Iowans are warned to be cautious as they donate any dollars to relief efforts following last weekend’s devastating earthquake in Nepal. Bill Brauch, director of the Consumer Protection Division at the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, says he hasn’t heard of any scams in the state -yet- that involve Nepal relief, but it’s likely some will crop up in the coming days. “Don’t respond to phone calls asking for donations or pop-ups on the computer or emails that come out of the blue or text messages,” Brauch says.

“Do a little research on your own. We recommend folks go to Charity Navigator. It’s a website that evaluates charities and they have some very solid recommendations.” Millions of people were impacted by the seven-point-eight magnitude earthquake, including tens of thousands left homeless, six-thousand injured and at least five-thousand dead. One report estimates the death toll may reach ten-thousand.

After cataclysmic events like this, Brauch says Iowans want to help and they’ll often stick with agencies they know, which is fine. “Certainly, the Red Cross is one of the best places to go,” Brauch says. “There’s a group called United States Fund for UNICEF. There’s another called World Help. Direct Relief is another entity that will be helping under these circumstances.”

In addition to avoiding unsolicited pop-ups, phone calls, emails and texts, Brauch says to be very wary of anyone who claims to be collecting clothing to send to Nepal. “The ability to get anything to the victims is extremely limited right now and you really want to focus on giving dollars to trusted organizations,” Brauch says. “They’ll get more bang for the buck. They’ll be able to go out and buy more food and drinking water and other supplies that folks are going to need.”

When making a donation, make sure the charity has a secure website so your personal banking information isn’t compromised. Also, be sure you’re on the real charity’s website, not a fake site that uses the non-profit’s logo but with a name that’s slightly different.

(Radio Iowa)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The mother of a 10-year-old eastern Iowa girl whose abduction prompted an Amber Alert last month has pleaded guilty to felony and misdemeanor child endangerment charges. Forty-four-year-old Shelly Johns entered a guilty plea April 21. Criminal complaints allege Johns burned her daughter in the face with a cigarette, smacked and kicked her and pulled her hair. Police also claim she kept drugs inside the house where she lived with the girl and used them in her presence. Her husband, 48-year-old Kenneth Johns, is accused of abducting the girl from a Solon home in early March.

CHEROKEE, Iowa (AP) — A former Cherokee teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a student has been arrested following a two-year investigation. Police arrested 32-year-old Chad Osler, of Manchester, on Monday and charged him with two counts of sexual exploitation by a school employee and one count of lascivious conduct with a minor. Kristen Rickey, superintendent of West Delaware Community School District where Osler is currently employed, says Osler has been placed on paid administrative leave. Cherokee Community School District Superintendent John Chalstrom says Osler resigned in 2013. He was previously the district’s physical education teacher.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two men have been rescued after their rubber raft became stuck on a river dam in Mason City. Police, firefighters and medics were dispatched to the Winnebago River dam around 3:30 p.m. Monday. Authorities say 26-year-old Rusty Thorngren and 45-year-old Marc Ciska were cited for public intoxication

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Staffers in the Iowa Legislature are starting some of the tasks associated with adjourning the session, even though lawmakers are not close to concluding the budget process. Friday will mark the last day for lawmakers to receive daily expense payments, as well as the final day of work for many clerks and pages in the part-time Legislature. But lawmakers in the Democratic-majority Senate and Republican-controlled House have not reached a compromise deal on the state budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say more than $40,000 in equipment has been stolen from a Waterloo welding supply company. A Superior Welding employee discovered $40,000 to $50,000 worth of equipment missing. Items stolen include cutting tools, helmets, copper and more. No arrests have been made in the case, which remains under investigation.

A former Marine unit has returned to Ho Chi Minh City for a ceremony tonight (Wednesday) honoring the last two Americans, including an Iowan, to die in the Vietnam War.

Darwin Judge

Darwin Judge, from Marshalltown, and fellow Marine Charles McMahon were killed by enemy fire 40 years ago today. A bronze and granite memorial will be dedicated on the grounds of the old U.S. Embassy. Douglas Potratz, who was part of the Embassy Guard unit with Judge and McMahon, is leading the delegation.

“If we memorialize the last two to die, put it in a plaque and put it in that compound where they worked at one time, I think it’s a fitting tribute for them and all the other servicemen who served in that country and died in that country,” Potratz said. Potratz is with the Fall of Saigon Marines Association. He calls Darwin Judge his “hero,” as Judge made sure Potratz’s wife and then-three-year-old daughter were safely boarded on a plane that shipped them out of Saigon.

(Radio Iowa)