DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Backers of a $117 million plan to bring recreation to downtown Des Moines say the rivers project would create a network of 80 water trails across central Iowa. Rick Tollakson is president and CEO of Hubbell Realty Co. and one of the project’s biggest supporters. He told The Des Moines Register that the project centerpiece would be a series of whitewater features that would replace three dangerous low-head dams along the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers.

He says the Des Moines business community is committed to underpin fundraising because recreational opportunities are the best way to attract and retain young workers. Project backers have discussed it with Iowa’s congressional members, hoping to secure a third of the cost through state and federal grants.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:50 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The president of the Planned Parenthood chapter for Iowa and Nebraska will step down as the organization prepares to join a larger chapter based in Minnesota. The Des Moines Register reports the agency announced Tuesday that Suzanna de Baca will step down effective Sept. 30. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland is joining Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota to form a new regional affiliate: Planned Parenthood North Central States.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker is signaling he won’t push for a measure similar to a new Iowa law that would ban most abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed legislation earlier this month that bans most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is around six weeks of pregnancy.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The abrupt downfall of Iowa Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix soon became a cash windfall for the Republican Party of Iowa. The party accepted a $522,000 contribution from Dix’s campaign on March 26, two weeks after the Shell Rock farmer quit the Legislature. A party spokesman is defending the move, saying the cash “was raised to help elect and defend a Republican majority.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A spokesman for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ campaign says it plans to return a $250 contribution from a former ally she fired over sexual harassment allegations. A campaign finance disclosure shows that then-Iowa Finance Authority Director Dave Jamison and his wife made the donation to Reynolds on March 1. Asked about the donation Tuesday, campaign spokesman Pat Garrett said, “we plan to return it.” Reynolds fired Jamison on March 24.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The president of the Planned Parenthood chapter for Iowa and Nebraska will step down as the organization prepares to join a larger chapter based in Minnesota. The Des Moines Register reports the agency announced Tuesday that Suzanna de Baca will step down effective Sept. 30 after leading Planned Parenthood of the Heartland since 2014.

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland is joining Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Together they will form a new regional affiliate, called Planned Parenthood North Central States.

Sarah Stoesz, the longtime leader of the Minnesota-based chapter, will be the president of the new consolidated organization. De Baca plans to fill an unpaid seat on its board. De Baca says there are no plans to close any of the eight Planned Parenthood clinics in Iowa or two in Nebraska.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa– A United States District Court in Pottawattamie County has sentenced a McClelland man to one-year plus one-day of imprisonment, for Tax Evasion. The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports Judge Stephanie M. Rose, on May 11th, also ordered 49-year old Michael Collins to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) amounting to slightly more than $70,274, and pay to a fine of $34,770. Collins will serve a three year term of supervised release following his prison term.

Collins pleaded guilty to tax evasion on December 21, 2017. According to documents and information provided to the Court, Collins was part-owner of a real-estate development firm that earned significant income in 2006. As a result of his ownership in the company, Collins received approximately $289,000 in income that year, but did not report it on his individual income tax return. In 2008, the IRS contacted Collins regarding the unreported income and Collins filed an amended return reporting the income and reflecting a tax due of more than $100,000. However, Collins did not pay the tax liability.

From 2006 through the present, Collins also operated an excavating and trucking company that generated more than $5.5 million in gross receipts. To evade payment of his outstanding tax liability, Collins registered the business as well as its bank accounts in the name of nominees, used nominee entities to conceal over $5 million in gross receipts from the business, filed fraudulent corporate tax returns that listed nominees as the owners of the business and paid his personal expenses using the business’ unreported income. Collins also filed fraudulent documents with the IRS claiming to have no gross business receipts for the company and falsely told IRS employees that his only source of income was unemployment benefits.

He admitted to causing a tax loss of more than $250,000. The case was prosecuted by Department of Justice, Tax Division Trial Attorneys Matthew Hoffman and Lee Langston and was investigated by Special Agents of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County report a man and woman from Creston were arrested on drug charges late Tuesday morning (5/22). Authorities say at around 11:45-a.m., the Adams County K9 Unit conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Highway 34 and Tulip Avenue. During the stop, K9 “Baxo” was deployed and indicated on the vehicle.

A probable cause search was conducted and a pipe used to smoke methamphetamine was located.

William Ridley

Michelle Peterson

The two occupants of the vehicle denied ownership of the pipe. The driver, William Ridley of Creston, was placed under arrest for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving under Suspension, and Providing False Identification Information. The passenger, Michelle Peterson, also of Creston, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Ridley and Peterson each have outstanding warrants for their arrest in other jurisdictions.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday (May 22nd) released a lengthy report on numerous arrests that were not drug-related. Three arrests took place Sunday: 32-year old David Andrew Bowen, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI 1^st Offense. Bowen was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance; 40-year old Robert Michael Howie, Jr., of University Park, IA, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts (Simple). He pled guilty later that day and was released; and, 60-year old Kent Allen Harrison, of Atlantic, was arrested Sunday on charges of Assault on a Law Officer, Criminal Mischief 5^th Degree, and Trespassing 1^st Degree. Harrison was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond.

On May 17th, 20-year old Wyatt Jo Bloomfield, of Eskridge, KS, was arrested in Cass County on a charge of OWI 1^st Offense.  Bloomfield was taken to the Cass County Jail and was released the following day on $1,000 bond. The next day (May 18th), 26-year old Jade Michael Nicholson, of Atlantic, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Nicholson was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

On May 13th, 32-year old Antonietta Patrizzia Lloyd, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI 1^st Offense. And on May 12th, 34-year old Ryan John Platts, of Urbandale, was also arrested for OWI/1st offense. Lloyd and Platts were taken to the Cass County Jail and later released on their own recognizance.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports eight people were arrested on separate drug charges recently. On Monday (May 21st), as the result of a traffic stop, Cass County Deputies arrested 21-year old Jay Robert Blank and 19-year old Jayce Allen Neis, both of Cedar Rapids. They were each taken into custody on charges of Drug Tax Stamp Violation (D Felony) and Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana (D Felony).

K9 Officer Mufasa with his haul of 13 lbs of marijuana from the Sheriff’s Office traffic stop on May 20, 2018.

Thirteen pounds of marijuana was seized in the traffic stop. Both parties were taken to the Cass County Jail. Neis and Blank were released the following day on $10,000 bond each.

That same day, as the result of a search warrant, Cass County Deputies arrested 28-year old David Gregory Fredericksen and 24-year old Catherine Josephine Charles, both of Atlantic, each on charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Meth (C Felony); Possession of Marijuana 1^st Offense (Serious) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Simple). Both were taken to the Cass County Jail where they remain held on $50,000 bond each.

On May 19th, 42-year old Aaron Seth Cardinale, of Bellevue, NE, was arrested in Cass County on charges of Drug Tax Stamp Violation (D Felony) and Possession of Alprazolam 2^nd Offense (Aggravated). Cardinale was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $7,000 bond. That same day, 27-year old Mark Allen Fredericksen, of Atlantic, was arrested on charges of OWI 1^st Offense (Serious); Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Simple) and Driving Under Suspension (Simple). Fredericksen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $1,600 bond.

On May 16th, as the result of a search warrant, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 42-year old Samantha Sue Clark, of Atlantic, on charges of Burglary 3^rd degree (D Felony); Drug Tax Stamp Violation (D Felony); Possession Controlled Substance (4 counts) (Serious); Unlawful Possession of Prescription Medication (6 counts) (Serious); Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Simple); and Theft 5^th Degree. Also arrested was 30-year old Amber Catherine Stephens, of Atlantic, on charges of Unlawful Possession of Prescription Medication (Serious) and Possession of a Controlled Substance (Serious). Both parties were taken to the Cass County Jail. Clark remains held on $21,000 bond; Stephens remains held on $2,000 bond.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will hold a Special Meeting 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in the Middle School Media Center. During their session, the Board will act on approving 2018-19 Administrator Contracts, Other contracts (Central Office, Technology, Directors), and Coaches/Sponsors Continuing Contracts. In other business, the Board will act on a 2018-19 Copier/Printer lease, HVAC unit replacement, and the disposal of a Suburban. Following the close of regular business, the Board will enter into a closed session to conduct the Superintendent’s annual evaluation.

We contracts, Superintendent Steve Barber is expected to recommend Administrative Contracts for 2018-19 receive a zero-percent increase to the total compensation amount received in 2017-18 that would not includes the increase in IPERS contribution due to a rate increase starting July 1st, 2018. The IPERS increase amounts to $2,075.

Barber will also recommend approval of a 1.71% total package increase (Including IPERS and FICA) for Central Office Staff, Technology Staff and all Directors, including the Business Manager. The amount ($12,842) represents the figure settled with the Employees Association.

And finally, Steve Barber will recommend the Board approve the list of continuing contracts for existing coaches and sponsors, for a total increase of $1,833. The generator for the extra-curricular contracts was increased to $43,500 during negotiations. Changes to the Collective Bargaining rules state that the contracts are no longer continuing.

Contract recommendations are as follows:

1. 1. 1. Terry Hinzmann, HS Summer School Teacher
      2. Jedd Sherman, HS Summer School Teacher
      3. Karen Vogl, HS Summer School Teacher
      4. Mallory Kirchhoff, HS Summer School Para
      5. Sue Petersen, HS Voc Rehab Para
      6. Rob Hansen, Volunteer Baseball Coach
      7. Bryce Casey, 7th Grade Football Coach
      8. Pat Wiederien, Co HS Student Council Sponsor
      9. Taylor Williams, Co HS Student Council Sponsor
      10. Emily Mitchell, Volunteer Softball Coach
      11. Montana Applegate, WA Extended School Year Teacher
      12. Angela Behrens, 5-hr Summer Lunch Position
      13. Lori Namanny, 5-hr Summer Lunch Position

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A spokesman for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ campaign says it plans to return a $250 contribution from a state official whom she later fired over sexual harassment allegations.

A campaign finance disclosure filed Monday shows that then-Iowa Finance Authority Director Dave Jamison and his wife made the donation to Reynolds on March 1.
Asked about the donation Tuesday, campaign spokesman Pat Garrett said in an email, “we plan to return it.”

Reynolds fired Jamison on March 24, saying she had received “credible allegations of sexual harassment” from two female subordinates a day earlier. The governor’s office has released a detailed complaint from one of the women, who alleged that Jamison made constant sexual remarks in the workplace. Investigations are underway.

Reynolds and Jamison had long been acquaintances going back to their work as county treasurers starting in the 1990s. Jamison hasn’t spoken publicly about the allegations.

CALUMET, Iowa (AP) — A northwest Iowa woman accused of stealing more than $30,000 while working at a trucking company has been given probation. Court records say 33-year-old Jamie Riedemann, of Calumet, was sentenced to four years of probation and ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution to Calumet Carriers. Riedemann also was given a deferred judgment, which means that her conviction can be removed from court records if she successfully completes the terms of her probation.

Prosecutors say Riedemann turned in fraudulent time cards and used company credit cards for personal purchases while working as business office manager for Calumet Carriers between January 2014 and August 2016.