The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a resident of Kent reported Sunday night, that sometime during the day, Sunday, someone took his purple, 1990 Chevy 1500 pickup from his property. The vehicle, valued at $1,500, was later recovered in Taylor County.

Iowa’s 118 hospitals add nearly $6.8 billion to the state’s economy, according to a new report from the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA). Scott McIntyre is spokesman for the IHA. “Iowa hospitals also have 72,000 employees. That’s a little higher than it’s been in recent years,” McIntyre says. “We’re seeing a good recovery from the recession and we’re seeing a little bit of growth as well.”

Those employees, by themselves, spend more than $1.8 billion on retail sales and contribute more than $111 million in state sales tax revenue, according to the report. The economic impact report is compiled each year to demonstrate the importance of the industry to the state. “A lot of what the state does, what the federal government does, has a big impact on our hospitals — the regulations, legislation can serious impact our hospitals. So, we want folks to realize that you’re talking about an asset with some 72,000 employees and billions of dollars of economic impact,” McIntyre says.

The study shows Iowa’s hospitals provide $4.5 billion in salaries and benefits and generate another $2.3 billion through other jobs that depend on hospitals.

(Radio Iowa)

Atlantic Community Schools are closed for the day this Friday, March 3rd, but there will be plenty of opportunities for learning and fun at a day-long camp sponsored by Cass County Extension and Cass County Conservation. Youth in 3rd-5th grades are invited to register for SNOW day camp, held from 9 AM to 4 PM on Friday at the Cass County Community Center.

“While there may not be snow on the ground, we will still have plenty of fun making our own snow, learning about the structure of snow and how animals adapt to their surroundings in the winter,” shares Shelby Williams, Cass County Extension Youth Coordinator. “This free camp is a fun way to spend a no school day. We will have snacks, hike outdoors and learn through games and hands-on activities.”

There is no cost to attend the SNOW Day Camp on March 3rd, but pre-registration is requested by Wednesday March 1. Campers are asked to bring a sack lunch and weather appropriate clothing for an outdoor hike. To register, or for more information, call the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132 or stop by the office at 805 West 10th Street in Atlantic to fill out a registration form.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department reports a Cass County (IA) man was arrested Friday night on an assault charge, following an incident at the Oakland Casey’s Store. Officials say at around 11:20-p.m., a 20-year old man from Avoca called to report 19-year old Charles James Adams, of Atlantic, had allegedly punched him in the face and left the area in a white car. The vehicle, a Chevy Lumina, was located a short time later north of the store. After a traffic stop was conducted, Adams was taken into custody on a charge of Serious Assault.

And Atlantic man was arrested early Saturday morning in Pott. County, for Violation of a No Contact Order issued out of Cass County (IA). 18-year old Shay Joseph Kardell was taken into custody at around 11:15-p.m.,  following a traffic stop for having an unreadable license plate. A records check indicated Kardell had a valid Protection Order in-place for a juvenile female who was in the front seat with him.

Also arrested Friday night in Pott. County, was 32-year old Domenick Edwin Basolo, of Omaha, for OWI/1st offense. Basolo was seen by Omaha Police Helicopter “Able 1” driving east in the westbound lanes of Interstate 680 at around 10:10-p.m. He was arrested after a Deputy conducted a traffic stop.

An Oakland woman was arrested on drug charges a little after 2-a.m., Saturday, following a traffic stop for speeding and other moving violations on Highway 6, near 345th Street, in Pottawattamie County. 19-year old Nicole Paige Myers was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (a metal grinder and purple glass smoking pipe).

A woman from Ames was arrested Saturday afternoon on Interstate 80 near Council Bluffs, after a records check indicated the registered owner of the vehicle was wanted on a Des Moines Police Department warrant. 28-year old Bailly Noel Glynn was taken into custody on the warrant, and for unlawful Possession of a Prescription Drug (209 pills of Dicyclomine) in a prescription bottle. Glynn was being held in the Pott. County Jail on $5,000 bond for the warrant, and the additional drug charge.

And, a California woman was arrested on drug charges Sunday afternoon, after Pott. County Deputies were called to the outside concessions area at the Treynor High School baseball fields, for a woman who seemed distraught. The woman said she was visiting the area and had some marital issues. An investigation determined 25-year old Casey Marie Patterson, of Lancaster, CA.,  had in her possession, a small plastic bottle containing a little more than 1/2 gram of marijuana and a large glass smoking pipe. She was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following accidents that took place Friday afternoon and Sunday morning. Authorities say 18-year old Kessler Allen Tomas, of Creston, was cited for Failure to Maintain Control, after he fell asleep at the wheel of the 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix he was driving at around 1-a.m. Sunday, in Afton. The car entered a ditch and struck a culvert, causing a total of $2,200 damage.

Friday afternoon, 31-year old Teresa Rosanna Sparks, of Villisca, was traveling west on Highway 34 and lost control of the 2005 Chevy Trailblazer she was driving, due to the icy road conditions. The SUV entered the north ditch and rolled onto the driver’s side. Damage amounted to $2,500. No citations were issued.

The Glenwood Police Department reports two people were arrested this (Monday) morning. 39-year old Ross Rogers, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance, the bond for which was set at $1,000. And, 36-year old Esther White, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving While Barred and Failure to have SR-22 Insurance. Her bond was set at $3,000.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – An investigation by a state agency has concluded that Iowa’s professional licensing boards have become unaccountable to the citizens they are supposed to protect from misconduct. An Office of Ombudsman report released today (Monday), says the boards enjoy a culture of secrecy that produces “lackadaisical investigations, apathetic board members, poor documentation of deliberations, and questionable outcomes.”

The ombudsman is an independent agency that investigates complaints against state and local government. The report examined the system of 36 boards responsible for regulating trained workers, from doctors to barbers. The boards investigate complaints and can discipline or remove licensees for misconduct.

Investigators found that many boards dismiss complaints without explaining their findings or rationale, angering complainants and breeding distrust in the outcome. The report comes as lawmakers consider a bill to remove licensing requirements from several professions. The bill wouldn’t address the secrecy criticized by the report.

As tax filing deadlines approach, Iowans are being warned about a scam involving W-2 forms that targets businesses, school districts and non-profit groups. Dan Hendrickson, at the Better Business Bureau, says the criminals are disguising themselves as top executives through email, requesting information from various accounting and H-R departments.

“They’ll make a request like, ‘Hey, I need to see the W-2 forms for all of our employees. I’ll also need their Social Security numbers and their birthdates,’ and in some cases, we’ve seen people in these positions have turned over this information,” Hendrickson says. “They were thinking they were just following orders, but in fact, they were helping a scammer perpetrate a crime.”

Hendrickson says the W-2 scam first came to light in 2016. He says employers should warn members of their staff about this scam, especially since it may be taken to the next level as the presumed executive asks for a cash advance. “They have a procedure in place to verify all requests asking for sensitive information, especially wire transfers of money,” he says. “Obviously, with these kinds of things, you want to be absolutely sure they are legitimate.”

Hendrickson says criminals are focusing on consumers’ personal information because it has a potentially larger payout then credit card fraud.

(Radio Iowa)

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency is asking local fire stations and businesses in the County to move their “Fire Danger” placards into the “Moderate” category, this week. Authorities say as the snow cover disappears, the sunshine will quickly dry the vegetation, creating the potential for controlled burns to spread out of control.

Fires can start from most accidental causes, but with the exception of lightning fires in some areas, the number of starts is generally low. Fires in open-cured grassland will burn briskly and spread rapidly on windy days. Woods fires spread slowly to moderately fast. The average fire is of moderate intensity, although heavy concentrations of fuel, especially draped fuel, may burn hot. Short-distance spotting may occur, but is not persistent. Fires are not likely to become serious, and control is relatively easy. The color code is blue.

The next Local update will be Thursday, March 2nd.

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

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