Des Moines, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division report a Nevada (Iowa) woman, 31-year-old Danielle Tiffany Dutton, was charged with four counts of Insurance Fraud – Presenting False Information (Class D Felony) following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau.  The charges against Dutton stem from an investigation which began in January 2020.  Criminal complaints filed by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau allege Dutton made false statements to insurance companies involving multiple electronic devices in an attempt to receive insurance benefits she was not entitled to. On June 9, 2021, Dutton was charged and released with a promise to appear.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.

(Radio Iowa) – A lush, green lawn is a source of pride for many Iowans and this prolonged drought is forcing many of us to quit worrying about having the best lawn on the block — and let the grass go dormant. Adam Thoms, a horticulture professor at Iowa State University and a turfgrass extension specialist, says it’s stressful for grass to shake up the watering schedule, so he’s telling Iowans if their lawns are already turning brown, just let them go. “Putting them in and out of dormancy by watering and stopping and then restarting is really hard on the turf,” Toams says. “It’s okay to go into dormancy. The grass can last for 30 to 60 days with that straw brown color and it won’t hurt it at all. It’ll come back out in the fall.”

Des Moines Water Works, which serves more than 500-thousand customers in 18 central Iowa communities, is asking residents to voluntarily conserve and cut back on watering by 25-percent. Last Friday, demand for the utility hit 90-percent of production capacity. Toams predicts many folks in the Des Moines metro -will- cut back, as requested. “There’s some research out there that shows when they ask for those voluntary commitments that people do step up and follow those,” Toams says. “We always suggest that you don’t water every day anyway. It’s better to do a deep and infrequent watering. That forces the turf roots to go deeper to chase that water deep in the soil, so, that’s an okay thing.”

Some people turn on the sprinklers for hours at a time and let them saturate the grass, but Toams says most lawns don’t need more than an inch of water in a week’s time. “If you can break that down over two or three times a week — that one inch — that’s fine,” Toams says. “If we get a week like next week’s coming up that they’re saying it’s going to be a little cooler, you can dial that back to eight-tenths of an inch or something like that. And of course, if we get any kind of rain, count that against your inch.” If you’ve laid sod within the past year or are trying to grow new grass from seeds, you’re in for what could be an expensive, frustrating challenge.

“Those are the ones that are going to get hurt by this drought. They’re the ones that need regular watering just because they don’t have a deep root system,” Toams says. “We do need to make sure that those get regular waterings. If you’re thinking about overseeding or adding seed to your yard, just wait. Right now is not the time. It’s too hot and it’s obviously too dry.”

Plus, given the weather patterns, he says more water restrictions are likely looming. If the dry weather lasts through summer and grass has been dormant up to six weeks, apply an inch or so of water in a single application. The grass won’t green up, but it’ll keep the roots alive. If the drought continues, water in that fashion every two weeks, but not enough to bring it out of dormancy. Toams suggests Iowans give their lawns a good dose of fertilizer this fall to help them recharge and ideally, come back strong next spring.

The 7:07-a.m. Newscast w/Ric Hanson.

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A Council Bluffs woman who allegedly set another woman on fire in Council Bluffs early Monday morning, appeared in court Tuesday morning. A judge set the bond for 28-year-old Lindsy Maves at $135,000. According to KETV, Maves faces charges of attempted murder, first-degree arson and willful injury, in connection with an incident that took place at around 4:30-a.m. Monday, in the 1400 block of North 15th Street, in Council Bluffs.

Upon arrival, police found a woman with severe burns on her body. The victim, identified as 37-year-old Christine Weilage, was rushed to UNMC for treatment. According to a report, investigators determined Weilage had been involved in a disturbance with Maves. The conflict reportedly was over a man. The police report stated “At some time during this incident Maves allegedly sprayed a flammable substance on Weilage and then lit her on fire. A witness to the incident attempted to put the fire out and while doing so Maves again attacked Weilage by hitting her in the face with an unknown object,” a report stated.

(Radio Iowa) – A Webster County woman is dead after an accident involving a bicycle and a truck Tuesday in Fort Dodge. Around 9:30 Tuesday morning the Fort Dodge Police Department responded to a call that a woman on a bicycle was hit by a truck and was unresponsive. Sixty-five-year-old, Melissa Ristau of Fort Dodge was found dead on the scene. Police say, a truck driven by 18-year-old Goldfield resident, Peyten Rasmussen, struck Ristau as she was crossing at an intersection.

(Radio Iowa) – Sioux City is starting a campaign to ask drivers to not donate to the homeless people who ask for money at some of the busiest intersections in the city. Neighborhood Services Coordinator, Clara Mcfarlane-Coly, says they are encouraging drivers to give the money to agencies that help the homeless. “We encourage Sioux Citians to donate to local agencies instead of donating to panhandlers. We are not saying not to do that necessarily — but if folks are interested in donating to agencies that work with those individuals one-on-one for providing housing and that sort of thing — this is a great place to start.

Neighborhood Services Manager, Jill Wandersheid says signs asking people to say no to panhandlers are being placed in the locations where they see this happening the most. “The areas that we see the highest traffic that causes concerns of people stopping in the middle of traffic and things like that. To try and encourage them that there are other ways to give,” she says. It is not illegal to ask for a handout. Councilman Pete Groetken says he saw someone asking for money at a very busy intersection while standing on a median that was only about two feet wide. He says somewhere between 17 and 20-thousand vehicles pass through the intersection on a daily basis. “It’s so easy for something to go wrong,” Groetken says.

The Sioux City Neighborhood Services Division began a homeless street outreach and rehousing program in 2019. They say they’ve served some 200 people in the last year. Residents can make donations to the effort online at www.siouxcityassist.org.

An attempted traffic stop on a vehicle with an equipment violation this (Wednesday) morning in Fremont County, resulted in a pursuit and arrest. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports a Deputy tried to stop a 2002 Buick at around 1:37-a.m., in the 3300 block of Highway 2. The vehicle failed to yield law enforcement and fled at speeds of over 90 mph westbound on Highway 2.

David Overbeck

The driver – subsequently identified as 24-year-old David Overbeck, of Queen City, Missouri – stopped his car after attempting to evade spike strips at the intersection of Highway 275 and Filmore Street, in Sidney. Overbeck was placed under arrest for Eluding and as a Fugitive from Justice out of Nebraska. He was being held without bond, pending extradition to Nebraska.

Police in Red Oak arrested a man on an assault charge, following an altercation that took place early Tuesday evening. Authorities report 44-year-old Jason Richard Berendes was arrested for domestic abuse assault – 1st offense, and willful injury causing body injury, a Class-D Felony. Berendes was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail, pending a court appearance.

At around 8:55-p.m., Tuesday, 59-year-old Edward Michael Liford, of Red Oak, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.And, at around 4:45-p.m. Tuesday, Red Oak Police arrested 25-year-old Paige Marie Clark, of Red Oak, for Interference with Official Acts, and Accessory After the Fact. Her bond was set at $300.

An Amber Alert issued at around 8:30-p.m. Tuesday for an eastern Iowa boy was cancelled a little more than two-hours later, with the suspects in custody and the child found safe in Anamosa. Authorities said 5-year-old Abel Lee Keil was believed to have been taken from Baldwin, in Jackson County, at around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, by 46-year-old Jeremy John Keil and 35-year-old Amy Lynn Burick.

It was believed Keil and Burick intended to take Abel to Clinton or Davenport. The case is under investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.