CRYSTAL LAKE, Iowa (AP) — A 100-turbine wind energy center in northern Iowa is getting an upgrade. The Globe Gazette in Mason City reports that NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, briefed the Hancock County Board of Supervisors about the project on Monday.

Company officials say the project will generate more renewable energy over an extended period, which also extends the period they’ll generate payments to landowners and tax benefits. The upgrades are set to begin in January and be completed by May.

The project comes more than a decade after the first Crystal Lake Wind Energy site was completed in Hancock County. A site in Winnebago County is also slated to get upgrades. Company officials say they’re working with General Electric to integrate new technology, including longer blades and other turbine components, into the existing center.

TAMA, Iowa (AP) — A central Iowa inmate who walked away from his job outside of the prison has been captured. The Iowa Department of Corrections says Michael Eugene Field was placed on escape status from the Newton Correctional Release Center after he allegedly absconded from his job at Quantum Plastics in Victor on Wednesday night.

The 49-year-old was serving time for eluding, operating a vehicle without consent and operating while under the influence. Tama County sheriff’s deputies arrested Field on Saturday near Tama. Authorities are in the process of returning him to the Newton Correctional Facility.

Two people, a man and a woman, suffered from burns during a grease fire at an apartment in Atlantic, Saturday night. Atlantic Fire was called to the Walnut Hill Terrace Apartments at 1304 E. 10th Street, at around 5:53-p.m. Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN News both residents of an apartment on the third floor of the east building were injured.

Ric Hanson (photo)

A man suffered from burns to his hands, while a woman suffered burns to her feet. They were transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac Ambulance.

McNees said the male occupant grabbed a fire extinguisher from the hallway and put the fire out before firefighters arrived. Fire crews ventilated the upper floor and left the scene at around 6:13-p.m.

The Chief said the man was standing near the source of the grease flare-up when it happened and was able to get the pot or pan into the sink where it could be quickly extinguished. Atlantic Police also assisted at the scene.

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified a central Iowa man who died from an apparent stabbing. Police say they found 46-year-old Monte C. Brown, of Knoxville, bleeding when they were summoned to a downtown address shortly before 9 p.m. Friday. Police say Brown was taken to a Knoxville hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was later transported to the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. Autopsy results are pending.

Authorities say a person of interest has been interviewed, but no arrest has been made and no charges have been filed. The case remains under investigation.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Red Oak man on Friday night on a drug charge following a traffic stop. At 10:45pm Deputies conducted a traffic stop on Jacob Anderson of Red Oak. During the course of the stop K-9 Baxo was deployed and alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. Anderson was then placed under arrest for Possession of a Controlled Substance 2^nd Offense. He was also issued a citation for driving on the wrong side of a 2-lane highway.

The Red Oak Police Department reports multiple arrests on Friday. At 5:58pm Red Oak Police arrested 35-year-old Elysia Tylene White of Stockon, CA for Domestic Abuse Assault. White was arrested in the 400 block of East Reed Street in Red Oak. White was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on no bond.

At 9:28pm Officers arrested 21-year-old Devon Lee Smith of Red Oak on a charge of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. He was later released from custody with the charge dismissed.

At 2:15am on Saturday Red Oak Police arrested 21-year-old Michael Wade Hamilton of Red Oak for False Reports to a Public Safety Entity, a serious misdemeanor. Hamilton was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 cash bond.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowans who are buying last-minute Christmas gifts online with overnight shipping better not get in too great of a rush, or they might get Scrooged. Jim Hegarty, head of the Better Business Bureau in Omaha-Council Bluffs, says there’s a “Scammer Claus” lurking behind many websites. Hegarty warns to look over the address with caution and watch out if it only says “h-t-t-p” without an “s”.

“Make sure you look for the ‘https’ in front of the web address,” he say. “That reminds you that the ‘s’ stands for security and that the site is secure and that you can, more than likely, trust providing your credit card information to it.” This is the season for giving to those in need, but Hagerty warns there are certainly plenty of takers, too. Use care if you’re donating to a charity online as your good deed may be only contributing to thieves.

“There’s a lot of bogus look-alike charities that pop up this time of year,” Hagerty says. “They play off of legitimate charity names and they may, in fact, not be legitimate and the money you give them may not go to the people in need at all.”

It’s a wise move to avoid clicking on any links you might be sent over email from unknown sources. Instead, go directly to the charities’ websites.