Emergency Management officials in Mills County have implemented a ban on open burning. See the following press release:

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that would ban Iowa motorists from having a phone or electronic device in their hands while driving has cleared a key senate committee, but Speaker Pat Grassley says he hasn’t polled the 64 Republicans in the House about the concept.  “With 24 new members, I just genuinely don’t know what the overall feel is,” Grassley says. “In the past, we haven’t had the level of support needed.”

The bill has been introduced in the legislature for more than a dozen years, but has never become law. The Senate Transportation Committee endorsed it last week. Senator Claire Celsi, a Democrat from Des Moines, used to oppose the law, but she says there are now plenty of inexpensive devices available to let drivers switch their cells to “hands free” mode. “My brother’s a fireman,” Celsi says. “I can’t tell you the number of times he’s related to me the awful accidents he’s been on the scene of…the horrible things that happen when people decide to take other people’s lives by being on the phone.”

Republican Senator Adrian Dickey of Packwood supports the bill, but he says it doesn’t go far enough in addressing the distracted driving problem. “We’ve all had examples where we’re driven down the road and met a car where somebody had their dog in their lap as they’re driving…the cheeseburger in hand,” Dickey says. “There’s so many aspects of distracted driving.”

Under current law, drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using electronic devices while driving, but adult drivers are only barred from sending or reading electronic messages. Iowa law enforcement agencies say it’s difficult to enforce, as drivers claim they’re using the phone for navigation or a phone call.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs has awarded more than one million dollars in Iowa Great Places grants. Iowa Arts Council administrator David Schmitz says many of the projects selected in this round of grant funding are in rural parts of the state where there can be bigger impacts. “A lot of times we think about these projects being about preserving the past, but they’re also about the future, and, you know, signaling to a community that These places are worth investing in and keeping alive for the future,” Schmitz says.

He says an example is Cedar County officials wanting to renovate Tipton’s Hardacre Theater, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Schmitz says these projects look to make communities better places to live. He says this financial support can especially help rural parts of the state. “It’s all about communities looking at what they have, what’s authentic and local for them. I think a lot of our small and rural communities have these fantastic kind of latent assets in their community,” Schmitz says. “And this program has been really successful at helping the community and residents to identify those, and then bring them forward for funding.”

The Iowa Great Places is a ten-year designation.

(By Catherine Wheeler, Iowa Public Radio)

(Omaha, NE) – Thanks to new legal reforms, the popularity of sports betting has exploded. If you think scammers haven’t noticed, think again. BBB’s Scam Tracker is seeing reports from people who accidentally placed bets with scam sports-betting websites or apps, rather than legitimate services.

How the scam works:

You want to place a bet on an upcoming game, so you search online for a sports betting service. You find a website or app that looks trustworthy– It may even offer an enticing introductory bonus, so you can make an initial bet “risk free.”

You place a bet, and, at first, everything seems normal. But, as soon as you try to cash out your winnings, you find you can’t withdraw a cent. Scammers will make up various excuses. For example, they may claim technical issues or insist on additional identity verification. In other cases, they may require you to deposit even more money before you can withdraw your winnings. Whatever you do, you’ll never be able to get your money off the site and any personal information you shared is now in the hands of scam artists.

“I deposited money to put a wager for a sports game. I won the bet [and] attempted three times to cash out and three times it was declined. Spoke to their representative, and they needed a picture of my driver’s license, a photo of myself holding my ID, and a blank check from my bank. With all the run around I’ve been given, it prompted me to read their reviews. All horrible reviews of a scam. Called my credit card company to file a fraud report,” one victim reported to the BBB Scam Tracker.

How to avoid sports betting scams:

·         Look for an established, approved service. Look for “white-listed” sports books that have been approved by your area’s gaming commission. In the United States, ESPN has a list of where sports betting is legal.

·         Don’t fall for tempting ads. Ignore gambling-related pop-up ads, email spam, or text messages.

·         Read the fine print on incentives. Gambling sites and apps often offer incentives or bonuses to new users and around major games. But like any sales pitch, these can be deceptive. Be sure to read the fine print carefully.

·         Even legitimate sports betting sites have the right to freeze your winnings. Gambling companies can restrict user’s activity for “seeming to have an ‘unfair advantage’ or ‘irregular playing patterns,’” reports Lifehacker. Be sure to check the terms of service.

For more information:

·         Check out BBB’s tips for spotting a lookalike website and downloading apps.

·         Visit BBB.org/ScamTips to stay alert to new and commonly used scam tactics.

·         If you’ve come across a sports betting scam, report it at once to BBB Scam Tracker. Your report can help other consumers avoid falling prey to scammers’ tricks.

(Cass County, Iowa) – A reminder from Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh: The first 2023 mobile food pantry in the County takes place Wednesday, Feb. 8^th, in Atlantic. The mobile pantry will be held at the Cass County Community Center from 4-until 6-p.m.

A mobile pantry is a traveling food pantry that delivers food directly to families in need for a one-day distribution. People from surrounding towns and communities are welcome. Mobile food pantries are available free of charge. Anyone in need is welcome, and no documentation is required. Each car can take food for up to two households at a time.

Additional mobile food pantries have been scheduled for Atlantic, Massena, and Anita. It is important to note that Massena pantries require registration. (See below for details)

Anita 2023 Mobile Food Pantries
Where: Anita Food Pantry (208 Chestnut Street, Anita IA 50020)
2023 Dates: February 15, May 17, August 16, October 18
Time: 4:00-6:00 PM

Atlantic 2023 Mobile Food Pantries
Please note: Atlantic 2023 Mobile Food Pantries are being held at different locations during the school
year (Cass County Community Center) and summer months (Atlantic High School).
Time: 4:00-6:00 PM

Cass County Community Center (805 W. 10th St., Atlantic, IA 50022): February 8, April 12,
October 11
Atlantic High School (1201 E. 14th St. Atlantic, IA 50022): June 14, July 12, August 9

Massena 2023 Mobile Food Pantries
Please note: Massena pantries require registration. Boxes are limited. Registration ends the Monday
prior to the pantry date. To register for pantries in Massena, call (712) 779-3447.
Where: Southwest Iowa Egg Coop (74877 Clarke Ave. Massena, IA 50853)
2023

Dates: Feb. 8 (register by Feb. 6), April 12 (register by April 10), June 14 (register by June 12), July
12 (register by July 10), August 9 (register by Aug. 7), October 11 (register by Oct. 9)

Box pick-up time: 4:45-5:15 PM

Mobile pantry dates, times, and locations are subject to change. For the latest information on mobile
pantries in Anita and Atlantic, visit https://foodbankheartland.org/food-resources/find-food/. For the
latest information on Massena pantries, call (779) 3447.

For information on local food, farmers markets, and food access, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood.

(Des Moines, Iowa) –  State Auditor Rob Sand today issued an advisory on the delay of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) payments to eligible recipients. LIHEAP is a federally funded program administered by the Iowa Department of Human Rights. It is designed to help households at or below 200% of the 2022 federal poverty guidelines meet their heating needs.

“I have received several inquiries from Iowans who qualify for energy assistance through LIHEAP but their accounts have not been credited by their utility vendor, or they have not received their direct payment from LIHEAP,” said Sand. “We want to assure those Iowans that their heat will not be turned off in the dead of winter.”

Iowa law prohibits eligible LIHEAP customers from being disconnected from their electric or natural gas supply from November 1 through April 1 of each year, regardless of the temperature.

“We are monitoring the situation and believe LIHEAP dollars will be properly distributed and credited by April, so that no one loses heat, said Sand.

Households with additional questions about LIHEAP payments should contact the Iowa Department of Human Rights. Households interested in applying for LIHEAP should contact their local community action outreach office. Priority is given to the elderly and disabled.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports two arrests: At around 4:24-p.m., Saturday, 50-year-old Chad Leroy Benge, of Orient, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on an outside agency warrant on an original charge of Violation of a No Contact Order. Benge was being held at the Union County Jail for the remaining time left on his sentence (6 days). And, at around 10:25-p.m., Friday, Creston Police arrests 39-year-old Justin Ray Faris, of Mount Ayr, following a traffic stop at Highway 34 and Industrial Avenue, in Creston. Faris was charged with Driving While Suspended. He was cited at the scene and released.

Authorities said also, a woman residing in the 100 block of S. Park Street, in Creston, reported Friday that sometime between 11-a.m. and 3:36-p.m., Friday, someone stolen her concrete golden pig. The item was valued at $250.

(Radio Iowa) – A high-energy musical that retells and re-imagines the story of the half-dozen wives of England’s King Henry the Eighth makes its Iowa debut tomorrow (Tuesday) night. The Broadway touring production of “Six” features actress and singer Amina Faye playing the role of Jane Seymour, the third of the king’s six wives. Faye says Seymour was the only wife Henry ever really loved as she gave him the son he needed to carry on his legacy.

Amina Faye as Jane Seymour (Photos provided by Des Moines Performing Arts)

While the story is set 500 years ago, it’s what Faye calls a “reclaiming” of the historical heartbreak in a modern story of contemporary song and dance — and 21st century girl power. The hit musical features an all-woman cast and all-woman band, which Faye calls “refreshing.” “Six” runs at the Des Moines Civic Center through February 19th.

(Altoona, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa State Patrol report Troopers removed a semi tractor-trailer from service, Sunday, after they said the trailer was “nearly in pieces.” In a social media post, the state patrol says the driver was pulled over near Altoona. The driver was traveling from Omaha to Chicago to pick up a load and thought he could travel in darkness to avoid being stopped. (Photos via the ISP Facebook page)

Troopers say the driver had no logs and no explanation as to why his trailer was damaged. It is not clear if the driver was cited.