(Radio Iowa) – A nonprofit in Muscatine that helps adults with disabilities and the elderly is reopening its holiday fundraiser after vandalism and theft shut it down.

Crossroads Incorporated set up a holiday light show in Muscatine’s Weed Park earlier this month and Marc Hines, the organization’s CEO, says the person who went to flip the switches for Tuesday night’s show discovered the problem.

“She thought: ‘That’s weird. Why isn’t that on?’ and thought maybe is was just rain and went to check at the outlets and saw that, ‘Oh, there’s 500 feet of extension cord not here,’ and go to the next display and it’s gone and the next and
the next and the next.”

Hines estimates up to 80% of the electrical cords for the 40 light displays had been stolen or cut. Hines says a donor in Muscatine reached out after hearing the news and pledged to provide the money to replace all the electrical cords. “Shortly after we made our post that we were going to attempt to reopen, online donations just lit up,” Hines says.

This was the first year for this Illuminate Light Show fundraiser and the organization now expects to exceed its $50,000 goal. “If you would have asked me at 4:30 on Tuesday when we found the problem…’Hey, are you going to do this again next year?’ I probably would have hestitated to give an answer,” Hines says. “It maybe would have been laden with expletives, but by 9:30 yesterday, that tune changed keys really quickly and we’re absolutely resolute not only that we’re going to reopen on Friday and Saturday, but next year I think we’re going to come out guns ablazing.”

This all happened as Hines and his staff responded to an elderly client’s request to stay at home rather than enter a nursing home for end of life care.”It’s been a pretty emotional week, watching people come together around someone like that and what’s happened in the last 48 hours has been a real incredible way to end the year,” Hines says. “…I am glad to sit where I’m sitting today.”

Hines says if the group’s bulk order of electric cords can’t be filled in time, he vows to “clear out the shelves” in every hardware store in the area to get the electrical cords they need to reopen the display Friday night.

(Radio Iowa) – Planners hope the Central Iowa Water Works will be ready to launch on January 1, 2025 and manage the drinking water supply for nearly 19% of Iowa residents.

The West Des Moines Water Works agreed to join the regional drinking water system earlier this month. The new system would manage treatment and transmission of drinking water to 600-thousand people.

“The last couple of years we’ve been working on an agreement that owuld allow the 13 communities that purchase water from the Des Moines Water Works and collectively oversee that operation,” Des Moines Water Works CEO Ted Corrigan said during a recent appearance on Iowa Press on Iowa PBS.

(RI file photo)

Member utilities will purchase water at the same wholesale rate and share facilities used to produce drinking water. “If we built it together, we can build it bigger which is cheaper and we can all share the cost savings there,” Corrigan said.

A regional system would better manage water distribution if the drought continues, according to Corrigan. “It’s so much better for us to manage these available water resources cooperatively and collectively, than to start fighting over them,” Corrigan said.

Officials in Bondurant and Altoona have decided to produce their own water.

(Manchester, Iowa) – A county attorney in northeastern Iowa has issued a statement saying a Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputy was justified when he shot and wounded a man who was charged with Murder in connection with the shooting of a Monticello Fareway Store employee early last month (November). 48-year old Aaron McAtee died from the gunshot wound he suffered during the incident.

Delaware County Attorney John W. Bernau says Deputy Matt Menard‘s use of his service weapon was “reasonable under the circumstances of the moment, to not only protect his own life, but also the lives of nearby citizens.” He said the Deputy also “acted in accordance with his training and experience. When the whole of the incident is looked at objectively, Deputy Menard’s actions in shooting (Nathan) Russell were reasonable and legally justified under Iowa law, and he will face no criminal liability.” Deputy Russell was previously placed on incident leave, pending results of the investigation.

The incident began to unfold at around 7:24-a.m. on November 7, 2023 in Monticello, when a shooting was reported. At approximately 9:30-a.m., during law enforcement’s search of the suspect in the Monticello shooting, Deputy Menard made contact with the suspect, 38-year-old Nathan Allen Russell, in the area of Walnut and 2nd Streets, in Hopkinton. Russell was taken into custody after being treated for the gunshot wound inflicted by the Deputy.

Russell was charged with Murder in Jones County. Attorney Bernau says “Because that matter remains open, no facts surrounding that charge will be discussed.” Deputy Menard is a 25-year veteran of law enforcement, including the past 14-years with the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – SHIFT ATL, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, along with the Atlantic High School Cross Country team, hosted the fifth annual Atlantic Turkey Trot on Thursday, November 23, 2023. The fundraising event brought in over 120 participants and resulted in just over $3,700 in funds raised.

Traditionally, SHIFT ATL has hosted the Turkey Trot on their own with funds benefiting the current project(s) the organization is working on. Since inception, SHIFT ATL has always been
looking for organizations or causes to partner with to get more community members involved and engaged in all the good that is happening in Atlantic. The Atlantic Cross Country team, coached by Dan Vargason and Ashley Mosier, have consistently stepped up to volunteer their time for a variety of SHIFT ATL events or programs. Because of this ongoing support, SHIFT ATL asked Coaches Vargason and Mosier if they would co-host the 2023 Turkey Trot, as the board wanted to donate all funds raised back into the cross country program. SHIFT ATL is proud to announce their donation of $3,701.68 to the program!

“It was a great Turkey Trot and it was so fun to see people from the community come out to support this awesome event. There were all kinds of runners, walkers and people just getting
out and moving before their Thanksgiving feasts,” said Atlantic Cross Country Coach, Ashley Mosier. “The cross country team is so thankful for the support from SHIFT, as well as the
community. The team will use funds raised during the Turkey Trot for future expenses during the 2024 season, to support athletes in the desire to compete, to adequately fund gear, training
equipment and any other things our runners might need. We are so proud to be a part of this Atlantic community. Thank you!”

SHIFT ATL and the Cross Country team would also like to thank HyVee and Scooters for donating juice, bananas, muffins, coffee and more for participants to enjoy post-race as well as
the Atlantic Police Department and Jodie Hogue, on her bike, for guiding the 5K participants safely through the course.

For more information about SHIFT ATL or the Turkey Trot, visit facebook.com/shiftatl, www.shiftatl.org or email shiftatlantic@gmail.com.

GRUNDY COUNTY, Iowa [KCCI] — A Grundy County woman is accused of using her position as a caregiver to steal medication from her patients. KCCI reports investigators allege Andrea Raffield diverted dozens of tablets of Tramadol — a strong painkiller — for personal use.Criminal complaints say Raffield, who was a nurse at Westbrook Acres in Gladbrook, ordered extra pills that were not needed. She’s accused of destroying records before taking the pills for herself. Her next court date has not been set.

(Radio Iowa) – As the end of the year nears, Iowans are being warned about a sharp rise in bogus phone calls over the paying of your taxes. I-R-S spokesman Christopher Miller says scammers are calling, trying to convince you that you need to pay taxes over the phone. “They are always busy trying to steal your personal information and your passwords to do all sorts of bad stuff,” Miller says, “including filing a tax return using your information and trying to steal your refund.”

The Caller I-D may show that the call is from the I-R-S, but Miller says that’s part of the sophisticated scam. Miller says there are also reports of scammers trying to pressure people into paying tax debts that don’t exist. “We don’t call to demand immediate payment by telling you how to pay, like through a gift card,” Miller says, “and we don’t threaten to bring in police or have you arrested for not paying.”

Miller says the I-R-S will never call and demand payment over the phone, and the agency won’t send the sheriff’s department to your house. If you get a threatening call, he says to just hang up. If you have concerns about possible tax bills, contact the IRS yourself at I-R-S-dot-gov.