CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A woman from the east central Iowa community of Toledo will spend two years in federal prison after stealing $453,672.68 from a family-business where she once worked. A judge, Friday, sentenced 51-year-old Leann Rouse, and ordered her to pay back the entire amount she stole as restitution. Rouse must also serve three years supervised released once she’s let out of prison.
Rouse worked as a bookkeeper for a trucking company in Traer. While hired in July 2011, evidence revealed Friday shows she manipulated the books from January 2015 to August of 2020 while overseeing financial accounting software and payroll.
Rouse wrote roughly 242 unauthorized checks to herself in that time, then used the software to make it look as though the money was going toward business expenditures related to other companies the business worked with. But that was not the case.
Rouse pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on May 31, 2024. She was released on bond before Friday‘s sentencing, and must surrender to the Bureau of Prisons in the future, but a date hasn’t been set.
(Perry, Iowa) – Perry Police Chief Eric Vaughan, this past week, took to social media to debunk claims circulating on social media, that an event held on October 26th in Perry had provided undocumented (illegal) migrants with photo identification cards. The false social media post he was referring to, also claimed that once these migrants got an ID, a woman helped them vote by telling them which place to mark, and they told everyone to vote for Kamala Harris.
Chief Vaughan said “Central Iowa Community ID held an event at the First Christian Church at 1PM. The purpose of that event was to provide a non-government form of identification to persons. The ID card that was issued is not a license to drive or to vote. ID’s similar to the ones being issued would be used at places such as banks and libraries or during other non-criminal contacts.
“The Perry Police Department,” Vaughn said, “was not at the event and no one from [the] department made any statements. The ID card that was issued would not be accepted in lieu of a valid state issued driver’s license and anyone stopped driving without a valid license may be cited.”
Chief Vaughan added, “The City of Perry is not a sanctuary city nor is any other city in our state to my knowledge. Our department complies with all State codes regarding cooperation with the federal agencies charged with enforcing federal immigration laws. Our department will continue our work to serve all of the persons living and visiting our community both fairly and ethically. We are proud of our community. It’s cultural and ethnic diversity is a large part of what makes Perry great.”
(Des Moines, Iowa) – A woman is dead and a man was in critical condition, following a shooting Friday evening on the north side of Des Moines.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded at around 5:20-p.m. to the incident that took place in the 200 block of NW 51st place, in Des Moines. First responders arriving on the scene located two shooting victims, and adult female and an adult male.
A suspect in the shootings, 24-year-old Hamza Smajlovic, was taken into custody on charges that include first-degree murder, attempted murder, and intimidation with a dangerous weapon. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said Smajlovic lives at the residence where the shootings took place.
The names of the victims were withheld by authorities, pending notification of family.
(Lee County, Iowa) – A collision between a car and a semi early Saturday morning (Nov. 2nd) in southeastern Iowa, claimed the life of a man from Florida. The Iowa State Patrol says at around 12:o8-a.m., a 2017 BMW driven by 24-year-old Josue Alexander Boton Pinula, of Middleburg, FL, was traveling west on Iowa Highway 16.
When the man failed to obey at stop sign at the intersection with Highway 218, his car and was struck by a southbound 1995 Kenworth tractor-trailer driven by 68-year-old Paul Douglas White, of Patterson, MO. The accident happened as the car was entering the southbound lanes.
Pinula died at the scene. White was injured and transported by Lee County EMS to the Henry County Hospital in Mount Pleasant.Both drivers were wearing their seat belts. The State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. 50% chance of showers after 3 pm. South Southeast wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Tonight: Showers likely, possible thunderstorm after 10 pm, with a low around 48. Southeast wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23. 100% chance of precipitation Tomorrow: Showers, and a possible thunderstorm before 1pm. High near 63. S/SE winds around 14 mph, gusts as high as 23. 90% chance of precipitation Tom. Night: Showers, with thunderstorms possible. Low around 57. South wind at 8 to 11 mph. Monday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 63. Monday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 39. Tuesday: Showers likely before 1 pm. Then partly sunny High near 52. Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.
Friday’s High in Atlantic was 60. Our Low was 27. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 60 and the Low was 19. The Record High here on Nov. 2nd was 72 in 1965 & 2015. The Record Low was 5 in 1966. Sunrise: 7:53. Sunset: 6:13.
DELORES LaHEY, 97, of Greenfield, died Friday, November 1, 2024, at her home. Graveside services for DELORES LaHEY will be held 11-a.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Greenfield Cemetery. Lamb Funeral Home in Greenfield has the arrangements.
Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 2-until 7-p.m.Wednesday, November 6, 2024, with the family greeting friends from 5-until 7-p.m.
Memorials may be directed to the Dolores Lahey Memorial Fund to be established by the family at a later date.
DELORES LaHEY is survived by:
Her daughter – Joyce Browning, of Grand Junction, Colorado.
Her sisters – Virginia Dickerson, of Greenfield, Mary Lou Armstrong, of California, and Phyllis Johnson, of West Des Moines.
3 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.
RICHARD “Perk” WHITE, 75, of Colorado (& formerly of Creston), died Oct. 20, 2024, at home. Graveside services for RICHARD WHITE will be held 9:30-a.m. Friday, November 15, 2024, at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery near Van Meter. Lamb Funeral Home in Greenfield has the arrangements.
Full military graveside rites will be conducted by the Greenfield American Legion Head-Endres Post No. 265 and V.F.W. Post No. 5357. and the Air Force Funeral Honor Guard.
RICHARD “PERK” WHITE is survived by:
His daughter – Gia (Jerry) Steely.
His son – Troy White.
His sister – Patty Crouse
2 grandchildren, a great-grandchild and other relatives.
The Audubon Wheelers had a sharp 42-18 win against the Woodbine Tigers on Friday night thanks to an overwhelming rushing attack and physical defense. The Wheelers did not waste much time scoring first with a 31-yard dashing score by Aaron Olsen to put Audubon up 6-0, barely two and a half minutes into the ball game. Woodbine’s response was to look to their pass game and quarterback Brody Pryor to lead them down the field. After a few meticulous throws by Pryor, he handed the ball off to Micah Moores from nine yards out to tie it up at 6-6. A few plays later, Audubon quarterback found Olsen down the sideline on a 29-yard touchdown throw giving Audubon a 12-6 lead that they would never relinquish for the rest of the night.
In the following series the Wheelers defense held firm forcing a punt that was botched near the goal line and scooped up by Audubon’s Ely Jorgensen for a defensive touchdown making the lead now 20-6. The defense for Audubon continued to control the line of scrimmage against the Tigers and that produced two more Audubon touchdowns, one a 15-yard catch and throw to Brody Weber, and the other a 58-yard touchdown sprint by Wessel. The game suddenly turned into a mismatch with the Wheelers now leading 34-6 midway through the second quarter. The second quarter did see a 62-yard touchdown pass from Pryor to Landon Blum, but that was diminished by the Woodbine’s two interceptions and turnover on downs near the endzone. At the half the Wheelers led 34-12.
The third quarter saw more miscues for Woodbine with a mishandled punt being leaked out from the tigers return man and recovered by the Wheelers inside the Tigers 20. Audubon would throw an interception of their own on the following drive to give Woodbine decent field position. But the Tigers ensuing drive would end in bitter fashion with an interception thrown into the endzone on a first and goal.
The Wheelers final score of the game was in the fourth quarter, on a third and goal from the Woodbine one yard line Wessel churned his way through multiple defenders to give his team one more touchdown. It was then a 42-12 ball game. The Tigers did have one more score left in them when Pryor connected with Dillon Reed from 27 yards away in the endzone to make a final 42-18 score.
On a night where a quarterfinal trip was on the line, the Audubon defense came through big time forcing four interceptions and key scoring opportunities on special teams. Olsen had another standout night for his team having two takeaways of his own. Wheelers head coach Sean Birks has been constantly impressed by the effort he has shown all year.
Coach Birks also gave praise to the way his defense held their composure throughout Friday’s battle.
The Audubon offense had 267 yards of rushing with Wessel accounting for 176 yards of it. The Wheelers also ran for three touchdowns. Friday’s win was not only special for coach Birks because of the advancement in the playoffs, but also because the victory marked 100 career wins for Birks.
Woodbine was ked in offense by Pryor passed for 289 yards and two touchdowns. Moores was the leading rusher with 13 carries, 35 yards, and one touchdown. Friday’s win propels Audubon to the quarterfinals against Remsen St. Marys next Thursday night. The Tiger’s loss ends their season with a final record of 8-2.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Firefighters from Atlantic were called to a residential structure fire just before 5-p.m. Friday, at 601 E. 6th Street. Heavy brownish gray smoke was seen forming over the area. Fire Chief Tom Cappel….
Cappel said the home’s residents were gone when crews arrived, but showed-up at the scene once they learned of the fire.
Numerous people were out watching firefighters battle the blaze.
(As mentioned) Initial dispatch reports said started in an oven in the kitchen, but Chief Cappel said the cause remained under investigation. Two Iowa Fire Marshals were on the scene late Friday evening, looking into the cause. Marne and Lewis Fire provided mutual aid.
Cass EMS, Atlantic Police and the American Red Cross were also on the scene Friday evening. The Red Cross was working to secure temporary housing for the home’s residents.
Fire at 601 E. 6th. Photo by Ric Hanson taken at around 5:09-p.m.
(Radio Iowa) – Black Friday is just a few weeks away, launching another holiday shopping season, but a University of Iowa study finds people who are lonely may find themselves unable to resist the impulse to buy. Marketing Professor Alice Wang, in the U-I’s Tippie College of Business, says loneliness is different for everyone, but if someone perceives themselves as having a relationship deficit, they may be more susceptible to compulsive shopping.
In the U-I study, Wang says they asked people to think about their existing relationships, and to elaborate on them in writing, perhaps how your current friends helped you through a tough time. Such an exercise can help to change perspectives, she says, and change habits.
Of course, there’s no magic number of friends we all require, it depends on the individual, but Wang says some of us may benefit from focusing less on what we don’t have and more on all we -do- have.
As we near the holidays, she suggests people who may be feeling lonely and isolated take stock of the good things in their lives, possessions -and- people, and work to monitor themselves so they don’t buy things they don’t need.
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