The Iowa Department of Public Safety announced today (Wednesday), that a laboratory criminalist is no longer employed with the Department, in connection with public comments made on a social media site. The Department of Public Safety has a social media policy, along with a general Code of Conduct policy, regarding statements made in a public forum.

DPS Commissioner Roxann Ryan said “The Iowa Department of Public Safety has a strong commitment to integrity, impartiality and professionalism in every aspect of our work.   We have adopted these policies in order to ensure that the public has trust in all that we do, and our policies reflect the high standards that we maintain.”

Criminalist Amy Pollpeter was employed with the Department of Public Safety from June 5, 2006, to July 26, 2016.  She was placed on paid administrative leave from July 12, 2016, to July 26, 2016.  DPS officials do not discuss the details of confidential personnel matters.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Court of Appeals has reversed a portion of the fraud convictions of a former lottery official accused of fixing a Hot Lotto game in Iowa in 2010.  The court on Tuesday upheld a fraud charge against Eddie Tipton related to tampering with lottery computers, but threw out the charge related to attempting to cash the lottery ticket.

Tipton contends that evidence at his July 2015 trial was insufficient to support allegations that he tampered with computers to enable him to buy a winning ticket. A jury convicted him on both counts and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The court’s ruling sends the case back to district court for dismissal of one count and resentencing likely to five years in prison.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Monday afternoon of 29-year old Modanna Marie Meyer, of Blockton. Meyer was arrested on a Union County warrant for probation violation. She was brought to the Ringgold County Jail and held without bond, pending an appearance before a magistrate.

Audubon County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Jensen says the Audubon County Engineer’s office has informed him that a section of 255^th St was closed for safety reasons, due to the undermining of a culvert. The closure is in the 2300 block of 255th, a 1.5-mile section of road between Mockingbird and Oriole Avenues. Repair work on the road is expected to last approximately two weeks.

Emergency responders and persons who would normally traverse the road in that section of Audubon County, should plan to take alternate routes for the next couple of weeks. If you have any questions, please call the Audubon County Engineer’s Office at 712-563-4286.