An Atlantic man arrested in June, 2015, on a charge of Indecent Contact with a Child, Lascivious Acts with a Child and one count of Second Degree Sexual abuse, has plead guilty to a lesser charge. According to online court records, 30-year old Tad Haskins plead guilty, Monday, to an amended Count of Lascivious Acts with a child. The remaining counts were summarily dismissed.

Judge Mark Eveloff also suspended a 5-year prison sentence and $750 fine, and instead required Haskins to serve 2-years of supervised probation. He’ll have to: Live at the Residential Corrections Facility in Council Bluffs until maximum benefits are reached; Pay restitution in the amount of $172 within 30-days; Complete a Sex Offender Treatment Program; Submit a DNA sample, and, have no contact with his step-children for a period of two-years.

A highway stop in which Iowa police officers pointed weapons at an innocent dark-skinned man and his 6-year-old son has prompted a federal lawsuit and racial profiling claims. Details of the September 2014 incident in northwest Iowa have emerged in a lawsuit filed by the driver, 32-year-old Levi Wilson of Orange City. He alleges the stop and search were illegal.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says officers acted appropriately because they were searching for Wilson’s brother, David Wilson, a sex offender who was wanted on outstanding warrants. Officers say the brothers sometimes drove the same truck. Levi Wilson denies that.

U.S. District Judge Mark Bennett refused to dismiss the case this month, ruling that claims of unreasonable search and seizure, excessive force and invasion of privacy could proceed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Council Bluffs man has been indicted on one count of bank robbery in federal court in Des Moines. Documents filed Tuesday say Jesse Daniel Specht took by force, violence and intimidation money from Farmers & Merchants State Bank in Neola on Oct. 14. Specht was arrested five days later in Omaha.

The bank was robbed by a man wearing a mask who told employees and customers to get down on the floor before he ran away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey is encouraging Iowans to consider choosing a fresh, Iowa grown Christmas tree to decorate their home this holiday season. Northey says “Selecting a fresh Christmas tree can be part of a great family tradition and is an opportunity to connect with an Iowa farmer and support the local economy. Iowa is fortunate to have more than 100 Christmas tree farms in all parts of the state, so everyone has the opportunity to get their own fresh tree to help celebrate.”

A directory of tree farms across Iowa is available on the Iowa Christmas Tree Grower’s website at www.IowaChristmasTrees.com. On the site there is a “Find a Farm” link on the top left-hand corner of the page. Besides the location of the farms, the directory also includes a phone number and hours of operation for each farm to assist in planning.

These farms devote over 1,500 acres to Christmas tree production in Iowa and as a result harvest approximately 39,500 Christmas trees each year. The result is a $1 million dollar industry contributing to Iowa’s economy. It takes 6 to 12 years to grow a Christmas tree before it is ready to be sold. Most tree farms in Iowa are 3 to 8 acres in size and sell trees by choose and harvest method, where a customer comes to the farm cut their own tree.

A Blue Spruce Christmas Tree (Photo from ISU Extension)

Following are tips to keep in mind to make your trip to a Christmas tree farm more enjoyable:

· Be sure you know what size tree fits in your home, both height and width, before you leave. Trees always look smaller in the field and there is nothing worse than bringing a tree indoors only to find it’s too big.

· Wear comfortable clothes, sturdy shoes, and gloves that you aren’t afraid to get dirty.

· Make sure the tree you pick has a straight trunk and will fit properly in your tree stand.

· Fresh trees need water. Once you get your tree home remember to check the water daily. Trees can use up to a gallon of water daily.

· Make sure you unplug any tree lights before you leave home or go to bed.

· Remember – fresh cut Christmas trees are biodegradable! Recycle your tree after Christmas.

If you are not putting the tree up right away, store it in an unheated garage or some other area out of the wind and cold (freezing) temperatures. When bringing the tree into the house, cut off one inch at the base end and place the tree in a bucket of warm water.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Several northwest Iowa colleges have turned to their communities to find families offering seats at their dinner tables for international students who can’t make it home for the holidays. The Sioux City Journal reports that students are frequently able to find a home away from home through a host-family program, a campus-sponsored dinner or local students offering a seat at their own table.

Briar Cliff University has offered the “Friend Family” program, which matches international students with a local family. Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, also offers a host family program, so students can stay overnight with families while the university is closed for the holidays. Some students, including those who are not international students, stay on campus, organize their own festivities and share customs and cuisines.

The Denison Police Department, today (Wednesday), issued a public THANK YOU  to a couple from Denison who aided and comforted an accident victim. Authorities say Mr. and Mrs. Larry Goering stopped to render aid during an accident that happened near the intersection of Highways 39/141 and 59.

Officers responding at around 10-a.m. Saturday discovered that an occupant of one of the vehicles in the accident had been injured. According to their report, the Goering’s stopped to render aid and were tending to the injured woman. The couple wrapped the woman in a blanket and were attempting to comfort her until help arrived.

Denison police say “It is people like Mr. and Mrs. Larry Goering that make Denison a great place to live. They had absolutely no obligation to stop at this scene and probably had other matters to attend to, but instead they stopped to help a complete stranger in their time of need.”

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The National Weather Service says dangerous traveling conditions are likely to develop over southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa on Thanksgiving Day.

On Wednesday the service issued a winter storm watch. The service says a mix of freezing rain and sleet will move across the area late Thursday morning into Thursday evening. Any accumulation of snow likely will occur north of Interstate 80.

The service says up to a quarter inch of ice could mount from the freezing rain.

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

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Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and some retailers have already announced several of their deals. Though more and more stores are opening their doors to shoppers on Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday will remain one of the biggest shopping days of the year, both online and in stores. BBB offers advice for consumers who plan to shop on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and intend to make charitable donations on Giving Tuesday.

BBB President and CEO Jim Hegarty says “Falling between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday, on November 28th, can be a fun part of your holiday weekend. By staying local, you’ll support the small businesses that helped create the identity of your community. This annual event is a great way to show your support for these local shops.”

As always, retailers will compete feverishly to get shoppers to visit their stores and their websites! The National Retail Federation (NRF) “expects sales in November and December (excluding autos, gas and restaurant sales) to increase a solid 3.7 percent to $630.5 billion – significantly higher than the 10-year average of 2.5 percent. Holiday sales in 2015 are expected to represent approximately 19 percent of the retail industry’s annual sales of $3.2 trillion. Additionally, NRF is forecasting online sales to increase between 6 and 8 percent to as much as $105 billion.”

BBB Tips for shopping on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Small Business Saturday to help ensure a satisfactory experience:

• Beware of pop-up shops that show up around the holidays, as these stores can disappear before you know it. Also, before you decide to purchase products online, visit bbbinc.org to check out a business. Make sure the website you’re browsing is reputable.
• When making an online purchase, look for the SSL encryption. You can recognize it by the “s” in https:// of the URL or the lock symbol; both ensure that the information you’re about to give out is encrypted for your safety.
• When shopping online and in stores, be sure to make purchases with your credit card, not a debit card. Credit cards give you significant protection against fraud, and even if your information falls into the wrong hands, you’ll be more likely to get all of your money back with your credit card company. If using a debit card, once the funds are drawn, they’re gone.
• Gift cards can be tricky purchases when bought online. Sometimes, gift cards purchased from a third-party seller can turn out to be used or missing the correct amount of funds. If you’re interested in buying a gift card, order it from a verified store or seller.
• Be sure to review all refund policies and warranty information. In the event that something goes wrong with your purchase, you’ll also want to have proof of your transaction. Save all receipts, email confirmations, or invoices you receive from retailers and if shopping online, be sure to screenshot the final confirmation screen as proof.
• When you’ve finished shopping both in store and online, you should remain vigilant. Stay updated on your accounts and statements, as well as any orders you completed online. Make sure only the charges you’ve approved appear on your statement, and if you see something suspicious, contact your financial institution.

Charities will also be seeking to capitalize on the holiday spirit by promoting “Giving Tuesday” on Dec. 1st as an opportune time to make donations. For many Americans, giving to charities is almost as important during the holidays as celebrating with family. As a result, mailboxes often are stuffed with charitable solicitations as well as catalogs this time of year. Whether you celebrate or not, giving before Jan. 1st means your gifts will be deductible on your 2015 tax return.

Giving Tuesday is an idea that began three years ago with the 92nd Street Y in New York. Since then, it has grown to include more than 27,000 partners nationwide. Last year, more than $26.1 million was given online through Blackbaud, a company that processes online donations of charities listed on the Giving Tuesday website.

BBB tips to increase your confidence that your donation will be used wisely:

• If you are unfamiliar with an organization, don’t hesitate to ask the charity for written information about its programs and finances.
• Don’t succumb to pressure to give money on the spot. A charity that can use your money today will welcome it just as much tomorrow. Watch out for appeals that bring tears to your eyes, but tell you nothing about how your donation will be used.
• Before making online donations, determine whether the charity’s website is secure and that it has a privacy policy concerning the use of your name, email address or other personal facts. (Secure site URLs begin with https://.)
• When considering support for a cause-related marketing campaign, find the answers to these questions: What portion of the purchase price will benefit the charity? What is the duration of the campaign? What is the maximum or minimum total contribution? If the information is not on the item, check the organization’s website.
• Before donating used items, make sure they are in good shape to reuse. Donating junk puts an undue burden on the charity and could do more harm than good. You may want to consider selling the item and donating the proceeds to a charity.
• Seek professional advice if you are in doubt about the deductibility of contributions.

Other helpful tips for making donations are posted on give.org. The IRS website at irs.gov has information on the deductibility of donations on tax returns.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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