(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Revenue has caught fraudulent claims for $200 million in state income tax refunds.

A source in the agency said two claims for a total of $200 million came from what appears to be the same source in late November. The suspect claims for those state income tax refunds were detected and no money was paid out.

A written statement from the Iowa Department of Revenue’s spokesman said the agency has “strong and effective fraud detection procedures in place” and the department is “encouraging Iowa taxpayers and tax professionals” to be vigilant about protecting their personal information by creating strong passwords and spotting phishing attempts in email and text messages. The agency’s spokesman also said Iowans shouldn’t sharing things like Social Security and bank account numbers over the phone.

The $200 million worth of false state income tax refund claims were included in the overall November estimate the Department of Revenue provided to the Legislative Services Agency, but the money was never paid. The department has not released details about where the false claims originated.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday), released a report on arrests that took place during the month of November. From the latest to the earliest….

November 22, 2021:  Kayla Jean Levell, age 33, Irwin, IA was arrested following a traffic stop on Chatburn Ave. Levell was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with Driving while License Denied, Suspended, Cancelled or Revoked.

November 21, 2021: Mark Thomas Holland, age 33, Audubon, IA was arrested following a pursuit on Timber Rd. Holland was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with Eluding, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Speeding, Careless Driving, Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance, and Operating a Non-Registered Vehicle.

November 20, 2021: Phillip Bradley Pool, age 45, Harlan, IA was arrested following a traffic stop on Chatburn Ave. Pool was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with Driving while License Denied, Suspended, Cancelled, or Revoked.

November 17, 2021: Gunnar Michael Blum, age 27, Kimballton, IA was arrested following a traffic stop on Hwy 44 and Hwy 59. Blum was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with Driving while License Denied or Revoked, Operate without Interlock, Speeding and Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance.

November 15, 2021: Kathryn LeaEtta Larson, age 60, Westphalia, IA was arrested following a Search Warrant. Larson was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance 1st offense, Prohibited Acts Penalties, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

November 13, 2021: Lucas Leroy Peters, age 22, Schleswig, IA was arrested following a traffic stop on Hwy 59. Peters was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Open Container, and Permit under 18 to Consume/Possess on Property.

November 12, 2021: Nicole Sunny Brook Rains, age 33, Council Bluffs, IA was arrested following a traffic stop on Hwy 59. Rains was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Speeding, and Violations of Conditions of Restricted License.; Andres Cruz Alvarez, age 24, Omaha, Ne was arrested following a traffic stop on Rd M37. Cruz Alvarez was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with Prohibited Acts Penalties, Possession of Controlled Substance 1st offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

November 11, 2021: Kera Dlynn Bomer, age 39, Harlan, IA was arrested following a traffic stop on Hwy 44. Bomer was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with OWI 1st, Fail to Maintain Control, Open Container, and Dark Window or Windshield.; Kayley Jo Cooper, age 27, Harlan, IA was arrested following a traffic stop on Hwy 191. Cooper was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with Driving while Barred, Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance, and Speeding.

November 4, 2021: Colin Joseph Clark, age 36, Harlan, IA was arrested after an investigation of a suspicious vehicle in the 600 block of RD M47. Clark was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance 1st offense, and Unlawful Possession of a Prescription.

November 1, 2021: Christopher Joseph Conto, age 46, Ute, IA was arrested following a traffic stop in Kirkman, IA . Conto was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance 1st offense, Prohibited Acts Penalties, Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance, Stopping, Standing, or Parking where Prohibited.

December 2, 2021 (DES MOINES) – At today’s (Thursday’s) meeting, the Enhance Iowa Board awarded $5,168,458 in Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grants to projects in Adair, Creston, Davenport, Decorah, Epworth, Fort Madison, Grimes, Grinnell, Hartley, Keokuk, Marshalltown, Nevada, Sioux Center, Spirit Lake, Waukee and Woodbine.

The details for the some of projects receiving CAT grants follows:

Project Name: Adair Community Center, Adair
Total Project Cost: $749,025
Amount Awarded: $115,000
Project Description: This project includes the construction of a 4,800 square-foot, ADA-compliant, wood-framed building with meeting and kitchen space, bathrooms and a patio. The meeting space is designed to accommodate events up to 170 people.

Project Name: McKinley Park Aquatic Center, Phase 1, Creston
Total Project Cost: $1,613,325
Amount Awarded: $200,000
Project Description: This project includes the installation of an all-inclusive play area, including spray features, a play structure and dump buckets. This project also will convert the toddler pool into a zero-depth entry pool and add a toddler slide. A climbing wall in the deep pool area will be installed along with shade structures. In addition, the project will include updated and new electrical systems, lighting, heaters, filter building and mechanical systems.

Project Name: Willow Lake Nature Center, Woodbine
Total Project Cost: $4,224,283
Amount Awarded: $400,000
Project Description: This project includes the construction of a two-story Nature Center and office space for the Harrison County Conservation Board. This new center will provide a space for guests to discover, learn and explore more about the unique Loess Hills ecosystem and important water quality issues around them through dynamic displays, new trails, up-to-date technology and flexible classroom space.

The Enhance Iowa Program provides financial incentives to communities for the construction of recreational, cultural, educational or entertainment facilities that enhance the quality of life in Iowa. To date, 99 CAT grants have been awarded by the board, totaling $31,508,183. The next Enhance Iowa Board meeting is tentatively scheduled for January 6 (if board review or action is needed.) More info. on today’s announcement is available HERE.

(Radio Iowa) – An investigation by the State Auditor’s Office has found the former city clerk in Promise City used the small town’s money to pay almost 10-thousand dollars worth of her own utility bills and to make 17-thousand dollars worth of improper purchases at Walmart. Promise City is in south central Iowa and, according to the 2020 Census, it has 88 residents. The special investigation covered years that Debra Eccleston was the city clerk.

The report identifies more than 59-thousand dollars in improper and unsupported spending. Auditors concluded Eccleston’s approved salary during the period was about 13-thousand dollars, but cancelled checks indicate she was paid about twice that. According to the investigation by the state auditor’s office. Eccelston used city money to buy books and food at Walmart. Promise City doesn’t have a library, but the report notes Eccelston ran a coffee shop and book store in Centerville. Auditors reviewed Alliant Energy records and determined Eccelston used Promise City money to pay utility bills for her Centerville business and her own residence.

Promise City officials asked for the investigation after Eccelston resigned and the newly-hired city clerk raised concerns after reviewing cancelled checks and accounting records.

(Radio Iowa) – A trial date has been set for the two Fairfield teens accused in last month’s murder of Fairfield High School Spanish teacher Nohema Graber. A pre -trial date of March 21st has been set with actual trial scheduled for April 19th for Willard Miller and Jeremy Goodale. Last week, Miller and Goodale attorneys appeared in court to argue for a reduction of their $1 million bonds to $100,000. With the state asking if the bond can remain at $1 million or be raised to $2 million.

Prosecutors say the families are not capable of monitoring the teens as the crime was committed while the 16-year-olds were living at home. Judge Joel Yates has not yet made his decision on the bond review hearing but has stated we should get his decision sometime within the week.

(Jamaica, Iowa) – The first day of December, Wednesday, included some excitement in Guthrie County. The Sheriff’s Office reports Deputy Kent Gries was on patrol on Highway 141 south of Jamaica, at around 3-p.m., when he saw a 1995 Kawasaki ZX750-L motorcycle traveling east on the highway at 70-mph in a 55-mph zone. When the Deputy turned his vehicle around and began to initiate a traffic stop, the motorcycle was already nearly out of sight, continuing to travel eastbound toward Dallas County.

With the Deputy in pursuit, lights and siren activated, the operator of the cycle refused to yield. The machine entered Dawson (In Dallas County) and proceeded eastbound on the Racoon River Bicycle Trail, at a high rate of speed. With the Deputy still in pursuit, the cycle continued traveling at a high rate of speed for about two-miles. It then turned south on F Avenue for about one-half mile, and then west onto Highway 141. The chase eventually re-entered Dawson and then northbound out of town on D Avenue, with speeds at times at 120-mph. The cycle crossed into Greene County on V Avenue. It finally stopped at V Avenue and 305th Street, southwest of Rippey.

Altogether, the chase went on for about 15-miles and around 10-minutes. The operator of the cycle, 43-year-old Curtis Alan Moorhead, of Jamaica, was taken into custody for Eluding. Authorities learned through a speedometer app on his phone, that the highest speed recorded was 147-mph. Moorhead admitted to traveling that fast.

In addition to the Eluding – speed 25 mph (or more) over the limit, Moorhead had three licenses suspensions in effect, plus a suspension for non-payment of child support. He had his initial appearance with the Magistrate this (Thursday) morning, where his cash or surety bond was set at $2,000.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Attorney General’s office recently announced the end of a project using federal money to clear a major backlog of untested sexual assault kits. The director of the A-G’s Crime Victims Assistance Division, Sandi Tibbetts Murphy, says the work will continue to process all sexual assault kits. “Kits before April of 2015 were eligible for testing, not any that were developed afterward. So, we want to go and find out where those kits are,” she says. Murphy says they now have more resources to look at the kits that are out there. “The legislature did help us this year in allowing us to create a full sexual assault response unit,” she says.

Murphy says they have a sexual assault crimes investigator who has been working on the project and also training law enforcement and medical personnel. “We will soon have a sexual assault forensics response coordinator to join in that — to focus on the forensic side of things — the kits, the sexual assault nurse examiners, the medical facilities, and continuing the best practice of a multidisciplinary response,” according to Murphy.

Murphy says they have made great progress in addressing this issue — but still have a bigger goal. “We always say that until every victim has an advocate, until every medical facility has access to a trained sexual-assault nurse examiner when a victim presents. And if we can continue to improve the law enforcement investigation and prosecution with respect to understanding the trauma-informed work with victims — those are always our big goals,” Murphy says.

Murphy says anyone who has been sexually assault can call 24/7 to the Iowa Crime Victims Helpline at 1-800-770-1650 or text “IOWAHELP” to 20121.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Here’s a reminder from the Station Where Your Friends are: A longstanding tradition has returned to Cass County…the annual Festival of Trees is underway now through Sunday, in Atlantic.The multi-day event, sponsored by the Cass County Chapter of the American Cancer Society, takes place at the Catholic Parish Center,105 West 5th Street in Atlantic.

This year’s event features 57 trees, decorated in a variety of themes ranging from cooking to local grown produce, and cupcakes to dolls, and even a grinch themed balloon Christmas tree. Other highlights include a tree constructed of coffee and beverage cups, an upside-down tree, several memorial trees and a step ladder tree.

Along with the trees, there will be 7 holiday themed displays including a seven-foot gold lion, a display of homemade satin and sequined boxes, an 8 ft x 4 ft  x 8 ft church with stained glass windows, an ice cream and cookies display and an 80 square foot operational Christmas train and village display.

Cookies and beverages are available for you to enjoy as they walk through the displays, or sit and reconnect with friends. The event will also feature musical performances by local artists from 1 to 3 pm on Saturday and soup served to attendees on Sunday. The local BPO Does will also be hosting a Cookie Walk upstairs on Saturday from 9 am – noon.

In addition to helping spread holiday cheer, the festival serves as a fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society. Admission to the festival is a free will donation, and raffle tickets are also sold for attendees to win a chance at a variety of seasonal home and gift items. A special feature for this year’s raffle is a quilt hand-made by local youth Paige Baier, in addition to watercolor paintings, Creighton basketball game tickets, seasonal wreaths, holiday wall hangings and table decor, and even a Christmas tree decorated with Hallmark collectible ornaments! A match of all raffle proceeds up to a thousand dollars will be provided by Royal Neighbors of America.

New this year, a separate raffle is being held for a vintage, life-sized mechanical Santa. This Santa, most recently housed at the now-closed Coca-Cola museum in downtown Atlantic, has graced many downtown windows as early as the 1950s. This raffle kicked off at the 2021 Coca-Cola Days celebration in Atlantic, and Santa has been traveling to storefronts around the downtown ever since. Tickets for this unique raffle can be purchased at any time prior to the drawing on December 5th- either at the Atlantic Chamber, or at Festival of Trees where he will be on display.

Trees and displays will be open to the public for viewing on the following schedule: Thursday, December 2nd from 10:00 A.M to 8:00 P.M., Friday, December 3rd from 10:00 A.M. to 6:30 P.M., Saturday, December 4th from 10:00 A.M. to 5:30 P.M., and Sunday, December 5th from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.

(Des Moines) — MidAmerican Energy officials say they are investigating the cause of a power outage affecting thousands of area residents Wednesday morning. Spokesman Geoff Greenwood, said customers in portions of six counties lost electricity at around 9 a.m.

Persons served by substations in the Red Oak, Griswold and Emerson areas, or about 6,000 customers, were affected. Power was restored in two stages, with everyone back online by around 10:00-a.m.

Greenwood said the cause of the outage had not immediately been determined.

(Radio Iowa)- This month’s updated voter registration data shows in two of Iowa’s new congressional districts, independent voters outnumber those who register as Democrats or Republicans. The new first congressional district which covers counties in southeast through central Iowa has more than 200,000 independent voters, about 195,000 Democrats and Republicans are the third voting block, with about 172,000 registered voters. Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa plans to run for reelection in the district.

Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion plans to seek reelection in the new second congressional district which sits in the northeast quadrant of the state. It has 197,000 registered independent voters as of December 1, 2021. The tally of Democrats is about 10,000 behind that and Republicans account for a little under a third of all voters in the district.

The new third district starts in central Iowa and flows down to the Missouri border. Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 17,000 in the new third district and it is the only district where independent voters are the third largest voting block. This is the district where Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, plans to seek reelection.

The new fourth district in western and northern Iowa has a large voter registration edge for Republicans and it’s where Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra of Hull is running for reelection. There are 87,000 more Republicans than Democrats and independent voters are the second largest group in the new fourth district.

National studies show up to three-quarters of voters who register as independents rarely split their ballots and routinely vote for candidates of one of the country’s two major political parties.