(Radio Iowa) – The Carroll County Growth Partnership is getting 200-thousand dollars from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) for a proposed first-of-its-kind rural business resource center known as HUB 712. Partnerships Executive Director, Kimberly Tiefenthaler, says HUB 712 has been in the works for quite some time, and once up and running, it will provide entrepreneurs with resources that are not readily available in areas outside larger cities. “All the entrepreneurial centers are in the middle of the state, however out here, there’s enough population, there’s enough entrepreneurship and there’s certainly enough people that have that entrepreneurial mindset and certainly people that have that an idea that needs to be developed,” she says.

The state award will be used to cover some of the initial costs of the project like outreach efforts, contract specialists, and hiring personnel. Tiefenthaler says HUB 712 will centralize resources in a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs in Carroll, Calhoun, Sac, Crawford, Shelby, Audubon, Guthrie, and Greene Counties. The Small Business Development Center is one of the partners in the project. “Advance Iowa is a partnership that we struck about a year ago, and now that we’ve got this in place the Exit Planning and also the employee Co-Op piece, that is something that we’re going to be encouraging in the business continuity piece. And then the impact callus program that is the platform that we are piloting with I-E-D-A and we will be collecting data through that program, but it is also a platform in place to assist startup businesses and existing businesses,” Tiefenthaler says.

Tiefenthaler says with the state grant in place, the project will really start to pick up speed. “We’re definitely excited and this is where the rubber meets the road and we roll up our sleeves and go work, right. We’ve been talking about it and now with a 200-thousand dollar award we can put things into motion for sure,” she says. Tiefenthaler expects to be ready for a soft launch sometime in the next few months — with a full launch planned for later this summer.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports 35-year-old Jessie Harman, of Glenwood, was arrested Tuesday. She faces charges that include Child Endangerment and Domestic Abuse Assault. Harman was being held in the Mills County Jail without bond, until seen by a magistrate.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two recent arrests and a single-vehicle rollover accident. Authorities say 26-year-old Rhiannon Irene Gilbert, of Glenwood, was arrested Monday on a warrant for Violation of No Contact Order. She was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail. And, Tuesday morning, 43-year-old Brian James Johnson, Jr., of Plattsmouth, NE, was arrested at the Douglas County, NE Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Theft in the 1st Degree. Johnson was also being held without bond.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports also, at around 5:40-p.m. Tuesday, 31-year-old Zachary Smith, of Glenwood, was driving a 2015 Jeep southbound on Hilman Road, when, according to an investigation, he attempted to turn west onto Hawley Road. The Jeep missed the turn and rolled over into a ditch on the north side of the road. Authorities say trees in the ditch held the SUV in-place until emergency services could arrive and extract him from the vehicle.

The report states that “there was a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from the vehicle.” EMS transported Smith to the UNMC in Omaha, for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, today (Wednesday), said that last Wednesday (April 19, 2023), agents with the DCI arrested Kathryn Zimmerman, of Mount Ayr, on misdemeanor warrants for False Reports to a Public Safety Official and Interference with Official Acts. Zimmerman, the former executive director of the Ringgold County Conservation Board, was charged following an investigation.

The charges stem from a December 5, 2022, incident at Poe Hollow Park when Zimmerman denied Ringgold County deputies and bomb technicians entrance to the facility to render safe an explosive device found earlier that morning. The investigation also included a criminal complaint Zimmerman made to the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office. In the complaint, Zimmerman alleged that Ringgold County Supervisor Colby Holmes struck her with his truck.

Due to conflicts of interest with the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office and the Ringgold County Attorney’s Office, the DCI was requested to join with the Adair County Attorney’s Office to investigate Zimmerman’s allegations. The DCI provided results of the investigation to the Adair County Attorney for review. Zimmerman has since posted bond.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Rescue crews were dispatched at around 9:46-a.m. today to the scene of a single-vehicle accident on I-80 eastbound, in the median. The car had crashed through the cable barrier at the 56.5-mile marker. Atlantic Fire and Rescue and Cass EMS were told to disregard a few minutes later, when authorities learned there were no injuries. Additional details were not immediately available.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, today (Wednesday) agreed to acknowledge the receipt of a Manure Management Plan (MMP) from Prestage Farms. They also approved the renewal for three-years, of a contract with Cost Advisory Services, Inc., out of Johnston. CAS prepares the Cost Allocation Reports in order for the County to obtain reimbursement for indirect costs for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services  The contract proposes for a 10-percent fee increase, from $3,000 to $3,300 per year.

Board Chair Jerry Walker…

He said CAS “Has always been wonderful to work with, and timely prepares our reports.” In other business, the Board approved for publication, a Weed Commissioner’s Notice provided by Weed Commissioner Nathan Jensen.

And, County Engineer Nick Kauffman presented an agreement for the Board to approve and Walker to sign, with regard to a Hungry Canyons Alliance Project for W15 Eureka. Hungry Canyons pays 80-percent of the project cost. The agreement was approved as presented.

Walker also signed the front page of plans for the W13 Jefferson Bridge Replacement Project, following the Board’s approval. Kauffman said they already ordered the materials following a bid letting. The materials will be available next month in order for work to begin. Nick Kauffman presented, also the Final Voucher for FY 23 Hot Melt Asphalt (HMA) Crack Sealing Project by American Paving Solutions, which was approved by the Board for Jerry Walker to sign-off on.

Kauffman then updated the Board on the Adair County Secondary Roads Department’s Maintenance and Activities. He mentioned they’ve applied for a $30-thousand dollar grant to help defray the cost of a hydro-seeder, that normally runs about $70,000.  He said HMA patch work was completed on Monday by Henningsen’s Construction on a road south of Adair. The road was in need of repair to due damage caused by MidAmerican Energy Wind Turbine trucks.

Govig Construction, he said is working on the North 33 Orient project. With materials slated to arrive, Kauffman said the project should go “Pretty quick.”  And, Kauffman said he’s waiting to hear back from Schildberg’s with regard to contract rock, which they are in the process of crushing.

April 26, 2023 – Timeshares and vacation clubs are often synonymous with high-pressure sales. With the sun out and their guard down, vacationers can quickly find themselves on the hook for a life-long commitment. And, while they are easy to get into—these contracts are incredibly difficult to escape. An investigative study by Better Business Bureau^®, Unpacking timeshare and vacation club sales, examines patterns of customer complaints, dollars spent and lost, customer reviews, related scams and more.

Key findings:

• Consumers often feel misled about the amount and frequency of fees charged for timeshare maintenance.
• Timeshares are nearly impossible to sell, positioning exit companies to offer misleading guarantees with hefty fees.
• To trick buyers, scammers copy high-pressure sales tactics used by real time share sellers.
• Impostors use the address and amenities of a timeshare or vacation club, combined with the owner’s personal information, to trick victims into paying bogus fees.

Statistics (reported to BBB about timeshare sales, vacation clubs, timeshare exit businesses and vacation related scams):

• Nearly 30,000 complaints with $32 million disputed
• Almost 10,000 negative reviews
• 1,160 BBB Scam Tracker reports with losses of $3.5 million

BBB has monitored deception in the timeshare industry and warned consumers about timeshare exit companies for nearly half a decade. But skilled sellers continue to con buyers into unfavorable deals that often worsen when desperate investors offload purchases through the timeshare exit industry. BBB urges the timeshare-related industries to self-regulate by establishing and following ethical sales practices. Timeshare companies of all types should cease high-pressure sales tactics at pitch meetings and ease restrictions for longtime, non-delinquent customers who wish to cancel their timeshare. Infographic_-_Vacation_Schemes_US_1[135744]

BBB tips for anyone considering a timeshare or exit company:

• Extensively research timeshare properties, vacation clubs or exit companies and thoroughly read contracts for language about lifetime commitment, heirs’ obligations, maintenance fee increases or guarantees.
• Beware of misleading or high-pressure sales tactics. If you feel like someone is trying to push you into a deal, walk away.
• To sell a timeshare, contact the resort directly and see if they have a resale or buyback program.
• Be realistic about what you can get for your timeshare. Most of these contracts are not investments and may return considerably less than you paid.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it is. There are deals to be found on travel, but scammers know consumers want to save money and take advantage of them.
• Be wary of paying timeshare exit companies all fees upfront until services are rendered.

Visit BBB.org to check out a business or register a complaint, BBB Scam Tracker^SM to report a scam and bbb.org/travel for more travel tips.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report five separate arrests took place Tuesday.

• At around 1:30-p.m., 31-year-old Dalton James Cormeny, of Creston, was arrested in the 800 Block of N. Division. Cormeny was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Flow of Air/Blood. He was taken to Union County Jail and later posted a $2,000 bond before being released.
• About 90-minutes later, 40-year-old Mark Anthony Weems, Jr., of Creston, was arrested for two-counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree. His bond was set at $10,000.
• At around 3:15-p.m. Tuesday, Creston Police arrested 32-year-oldTrevor Forrest Kinkade (no known address), in the 600 Block of N. Sycamore. Kinkade was charged with Criminal Mischief 5th Degree. He was later released on a $300 bond. At about the same time, 35-year-old James Leroy Jones, of Creston, was arrested for Theft 5th Degree. Jones was cited and released on a Promise to Appear.
• And, a little after 5:15-p.m. Tuesday, 20-year-old Chase McClain Parascando, of Creston, was arrested for Operating While Under the Influence/1st Offense. Parascando was taken to Union County Jail, posted a $1,000 bond, and was released.

(Radio Iowa) – The U-S Small Business Administration (SBA) has granted the governor’s request to provide assistance in the form of low-interest disaster loans for eight counties impacted by the March 31st tornadoes. Homeowners, renters, businesses, and most nonprofit organizations in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Linn, Louisa, Muscatine, and Washington counties, whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster, will be able to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the S-B-A.

Small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, and most private, nonprofit organizations impacted by the severe weather will be eligible to apply for working capital loans.

(Radio Iowa) – Gamblers in Iowa wagered 232 million dollars in March, which was around one million dollars below March of last year. Racing and Gaming Administrator Brian Ohorilko says that was still much better than what the recent trend. “The sports industry in Iowa had been trending lower every month, year over year, since September of 2022. And so, essentially, that was six consecutive months of lower handle from the previous year,” Ohorilko says. He says there were concerns the trend would lead to a bigger year-to-year difference in the March betting, but the difference ended up not being that significant.

“I think many people in the industry here in Iowa, we’re happy to see that. It is quite possible that some of those bumps were due to the local interest in March. March Madness really kind of drives that that month in terms of sports wagering handle,” he says. Ohorilko says the market appears to be leveling off after the early rush to get operating, and lots of incentives to get people to sign up. “We’re to a period of time where I think the market will become more predictable in this state, the number of operators are leveling off,” Ohorilko says. “We’re not seeing a lot of new companies applying for licenses. In fact, we’re actually seeing a bit of consolidation in the market for a number of companies.” March is the last big betting period for the current sports gambling fiscal year that ends in June. Ohorilko says the next fiscal year that starts in July will let them know more about where sports gambling is headed.

“You know, next year will be pretty telling but we we certainly saw a decline in handle this football season. And now we’re starting to kind of see some leveling off of the market, and that is what I would expect, as we head into the summer and into football season here in 2023,” Ohorilko says. Sports betting began in Iowa in August of 2019.