(Radio Iowa) – Some Monona County residents in northwest Iowa have been warned they may have to evacuate as a large grass fire continues to burn there. County Emergency Management director, Patrick Prorok says the fire expanded after a small building caught fire Thursday afternoon in the southern part of the county.

“Since that time fire has spread to the north, it has gotten into Preparation Canyon and also Loess Hills Forest. Since that time 32-hundred acres has been burned up in Monona County, also reaching into parts of Harrison County,” he says. Twenty fire departments from two counties are trying to stop its spread. Monona County Sheriff, Kevin Ewing, says they let residents north of the fire know about the potential danger.

“I think most local area residents already know the situation I know a lot of people loaded up some valuables last night and are prepared to vacate the area if need be,” Ewing says. No mandatory evacuations have been ordered yet. Roadblocks have been set up to keep people away from the area.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – April is recognized as financial literacy month to remind us of the importance of money management.  Learning how to plan, earn, and save for retirement are vital components in any financial literacy program, but you must also know how to shield your savings from scammers. New data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shows consumers lost nearly $8.8 billion in 2022 to fraud which is up 30% from 2021.  The top frauds were imposter scams, online shopping, prizes/sweepstakes/lotteries, investments, and job opportunities.  Victims lost $3.8 billion to investment scams alone, up from $1.8 billion in 2021.

In Iowa, romance scams are being reported at an alarming rate.  Scammers are preying on Iowans by way of online games with a private chat option, dating websites, random text messages, emails, or phone calls, social media via a direct message or as a friend request, and even spoofed social media accounts of friends and family where your “friend” claims to win a prize that is now available to you.  According to the FTC in 2021, one of every four victims was approached on social media.

After contact is made by a scammer, they will ask the victim to move off the original platform to continue the discussion usually via text message, attempt to gain your trust with sweet talk, and then ask for money.  The request may involve cryptocurrency or other investments, or money to pay for medical expenses or a plane ticket.  If you find yourself in this situation, stop!  Call a trusted friend or family member before sending money to someone you don’t know.  Verify the person offering you an investment by double-checking all investment and insurance professionals before doing business, or call the Iowa Insurance Division.

Here are some tips to help protect yourself:

• Knowing basic financial literacy concepts may prevent victimization by a scammer. According to the FINRA Foundation, consumers with strong financial literacy skills were less likely to be scammed.  The IID’s Save4Later and SmartHER Money websites are a great place to start the financial literacy journey.
• Use good online habits such as checking your privacy settings on all social media accounts to make sure you are only sharing what you want to share, being careful what you click on, using unique passwords, opting out of targeted ads, and not responding to unsolicited offers.  If you get a message from a friend on social media regarding an opportunity, call them before engaging further.
• Never provide your personal information such as bank account numbers, social security, or Medicare numbers to someone you don’t know or meet on social media.
• Ensure websites are legitimate and secure. Beware of misspelled words or grammatical errors.
• Be cautious of profiles with few friends and little content, and don’t accept a friend request from someone you don’t know.
• Never click on pop-up messages or unsolicited private messages.

Fraud threatens the financial security of all Iowans. Become an Iowa Fraud Fighter  and learn how to help protect yourself and your loved ones from scams.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has approved a bill that sets up a distribution formula for the taxes the State of Iowa is collecting from casinos that offer sports wagering in Iowa. Sports betting has been legal in Iowa since August of 2019, but unlike the rest of state gambling revenue, the taxes from sports betting has NOT been deposited in a state infrastructure fund. About 19-and-a-half million dollars in taxes paid so from sports betting apps and sports book areas in Iowa casinos is essentially sitting in an escrow account today. The bill uses seven million dollars in that account to cover a backlog of applications for the Endow Iowa Tax Credit for donations to community foundations. Representative Jacob Bossman of Sioux City says the bill also sets up a yearly spending plan for sports wagering taxes.

“It will direct $1.75 million to gambling addiction treatment, $1 million to supplement the Endow Iowa Tax Credit program so we don’t have that backlog again,” Bossman says, “and then the remaining money will be distributed to all 99 counties.”  Community foundations and non-profit corporations around the state will be eligible for that block of taxes from sports wagering.
[RIkaysportsbooktaxes3] :10 :throughout the state.” “This bill distributes the sports wagering taxes to all 99 counties which is appropriate because sports wagering through apps is taking place throughout the state,” Bossman says.

Representative Timi Brown-Powers of Waterloo says the plan will put a little extra money for non-profits in areas of the state that have casinos. “But most importantly this does distribute this money to 99 counties,” Brown-Powers says. “And that’s where it should be distributed to.”

The bill passed the House unanimously on Thursday night. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court says an open records lawsuit against the governor can proceed. The Iowa Freedom of Information Council (FOI) and two others sued after open records requests from the governor’s office about the COVID pandemic were delayed five to 18 months. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled the case can proceed based on the timeliness of when the records were produced. F-O-I Council executive director, Randy Evans, says he was gratified it was a unanimous decision. “Which tells me that there was not a lot of question about what the outcome of the appeals should be,” he says.

Evans says there was an excellent discussion in the opinion about the need for a timely response, and what really constitutes a denial of a request for a public record. “It can be something that is stated, in plain language ‘I’m not going to turn this over.’ Or denial can be occurring by the failure to notify the requester of the denial or that their request is going to be turned down,” Evans says.

Evans says they will now get a chance to argue the merits of the case as it goes back to the district court. “I’m hopeful that when this is all done in the coming months, that there will be a clear statement coming out of the Iowa courts that government officials, state and local government officials in Iowa, must comply with the requirements of the public records law, and they must do so in a timely manner,” Evans says.

Governor Kim Reynolds released a statement following the ruling that said during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic her office shifted its entire focus to help Iowans navigate that difficult period. The statement says there was an unprecedented number of open records requests at the time and many of those went unfulfilled for a period. It says, “While we disagree that this lawsuit should continue, my office has eliminated the backlog of open records requests and is committed to upholding our responsibility to respond to any new requests in a timely manner.”

Evans says the need for information during the pandemic didn’t subside, it increased. “You know, I don’t think anyone would dispute that the governor and her staff had an incredible amount of responsibility during the height of the COVID pandemic, when these requests were being made,” he says. “But, you know, that’s a time when the public interest in decisions that government is making or not making is at its highest when you’re in the midst of the worst health crisis in a century.”

The Iowa Capital Dispatch website and the Bleeding Heartland blog joined the F-O-I in the lawsuit.

(Radio Iowa) – Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson is visiting Iowa for the first time since announcing he’s running for president. He’s making several appearances in central Iowa, pitching himself as an alternative to former President Donald Trump. “Trump is not the right one to lead our party or our country in the future and the reasons are very clear to me,” Hutchinson says. “When you’re talking about his engagement in the last election and believing that he won. He’s wrong.”

Trump continues to lead in national and state polls, but likely Iowa Caucus goers have expressed interest in hearing from other potential 2024 candidates.

(Mount Ayr, Iowa) – The Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office, Friday (Today), said a woman from Decatur County was arrested April 11th on numerous felony charges. 41-year-old Lindsay D. Hall, of Decatur City, was charged with:

• Theft in the 1st Degree ($10,000+) – a Class C Felony
• Theft 2nd Degree ($1,500-$10,000) (D FELONY)
• Theft 2nd Degree (MOTOR VEHICLE) (D FELONY)
• Burglary 3rd Degree (D FELONY)
• Possession of Burglary Tools (AGGRIVATED MISDEMEANOR)

Her bond was set at $27,000.

Lindsay Hall (Ringgold County S/O photo)

*Any potential criminal charges identified above are merely allegations and any defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Police Department say 13 arrests took place between March 27th and April 13th. Beginning with the most recent:

• On Thursday, April 13th…18-year-old Rexon Teruo, of Atlantic, was arrested  for Public Intoxication and Criminal Mischief 4th Degree. . He was taken into custody and transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked in and held. And, 31-year-old Nicholas Andersen, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication, Disorderly Conduct and on three (3) counts of Harassment. He was taken into custody and transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked in and held.
• On Monday, April 10th, Atlantic Police arrested 27-year-old KR Takauo, and 35-year-old Receiver Berdon, on charges of Public Intoxication. Both were booked into the Cass County Jail.
• There were three arrests in Atlantic on April 9th: 43-year-old Richard Keasey, of Atlantic was arrested for OWI; 40-year-old Gary VanErt, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI and on two counts of Child Endangerment; 36-year-old Kisauo Stephen, of Atlantic, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct, Public Intoxication, Interference with Official Acts, and Assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. All thee subject were booked into the Cass County Jail.
• 20-year-old Joshua Kovac, of Atlantic, was arrested April 8th for Disorderly Conduct and Public Intox.
• 26-year-old Jacob Johnson, of Atlantic, was arrested April 7th for OWI.
• 38-year-old Winser Erick, of Atlantic, was arrested April 6th for OWI.

Those arrested in March by Atlantic Police include:

• 20-year-old Carter Fulk, of Atlantic, on March 31st. He was arrested on Cass County warrants for Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana) and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia.
• 62-year-old James Cisar, of Atlantic, was CITED into court for Theft in the 5th Degree, and released at the scene.
• 23-year-old Tarek Bunan, of Atlantic, was arrested March 28th, for Public Intox.
• and 23-year-old Justin Rollins, of Atlantic, was arrested March 27th, for Interference with Official Acts, and Disarming a Peace Officer. He was booked into the Cass County Jail.

As of Friday, March 14th, Nicholas Andersen, KR Takauo, Receiver Berdon, and Rexon Teruo, remained in the Cass County Jail, with Terou on a “hold.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) [Correction] – Members of the Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education met in-person and by streaming live on YouTube,today (Friday, April 23, 2023) to discuss the process the District could take in selecting a replacement for Superintendent Steve Barber. Mr. Barber announced earlier this month his resignation, effect June 30, 2023. Board President Laura McClean opened the conversation with asking if the position should be interim or long-term?

Board member Josh McLaren…

Board Vice-President Kristy Pellett agreed, an interim position is a good option.

Superintendent Steve Barber said interim positions are desirable by some individuals who may not be ready to take-on a full-time role.

Jenny Williams said…

Laura McLean said she likes the idea of an Interim Superintendent, with the search for a full-time individual to begin early next year.

Jenny Williams said her one concern, though, is there is no SBO (School Business Official) to replace Sarah Sheeder, who has resigned to take a position with the AC/GC School District.

Nick Hunt said the process of hiring an SBO should begin first. Someone with a strong background in finances is preferred. The general consensus of the Board was to search for an Interim Superintendent. Sarah Sheeder provided McLean and the Board with a template for an Interim Superintendent search from the Dallas Center/Grimes Community (DC/GC) School District, that Atlantic could use as a place to start.

The timeline currently includes posting of the Superintendent’s position on Monday, April 17 2023. After two-weeks, the Board will gather to review the applications and narrow the list of finalists before setting-up interviews the first week of May. Ideally, the Superintendent will be offered a contract by no later than the middle of May. McLean said once that’s done, if the Board desires, a professional headhunter (Search firm) can compile the information necessary to hire a full-time Superintendent. That would likely include interviews with stakeholders and gathering potential candidates, along with conducting background checks.

Prior adjourning the meeting, the Board acted to approve disciplinary action against two students, referred to a “Student A” and “Student B.”

(Radio Iowa) – An environmental advocacy group is launching a new river clean-up project with an event in Des Moines this week to introduce the effort and recruit volunteers. Luke Hoffman, is a native of Thurman, in Fremont County. He’s the executive director of Iowa Rivers Revival, and says the Service Squad program is designed to create a comprehensive service learning and action network that will clean up Iowa’s waterways.  “We’re doing that in a way that it’s not just another river cleanup,” Hoffman says. “It’s not just about picking up trash, there’s that component, too, but it’s also a family-friendly festival about building community, educating folks about the importance of water, and building access points so that people can really enjoy those rivers and streams.”

Through a quarter-million dollar grant, the Service Squad will host between eight and ten river clean up projects each year over the next three years. Hoffman says the program will create cleaner rivers, educate Iowans on the importance of clean waterways, and organize for legislative action on issues relating to water trails, water quality, river restoration and more. “The theme is all about building partnerships and collaboration,” Hoffman says. “We didn’t invent river cleanups but what we do want to do is, if your listeners go to our website, they can find any cleanup or submit one if they want to organize one themselves on our website. You can just do that at IowaRivers.org/squad.” A

As a southwest Iowa native, Hoffman says he developed a passion for the water early on. “One of the things that I really cherish about my childhood was following the stream with my dog,” Hoffman says. “I wasn’t thinking about was the river clean or not, I just was enjoying it. That experience of adventure, that sense of being able to appreciate and enjoy, that’s what we want all future generations to be able to have, free from the concern of whether or not that water is going to do you any harm.”

The kickoff event is today (Friday), from 5-7 P-M at Big Grove Brewery in Des Moines. RSVP for the event at: iowarivers.org. The first clean-up event is scheduled for Saturday on North Walnut Creek in Urbandale.

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision between two cars Thursday evening in Creston, caused about $3,500 damage and resulted in one citation. Police in Creston say the accident happened at around 5:45-p.m., at the intersection of Adams and Sumner Streets. A 2013 KIA Optima driven by 19-year-old Laura Jessica Roybal, of Osceola, was coming to a stop at the stop light, as the light turned yellow. A 2018 Chevy Cruz driven by 18-year-old Lucas Michael Lynch, of Creston, was behind the KIA.

Authorities say Lynch thought Roybal was proceeding through the intersection before the light turned red, but the KIA came to a stop. Lynch didn’t have time to stop before his vehicle struck the KIA. He was cited for Failure to Stop in a clear and assured distance.