A special state investigation of the South Iowa Area Crime Commission finds the former leader of the organization that serves 15 counties misused its credit cards. State Auditor Mary Mosiman says her office was called in to investigate the credit card use of former executive director, Matt Murphy. “Our investigation identified a little over 13-thousand dollars of improper and unsupported credit card charges, interest and late fees,” Mosiman says. “The 13-thousand-162 dollars of improper charges identified included personal purchases made at convenience stores, retail vendors and grocery stores. And it also included meal costs that exceeded the authorized per diem amount.”

Mosiman says the overall loss of dollars to the commission was well below the amount of improper purchases. “Though Mr. Murphy did provide payment on most of these personal purchases made with the commission’s credit card — the commission did ultimately pay for a little over 11-hundred dollars of Mr. Murphy’s personal expenditures,” Mosiman says.

The commission provides transportation for juveniles to and from the South Iowa Area Detention Service Agency in Montrose, and its office is in Fairfield. It is governed by a 15-member board with a representative from each of the member counties and its office is in Fairfield. She says the commission had rules for using the credit cards and but they allowed the Murphy to break the rules. “We do want to make sure that government entities have policies in place preventing the use of public resources for personal benefit — and then they must follow those policies,” Mosiman says. “Especially at the top. The executive director should be the one leading those efforts.”

Mosiman says the one-thousand dollars in personal expenses that were not reimbursed by Murphy may not seem like a lot, but she says ignoring the rules can open an organization up for more problems. “For our purposes it’s not the dollar amount, it’s the practice. We want to make sure every government official is using public funds appropriately, and not for personal benefit,” Mosiman says.

The organization serves Adair, Davis, Des Moines, Lee, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, Monroe, Wapello, Louisa, Poweshiek, Van Buren, Washington, and Wayne counties. Mosiman says the results of the investigation have been turned over to the Division of Criminal Investigation, the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office, and the Attorney General’s Office. She says that is standard practice when a misuse of government funds is identified.

(Radio Iowa)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Tuesday, of 39-year old Janet Lynn Hernandez. The Malvern woman was taken into custody at around 5:40-p.m. on a Warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault. Hernandez was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

(Note: some language in this story may not be suitable for families)

It’s “Day Two” for statehouse debate of a bill that will change the rules for negotiating pay and benefits for government workers in Iowa. The House resumed debate shortly after 10 o’clock this (Wednesday) morning. Representative Sharon Steckman, a Democrat from Mason City, was first in line to speak. Steckman started off by saying “Wow, last night we almost gave Iowa workers and families the worst Valentine’s Day present ever, but we put it off to today, I guess.” She went on to say “This bill, if enacted, strips away in every city that we all represent. It cuts and guts. It’s the Wisconsin bill on steroids.”

In 2011, Republicans in Wisconsin reduced union bargaining rights for teachers and other government workers in that state. Democrats in the IOWA legislature are staging a form of the filibuster. Democrat after Democrat is speaking on the bill and the House has yet to take a vote on any of the nearly 100 amendments proposed to make changes in the legislation. The Senate took one vote yesterday and debate on the bill IN THE SENATE resumed at about 10:30 this (Wednesday) morning. Senator Rich Taylor, a Democrat from Mount Pleasant who’s a retired state employee, worked at the Iowa State Penitentiary for 27 years. On Tuesday night, he used a term from the barnyard to describe the legislation.

“I call bullshit. This is not collective bargaining reform,” Taylor said. “This is a direct attack on public employees.” Taylor suggested Republicans are “going to war” against union works. “They say: ‘All’s fair in love and war,'” Taylor says. “Well, the war’s just starting and I hope you’re really prepared for that because this isn’t going to be pretty.”

This (Wednesday) morning, Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, tweeted about the debate. Bolkcom said: “It is much harder for Republicans to vote away your rights in front of a public audience” and he asked Iowans to come to the capitol to watch the debate.

(Radio Iowa)

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a break-in at the Platte Center Church in Creston, resulted in the theft of items valued at $165. Church officials reported the incident Monday morning, after someone broke into the church sometime late Sunday night or early Monday morning. Taken from the church, was a metal world globe bank, silver plated communion set, and a baptismal bowl.

And, a Union County resident reported Monday morning, that sometime during the night, someone damaged his mailbox near the residence at 1239 Highway 34. The mailbox was valued at $60.

A man and woman from Lake View died following a collision Tuesday morning between their pickup and a semi, in western Iowa’s Sac County. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver of the 2008 Dodge pickup, 73-year old William Fewell and his passenger, 65-year old Peggy Behrens, died from injuries they suffered in the crash. Peggy Behrens, who was wearing a seat belt, died at the scene of the collision on Sac County Road M-54, at around 8:10-a.m., Tuesday.

William Fewell, who was not wearing a seat belt, was flown from the scene to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries. The driver of the semi, 42-year old Maxwell (David) Stall, of Lytton, was not injured.

The Patrol says Fewell was traveling northbound on M54 near 280th Street and rounding a curve on the frost covered road, when his pickup went out of control, crossed the center line, and was struck broadside by the 2006 Sterling semi. The accident remains under investigation.

CRESCENT, Iowa (AP) – Parents are pushing a western Iowa school board to keep their elementary school open despite years of falling enrollment. The Daily Nonpareil reports that the proposed closing of Crescent Elementary School attracted a packed crowd to the local school board meeting Tuesday.

Community members asked the school board to delay making a decision, which is anticipated at the board’s meeting on Feb. 28. A group of about 35 people hopes to work with the Council Bluffs Community School District on possible ways to save the school.

Superintendent Martha Bruckner says past efforts to boost the school’s enrollment have failed. She asked school board members to consider what they’ll do next year and the year after if the school remains open and enrollment drops further.