Tens of thousands of Iowans are at risk of having their utility services disconnected next week when a winter heating moratorium comes to an end. Christine Taylor, with the Iowa Department of Human Rights, oversees the state’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP.

“We’ve had approximately 73,000 people approved for the program, so once the moratorium is over, all of those people are at risk,” Taylor said. Under Iowa law, utility customers approved for LIHEAP cannot have their natural gas or electric service cut off due to unpaid bills between November 1 and April 1. Taylor is encouraging those customers to contact their local community action agency if they’re unable to catch up on their utility debt.

“They may be eligible for crisis assistance, which might help them stay connected,” Taylor said. LIHEAP is a federally funded program. Iowa households that qualified this winter received an average payment of $450 to help them pay for utilities. According to Taylor, Iowans who qualify for LIHEAP could also avoid losing gas and electric service with a note from their doctor.

“If they have a medical condition that would cause a serious issue, they can certainly contact their utility company and possibly get a note from their doctor that explains how detrimental it would be to turn off their utility service,” Taylor said. All utility customers in Iowa, including those who don’t qualify for energy assistance, can often maintain their service by entering into a payment agreement with their provider to pay accumulated debt over time.

(Radio Iowa)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday, said 52-year old Ralph David Springs, Jr. of Glenwood, was arrested at the Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Bond was set at $2,000. And, 33-year old Michael Scott Shipley, of Burlington Junction, MO., was arrested Monday for Interference with Official Acts. Bond was set at $300.

The Harlan Police Department has released a report on arrests. On Sunday, 27-year old Zachary David Schwager, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop near 1200^th St and Linden Rd.  Schwager was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with operating while intoxicated and driving on the wrong side of a two-way highway.

Last Saturday, 30-year old Chase Corey Carter, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop at Highway 59 and Cyclone Avenue.  Carter was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with operating while intoxicated, second offense.

On Friday, 40-year old Patrick Edward Hallas, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop at Highway 59 and Lincoln Avenue.  Hallas was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while revoked and insufficient number of headlamps. And, 45-year old Larry Monroe Lange, of Harlan, was arrested following a call for service at the Shelby County Jail.  Lange was charged with public intoxication.

On March 20th, 49-year old Dawn Michelle Van Scoyk, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop in the 800 block of Hill St.  Van Scoyk was charged with driving while suspended, and failure to obtain security against liability.

Other arrests:

• Joseph Martin Zaccone, age 48, of Harlan, was arrested March 17th following a traffic stop.  Zaccone was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with operating while intoxicated.
• Tabbatha Christine Collier, age 37, of Missouri Valley, was arrested March 16th following a report of a reckless driver.  Collier was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Kaleigh Marie Turner, age 27, of Harlan, was arrested March 15th, on an active Shelby County warrant.  Turner was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with failure to appear on several charges.  Anthony Joseph Koester, age 33, of Harlan was also arrested March 15th.  Koester was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with interference with official acts. And, Paula Kathryn Koester, age 30, of Harlan, was arrested March 15th, for driving while suspended following a traffic stop at 12^th and Cyclone.
• Daniel Harvey Pash, age 37, of Harlan, was arrested March 14th, on an active Shelby County warrant.  Pash was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with theft 2^nd. Amanda Layne Hanover, age 42, of Harlan was arrested March 14th an active Shelby County warrant. Hanover was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with theft 2^nd. And, William Joseph Bullock, age 34, of Harlan, was arrested March 14th on an active Shelby County warrant.  Bullock was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with theft 5^th.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Boone man after a traffic stop in Corning on Tuesday. At 12:50pm Deputies stopped 28-year-old Alexander Welsh of Boone for speeding and no seat belt. Welsh was stopped at 9th and Benton Streets in Corning and a hand gun was later found in the vehicle. Welsh was charged with Carrying Weapons and taken to the Adams County Jail and held on $2,000 cash bond.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office said today (Tuesday), that on March 23rd, at approximately 11:45-p.m., a Page County Deputy initiated a traffic stop on a Red Mazda pickup on Highway 71 in the 2800 block for a traffic violation. That’s about one-mile mile south of Shambaugh. During the investigation on the traffic stop, 44-year old Jason Leigh Carter, of St. Joseph, MO., was issued a citation for Operating without a driver’s license.

Carter was also arrested for Possession of a controlled substance, Methamphetamine, and O.W.I. 1st offense. He remains in the Page County Jail on $2,000 bond.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Federal prosecutors say Genesis Medical Center has agreed to pay $1.88 million to settle a Medicare overpayments case. The office of the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa said in a news release Tuesday that the settlement resolves allegations that the Davenport hospital violated the federal False Claims Act from 2013 through 2016 by keeping overpayments for inpatient admission claims.

The release says the claims should have been billed at a lower reimbursement rate for either outpatient or observation services. The release says the claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only.
Genesis Vice President Paul Bollinger says Genesis resolved the matter to avoid costly and protracted litigation and says the settlement is not an admission of error.

Sheriff’s officials in Shelby County report 40-year-old Brian Anthony Wood, of Woodbine, was arrested Monday, after 911 Communications received a call of an assault in progress along the 1700 Block of 100th Street outside of Walnut, in Shelby County. As officials were responding to the scene, Wood fled. A perimeter was setup, and authorities located Wood in a field a brief time later.  He was taken into custody without incident. Wood was charged with Assault with dangerous weapon (an Aggravated Misdemeanor) and then transferred to the Shelby County Jail, where he was held on a $2,000 Cash/Surety bond while awaiting appearance before a magistrate. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Harlan Police Department, Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, and Iowa Department of Transportation.

And, last Friday, Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 50-year-old Jack Alan Tacner of Magnolia, on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court on charges of driving while barred. Tacner was taken in custody by Harrison County Sheriff’s Office and then transferred to Shelby County where he is awaiting a court appearance on April 2nd in District Court. Tacner is currently held in the Shelby County Jail under a $5,000 cash/surety bond.

(UPDATED)
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating allegations of financial misconduct by a woman who had worked as city clerk for neighboring Iowa towns, a county sheriff said Tuesday. State auditors said in newly released reports that they’ve identified thousands of dollars in improper and unsupported spending by Yale and Bayard when they employed Renee Van Gundy. Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright confirmed that his deputies and state agents are investigating Van Gundy, whom he said has moved out of Iowa. Arganbright said the investigation hasn’t been completed and a report hasn’t yet been sent to the county attorney for a decision on any charges..

Sheriff’s Deputy Jesse Swensen said he’ll likely recommend charges of theft and felonious conduct in office. “She has given us a full confession,” Swensen said, and has been cooperating with investigators.
Her attorney, F. Montgomery Brown, said: “If there are criminal charges we’ll resolve them promptly. I can’t say how she’ll plead — she hasn’t been charged.” He declined to say where she’s moved.
The Yale audit said the improper spending included more than $5,800 paid for Van Gundy’s personal natural gas and electric bills; nearly $4,700 for her personal cellphone bills; and more than $4,000 for personal purchases made with the city’s credit card.

The Bayard audit said the improper spending included more than $26,000 for personal purchases made at grocery stores and other retailers and for meals at various restaurants.

The Iowa Department of Public Health has approved five licenses for distributing medical marijuana. The department says it has offered dispensary licenses to Have a Heart Compassion Care for facilities in Council Bluffs and Davenport and one for the Iowa Cannabis Company in Waterloo. And it has also offered licenses for two MedPharm facilities in Windsor Heights and Sioux City. Those five have until nine a-m Wednesday to accept.

The information from the department says 10 other applicants met the requirements for a license, but will not be awarded one unless one of the first five applicants doesn’t take a license. They included applications in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and Coralville. Five other applicants did not meet the minimum requirement to obtain a license. Changes in the medical marijuana law allow for the five dispensaries to distribute the products created by MedPharm Iowa, which was the only company licensed to produce the products.

Sheriff’s deputies in Pottawattamie County, Monday afternoon, served a warrant on an inmate at the Pott. County Jail. 46-year old Strozier Darnell Moore, of Council Bluffs, was read a warrant for Violation of Probation, and then returned to the custody of Jail staff. A call about a domestic disturbance at a residence on Chapel Ridge Lane, resulted in the arrest of 27-year old Alexander William Everage, of Council Bluffs. Everage was arrested for Child Endangerment, Domestic Assault Simple, and Possession of Controlled Substance Marijuana, and was being held without bond at the Pottawattamie County Jail.

A traffic stop Monday on a pickup at the intersection of Birdsley Road and Perry Road resulted in the arrest of the driver, 31-year old Ricky Lee Paulsen, of Council Bluffs. He was arrested after a records check showed he was wanted on three valid warrants out of Council Bluffs for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order (2 counts), and Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. Paulsen was also arrested on a warrant out of Nebraska, for being a Fugitive from Justice, and he was charged with OWI/3rd offense.

A Pott. County Deputy on patrol late Monday night in Walnut, noticed a Red Chevy Impala in park, idling with the engine on in front of Haystackers Diner. He observed a younger male subject in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, as well. A check of the license plate and registered owner revealed 20-year old Austin Daniel Malloy, of Walnut, had a valid warrant for Violation of Probation on an original charge of driving while revoked, and his driver’s license was listed as barred. He was charged in Pottawattamie County for Driving Barred and placed on Hold for the warrant out of Cass County.