(Radio Iowa) — A northwest Iowa man is charged with reckless discharge of a firearm after a bullet hit a woman in the next room at a Super 8 motel in Willmar, Minnesota. Officers learned that 34-year-old Joey Schipper of Sheldon, Iowa, had a negligent discharge of a small caliber handgun. The round traveled through the wall and into an adjacent room, at which time it struck a 68-year-old woman from Backus in the leg. The woman was a motel guest. She was transported to Rice Memorial Hospital ER by ambulance. Her injury is non-life threatening.

DYERSVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Officials say expansion by a Dubuque-based insurance broker is expected to bring more than 25 jobs to Dyersville. The Telegraph Herald reports that Cottingham & Butler announced Monday that it will begin operating this fall in leased space that’s under construction.

Cottingham & Butler’s Andy Butler says company officials have considered new locations as a way to accommodate current and future employees who live outside Dubuque. He says the new location is a way “to reach out to them and access an even larger talent pool.”

Cottingham & Butler employs 950 workers across 19 locations. About 650 work in the Dubuque area.

The Griswold School Board, Monday evening, approved two new hires and three resignations. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said the new hires include: Theresa Engler – Middle School High School Para-educator/Head Cross Country Coach; and Gene Straight – Middle School Science Teacher, They accepted the resignations of: Helen Riley – Middle School/High School Para-educator; Matt Leighton – Head High School Wrestling Coach, and Steve Vance – Assistant Wrestling Coach.

Henrichs said also there was a bit of a snag in getting the District’s Lewis property deed transferred to the new owners. He said ownership of the Lewis Building was transferred on July 2^nd, but they learned from Cass County representative said that the legal description was not accurate, so they have to back through a couple of processes and hold a public hearing to finalize the deal. With regard to the Elliott Building, Henrichs said that legal description has recently been finalized, and the Board, Monday, approved a Resolution of Intent to sell. The final step, a public hearing date, was also set on the sale of the property. Both Public Hearings will take place August 19^th. A Special Board meeting will then be held August 22^nd to finalize the transfer of the Deeds.

In other news, Superintendent Henrichs said the Administration shared with the Board information about tax rates for next year. He said the District’s Budget was approved March 18^th, but the State made some changes to the funding formula after that date. That means the levy rate increased one-tenth of a penny, from a Board approved $14 and 1.8-cents to $14 and 1.9-cents. Their goal was a standard $14.02, so that keeps them in-line with what was acceptable.

Henrichs said the same school officials currently in place (Business Manager/Treasurer, Board Secretary and District Attorney), were re-appointed by the Board for the 2019-2020 School Year. He said they also received an update from Estes Construction with regard to the Elementary Building project, and variety of changes orders were approved. All those changes affect the District’s Budget. He said currently the budget is approximately $76,000 over. The biggest factor was $190,000 in change orders. However, because the District invested the bond proceeds, it received $140,000 in interest, which compensates for the overage and leaves them still under budget for the project.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa City woman has been accused of transferring to her own account more than $650,000 without authority from her mother’s account on the day her mother died in 2016. Records say 56-year-old Edith Hora has been charged with theft. It’s unclear whether she has an attorney. An Iowa City number listed for her rang busy during several calls Tuesday.

Relatives told police that Josefina Sexton’s will says her husband, Marion Sexton, was supposed to get 70 percent of the money left by his wife. Authorities say the transfer deprived Marion Sexton of access to the money.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a Glenwood man was arrested at around 1:40-a.m. today (Tuesday) in Council Bluffs, following an investigation into a hit-and-run accident in the area of 20104 Concord Loop. 58-year old James Ray Clark was taken into custody for Violation of Probation. He was transported to the Pott. County Jail. And, a woman being held in the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women, in York, Nebraska, was transported to the Pottawattamie County Jail, Monday morning. 32-year old Christina Diondra Bryant, of Sioux City, was wanted on an outstanding warrant for Violation of Probation.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A company has moved call center operations into Sioux City from a facility in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. The Sioux City Journal reports that the Mass Markets center just east of the Sioux Gateway Airport already has about 300 workers, up from the 150-175 employed in Dakota Dunes. Anthony Marlowe is CEO of Mass Markets’ parent company, MCI, and he says the new location has space for more than 500 call center seats and is looking to hire more workers.

MCI has around 2,000 employees and eight call centers in the U.S., with a ninth in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The Creston Police Department says a man residing in the 500 block of W. Montgomery Street reported Monday, that sometime within the past three weeks, someone stole a set of keys from his vehicle, as it was parked in front of his home. The loss was estimated at $100.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports an additional suspect was arrested and charged Monday, in connection with an ongoing narcotics distribution investigation. 28-year old Jacob Thomsen, of New Market, was arrested in the 1100 block of Highway 2. He was wanted on an active Taylor County Warrant for a Controlled Substance Violation – Delivery of a Controlled Substance, a Class D Felony. Thomsen had an additional warrant for Failure to Appear on an Assault charge. He was being held at the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office on a $5,300 bond, with additional charges pending.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS