Iowans are being warned about a scam involving the federal government’s Affordable Care Act, a large portion of which will launch next week. Con artists are calling homes, saying they’re ready to send your Obamacare card, all they need is your personal information. Kimberly Hazen, with the Better Business Bureau, says these are the latest in the long-running string of health care “phishing” scams. “Just like we get these bogus emails from our so-called credit card company, asking for our credit card account, that’s a phishing attempt,” Hazen says. “They’re trying to get personal information from you willingly by posing as somebody official.”

Callers may claim they need your Medicare, banking or personal information to get you your coverage. Hazen says it’s highly unlikely Medicare or anyone from the federal government is really calling you. “Remember that the government rarely gives us a call,” Hazen says. “They rarely will email us. They do most of their work through the mail, so when you get a call from somebody saying they’re with the government, do your homework and make sure you know exactly who you’re dealing with.” Hazen says the best response to these calls is to hang up, or to make some calls yourself to learn more.

“Find out what agency they’re calling from and actually get that agency number, look it up on your own via the internet or any government office in the phone book,” Hazen says. “You want to make sure that you are calling them back on your own.” If you repeatedly get these calls, contact your local authorities or contact the Better Business Bureau via www.bbb.org.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak report the arrest late Sunday morning of 43-year old Allen William Heith Pafford. Pafford, of Nodaway, was found to be operating a motor vehicle with an expired registration sticker on the license plate. An investigation revealed he was also Barred from Driving. Pafford was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $2,000 cash bond.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report the arrest Saturday evening of Charles A. Bradshaw, from Clarinda. Bradshaw was charged with Driving While Barred after he was found to be operating a vehicle that was stopped for another incident. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond.

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) – A collection of Civil War era artifacts has returned to its home at the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge along the Missouri River.  More than 250,000 artifacts from the Steamboat Bertrand Museum Collection were removed just before the 2011 flood and stored at a warehouse in Bellevue, Neb. The collection is an archaeological time capsule of 1865 America.

Museum officials say the collection was inventoried and inspected while the refuge and the collection’s home, the DeSoto visitor center, underwent major repairs over the last two years.

Two people were killed while another suffered minor injuries during a head on collision Friday afternoon, in Audubon County. The Iowa State Patrol says 82 year old Harold Akers and his passenger, 79 year old Doris Akers, both of Exira, died in the crash that happened at around 1:25-pm on Highway 44, about 4 miles east of Kimballton.

Officials say 42 year old James Gibson, of Panora, was driving a 2012 Ford F-150 pickup that crossed the centerline of the road and hit Akers’ 2011 Chrysler head on. Gibson was transported by Elk Horn Fire and Rescue to the Audubon County Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.

The accident remains under investigation. Deputies from Audubon, Cass and Shelby Counties along with the Audubon County Medical Examiner and Audubon County Attorney, assisted at the scene.

w/ Chris Parks

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The population of hogs and pigs in Iowa has reached the highest number ever.

The United States Department of Agriculture says in its quarterly report released Friday that the Sept. 1 inventory of hogs and pigs in the state shows 21.2 million animals. That’s up from 2 percent reported on the same date a year ago and is the highest inventory on record.

Iowa is by far the nation’s leading hog producer with nearly a third of the nation’s 68.4 million animals. A distant second is North Carolina with about 9.5 million hogs. Minnesota is third with 7.6 million. Followed by Illinois with 4.7 million and Nebraska with 3.1 million.

On the night of Saturday, Sept. 21st the Stuart Police Department was dispatched to Ruby’s Pub in the 200 block of NE 2nd St. on reports of a man with a gun threatening individuals.

The suspect, Thomas Charles Oder,  was later spotted leaving the area in a maroon Ford F-150. Oder refused to stop for Officers and fled south on Stuart Rd at a high rate of speed. The vehicle eventually came to a stop at the intersection of 210th Street and Stuart Rd.

Thomas Charles Oder was arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault, OWI, Felony Eluding, and Carrying Weapons.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office received a report of someone making threatening phone calls and text messages on Friday, Sept. 27th.  After investigation deputies issued an arrest warrant for 27-year-old Ruth Leason Graham of Lenox after finding she was sending the messages stemming from a family dispute.  Graham was taken into custody at 601 South Walnut Street in Lenox for Harassment at 9:27pm Friday.  Graham was taken to the Adams County Jail and held on $300 bond.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Red Oak man on Friday, Sept. 27th at approximately 4:18pm for Public Intoxication.  Sheriff’s Officials arrested 54-year-old Robert Anthony Marron Jr. of Red Oak following an incident at L Avenue and Highway 34 East of Red Oak.  Marron was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and Held on $300 bond.