DES MOINES, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, today (Wednesday), said that last Wednesday (April 19, 2023), agents with the DCI arrested Kathryn Zimmerman, of Mount Ayr, on misdemeanor warrants for False Reports to a Public Safety Official and Interference with Official Acts. Zimmerman, the former executive director of the Ringgold County Conservation Board, was charged following an investigation.

The charges stem from a December 5, 2022, incident at Poe Hollow Park when Zimmerman denied Ringgold County deputies and bomb technicians entrance to the facility to render safe an explosive device found earlier that morning. The investigation also included a criminal complaint Zimmerman made to the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office. In the complaint, Zimmerman alleged that Ringgold County Supervisor Colby Holmes struck her with his truck.

Due to conflicts of interest with the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office and the Ringgold County Attorney’s Office, the DCI was requested to join with the Adair County Attorney’s Office to investigate Zimmerman’s allegations. The DCI provided results of the investigation to the Adair County Attorney for review. Zimmerman has since posted bond.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Rescue crews were dispatched at around 9:46-a.m. today to the scene of a single-vehicle accident on I-80 eastbound, in the median. The car had crashed through the cable barrier at the 56.5-mile marker. Atlantic Fire and Rescue and Cass EMS were told to disregard a few minutes later, when authorities learned there were no injuries. Additional details were not immediately available.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, today (Wednesday) agreed to acknowledge the receipt of a Manure Management Plan (MMP) from Prestage Farms. They also approved the renewal for three-years, of a contract with Cost Advisory Services, Inc., out of Johnston. CAS prepares the Cost Allocation Reports in order for the County to obtain reimbursement for indirect costs for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services  The contract proposes for a 10-percent fee increase, from $3,000 to $3,300 per year.

Board Chair Jerry Walker…

He said CAS “Has always been wonderful to work with, and timely prepares our reports.” In other business, the Board approved for publication, a Weed Commissioner’s Notice provided by Weed Commissioner Nathan Jensen.

And, County Engineer Nick Kauffman presented an agreement for the Board to approve and Walker to sign, with regard to a Hungry Canyons Alliance Project for W15 Eureka. Hungry Canyons pays 80-percent of the project cost. The agreement was approved as presented.

Walker also signed the front page of plans for the W13 Jefferson Bridge Replacement Project, following the Board’s approval. Kauffman said they already ordered the materials following a bid letting. The materials will be available next month in order for work to begin. Nick Kauffman presented, also the Final Voucher for FY 23 Hot Melt Asphalt (HMA) Crack Sealing Project by American Paving Solutions, which was approved by the Board for Jerry Walker to sign-off on.

Kauffman then updated the Board on the Adair County Secondary Roads Department’s Maintenance and Activities. He mentioned they’ve applied for a $30-thousand dollar grant to help defray the cost of a hydro-seeder, that normally runs about $70,000.  He said HMA patch work was completed on Monday by Henningsen’s Construction on a road south of Adair. The road was in need of repair to due damage caused by MidAmerican Energy Wind Turbine trucks.

Govig Construction, he said is working on the North 33 Orient project. With materials slated to arrive, Kauffman said the project should go “Pretty quick.”  And, Kauffman said he’s waiting to hear back from Schildberg’s with regard to contract rock, which they are in the process of crushing.

April 26, 2023 – Timeshares and vacation clubs are often synonymous with high-pressure sales. With the sun out and their guard down, vacationers can quickly find themselves on the hook for a life-long commitment. And, while they are easy to get into—these contracts are incredibly difficult to escape. An investigative study by Better Business Bureau^®, Unpacking timeshare and vacation club sales, examines patterns of customer complaints, dollars spent and lost, customer reviews, related scams and more.

Key findings:

• Consumers often feel misled about the amount and frequency of fees charged for timeshare maintenance.
• Timeshares are nearly impossible to sell, positioning exit companies to offer misleading guarantees with hefty fees.
• To trick buyers, scammers copy high-pressure sales tactics used by real time share sellers.
• Impostors use the address and amenities of a timeshare or vacation club, combined with the owner’s personal information, to trick victims into paying bogus fees.

Statistics (reported to BBB about timeshare sales, vacation clubs, timeshare exit businesses and vacation related scams):

• Nearly 30,000 complaints with $32 million disputed
• Almost 10,000 negative reviews
• 1,160 BBB Scam Tracker reports with losses of $3.5 million

BBB has monitored deception in the timeshare industry and warned consumers about timeshare exit companies for nearly half a decade. But skilled sellers continue to con buyers into unfavorable deals that often worsen when desperate investors offload purchases through the timeshare exit industry. BBB urges the timeshare-related industries to self-regulate by establishing and following ethical sales practices. Timeshare companies of all types should cease high-pressure sales tactics at pitch meetings and ease restrictions for longtime, non-delinquent customers who wish to cancel their timeshare. Infographic_-_Vacation_Schemes_US_1[135744]

BBB tips for anyone considering a timeshare or exit company:

• Extensively research timeshare properties, vacation clubs or exit companies and thoroughly read contracts for language about lifetime commitment, heirs’ obligations, maintenance fee increases or guarantees.
• Beware of misleading or high-pressure sales tactics. If you feel like someone is trying to push you into a deal, walk away.
• To sell a timeshare, contact the resort directly and see if they have a resale or buyback program.
• Be realistic about what you can get for your timeshare. Most of these contracts are not investments and may return considerably less than you paid.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it is. There are deals to be found on travel, but scammers know consumers want to save money and take advantage of them.
• Be wary of paying timeshare exit companies all fees upfront until services are rendered.

Visit BBB.org to check out a business or register a complaint, BBB Scam Tracker^SM to report a scam and bbb.org/travel for more travel tips.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report five separate arrests took place Tuesday.

• At around 1:30-p.m., 31-year-old Dalton James Cormeny, of Creston, was arrested in the 800 Block of N. Division. Cormeny was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Flow of Air/Blood. He was taken to Union County Jail and later posted a $2,000 bond before being released.
• About 90-minutes later, 40-year-old Mark Anthony Weems, Jr., of Creston, was arrested for two-counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree. His bond was set at $10,000.
• At around 3:15-p.m. Tuesday, Creston Police arrested 32-year-oldTrevor Forrest Kinkade (no known address), in the 600 Block of N. Sycamore. Kinkade was charged with Criminal Mischief 5th Degree. He was later released on a $300 bond. At about the same time, 35-year-old James Leroy Jones, of Creston, was arrested for Theft 5th Degree. Jones was cited and released on a Promise to Appear.
• And, a little after 5:15-p.m. Tuesday, 20-year-old Chase McClain Parascando, of Creston, was arrested for Operating While Under the Influence/1st Offense. Parascando was taken to Union County Jail, posted a $1,000 bond, and was released.

(Radio Iowa) – The U-S Small Business Administration (SBA) has granted the governor’s request to provide assistance in the form of low-interest disaster loans for eight counties impacted by the March 31st tornadoes. Homeowners, renters, businesses, and most nonprofit organizations in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Linn, Louisa, Muscatine, and Washington counties, whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster, will be able to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the S-B-A.

Small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, and most private, nonprofit organizations impacted by the severe weather will be eligible to apply for working capital loans.

(Radio Iowa) – Gamblers in Iowa wagered 232 million dollars in March, which was around one million dollars below March of last year. Racing and Gaming Administrator Brian Ohorilko says that was still much better than what the recent trend. “The sports industry in Iowa had been trending lower every month, year over year, since September of 2022. And so, essentially, that was six consecutive months of lower handle from the previous year,” Ohorilko says. He says there were concerns the trend would lead to a bigger year-to-year difference in the March betting, but the difference ended up not being that significant.

“I think many people in the industry here in Iowa, we’re happy to see that. It is quite possible that some of those bumps were due to the local interest in March. March Madness really kind of drives that that month in terms of sports wagering handle,” he says. Ohorilko says the market appears to be leveling off after the early rush to get operating, and lots of incentives to get people to sign up. “We’re to a period of time where I think the market will become more predictable in this state, the number of operators are leveling off,” Ohorilko says. “We’re not seeing a lot of new companies applying for licenses. In fact, we’re actually seeing a bit of consolidation in the market for a number of companies.” March is the last big betting period for the current sports gambling fiscal year that ends in June. Ohorilko says the next fiscal year that starts in July will let them know more about where sports gambling is headed.

“You know, next year will be pretty telling but we we certainly saw a decline in handle this football season. And now we’re starting to kind of see some leveling off of the market, and that is what I would expect, as we head into the summer and into football season here in 2023,” Ohorilko says. Sports betting began in Iowa in August of 2019.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest Tuesday night on a Montgomery County warrant, of 34-year-old Nikki Mae Brown, from Red Oak. Brown was taken into custody at around 8:15-p.m. on a warrant for Compulsory Education Violation – 1st offense (A simple Misdemeanor). She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans in the Iowa Senate have approved a budget plan for the Departments of Natural Resources and Agriculture that includes more money to prepare for a potential outbreak of a foreign animal disease, like African Swine Fever. Senator Eric Giddens, a Democrat from Cedar Falls, says the bill falls short in other areas.  “Year after year, there’s been status quo budgets for DNR operations, forestry management and state park operations,” Gidden says. “Our state parks are important to attracting and retaining residents in this state.”

Senator Dan Zumbach, a Republican from Ryan, says he met with the D-N-R’s director to shift money within the agency’s budget, to focus on priorities. “I don’t think there’s anything more enjoyable to drive through Backbone State Park and see it mowed and see the benches fixed and see the shelters in good shape for they’re much more usable for us,” Zumbach says. The 16 Democrats in the Senate voted against the budget plan.

Senator Janice Weiner, a Democrat from Iowa City, says the bill cuts funding for the Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State University and likely ends its collaboration with the Iowa Flood Center at the University of Iowa. Weiner says it’s University of Iowa staff who’ve been measuring whether water quality projects are working.  “We know that water quality is a problem,” Weiner says. “We know that Iowans deserve better, but without data it will be easy to say: ‘There’s no problem’ or ‘We don’t know how to measure the problem’ — so problem solved.”

Zumbach says the water quality funds shifted to the Iowa Department of Agriculture will be spent on science-based initiatives. “What we do know is practices on the land and in our towns is what makes cleaner water,” Zumbach says, “and so when we made the decisions on how to appropriate dollars, it was all about let’s put practices that help clean our water.” Democrats like Senator Sarah Trone-Garriott, of Waukee, also object to language in the bill that would repeal a law that says the State of Iowa should aim to have 10 percent of Iowa land be parks, wilderness areas and other property available for public use.

“To sneak this into our budget work really robs our public from the opportunity to speak out against it,” Trone Garriott says. Zumbach says it’s about priorities. “We have a lot of land in public use that’s not being taken care of the way it should be,” Zumbach says.

The State of Iowa currently owns about 390-thousand acres of land that is to be maintained by the D-N-R. That’s about one percent of the 36 million acres in Iowa according to a D-N-R land inventory.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Senate has unanimously approved a budget for the Iowa Department of Transportation that includes money for a new maintenance garage in eastern Iowa. Republican Senator Carrie Koelker, of Dyersville, says lawmakers are setting aside nearly 22 million dollars for the project.

“This is to demolish and build a new DOT facility in Davenport, a facility that’s not been upgraded in decades,” she says. A budget report prepared by the Legislative Services Agency indicated the current facility is deteriorating due to age and is too small to accommodate the size of snow plows and other D-O-T equipment.

The Iowa D-O-T has 109 maintenance garages. The one in Davenport is responsible for clearing snow and other maintenance on Interstate 80 and other highways in the Quad Cities area.