DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A top budget official for Gov. Terry Branstad has released details about $11.5 million in cuts that will help close a mid-year budget shortfall. The Iowa Legislature passed a budget bill earlier this year that included roughly $117 million in cuts to cover the shortfall. David Roederer, with the Iowa Department of Management, indicated at the time that $11.5 million of that amount would come from unspecified cuts to operational expenses, such as supplies and equipment purchases.

Roederer said in a Friday afternoon news release that the $11.5 million in cuts would include an additional $2.7 million in reductions to Iowa’s three public universities and about $1.7 million to community colleges. Lawmakers had already ordered the schools to cut $21 million from the current budget, which began last July.

A collision between a school bus and a car Thursday afternoon in Union County resulted in injuries to an Adair County man. The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a Creston Community School District 2004 Blue Bird Bus driven by 78-year old James Wardlow, of Creston, was traveling east on 150th Street at around 4:40-p.m. and had stopped at the stop sign at the intersection with U-S Highway 25. After looking both directions, he failed to see a northbound 2008 Pontiac Grand Am, driven by 49-year old Rodney Carroll, of Greenfield.

When the bus proceeded into the intersection to cross Highway 25, it was struck by the car. Carroll suffered suspected, minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston. Damage to his car was estimated at $4,500. Damage to the bus was estimated at $3,500. Authorities say Wardlow was cited for Failure to Yield upon entering a through highway.

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund recently donated $500 to the Kiwanis Club for their annual bike helmet project. Fund spokesperson Melanie Petty said “Each year the Kiwanis Club give each 3rd grader a bicycle helmet. We are happy to support a project that not only puts a smile on children’s faces but keeps them safe while they are enjoying the outdoors.”

Grant Petty is presenting the check to Deb Schuler of Kiwanis.

Iowans are being warned about a puppy scam that cost an Omaha-Council Bluffs woman several hundred dollars. Free Yorkie pups were being offered in an online ad, free except for the transportation costs. Pam Wiese, with the Nebraska Humane Society, says this kind of thing happens all too often.

“It was a scam where somebody put some money down on a puppy and then the puppy wasn’t actually a puppy,” Wiese says. “Buyer beware, that’s what we advise people, whether you are buying a dog from a reputable breeder, whether you are looking at an animal from a rescue or a shelter.” In this case, the woman received pictures from a man claiming to own the puppies. He requested she send money, in excess of 500-dollars, for transportation costs. She complied, but never received the dog and the seller has vanished.

Wiese says there are several red flags in the scenario. “A sight-unseen amount of money down for a puppy that you may or may not bond with might not be the best idea,” Wiese says. “Go to where the puppies are. Play with them. Depending on which one tugs at your heart, that will be the one that you wish to take home. You may not get that simply looking at them online.” Investing in a pet shouldn’t be taken lightly, she says, and likely shouldn’t be done exclusively online.

“You’ll want to see the animal itself and see if you bond with it,” she says. “If you’re going the breeder route, you want to make sure they’re responsible and that they’re doing it appropriately. The best way to do that is to actually visit the facility instead of simply sending in money.” Check out the conditions and make sure you’re not perpetuating a “puppy mill” scenario. She says legitimate breeders typically have no problem with potential buyers wanting to visit.

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County say a Cass County man wanted on a warrant for Harassment by personal contact/communication, was arrested Thursday afternoon in Treynor, following a traffic stop. 64-year old Duane Edwin Myers, of Griswold, was taken into custody at around 3:30-p.m., in association with ongoing alleged incidents of Harassment involving a teenage female neighbor.  While at the Pott. County Jail, Myers was also charged with Harassment in the 3rd Degree.

And, a man who was already in the Pott. County Jail, was served with a warrant Thursday afternoon for felony Escape from Custody. 23-year old Matthew Duane Baker, of Council Bluffs, remains in the Pottawattamie County Jail.

Officials with the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency say “Due to wet and heavy snow conditions in the City of Harlan, parallel parking is required in any area where the snow is windrowed. This is primarily in the downtown area of Harlan.”

Thank you for your cooperation.

Officials with the Iowa Lottery said today (Friday), players are continuing to win large prizes across the state. The latest big winner in Cass County for the calendar year 2016, was Soodsanguan Wood, of Atlantic, who won $5,000 in the Super Crossword instant scratch ticket game, with a ticket purchased at an Atlantic Casey’s store.

And, 32-year old Leo Rodriguez, Jr., of Atlantic, was the county’s latest and biggest lotto winner during the same period, winning $3,000 in the HOT LOTTO game with a ticket purchased at a Casey’s store in Atlantic.

Iowa Lottery players won a total of $221.8 million in prizes in fiscal year 2016, the latest complete year for which the lottery has records. However, there are a significant number of prizes that expire each year without being claimed. The lottery reminds its players to double-check their tickets. In fiscal year 2016, more than $1.2 million in lotto prizes expired in Iowa without being claimed.

Prize money left unclaimed after redemption deadlines goes into the lottery’s prize pools for future games and promotions, so it will be used to pay prizes, just not those particular prizes that have expired. On the lottery’s website at www.ialottery.com, there is a current list of unclaimed lotto prizes of $10,000 or more.

Claiming Prizes: Players in Iowa have up to 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes in Powerball, Mega Millions, Hot Lotto, Lucky for Life and All or Nothing. Players have up to 90 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes in Iowa’s Pick 3, Pick 4 and InstaPlay games. If the expiration date for a particular prize falls on a weekend or holiday when the lottery’s offices are closed, the winner has until the close of business on the next business day to claim the prize.

Prizes in instant-scratch and pull-tab games must be claimed within 90 days of the end of the game. Scratch-game prizes can be claimed at any Iowa Lottery retailer where the games are sold, while prizes in pull-tab games must be claimed at the location where the tickets were purchased.

Players also may visit an Iowa Lottery retailer or go to one of the lottery’s offices in Cedar Rapids, Clive, Council Bluffs, Mason City or Storm Lake to claim prizes.

Winning lotto numbers may be checked by visiting the lottery website or calling the winning numbers hotline at (515) 323-4633. They may also be checked by visiting a lottery retail outlet or calling the lottery at (515) 725-7900 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a Creston man was arrested Thursday afternoon on a Union County warrant for Probation Violation. 31-year old John David Foster was transported from the Polk County Jail and is currently being held in the Union County Jail on $5,000 bond.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 29-year old Jeffrey Scott Greene, of Pacific Junction, was arrested Thursday morning at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for violation of Iowa’s Sex Offender Registry.  Bond was set at $5,000.

And, this (Friday) morning, 45-year old Dawn Marie Barrett, of Glenwood, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Her bond was set at $2,000.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest last Sunday of 60-year old Kenneth Eugene Hoyt, of Atlantic, on a felony Possession of Methamphetamine/ 3rd or Subsequent Offense, charge. Hoyt was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond.

Last Tuesday (Feb. 21st), Cass County Deputies arrested 23-year old Lydia Renae Tobak, of Omaha, on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Tobak was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held on $3,000 bond.

And, on Wednesday, 40-year old Jonah Ryan Jones, of Anita, turned himself in to the Cass County Jail on a Sheriff’s office warrant for Domestic Abuse/2nd Offense, and Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree. Jones remains held at the Cass County Jail on $3,000 bond.