Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former lottery computer administrator from Iowa and a friend from Texas have been charged in Wisconsin with racketeering and theft by fraud for allegedly fixing a 2007 state Megabucks game. Eddie Tipton of Iowa and Robert Rhodes of Texas were charged by the state’s attorney general in documents filed Thursday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge who was accused of insurance fraud and fired after helping expose improper influence in Gov. Terry Branstad’s administration is facing a felony charge two years later. Susan Ackerman, former administrative law judge for Iowa Workforce Development, is charged with making false certifications so that her daughter could receive state health insurance. Her supporters say her firing and prosecution are retribution for blowing the whistle in 2014 on improper pressure facing judges.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say an Iowa woman has been charged with murder in connection with the 2012 disappearance of a woman last seen alive in Omaha. Police say officers Thursday arrested 41-year-old Shanna Goylar at her home in Persia, Iowa, a city of 300 people about 35 miles northeast of Omaha. Goylar was charged with 1st degree murder in the death of Cari Farver, who was last seen Nov. 13, 2012, in Omaha. Goylar was taken to the Pottawattamie County jail awaiting extradition to Omaha.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge has ordered a naturalized U.S. citizen from China who pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to steal seed corn must pay the U.S. companies that made the seed $425,000. Mo Hailong entered a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in January. In it, he admitted to the plan that would send stolen Monsanto and DuPont Pioneer seed corn to China, where scientists planned to reproduce its genetic traits. Monday’s judgment also said he must forfeit two farms.

Police in Council Bluffs said late Thursday night, that tips from citizens resulted in the arrest of a Council Bluffs youth who is allegedly connected to several incidents of vandalism perpetrated on homes and vehicles in the Council Bluffs area. The youth’s name was not released. The investigation by the Council Bluffs Police Department Criminal Investigations Division began, when authorities received several reports of multiple windows being damaged on vehicles and homes. Authorities say it appears a BB/Pellet gun was used to cause the damage.

If you have any information regarding the incidents, please call crime stoppers at 712-328-7867 or the Criminal Investigations Division at 712-328-4728

Listed below are the dates, report times, and general locations of the damaged vehicles:
Date          Time   Location                             Description
12-20-16   23:36   400 Block of Grace St.         2 vehicles multiple windows
12-21-16   00:24   600 Block of Grace St.         1 vehicle multiple windows
12-21-16   04:12   400 Block of Voorhis St.       2 vehicles multiple windows
12-21-16   23:33   600 Block of Franklin Ave.   5 vehicles multiple windows
12-22-16   01:07   800 Block of Grace St.          1 vehicle multiple windows

(12/23 – Corrects spelling of her last name as indicated in Pott. Co. arrest report)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say a woman from Harrison County, Iowa, has been charged with murder in connection with the 2012 disappearance of a woman last seen alive in Omaha. Police say officers Thursday afternoon arrested 41-year-old Shanna Golyar at her home in Persia, Iowa. Golyar was charged with 1st degree murder in the death of Cari Farver, who was last seen Nov. 13, 2012, in Omaha. She was also charged with being a Fugitive From Justice.

Farver’s mother reported her missing to the Pottawattamie County sheriff’s office on Nov. 16, 2012. Weeks later, Farver’s vehicle was found in Omaha. In February 2016, Pottawattamie County detectives contacted the Omaha police cold case unit to assist in the investigation, which led to Golyar’s arrest. Golyar was taken to the Pottawattamie County jail awaiting extradition to Omaha.

Iowa astronaut Peggy Whitson is on her third long-duration mission onboard the International Space Station and it’ll be her second Christmas in orbit. In an interview with Radio Iowa from the station, the Beaconsfield native says the six-member crew is planning for a traditional American holiday meal on Sunday that will include turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, fruit salad and cornbread stuffing.

“The one other special thing that we have is, we brought up some frosting and we’re going to try to make some Christmas cookies. We have little cookies in packages and we’re going to try to decorate them,” Whitson says. “I think we should have a contest but the guys don’t seem too game on the contest idea.” The astronauts’ Christmas meal is still dehydrated and sealed in clear plastic bags, but Whitson assures it’ll be a tasty holiday treat. There is a small, artificial Christmas tree aboard the space station and Whitson says they will be exchanging gifts.

Astronaut Peggy Whitson

“Actually, we’ve got a few surprises planned for each other. We don’t yet know what they are,” Whitson says. “I had some stuff I brought up with me in my crew preference bag so I’m looking forward to giving some gifts on Christmas.” One of several additions to the station since Whitson’s previous missions in 2002 and 2008 is the cupola, a large domed viewing port that provides a stunning view of the planet below. Floating on the football field-sized facility and being able to gaze down at the oceans, clouds and continents rushing past, Whitson says it brings new meaning to the phrase “Peace on Earth.”

“I think the perspective of our planet here is very special and it does provide you with the sense that there are no boundaries, that we’re a planet, we are a people,” Whitson says. “It reinforces the fact that we should be together and at peace.” While it’s a tradition for many of us to pop open a bottle of champagne on New Year’s Eve, that’s not an option in the weightless environment of the space station. Still, Whitson says they will celebrate on December 31st.

“No champagne corks. I don’t know if we’ll have any New Year’s resolutions or not, we might,” Whitson says, laughing. “I’m not sure whether people are going to be worried about gaining weight or losing weight.” Whitson arrived on the station on November 17th via a Russian rocket and is scheduled to remain aloft there through May. In February, she’ll celebrate her 57th birthday and is already the oldest woman ever in space. Among her many accomplishments, Whitson will be the first woman to command the station twice. She’ll take command likely in February with the next planned crew rotation.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The companies running Iowa’s newly privatized Medicaid system are complaining of drastic underfunding of the program in documents obtained by The Des Moines Register. Gov. Terry Branstad ordered the shift to private Medicaid management last year, and it went into effect April 1.

The Des Moines Register reports Amerigroup, AmeriHealth Caritas and UnitedHealthcare told state officials their reimbursement rates were based on deeply flawed cost estimates provided to them before the program began. According to reports filed last month with regulators, the companies have lost hundreds of dollars on the program.

Branstad says he remains confident the state will save over $110 million with private Medicaid management. Branstad announced in October that the state would pay the companies an additional $33.2 million this fiscal year for unexpected cost increases.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers said today (Thursday), that  on Monday, December 19^th at approximately 5:15 p.m., officers were summoned to the Clarinda High School to investigate an incident during which was alleged that two CHS students were in possession of firearms while on school property and threatened a third CHS student with the weapons. The incident is alleged to have occurred in the parking lot immediately north of the high school.

The victim, a 16-year old from Clarinda, said he was allegedly threatened by a 17-year old male from Clarinda. The threat involved the younger teen being struck with the stock portion of a long gun. He was also allegedly threatened with a pistol by a second, 17-year old male from Clarinda.

Complaints alleging juvenile delinquency for prohibited possession of firearms and assault have been forwarded to Page County Juvenile Court Services for review and additional action by juvenile court authorities. The victim did not suffer any injuries during the incident.

Brothers said the matter is an isolated incident that occurred strictly between the three students involved and there was no danger to the public or administration, faculty, staff and students at Clarinda High School.