(Radio Iowa) – The 21st annual memorial march to honor lost children wound through Sioux City Wednesday. The march remembers Native American children all the way back to the 1880s, who have been removed from their homes and placed into foster care. Manape Lamere led the march that he says is focused on healing and wellness among the Native American community.

Lost Child March (KSCJ photo via Radio Iowa)

“We’re trying the best we can to provide not just services to Indian people, but be more proactive. And maybe Sioux City could be a hub for the rest of the state of Iowa all the foster parents and all the Indian foster parents and then all the Indians too,” he says. He says progress is being made.

“So we got a lot of bases to cover and bit by bit we’re feeling more confident in that, Lamere says. The theme for this year’s walk was “Healing our spirits, creating culturally competent systems of care.”

(Radio Iowa) – A planetary geologist at the University of Iowa is closely following one of the latest NASA missions, the recent launch of a spacecraft called Psyche. Valerie Payré, a UI professor of earth and environmental science, says the orbiter is headed for a distant asteroid, also called Psyche, which is floating between Mars and Jupiter.

“The Psyche mission is actually not landing on the asteroid,” Payré says. “It’s a spacecraft that will be orbiting around it and it will analyze the chemical composition of the surface, looking at rocks, minerals, what the surface is made of.” Research indicates the far-away rock is composed mostly of metals. Copper, cobalt and platinum are in high demand to build everything from cars and computers to cellphones and TVs.

Sending robotic mining machines to an asteroid is likely decades away, she says, but that’s the eventual goal. “There are a few companies working on this,” Payré says. “The first step is exploring, looking at the surface of these asteroids, finding the perfect metal deposit where they could extract those metals, so the first step is quite long and really important.” It’s very long, in fact, as the spacecraft Psyche won’t even reach its namesake asteroid until 2029.

Launch of SpaceX rocket carrying Psyche on October 13th. (NASA image)

Scientists are theorizing whether it’s possible to attach a rocket to an asteroid and propel it back to Earth, as that would make for a much shorter commute. “There are some companies thinking about that, to kind of like attract the asteroids into the Earth orbit,” Payré says, “because that would be easier maybe to extract the metals from a terrestrial orbit and not several hundred millions of miles away from Earth.”

Many asteroids are billions of years old, she says, and can vary in size from as big as a grocery store to the size of the state of Iowa. While it might be more convenient to mine an asteroid from Earth orbit, or at least nearby, Payré suggests that could open up another whole can of killer worms. Ever see the movie, “Armageddon”?

“I’m not sure we want to have a Moon-size asteroid orbiting around us right now,” Payré says. “That could be very dangerous for the Earth, but if it’s a small asteroid, that could be the option.” It’s thought the asteroid Psyche may be part of a former planet’s core, similar to Earth’s core, and she says this mission promises to begin unlocking some of the mysteries about valuable core minerals and metals.

(Radio Iowa) – Matthew Ung, the chairman of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors, is calling on fellow board member Jeremy Taylor to resign. Taylor’s wife, Kim, was convicted yesterday (Tuesday) on 52 counts of voter fraud connected to elections in 2020 when her husband’s name was on the ballot.  “I hate the situation. I hate the situation that I’m put in, that the board is put in, but this is what putting principles over politics looks like,” Ung says. “It’s asking someone that you’ve served with and done good things with for nine years to resign when things just get truly out of hand.” Jeremy Taylor has not been charged, but court documents filed before his wife’s trial referred to him as an unindicted co-conspirator.

“This is a political Hindenberg of a case hurdling towards the state of Iowa and has a lot of repercussions, especially for Republicans,” Ung says, “and it is not something that I think the board is going to provide political cover for.” Ung is a Republican, as is Taylor.  “The thing that has everyone in the community confused and upset is who is taking the fall here. My heart goes out to Kim, my heart goes out to their kids,” Ung says. “…There was never a time in my campaigns where I did not know what my wife was going to help my campaign. It’s just something you don’t lose track of…what your wife is going to help your campaign. I think everyone knows that.”

Woodbury County Board of Supervisors chairman Matthew Ung (KSCJ photo)

Iowa does not have a recall process for removing elected officials. It would take action from the Woodbury County Attorney to remove Taylor from office, but Ung says that’s not something he wants to foist upon the county attorney. “This is a political question for now,” Ung says. “Yes, the county attorney can file something to remove a county officer, but there’s thresholds for that and technically (Taylor) hasn’t been charged.” The Taylors have six children. Neither Kim nor Jeremy Taylor took the stand to testify in her federal trial.

In a written statement, Jeremy Taylor said the jury’s guilty verdicts were not the outcome the couple had hoped for, but he and his wife are thankful for friends, family and community members who have stood by them.

(Omaha, NE) – Black Friday and Cyber Monday, traditionally two of busiest shopping days of the year, arrive a little earlier this year, with many stores already advertising sales. Instead of setting an alarm to brave crowds for deeply discounted items, dedicated shoppers are expected to look for deals online, similar to last year, if they haven’t already finished their holiday shopping. Changes, such as shipping delays, hiring challenges, and microchip shortages, are impacting how people will shop. Retail experts predict higher-than-normal store crowds and increased spending percentages on gifts, decorations, and other holiday-related items.

But shopping in person and online has risks. Be wary of misleading advertisements, lookalike websites, and untrustworthy sellers. The following tips will help you shop online this holiday season to achieve maximum savings while keeping your personal information and hard-earned money secure.

• Beware of false advertising and phony websites. If a company sells the hottest item of the year at a price that seems too good to be true, it probably is. Watch out for false advertising and closely monitor the web address in your browser. Scammers love to create lookalike websites that, at first glance, appear to belong to a trusted retailer. Ensure websites use the correct business name spelling and have legitimate contact information and customer service numbers.
• Shop with trustworthy sellers on secure sites only. Be wary of businesses you aren’t familiar with. Check their BBB Business Profile on org, review the rating, and read customer reviews. In addition, be sure any web page you purchase from is secure. Secure web addresses begin with “HTTPS, ” not just “HTTP.” Never put personal or credit card information in forms on non-secure web pages.
• Keep your antivirus software up to date. Ensure you have antivirus software installed on your computer or mobile device and that it is current. This will help you avoid non-secure websites and pop-up phishing scams and help keep your personal information safe.
• Price check before you buy. Dozens of online retailers will claim they have the best price on an item, but their offers can be misleading. Do your homework by comparing prices. Remember that the best deal may not be the real deal.
• Take advantage of rewards and loyalty programs. Check your credit card rewards program for special point offers that could add up on Black Friday and Cyber Monday and throughout the holidays. Make purchases using loyalty programs; many major retailers offer them.
• Use your credit card. It’s always best to make online purchases with your credit card. If any shady charges are later, you can contest them through your credit card company. Debit cards don’t offer this same protection. Never purchase with online sellers by giving them prepaid debit cards or wiring money.
• Understand return policies. Online store policies may change for Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers. Read the fine print before you buy. Understand the return or exchange policy for the item you want to purchase. Be aware that stores may not allow returns for “final sale” or “closeout” items. Ensure to get gift receipts, so the recipient can return or exchange the item if necessary.
• Watch out for phishing scams. Busy schedules and increased purchases make it easier to miss – and fall victim to – a phishing scam. Look out for unsolicited emails, texts, calls, or letters. These messages may claim you have a gift waiting for you or that there is a problem with delivery – all you need to do is click on a link or give up your personal information. Avoid phishing scams by ignoring suspicious correspondence and calls from unfamiliar phone numbers.
• Look for the BBB Seal. It’s the Sign of a Better Business. Shop with confidence on Black Friday and Cyber Monday by choosing businesses that prioritize trust and ethics in the marketplace. Shop with confidence and peace of mind this holiday season, avoid scams, and make smart purchase decisions.

For more information

Check out BBB’s tips on online shopping. If you’ve spotted an online scam, report it to BBB ScamTracker.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Keokuk man was sentenced Tuesday to 57 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. According to public court documents, Octavius Sergio Dion Whitaker, 28, stole two firearms from the Farm King in West Burlington on October 27, 2022. Both firearms were later recovered by law enforcement in possession of other individuals. After completing his prison term, Whitaker will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), as well as the West Burlington Police.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on November 20, 2023, to 86 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, in 2022, law enforcement discovered Mario Dominick Clark, 44, would travel to the Chicago area to purchase cocaine and return to the Quad Cities to sell it. On several occasions, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant to purchase cocaine supplied by Clark. In 2014, Clark was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. After completing his prison term, Clark will be required to serve six years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as the Scott County Sherriff’s Department.