Des Moines – Billie J. Holmberg, a former insurance agent in Bettendorf, has been sentenced to five years supervised probation after pleading guilty in Scott County District Court to the charge of Ongoing Criminal Conduct, a class “B” Felony. Holmberg was originally charged in connection with an investigation conducted by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau which concluded that Holmberg altered and endorsed a series of checks which in total exceeded over $7,000.  The checks obtained by Holmberg were from insurance policyholders of American National Property and Casualty Insurance Company and were actually intended to pay their insurance premiums.  Holmberg deposited the insurance premium proceeds into her own bank accounts and ultimately used the funds for personal use rather than as originally intended.

Billie J. Holmberg

Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen said “Holmberg is no longer authorized to sell insurance in Iowa as her license was revoked by the Division on April 4, 2017 for this misconduct.  This type of conduct cannot and will not be tolerated as consumers need to be able to put their trust in their insurance agents. The vast majority of licensed agents (he said) are doing right by their clients every single day, but we will continue to work to bring cases like this to prosecutors in order to protect Iowans.”

The criminal prosecution was the result of a collaborative effort of the Scott County Attorney’s Office and the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau. Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-242-5304 or online at https://iid.iowa.gov/reporting-insurance-fraud.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Creston Police Department reports a man was arrested late Sunday night on numerous charges. 32-year old Steven Bochniak, of Creston, was arrested at his residence on charges that include: Domestic Abuse Assault; 2 counts of Neglect of Child; Possession of Controlled Substance/2nd Offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bochniak was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

Early Saturday morning, Creston Police arrested Nicholas Foltz, of Mount Ayr, for OWI 1st offense. Foltz was later released from the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond. Friday night, 40-year old Toni Bozeman, of Ottumwa, was arrested in Creston on two warrants out of Wappello County. She was transferred to the custody of Wappello County. Also arrested Friday night, was 33-year old Clint Smith, of Clearfield. Smith was wanted on four warrants out of Wappello County. He was also  transferred to the custody of Wapello County.

And, Friday morning, 32-year old Patricia McFail, of Creston, was arrested on two Union County warrants for two counts of Probation Violation. McFail was being held in the Ringgold County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — The trial of a second man accused of fatally shooting a gender-fluid Iowa teenager will be moved to another county. The Hawk Eye reports that a judge Thursday granted a request from the attorney for Jason Purham, of St. Louis. The attorney cited in part the extensive media coverage of the case in Des Moines County. The trial will be held in Washington County and is scheduled to begin Sept. 25.

Purham has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder in the slaying of 16-year-old Kedarie Johnson, whose body was dumped in a Burlington alley on March 2, 2016. Purham’s cousin Jorge “Lumni” Sanders-Galvez was convicted in November and sentenced to life in prison.

A Fort Dodge woman was killed in a two-car accident near the town of Badger in Webster County on Sunday afternoon. A tractor with a snow blower was reportedly backing to the south blowing snow to clear a farm drive causing temporary white out conditions on to the highway. Meanwhile, a southbound Toyota Camry driven by James Harris of Fort Dodge was steering his car to give the tractor more room, crossing the center line and then collided with a northbound Ford Focus driven by Robert Eilerts of Algona. A passenger in the Harris car, 81-year-old Norma Harris of Fort Dodge died of her injuries in the accident. Both James Harris and Robert Eilerts were transported to a Fort Dodge hospital for treatment of their injuries. The accident remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa)

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OELWEIN, Iowa (AP) — Officials say the expansion of a battery company facility will bring 350 new jobs to northeastern Iowa. East Penn Manufacturing Co. executives joined city and state officials Friday at a celebration of the new battery manufacturing and distribution plant in Oelwein. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that the expansion was aided by $3.1 million in state tax credits and $1.75 million in direct financial assistance approved by the Iowa Economic Development Authority in 2015.

The company has operated a smaller distribution center in Oelwein for about 10 years.

Parents who enroll their child in a private school would get up to five-thousand dollars in state tax dollars to pay for that child’s tuition and other expenses under legislation introduced in the Iowa House. Representative Walt Rogers, a Republican from Cedar Falls, is the bill’s sponsor. “Allows the parent to pick the best place for their kid,” Rogers says. “We love public schools. Public schools are great in the state of Iowa, but they’re not the best fit for everybody.”

Rogers discussed his proposal during an appearance on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” program. Last year, Rogers had envisioned sending state money for each of the 33-thousand students who already attend a private school in Iowa, but there was sticker shock over the 170-million dollar price tag. His new plan would make the money available only for children attending a private school for the first time. “We are educating the public,” Rogers says. “It’s my philosophy that parents should have the right to decide where those public dollars, that they’ve all put into, should go.”

Critics call this a “voucher” plan that would undermine public schools. Matt Sinovic is executive director of Progress Iowa, a coalition that includes the Iowa State Education Association — the union for teachers. “Vouchers would represent gutting public education and undermining what we all believe in, which is every kid — not matter where they live — should have access to quality education.” Sinovic says.

A January survey conducted by Public Policy Polling found 62 percent of registered voters in Iowa oppose public tax dollars being spend on private schools. “There is bipartisan opposition to this proposal,” Sinovic says, “and so legislators hopefully will take note of that and pay attention to what their constituents want or, in this case, don’t want.” Sinovic points to the survey result that found while 40 percent of Republicans support the idea, 48 percent of the Republicans surveyed opposed sending tax dollars to non-public schools.

(Radio Iowa)

The drivers of two vehicles that collided Sunday night in Red Oak, were each cited for traffic infractions. Red Oak Police say the accident involving a 2000 Ford F-250 pickup and a 2002 Ford F-150 pickup, happened at around 8-p.m. at the intersection of 2nd and Prospect Streets. The report says the driver of the F-250 (Thaddeus Neil Bridges, of Elliott), was traveling westbound on Prospect Street, when he failed to obey the stop sign with 2nd Street. His pickup sideswiped the other pickup, driven by 44-year old Thomas James Milner, of Red Oak, as Milner was northbound on 2nd Street.

Bridges was cited for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign and Yield the Right of Way. Milner was cited for Failure to provide proof of Financial liability (insurance) – accident related. Damage from the collision amounted to $9,000.

Organizers for the annual “Produce in the Park,” in Atlantic, say planning for the 2018 Produce farmers market will be held Thursday, February 15th. The meeting will be held at The Depot Atlantic Chamber Office beginning at 2:00 pm. This will be the fifth year for the event being held once a week through the summer months in Atlantic City Park.

Growers of veggies, fruits, herbs, eggs, meat and other locally produced food are invited to attend. Artists and crafts persons are invited. A vendor may be anyone who grows or makes products they will be selling. Others who are interested in the community event are also encouraged to attend. The opening and closing dates will be decided. The contract for vendors and fees for 2018 will be reviewed. Everyone attending the meeting has input for decisions about dates, fee and more.

Contact Susan Retz, Emily Krengel, or LaVon Eblen for more information. Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce also can provide information.