(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who enjoy the thrill of finding great deals at yard sales need to be wary of the potential dangers when purchasing items second-hand. Consumer protection expert Michelle Reinen says you should take special care with toys that might be unsafe, in addition to things like old cribs and used car seats.

Reinen says, “The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls products annually that could cause injury and death.” You can look up your potential purchase in an online database at Safer Products-dot-gov to see if a recall has been issued. For Iowans who might be planning to hold a garage sale, there’s always a risk of scammers trying to trick you. Reinen says there have been recent reports of people passing counterfeit bills at rummage sales.

“If you’re selling a $2 item and you’re handed a $100 bill, maybe that’s something you need to analyze a little more closely and see if you can get the $2 out of them, rather than being at risk with that $100 bill in your hand,” she says. If you think you’re being scammed, Reinen says to call local law enforcement and file a report.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report seven recent arrests:

On Monday (May 13th), at around 8-a.m., Mills County Deputies arrested 41-year-old Jennifer Lynne Kugland, of Council Bluffs, on a warrant for Harassment int eh 1st degree. Kugland taken into custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail, held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

There were two arrests Sunday, in Mills County: 50-year-old Jeffery Scott Leytham, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for  Possession of Controlled Substance and Driving Under Suspension (Bond $1,300); and, 48-year-old Jason Vaughn Young, of Silver City, was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear (Bond: $2,000).

Early Saturday morning, Mills County Deputies arrested Jose Manuel Maldonado-Santamaria, of Bellevue, NE, for OWI/1st Offense, and Interference with Official Acts (Bond: $1,000).

Last Friday, 52-year-old Scott Michael Hardman, of Malvern, was arrested for DUS (Bond $300); and 36-year-old Joshua Michael Brizendine, Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pott. County Jail on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation (Bond $10,000).

And, finally, on May 9th: 23-year-old Alberto Lopez Velazquez (No known address), was arrested for Harassment 3rd, Operating Without Certificate of Title, No Valid Drivers License, Provide Proof Financial Liability and Operate Without Registration/Plate (Bond $300).

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna reports the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors may be attending an Informational meeting to learn more about the proposed CO2 pipelines. They meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, May 14th, from 7-until 8-p.m., at the Stanton Viking Center.

Ozuna says “There is a possibility that there will be a quorum. No official county business will be acted upon during that time.”

(Radio Iowa) – The resolution of a disagreement between Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate means five million dollars in state gambling taxes will be used to complete renovations of the Lucas State Office Building. The building, which opened in 1952, is east of the Iowa Capitol. Republican Representative Jacob Bossman of Sioux City says the original plan House Republicans developed for spending gambling taxes did not include funding for the Lucas Building upgrades, while Senate Republicans suggested spending 10 million dollars on the building.

“We originally weren’t funding that project,” Bossman says, “but are acknowledging this money is necessary to complete the DHHS merger and allow everybody to be housed under one roof.”

In 2022, lawmakers approved the governor’s plan to merge the Departments of Human Services and Public Health — but the agencies were housed in two different state office buildings. The Department of Health and Human Services is the largest agency in state government, with over five-thousand employees. The Lucas building has six floors of office space and is named for Iowa’s first territorial governor, Robert Lucas.