The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports an old phone scam is making the rounds again. It happens at least once a year The victim gets a call from someone posing as his or her grandchild. This person explains, in a frantic-sounding voice, that he or she is in trouble: There’s been an accident, or an arrest, or a robbery and they need money to be released from custody. To up the drama and urgency, the caller might claim to be hospitalized or stuck in a foreign country; to make the impersonation more convincing, he or she will throw in a few family particulars, gleaned from the actual grandchild’s social media activity.

The impostor offers just enough detail about where and how the emergency happened to make it seem plausible and perhaps turns the phone over to another scammer who pretends to be a doctor, police officer or lawyer and backs up the story. The “grandchild” implores the target to wire money immediately, adding an anxious plea: “Don’t tell Mom and Dad!” Fraudsters have also been known to ply this trick by email, text message and social media. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the FBI have warned of an uptick in grandparent scams as crooks play on emotional vulnerability and heightened fear about loved ones falling ill.

The person claiming to be your grandchild asks you to send money immediately and provides details on how — for example, via prepaid cards or to a particular Western Union office. Often times, the call will come late at night, because scammers figure an older person may get confused more easily if they call during those hours. Your best bet is to hang-up and contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office or Atlantic Police. They can verify through their law enforcement sources, whether a person has been arrested, regardless of the jurisdiction.

Above all, DO NOT provide any information to these people and hang up immediately. If you would like more information on this scam and how you can avoid being tricked, check out this link from the AARP, which has the “Do’s” and “Don’ts,” when it comes to being scammed. You can also see the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) website for additional consumer information on these types of scams.

A 70-year old man who was serving a 25-year sentence out of Page County for Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree, has died in prison. The Iowa Dept. of Corrections reports Dennis Ray Meyer was pronounced dead Saturday at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center, in Coralville. Authorities say his death was due to a medical emergency, and not related to COVID-19.

Meyer’s sentence began on April 16, 2007.

Page County Sheriff’s Deputies, Sunday, arrest 22-year old Ethan Ray Rankin, of Macedonia.  Rankin was arrested at the Page County Jail, on a Page County warrant for Probation violation. His bond on the warrant was set at $5,000.00.

Three people were arrested recently, in Creston. At around 1-a.m. Sunday, 31-year old Chelsey Kile, of Des Moines, was arrested in Creston for Possession of Marijuana. She was cited and released from the scene on a promise to appear in court.

Saturday night, 83-year old Mary Laird, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, after she struck a parked car on southbound McKinley Street, at around 10-p.m. Her vehicle then entered a ditch and struck 69-year old Jim Jay Giles and 69-year old Rhonda Sue Giles, both from Creston. The impact threw Rhonda Giles into a power pole, and Jim Jay Giles rolled over the top of the car. The car continued through the ditch, struck barrier poles and a cement barrier before hitting and snapping a power pole. The car came to rest in the ditch. The Giles’ suffered serious injuries and were transported to the hospital in Creston. Witnesses said Laird’s car was driving without its headlights on. Her vehicle was declared a total loss.

And, Friday afternoon, 50-year old Matthew Baudler, of Panora, was arrested at the Creston Wal-Mart, for Theft in the 5th Degree. Baudler was cited and released on a promise to appear.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Page County, Friday, served an “Ex-Parte” order for Temporary removal of a minor child, at a residence in Clarinda. During the removal process, 33-year old Amanda Maria Carlson, of New Market, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts. Carlson was transported to the Page County jail and held on $300 bond, pending further court proceedings.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports five arrests over the past few days. Sunday night, 39-year old Daniel Charles Thomas, of Honey Creek, was arrested following a traffic stop near Crescent. Thomas was taken into custody for Driving While Barred (DWB)-Habitual Offender. Bond was set at $2,000. Sunday evening, 57-year old Kimberly Ann Thomas was arrested following a traffic stop in Avoca. She too, was charged with Driving While Barred. Early Sunday morning, 33-year old Brian Joseph McCormick was arrested for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop in Council Bluffs.

Saturday night, 21-year old Andrew Robert Dilley was arrested in Treynor, following a traffic stop on a vehicle with no license plates. Dilley was charged with DWB-Habitual Offender. And, Friday morning, 45-year old Denice Ann Giovannoni turned herself-in to the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office. Once a warrant for Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree was confirmed, Giovannoni was transported to the Pott. County Jail and turned over to Corrections Staff.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The owner of a 20-foot-tall, 110-ton limestone statue succeeded in a slow process last week of moving the sculpture across a street in Iowa City. The giant statue, called “Man on a Bench,” had gazed out over a nature preserve in the northeast corner of Iowa City for five years. But the Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that after its sculptor and the property owner, Doug Paul, completed a land swap with the education organization ACT, the statue had to be moved across a street. Last week, stonemason JB Barnhouse oversaw the move with the help of crane and excavation companies. They detached a 11 blocks of carved Indiana limestone and hauled the statue to its new home, one block at a time.

(Radio Iowa) – One person was killed when an apartment caught fire in Fort Dodge on Sunday afternoon. The Fort Dodge Fire Department responded to the fire at 629 Central Avenue shortly 2:00 p.m. When they arrived smoke was coming from an apartment. A resident of the building had called 911 after smelling smoke and activated the smoke alarm. Fire fighters discovered an adult female unresponsive in the apartment. She died of her injuries with the body taken to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny. The name of the victim has not been released.