Officials with the Harlan Police Department have released a report on recent arrests. Authorities say on Nov. 22nd, 19-year old Brandon Jay Benedict, of Harlan, was arrested on numerous charges, following a traffic stop. Benedict was taken into custody for Theft in the 4th Degree, Carrying Weapons, Prohibited Acts penalties, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Drug Paraphernalia, Driving While Suspended, having no insurance, driving on the wrong side of a two-way highway, and failure to obey a stop or yield sign.

Last Thursday: 35-year old Holli Danielle Polchow, of Harlan, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault; 35-year old Benjamin Michael Johnson, and 33-year old Amanda Lynn Johnson, both of Harlan, were arrested on charges of False Reporting.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa-based nonprofit governed by dozens of state lotteries says it is a “private entity” and not subject to the open records law. The Multi-State Lottery Association said Tuesday that a legal review has determined it does not have to disclose its recent settlement of a lawsuit that sought millions of dollars in damages. The group helps run the Powerball game and others.

The Associated Press requested a copy of the association’s agreement with Larry Dawson, an Iowa man who won a $9 million Hot Lotto jackpot in 2011. Settlements involving government bodies are public records in Iowa. But lottery association general counsel Patricia Lantz says the group “has operated as a private entity” since the 1980s. She says it provides the public information when possible but that the settlement agreement is confidential.

Dawson’s lawsuit contended that his jackpot would have been $16.5 million bigger if the association’s information security director, Eddie Tipton, hadn’t rigged the previous prize. Tipton is serving prison time for rigging several jackpots worth millions of dollars dating back to 2005.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An attorney says a second patient at a program for Iowa’s most dangerous sex offenders is accusing its former treatment director of encouraging an improperly close relationship. Attorney Jason Dunn said Tuesday that he’s representing Daniel Roe, a convicted rapist who is a patient at the Civil Commitment Unit for Sex Offenders in Cherokee.

He says Roe fell in love with Shannon Sanders, an unlicensed psychologist who was the program’s treatment director until September. Roe is alleging that Sanders encouraged those feelings during treatment, including allowing him to write sexually explicit stories that featured a character based on her. Dunn says Roe feels victimized.

Dunn also represents sex offender Jeffrey Goodwin, who has alleged that he was willing to kill for Sanders. He says he intends to file suit on their behalf. The Iowa Department of Human Services forced Sanders to resign in September after an investigation found that she violated numerous policies.

The Cherokee police department has said that it’s investigating.

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and Shelby County Emergency Management are issuing a travel not advised in Shelby County. This is due to the current weather conditions causing slick roads. There have been several reported accidents already. Do not travel unless necessary. If you do need to go out, please drive carefully and if you are involved in an accident dial 911 and remain in your vehicle until help arrives if it is safe to do so. We will continue to monitor weather and road conditions and update as necessary.

Authorities in Council Bluffs say just after 12:30pm today, Council Bluffs Police and Fire/Rescue personnel were dispatched to the Target store at 3804 Metro Drive, with regard to the body of a deceased adult male inside a restroom. A subsequent investigation revealed that an adult male took his own life. The male’s family has been notified, but his identity is not being released.

Target management elected to close the store while the incident was being investigated. Officials say “The Council Bluffs Police Department does not usually make public comment on suicides, but since this incident generated quite a bit of local press and social media attention, we felt it was best to share this information.”

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Police have charged a Council Bluffs man with murder in the death of a person whose body was found wrapped in a sheet near the city’s downtown. Council Bluffs police said Tuesday that officers arrested 36-year-old Dubol Koat on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of William Josephtong Dut.

Koat’s arrest came nearly a month after officers were called Oct. 28 to investigate a body found wrapped in a sheet. Police identified the body as Dut, a 35-year-old resident of Council Bluffs. Police say Koat and Dut were roommates and co-workers. Police haven’t said how Dut died.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa farmers are set to receive the most government payments to offset damage from the U.S.’s ongoing trade war with China. The Des Moines Register reports Iowa farmers will receive $767 million in payments from President Donald Trump’s $16 billion trade assistance program this year. The Agriculture Department announced a second round of payments under the program earlier this month.

The USDA shows that the other states getting the most federal assistance in this year’s program are Illinois, at $707 million; Minnesota, at $519 million; Texas, at $497 million; and Kansas, at $474 million. Iowa Soybean Association board president Tim Bardole says the additional payments will be helpful, but they won’t cure all the problems farmers are having this year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has pardoned two tom turkeys, continuing a longstanding Thanksgiving tradition celebrating Iowa’s turkey industry. The male birds named Benjamin and Franklin will live at Living History Farms in Urbandale, a 500-acre open air history museum that demonstrates three centuries of Iowa farm life.

Reynolds held the annual event Tuesday at Terrace Hill, the governor’s residence, where she says she’ll spend thanksgiving cooking for her family. Several family members, including grandchildren, petted the turkeys after Reynolds read the proclamation freeing them from becoming a thanksgiving meal.

Iowa ranks seventh in U.S. turkey production, turning out more than 12 million turkeys annually on 130 farms. The state is fifth in turkey processing with plants in Storm Lake and West Liberty.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man who was stabbed to death at a Burlington home. Officers sent to the scene Thursday night found the wounded man. He was pronounced dead later at Great River Medical Center in West Burlington. Police identified him Monday as 28-year-old Kelvin Norwood, who lived in Minneapolis. Authorities have not reported the filing of charges against anyone.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man who died when his car crashed while fleeing Cedar Rapids police. Police identified him Monday as 58-year-old Scott Maydew. Police say the chase began around 10 p.m. Saturday when an officer tried to stop a BMW that was being driven recklessly. It sped away but soon went out of control and veered off the road into a utility pole. Maydew was alone in the car.