(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.

(Radio Iowa) – The holiday travel season is getting underway with some new technology in use at Iowa’s two largest airports. T-S-A regional spokesperson, Jessica Mayle, says one thing that hasn’t changed is the advice that you get to the airport early. “Still recommend two hours even at an airport of a smaller size, that buffer really helps a lot because you just don’t know when those sort of peak times are going to hit. If you’re in the middle of it, you want to make sure you’re giving yourself plenty of time,” she says. New computer C-T bag scanners at the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids airports make it easier to go through security.

” I think people are used to when they approach the scanner, taking things out, take my liquids out, taking the electronics out, this machine really sees inside the bag better. So it’s fewer bag checks for the passenger,” Mayle says. “Because of that they can leave things in. So don’t have to divest or have to take as much out of your bag when you approach.” She says the process for sending items through the new machines is different as well. “Every single thing goes into a bin with these machines. So that’s even your suitcase, every single thing goes into a bag,” Mayle says. “So, if you missed that baggage check cut off and you try and bring an oversized bag to the checkpoint. It’s not even going to fit through our machine, we’re going to send you back down anyway. So make sure you’re not bringing oversized bags through.”

TSA CT scanner (Radio Iowa photo)

The two airports are also using facial recognition technology to check I-D’s. Mayle says Iowa’s new mobile I-D’s are accepted. “If you do have a mobile I-D, you can present it at the checkpoint and we do have readers that can read those mobile I-Ds on your phone. And then you know, the other piece of that is that the reader also has a camera attached. So it will take a picture of you live it compares it to the picture on your I-D, whether you’re using a mobile I-D or a physical one,” she says. Mayle says the technology across the country can vary, so you should be prepared to follow whatever instructions you are given by T-S-A once you get to the airport.

The T-S-A has a list of prohibited items on their website you can check before heading out. Mayle says many people still forget about the limits on liquids. “Big bottles of water, big bottles of shampoo. A lot of people again, are just kind of careless and don’t think about it,” she says. “And it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. Like, oh, that’s fine. I’ll go dump it out. But if every single person did that, it really backs the line up, it really slows things down.” Mayle says take time before you approach the checkpoint to make sure you don’t have those items and it will keep the lines moving and make everyone happy.

Today (Wednesday) and Sunday are expected to be the busiest days for the Thanksgiving air travel period.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City woman was sentenced on November 20, 2023, to three years in federal prison for International Parental Kidnapping. According to public court documents, Kira K. Zielinski, 49, filed for divorce from her husband in 2020. During the divorce proceedings, the Iowa District Court of Johnson County issued orders granting joint legal custody of a shared child to Zielinski and her husband and establishing a joint custody schedule.

In February 2022, Zielinski took the child and drove from Iowa to California and across the Mexican border. Zielinski remained in Mexico with the child until November 2022 when she was taken into custody while attempting to reenter the United States. In July 2023, Zielinski was found guilty by a United States District Judge following a stipulated trial. After completing her term of imprisonment, Zielinski will be required to serve one year 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 Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Iowa City Police Department.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports more than $415,000 in 50 percent cost-share grants were recently awarded to 131 Iowa rural fire departments to help their efforts to protect Iowan’s and their property from wildfires. The grants offer valuable funding assistance for wildfire suppression, personal protective and communications equipment.

Among the (AREA) fire departments will receive 2023 Volunteer Fire Assistance grants, are those in: Anita; Atlantic; Audubon; Avoca; Clarinda; College Springs; Creston; Elliott; Glenwood; Harlan; Irwin; Logan; Manilla; Onawa; Prescott; Shenandoah; Sidney; Stuart; Villisca; Woodbine and Yale. The grants are made possible through Iowa DNR Forestry, in cooperation with US Forest Service – State and Private Forestry.

Gail Kantak, fire supervisor with DNR Forestry, reminds all fire departments of the importance of submitting Wildland Fire Reports whenever they respond to a wildland fire or provide assistance to a prescribed or controlled wildland fire. Wildland fire reporting forms are available at www.iowadnr.gov/fire.

Departments returning these reports receive priority points when the Fire Assistance grant applications are scored. These wildland fire reports are compiled locally and nationally and are reported to Congress.

DES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 22, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director in Iowa Theresa Greenfield, today (Wednesday) announced that the Agency is investing more than $12.15-million in loans and $508,000 in grant to nine rural Iowa projects, to spur economic development and catalyze rural prosperity through rural cooperatives. USDA is making the investments through the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program.

The announcement is part of a larger national announcement detailing $1.2 billion in support for projects in rural America. A full list of projects from that announcement is available online.

Among the USDA Funded Cooperative projects in Iowa (locally), are those for the:

–Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative, which received a $1.52-million loan to help fund a pass-through loan to Wernimont Welding, LLC for expansion in Carroll. The project will construct a new welding shop and purchase additional equipment. This project will create three new jobs and promote economic development in rural Carroll County.

-The Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative also received a $ 830,700 loan, to help fund a pass-through loan to Matt Meister Trucking Inc., an interstate freight hauling carrier. The project will construct a facility for the business in Breda. The project will create six new jobs and promote economic development in this rural Carroll County community.

USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.3 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office locations include a state office in Des Moines, along with an area office (locally), in Atlantic.