DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state audit has revealed that Iowa Workforce Development paid more than $97,000 in unemployment benefits to people claiming to work for companies that didn’t exist in 2013 and 2014s and paid more than $66,000 to people not eligible for unemployment payments in other states. Those improper payments are part of more than $909,000 the state lost over a three-year period for which the state auditor reviewed records.

Iowa Auditor Mary Mosiman says her office was notified in May 2013 that irregularities in unemployment payments were discovered. She was asked by the U.S. Department of Labor to audit workforce development’s books to determine the extent of lost funds. Mosiman says the audit found 20 fictitious company accounts. It’s unclear who set them up and no one has been charged.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Legislation that would legalize the sale of fireworks in Iowa is once again advancing through the Iowa Legislature, though it may face some challenges from lawmakers. The Senate State Government Committee voted 10-5 Wednesday in support of the bill, which would allow the sale and use of consumer fireworks such as firecrackers and roman candles. Current law allows the sale of novelties like sparklers.

The measure has bounced between the Republican-majority House and the Democratic-controlled Senate with little success. Groups have raised concerns about public safety. An amendment to the bill passed Wednesday would give cities and municipalities more flexibility on whether to implement the bill if it becomes law. Sen. Jeff Danielson, a Cedar Falls Democrat, says the amendment makes the bill unenforceable. He plans to challenge it.

A Villisca woman was arrested Wednesday by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.  22-year-old Amanda Lee Smith was arrested at 4:10pm Wednesday on 2 valid Montgomery County bench warrants for Probaton Violation.  Smith was taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $20,000 bond.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 17-year-old Deric Lee Redd of Red Oak for Trespass and Minor in Possession of Tobacco.  Redd was arrested Wendesday at 2:40pm on BNSF railroad property.  Redd was later released into the custody of a parent.

DES MOINES, Iowa – (Feb. 3, 2016) – With the completion of the Highland wind farm in O’Brien County and the Adams wind farm in Adams County, officials with MidAmerican Energy Company say they’ve wrapped up work on two major projects adding more than 1,200 megawatts of wind generation capacity for customers.

The Highland wind farm, which was placed in service on December 3, 2015, is the fifth and final piece of MidAmerican Energy’s Wind VIII project – the company’s largest wind project to date, and one of the largest economic development projects in Iowa history. On January 30, MidAmerican Energy completed its 153.4 megawatt, Wind IX project when the Adams wind farm was placed in service. The 67 new turbines represent a $280 million investment. The project marked the first time a concrete tower was used. Normally, the towers are constructed from steel.

Together, Wind VIII and Wind IX bring MidAmerican Energy’s total wind generation capacity to nearly 3,500 megawatts, an amount that represents about 42 percent of the company’s installed generation capacity.  Mike Gehringer, vice president, renewable energy, said the completion of the two projects marks a significant milestone for MidAmerican Energy, which owns and operates more wind turbines than any utility in the nation. Gehringer said “Today, wind makes up the largest share of our generation portfolio, and we project that by 2017, we will generate an amount equal to 57 percent of our total retail load with clean, non-carbon energy from our wind projects in Iowa.”

Officials say construction of MidAmerican Energy’s wind projects has spurred economic development in the state, creating thousands of construction jobs and almost 200 permanent jobs in rural Iowa. Over the next 30 years, the company’s wind projects will generate more than $1.5 billion in lease payments to landowners and property tax payments to schools, cities and counties.