IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Civil Rights Commission is seeking to enforce a $14,700 judgment against a businessman accused of making racial slurs to belittle black employees. Bruce Smith of West Des Moines and his company, AAA Allied Building Services, have been ordered to pay lost wages and damages to an employee who says he quit after enduring the harassment. The commission has filed a case against Smith in district court to collect the damages, a rare enforcement action for the agency.

Smith called the case “a railroad job” orchestrated by a disgruntled former employee, saying “the whole thing was a lie.” The case stemmed from a complaint filed by David Curry of Des Moines, who worked on an overnight crew for Smith cleaning Petsmart, Best Buy and other businesses. Curry and a co-worker testified that Smith called them slurs and made other offensive comments. An administrative law judge ruled that Smith violated the Iowa Civil Rights Act.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous arrests over the past three weeks. Last Friday, 31-year old Kristine Jensine Porter, of Creston, was arrested on charges of Child Endangerment No Injury, and OWI 1^st Offense. Porter was taken to the Cass County Jail and remains held on $5,000 bond. On December 12th, deputies arrested 20-year old Dustin Lee Jones, of Atlantic, on two District Court warrants for Probation Violation. Jones was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 bond.

On December 9th, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 44-year old Brad James Smith, of Atlantic, on charges of OWI 1^st Offense, and Driving While Revoked. Smith was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance. 29-year old Bryceton Lee Flathers, of Atlantic, was arrested Dec. 7th on a charge of OWI 2^nd Offense. Flathers was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance.

On December 5th, Cass County deputies arrested 40-year old Aaron Joseph Moore, of Wiota, on a felony charge of Interference with Official Acts Involving a Dangerous Weapon, and an aggravated misdemeanor charge of Carrying a Knife over 8 Inches. Moore was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 cash bond. That same day the County Sheriff’s Office arrested 40-year old Matthew David Blair, of Jefferson, on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Blair was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $3,000 bond.

And, on November 30th, deputies in Cass County arrested 42-year old Amanda Kay Bashor, of Atlantic, on a charge of OWI 1^st Offense. Bashor was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on her own recognizance.

On December 14th at approximately 8:00 a.m., the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a two-vehicle accident at Highway 148 and Main Street in Griswold. A 2017 Chevy Explorer driven by 33-year old Jennifer Elizabeth Bissell, of Corning, was stopped at the southbound stop sign on Highway 148 when said vehicle was struck by a 2005 Dodge pickup driven by 17-year old Brock Hunter Wallace, of Griswold, who was turning from Main Street onto northbound Highway 148. Wallace turned into the southbound traffic lane and struck the front passenger side of Bissell’s vehicle. No injuries were reported. Damage to the Chevy is estimated at $3,000; damage to the Dodge is estimated at $2,500. Wallace was cited for Making an Unsafe Left Turn.

WAUKEE, Iowa (AP) — A school administrator accused of improper activities for the Waukee Community School District in central Iowa has resigned. District spokeswoman Amy Varcoe said the school board accepted Eric Rose’s resignation Monday in lieu of termination from his post as chief operating officer. He’s charged with two counts of solicitation to commit a felony and one count of felonious misconduct in office. He was freed on $15,000 bond. Dallas County court records say Rose has pleaded not guilty.

A special state audit report released earlier this month said administrators improperly used state credit cards and spent nearly $129,000 on items and services that “were not in the taxpayers’ best interest.” Earlier this year the district agreed to pay more than $1 million to two former district employees who said they were forced out of their jobs after reporting what they said was misconduct by Rose.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines says it’s been cyberscammed out of nearly $46,000. The diocese says in a news release that a person or a group impersonating a diocese employee requested on Dec. 13 that the money be transferred. The diocese says it expects insurance will cover most of the loss.

Bishop Richard Pates says the transfer was “clearly a mistake, the result of a misinterpretation of our policy.” Pates also says no staff members are suspected of criminal involvement. The diocese has 80 parishes in 23 counties in central and southwest Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines officials say a long-awaited $15.6 million railroad facility is set to be built soon and will aid central Iowa’s economy. The Des Moines Register reports that an $11.2 million federal grant for the project was awarded last week to the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Local officials say the facility will create a more robust rail system and lower shipping costs.
Also known as a railport, the facility will enable materials to be transferred from semitrailers to trains, which ship products at a lower cost.

A University of Northern Iowa study says the facility could have a $4.8 million annual economic impact and create 50 new jobs. The transload facility will be built on the city’s southeast side next year. A facility operator will be selected in January.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office has issued a report on recent arrests. Authorities say Friday morning, 47-year old Mary Jane Mark, of Council Bluffs, turned herself-in on felony warrants for Theft in the 1st Degree, and Dependent Adult Abuse/exploitation. Mark was turned over to corrections staff and booked into the jail. Two deputies who stopped at a residence in the 1300 block of Avenue B in Council Bluffs, to check on a wanted male, arrested without incident, 28-year old Lonnie Kent Ritchison, of Council Bluffs, on a Montgomery County warrant. Ritchison was booked in the jail.

A traffic stop Saturday morning on a vehicle with stolen Nebraska license plates, resulted in the arrest of 34-year old Cassie Ann Graybill, of Council Bluffs. Pott. County authorities say Graybill was arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree/motor vehicle related, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (a broken meth pipe with residue). And, a traffic stop Saturday evening resulted in the arrest of 29-year old Nicholas James Erisman, of Council Bluffs. He was taken into custody for Possession of Marijuana (33.7-grams in a plastic baggy).

(Radio Iowa) — One person was killed, another hurt, in a two-vehicle crash in northwest Iowa’s Sioux County near Hull on Friday night. Molly TeSlaa, age 30 of Rock Valley, was driving a 2007 Buick Rendezvous northbound on Highway 75. Wally Jansma, age 42 of Sioux Center, was going southbound on Highway 75 with his 2008 Chevrolet Uplander. Apparently, TeSlaa lost control and entered the southbound lane of travel where the two vehicles collided. Jansma was tranported by the Hull Ambulance to the Hegg Memorial Hospital in Rock Valley for treatment of his injuries.

TeSlaa was transported by the Hull Ambulance to the Sioux Center Hospital where she was pronounced dead as a result of injuries sustained in the accident. The accident remains under investigation.

The Cass County Tourism Council says they are excited to release 2017 Economic Impact Assessment of Travel Impact on Cass County (Iowa). Domestic travelers spent a total of $8.50 billion in Iowa during 2017, a 3.3% increase from 2016. Cass County’s percent change over 2016 in expenditures was an increase of 5.85%. Total payroll increased by 2.9% to nearly $1.4 billion. On average, every dollar spent by domestic travelers produced 16.3 cents in payroll income for Iowa residents. Cass County’s percent change in payroll income was an increase of 5.42%. Domestic travel supports payroll directly of food service sector, entertainment and recreation sector second and lodging sector third.

• Expenditures/Cass ($ Millions): 27.88
• Payroll ($ Millions): 3.11
• Employment (Thousands): 0.16
• State Tax Receipts ($ Million): 1.86
• Local Tax Receipts ($ Millions): 0.20
• County Rank in total Expenditures: 37

State Totals:

Expenditures: $8.4 billion; Payroll: $1.38 billion; Employment (Thousands): 69.57;  State Tax Receipts ($ millions) $507.10; Local Tax Receipts ($ millions): $124.18

Tourism is working for Iowans:  • Generates jobs in communities across the state. • Brings new spending and associated tax revenues to Iowa. • Supports community “quality of life” assets enjoyed by both residents and visitors. • Helps portray Iowa as a good place to live, work, and do business.

The Cass County Tourism Council’s purpose is to promote area attractions, and to continually develop and market the culture, history and economic well-being of Cass County, Iowa.

You can read the full report here: https://www.traveliowa.com/UserDocs/Pages/ IA2017Report_9282018.pdf
A summary here: https://www.traveliowa.com/UserDocs/Pages/Trsm_EconImpact_2017.pdf

MANCHESTER, Iowa (AP) — Another request to build a Delaware County Jail replacement could go to voters next year. Delaware County Supervisor Jeff Madlom told the Telegraph Herald the county board likely will schedule a referendum seeking funding for a new jail sometime in 2019. A $4.9 million bond measure received support from 57 percent of voters in 2014 and another measure in 2015 received 58 percent of the votes. But both vote totals fell short of the 60 percent needed to pass.

Madlom says the current jail was built in 1967 and no longer meets the county’s needs. The county often must send prisoners to Buchanan and Clayton counties because the Delaware County Jail has room for just 12 inmates. Madlom expects the new jail could cost around $5 million.

More area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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