A San Diego company that claimed it was helping Iowa students find ways to pay for college has agreed to stop doing business in the state. Assistant Attorney General, Steve St. Clair, says Student Financial Resource Center would send out letters to high school students that were designed to look important. “The solicitations were easily mistaken for some sort of official communication from some sort of governmental or educational authority,” St. Clair says.

He says an Iowa school teacher complained after getting such a letter and paying a fee. “They charge 65 dollars for information that for the most part — a student just going on-line or checking with the high school guidance, or other resources at the school or the college they were interested in — could get for free,” St.Clair says.

He says the letter could easily have been mistaken as being connected to Free Application for Federal Student Aid, know as FAFSA that students fill out to get financial aid. St. Clair says the company would take a few facts from the return letter sent by people and send back some paperwork that had limited personalization for the student. He says the 65 dollars was presented as an official communication and the money was called “a processing fee,” instead of a payment for service.

The company has agreed to stop sending the letters to Iowans. “They also agreed to make refunds to any Iowans who stepped forward and said that they lost money in this manner. And they also agreed to pay 25-thousand dollars the state consumer education fund,” St. Clair says. He says you can get a refund if you answered the letter. St. Clair says you can contact their office, with the easiest way being online at www.IowaAttorneyGeneral.gov.

You can also call the Consumer Protection Division at 515-281-5926, or toll free at 1-888-777-4590 (outside the Des Moines area).

(Radio Iowa)

An Audubon man turned himself-in to the Sheriff’s Office Saturday evening. The Sheriff’s Department says 36-year old Nathan Ray Johnson was wanted on a warrant. He faces charges that include Domestic Abuse Assault/3rd offense, False Imprisonment and Child Endangerment. The charges stem from an investigation into an incident that took place in Hamlin, on Oct. 11th. Johnson was released from custody after appearing in front of a magistrate.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Dept. reports a woman from Nebraska was arrested on drug charges, early Saturday morning. 29-year old Heather Lee Docken, of Omaha, was taken into custody at around 1-a.m. on Highway 71, near 160th Street. She was transported to the Audubon County Jail and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. Docken appeared later in front of a magistrate, and was released. Her preliminary hearing was set for Nov. 5th.

Police in Glenwood arrested four individuals on separate charges, recently. Sunday, 50-year old Kelly Merksick, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. Bond was set at $1,000. On Saturday, 34-year old Jeremy Carnes, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $3,300.

Last Friday, 24-year old Shialea Cozad, of Omaha, was arrested in Glenwood, for Violation of a No Contact Order. Her bond was set at $300. And, last Wednesday, 24-year old Dyson Tobin, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Shoplifting charge. His bond was also set at $300.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Department reports five, recent arrests. Officials say 19-year old Marcus Anthony Pierce, of Glenwood, was arrested Sunday evening for Violating a Protection Order. Pierce was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail. Also arrested Sunday, was 27-year old Tanya Rachel Diekman, of Erie, CO., who was taken into custody at around 6:30-p.m. following a traffic stop on Highway 275. Diekman was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $1,300.

Saturday, Mills County deputies arrested 54-year old Shelly Ann Elsen, of Randolph, for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $1,300.

And, last Friday,55-year old Lonnie Lee Baker, of Malvern, was arrested in Mills County, for OWI/1st offense. His bond was set at $1,000. That same day, 41-year old Ladeena Marie Green, of Glenwood, was taken into custody at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office on a warrant for Criminal Mischief in the 4th degree. Her bond was also set at $1,000.

(9-a.m. News)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Monday), said two people were hurt during a collision last Thursday evening, on Highway 34. Kendal Arnold, of Villisca, and Kristin Goodell, of Shenandoah, were transported to Mercy and Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, respectively, by rescue crews from Pacific Junction and Glenwood.

Officials say Arnold was traveling west on Highway 34 over Interstate 29 at around 7:10-p.m., as Goodell was exiting off I-29 onto Highway 34. When Goodell made an illegal left turn, her vehicle was struck on the driver’s side, by the Arnold vehicle. Both vehicles came to rest in the median.