Police, city officials and a former employer are warning the public about an alleged scam artist in Council Bluffs. According to the Daily NonPareil, 39-year old James Urso, also known as “James Fetter,” has left a trail of unhappy customers throughout the country, often times taking money up front for work he fails to complete.

James Urso, AKA “James Fetter.”

Officials in Council Bluffs say he’s likely doing the work there, to pay restitution to victims allegedly scammed elsewhere. In April, Ohio’s Attorney General announced the indictment of James Urso on felony theft charges relating to his home improvement businesses.

Urso, of Mt. Gilead, OH, operated companies under the names Help Point Restoration LLC and ZunCare Restoration LLC. The indictment alleges that in 2011 and 2012, Urso took nearly $22,000 from four homeowners for roof replacement and other repairs but failed to perform the work, deliver the materials, or provide a refund.

In December 2012, the Ohio Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Section filed a civil lawsuit against Urso and his companies, for violations of Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act. As a result of the lawsuit, Urso was ordered to pay more than $52,800 in consumer restitution and civil penalties to the state of Ohio.  On April 29th, a warrant was issued for Urso’s arrest in Ohio. The felony warrant charged him with 5th degree theft and 4th degree Theft/Theft from an Elderly person.

Urso plead guilty to the charges earlier this month. He’s scheduled to appear in an Ohio court on Oct. 2nd for a disposition hearing. He’s also been charged in Kentucky, Colorado and Oklahoma.

Anyone in the area who’s had money stolen by a contractor is asked to call police at (712) 328-5737.

The Iowa State Patrol says one person was injured during a single-vehicle accident Sunday night on Interstate 29, in Pottawattamie County. 45-year old Bruce Allen Cornwall, of St. Clairsville, OH, was transported by Lewis Township Fire and Rescue to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, after the pickup he was driving went out of control and hit a bridge guardrail.

Officials say Cornwall’s 2004 Chevy Silverado pickup was traveling north on I-29 just after 10-p.m., when the truck crossed into the left lane. Cornwall over-corrected, sending the vehicle spinning clockwise into the right lane. When the driver’s side of the vehicle hit a bridge guardrail at the 45-mile marker, Cornwall was ejected out the left side window of the pickup and landed in the east ditch. He was not wearing a seat belt.

Alcohol was found at the scene and is believed to be a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will meet Monday night (8/25), at the high school. During the work session, which begins at 7:30, the Board will discuss several matters. Among them: School Improvement plans; A review of programs at the Cass County Educational Opportunity Center (CCEOC) and the Link Center; A review of the SAM (School Administration Management) Program, and, Board and Superintendent goals.

The meeting takes place in the High School Media Center.

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Board is set to meet Monday evening (Aug. 25), at City Hall. During their 5:15-p.m. session, the Board will receive updates on the Summer Rec Program, Capital Projects, and Boy Scout Cabin. Old business includes a policy on donors and/or sponsors placing names on park buildings.

In his report to the Board, Director Roger Herring will talk about graffiti on the playground equipment at Pellett Park, and, this coming weekend’s two-day Disc Golf Tournament at Sunnyside Park. Herring says last year, people from five states were in Atlantic for the tournament, which was spearheaded by Frank Saddlemire.

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — A northwest Iowa firm is prospering by creating concrete security barriers for government buildings and other projects. The Sioux City Journal reports Petersen Manufacturing’s custom-made concrete planters and benches help keep office buildings and theme parks nationwide safe.

The company began nearly 101 years ago when founder L.T. Petersen invented an automatic livestock watering appliance that was popular with farmers and feedlots. During the farm crisis of the 1980s, the company developed more picnic tables, benches and planters. Those products helped make the company a preferred supplier of concrete security products after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Sales manager Paul Schumacher says the company has developed ways to make the concrete barriers more attractive. And in recent years, there has been renewed interest in the company’s livestock waterers.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Sunday, issued a statement on the discovery of a central Iowa man’s body Saturday morning. Authorities say on August 23rd,, at 10:07am, Clive Police and EMS were dispatched to an unresponsive male lying on the ground on the south side of 7930 University Avenue adjacent to the Greenbelt Recreational Trail. Responding emergency personnel determined that the male was deceased. The first responding officers noted suspicious circumstances around the body and called in investigators.

The Clive Police Department requested the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to assist with the investigation. The victim is identified as 21-year old Zachary Michael Paulsen,  of Clive. Paulsen was found near a business owned by his family. An autopsy will be performed by the Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office on Monday, August 2th5, to determine the cause and manner of his death.

A joint investigative effort between the Clive Police Department and the DCI is ongoing. Anyone with any information on the activities of Zachary Paulsen on August 22 to 23, or any other information in this case, is asked to contact the Clive Police Department at 515-278-1312 (business hours) or at 515-222-3321 (Westcom Dispatch 24/7).

Two people were arrested on separate charges Saturday night. Deputies in Montgomery County arrested 41-year old Jason Eugene Steiner, of Villisca, at around 9-p.m.   Steiner was taken into custody on an Adams County warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. The warrant was the result of an incident that happened on August 17th. Steiner was turned over to Adams County authorities and held on $2,000 bond in the Adams County Jail.

And, at around 7-p.m. Saturday, Red Oak Police arrested 31-year old Joseph Aaron Nelson, of Red Oak. His arrest followed a call about an alleged violation of a No Trespass order. When officers arrived, they found Nelson inside the residence, and determined there was a valid No Trespass order filed against Nelson by the owner of the residence last April.

Nelson was transported to the Montgomery County Jail on the Trespass charge, and held on $300 cash bond.

Two teenaged girls died and a male teenager was injured during a collision early Saturday morning on the Sac/Carroll County line. The Iowa State Patrol identified the fatalities as 16-year old’s Bailey Jacobsen and Lindsey Quick, both of Wall Lake.  Both teens were pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials say Jacobsen was driving a 2009 Chevy Impala was hit by a 1996 Dodge Ram pickup driven by 17-year old Trevor Feauto, of Lake View. Feauto was injured and transported to a local hospital.

The accident happened at around 1:15-a.m. at the intersection of 100th Street and Birch Avenue (in Carroll County) and 400th Street & Otter Avenue (In Sac County). Officers arriving on the scene found the pickup on its side in the north ditch, while the Impala, which was occupied by the two females, came to rest in a soybean field on the northwest side of the intersection.

An investigation determined the Impala, driven by Jacobsen, was traveling north on Birch Avenue, while the pickup was traveling west on 400th St/100th Steet. The pickup struck the passenger side of the Impala, causing the vehicles to skid into the opposite ditches.

The accident remains under investigation by the State Patrol, Sac and Carroll County Sheriff’s Departments. Assisting at the scene, were personnel from Breda Fire & Rescue, Wall Lake Ambulance, The Carroll County Medical Examiner’s Office, and others.

ADEL, Iowa (AP) — A boil order has been lifted for the central Iowa city of Adel. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says water bacteria samples taken have tested clean. The boil order was issued on Aug. 20, after the city lost electrical service.

The loss of electricity created a pressure loss in the city’s distribution system. Without pressure, there’s a potential for bacteria to enter the water system.