to handle the party’s new mail-in system.”I am confident in this vendor,” Hart says. “Amber McReynolds has a very strong reputation. She and her firm have had 50 years of experience doing this kind of work.” McReynolds was Denver’s director of elections for nearly a decade before founding the non-profit National Vote at Home Institute in 2018. Hart says McReynolds, who has started her own consulting firm, advised three states that launched mail-in voting in 2020.  “Amber McReynolds and her team were able to get them through that process without a hitch,” Hart says.

Iowa Democratic Party leaders say compared to the previous Caucus night system, more voters will be able to participate by mail.  “We’re confident in it,” Hart says. We know it’s going to be accessible. We know it’s going to be transparent and we know it’s going to be accurate.” The Iowa Democratic Party’s State Central Committee will meet Saturday to determine what names will be listed on the presidential preference cards. Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips is challenging President Biden, but Hart dismisses the idea Phillips has a shot at beating Biden. “I don’t think he does,” Hart says. “I think President Biden is definitely going to be our candidate. There’s no question about that.”

The mail-in system replaces the way Iowa Democrats determined who won the most delegates assigned to each precinct. It involved counting people, calculating percentages and forcing people to go with a second choice if their preferred candidate didn’t have enough support in the room. “It’s going to be so much easier and no math,” Hart says. “When I announce this sometimes when I’m on the road talking to groups of Democrats, they cheer when I say: ‘There’s no math.” Iowa Democrats — like Iowa Republicans — will hold in-person Caucuses on January 15th. While Republicans will conduct a straw poll that evening, Democrats will only conduct party business — identifying party volunteers, developing policy statements that may wind up in the party’s platform and selecting delegates for the county conventions.

Hart expects Caucus-night turnout to be similar to when President Obama was seeking a second term and about 25-thousand Iowa Democrats participated in the party’s 2012 Caucuses. “This is a new animal,” Hart says. “We’ll be just working to see that we get as many people to participate as possible.”

The Iowa Democratic Party will start mailing out its 2024 presidential preference cards on January 15th. Registered Iowa Democrats have until February 19th to request a card. The results will be announced on March 5th. More than a half dozen other states are holding primaries that Tuesday.

(Creston, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Union County report two-vehicles collided Sunday afternoon on Nuthatch Avenue, but no one was injured. The collision occurred at around 1:15-p.m., as a pickup driven by 17-year-old Austin J. Lack, of Afton, was traveling south and making a left turn around a curve in the road. A pickup driven by 16-year-old Austin D. Jackson, of Afton, was traveling westbound and making a right-hand turn around a curve to go north.

Both pickups struck each other entering the curve. The collision caused both vehicles to be pushed-off to the west side of the road. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts.

Damage from the collision amounted to $4,000. No citations were issued.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Two men from Polk County were arrested last week on separate charges in Adair County. Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports 21-year-old Kevin Yamil Gonzalez-Acevedo, of Des Moines, was arrested November 21st by Adair Police on the I-80 Exit 76 off-ramp, following a traffic stop at around 10:22-p.m.  Gonzalez-Acevedo was pulled-over for having no license plates on the car he was driving eastbound on the Interstate, and for speeding.

As the Adair Police Officer was speaking with Gonzalez, the Officer detected a strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle, and a cup in the center console that looked to contain burned marijuana “joints.” During a subsequent search of the car, a large paper sack containing multiple different packages and containers of marijuana from a dispensary, and receipts in Gonzalez’ name, were found. A marijuana pipe was also found in the center dash area, and a digital scale with marijuana residue, was located.

Gonzalez was arrested for Possession of Marijuana/2nd Offense, Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp, and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. He was released the next day on a $6,000 cash or surety bond.

And, on November 23rd at around 3:45-a.m., Stuart Police arrested 30-year-old Juan Jose Colin Urbina, of Des Moines, following a traffic stop on I-80 at mile-marker 88. He was pulled -over after authorities had received a call about vehicle with Wisconsin license plates, and a tired or intoxicated driver, traveling westbound near mile marker 110.

During the traffic stop, the Officer noticed an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Urbina, who admitted he had consumed 4 or 5 drinks. The man failed a field sobriety test and his Breath Alcohol Content registered .186%. Urbina was arrested for OWI/1st offense, Having no valid driver’s license, and speeding. He was released later that morning on a $2,500 cash or surety bond, with 10% acceptable.