The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says attempts to scam people from their money or identities are being made again, over the phone. The Sheriff’s Office wants to remind citizens not to give any personal information over the phone. Some citizens are reporting that the IRS and Publisher’s Clearing House are calling. The IRS will not call you over the phone and ask for personal information and you are unable to win contests that you do not enter into. Please do not fall for these scams.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa City Council has approved more than $12 million in tax increment financing for a downtown development designed to revitalize and preserve the character of the Pedestrian Mall. The Gazette of Cedar Rapids reports that the council unanimously approved the financing Tuesday. The $54.4 million project involves designating buildings as historic landmarks in order to renovate and preserve them.

The move is intended to revitalize the stretch of East College Street and allow smaller businesses to move into the space. A 102-unit, nine-story multifamily building also is planned south of the existing buildings.

(Radio Iowa) – A former administrative assistant at the Webster City Area Chamber of Commerce was given a suspended prison sentence Tuesday on a charge of first-degree theft in Hamilton County District Court.  Forty-one-year-old Leah Mulholland of Webster City entered a guilty plea on December 4th, 2020 on the charge of theft. Three other charges against Mulholland including ongoing criminal conduct-influence enterprise, forgery and unauthorized use of credit cards over $1500 and under $10,000 were all dismissed by the court.

Mulholland was arrested last February following an investigation by Webster City Police related to more than $239,586.23 in improper disbursements from the Webster City Chamber of Commerce where she served as an administrative assistant for a five-year period.  It was in June of 2019 that the Webster City Police requested the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation investigate this matter at the Webster City Chamber of Commerce.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa could spend hundreds of millions of dollars to remove nitrates from drinking water over the next five years, according to a study from the Union of Concerned Scientists. The study estimates Iowa may spend as much as 333-million dollars over a half-decade to treat large and small public water systems for nitrates that come from agricultural runoff. Rebecca Boehm is a U-C-S economist and the study’s author. Boehm says, “That’s assuming that treatment occurs as it has been, in the next five years, that’s what Iowa should expect to pay overall for just operating and maintaining nitrate treatment systems in the public water systems.”

The study does not take private wells into account, as private wells are not required to be monitored for nitrates, while public water systems are. More than 200-thousand Iowans get their drinking water from private wells. Boehm says small, rural communities will incur most of the expenses because they’re closer to agricultural production. Plus, they don’t have as many people to spread out their costs over for treatment like larger, urban areas. “These systems are expensive to build,” she says, “and if they’re only serving a few people, you’re not getting your bang for your buck, compared to like a large place like Des Moines.”

The study recommends more farmers take up practices like cover crops that help reduce nitrogen runoff.

(By Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

Sheriff’s deputies in Page County, Tuesday, arrested a woman on a Page County warrant for Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree. Authorities say 33-year old Amanda Maria Carlson, of Clarinda, was arrested at her residence. She was additionally charged with Trespass, with injury or damage greater than $300.

Amanda M. Carlson

The warrant stems from an investigation conducted by the Page County Sheriff’s Office. Carlson was transported to the Page County Jail where she was being held on $2,000 bond, pending further court proceedings.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday, reported three arrests. Authorities say 45-year old Jeremy Wayne Redmond was presented with a warrant early Tuesday morning, for Contempt of Court/Violation of No Contact or Protective Order. He was already at the Pott. County Jail when the warrant was served.  Monday night, 61-year old Eddie Habte Mekasha was arrested for OWI/2nd offense, after he was observed driving in the wrong direction on I-29. And, Sunday morning, 33-year old Christopher James Watson was arrested in Avoca on a warrant for Operating Under the Influence/3rd or subsequent offense.

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

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

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The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 1,336 new positive COVID-19 cases and 62 additional deaths Wednesday. Three deaths occurred in southwest Iowa: One in each of Cass, Montgomery and Pottawattamie Counties.

As of 10 a.m., the health department reported 307,569 total cases, 270,556 total recoveries and 4,394 total deaths since the pandemic began. Positivity rates continue to decline in Iowa. The 14-day rate declined from 12% to 11.6% in the last 24 hours. The 7-day positivity rate increased slightly from 8.4% to 8.5%. State data shows 1,430,371 Iowans have been tested for COVID-19, while 3,421,017 tests have been administered.

COVID-19 hospitalizations are once again at the lowest since mid-October. There are 474 Iowans hospitalized with the virus, down from 490 the previous day. There were 85 patients admitted in the last 24 hours, up from 56 the previous day. The state reports 86 patients in intensive care and 36 patients on ventilators. In RMCC Region 4 (western/southwest Iowa hospitals), 38 are hospitalized with COVID symptoms, 12 are in an ICU, seven people were admitted, and four are currently on a ventilator.

The number of long-term care facilities reporting COVID-19 outbreaks declined from 72 to 71. The state reports 1,880 positive cases and 1,030 recoveries among residents and staff within those facilities. There have been 1,786 deaths reported in Iowa’s care facilities.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

• Cass, 1,133 cases; {+6}; 42 deaths
• Adair, 688; {+0}; 20
• Adams, 296; {+1}; 3
• Audubon, 416; {+0}; 8
• Guthrie, 1,030 {+0}; 24
• Harrison County, 1,553; {+6}; 62
• Madison County, 1,202; {+3}; 9
• Mills County, 1,364; {+2}; 16
• Montgomery, 859; {+11}; 23
• Pottawattamie County, 8,992; {+33}; 113
• Shelby County, 1032; {+12}; 26
• Union County,  1,088; {+6}; 22

Two men were arrested on separate charges, Tuesday, in Red Oak. Authorities say 66-year old Harold Arthur Hart, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 2:30-p.m. on a Fremont County warrant for Theft in the 4th degree. Hart was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on behalf of the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. And, at around 4-p.m., 33-year old Charles Randall Brown, III, of Red Oak, was arrested on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Brown was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond.