TABOR, Iowa (AP) – A businessman who laced lectures to an employee with biblical references has been ordered to pay her unemployment benefits.  The Des Moines Register says a state judge has ruled against Tyler Stille, owner of Tabor Market & Deli in southwest Iowa.

Sherri Chafin says she quit in January 2012 after he preached to her about the wisdom of King Solomon and questioned her lifestyle. She filed for unemployment pay.  Stille says his employees all knew before they were hired that faith is an integral part of his business.

Administrative Law Judge Julie Elder sided with Chafin, finding that Stille’s conduct was, at best, “inappropriate, unacceptable and unprofessional” and had created an intolerable work environment.

One of the region’s largest food banks is bracing for higher demand after federal benefits were cut earlier this month to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Susan Ogborn, president of the Food Bank for the Heartland, says some 420-thousand Iowans receive SNAP benefits which have been trimmed back to 2009 levels.  “When people can’t stretch their food stamps and their personal budgets out across the entire month, they use pantries as support,” Ogborn says.

SNAP benefits were increased by 13-percent about four years ago due to the recession. That extension was only temporary and now SNAP cash cards are being cut by about 11-dollars a month, per person.  “What we believe is, they will use pantries more quickly and more often now as they notice the changes in their food stamp benefits.”

Statewide, the federal government is now sending about 43-million fewer dollars to Iowa for food assistance. Ogborn expects a serious strain on food banks. “That will be on top of the fact that October was our largest distribution month ever,” Ogborn says. “We are starting from a very high level of need and unfortunately, it looks as though it will be going higher.”

The Omaha-based Food Bank for the Heartland helps stock the shelves at 285 pantries, shelters and soup kitchens in Nebraska and western Iowa. In Iowa, about 13-percent of the population receives SNAP benefits.

(Radio Iowa)

Authorities in western Iowa and Nebraska are repeating a warning issued earlier, about phone scams involving so-called Microsoft technicians. The Fremont County (Iowa) Sheriff’s Office says it’s received several reports from citizens about calls from someone claiming to be from Microsoft Tech Support. The caller asked for the potential victims’ account information, but none of the persons receiving those calls complied with the request.

Authorities say if you give the caller your personal information, they can access remotely your information on the computer, including passwords and banking information. The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office Tuesday, also issued and alert to citizens about the same scam. A.G. John Bruning said his office had received six complaints over the past 30-days about Microsoft Technician phone scammers.

The scam works when someone posing as a Microsoft or other legitimate support group (Such as Dell, McAfee or Norton) claim an imminent security threat exists on your computer. Callers may directed the consumer to the utility areas of their computers (such as the system log), to demonstrate how the computer is “Infected.” They will then request to “verify” your information so they can help correct the problem. They sometimes also offer software for downloading to update your current system. The unknowing consumer may then be routed to a dummy website which allows scammers to remotely access your computer, and gain access to your accounts.

ANTHON, Iowa (AP) — The Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office says a suspected pipe bomb was found near a water tower in the western Iowa city of Anthon. The Sioux City Journal reports someone found the bomb Tuesday afternoon and brought it to Anthon City Hall. Sheriff’s office Maj. Greg Stallman says after the person brought the pipe bomb to City Hall, authorities established a perimeter around the building.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also were called. Stallman says authorities used a fire marshal’s device to move the explosive to a secluded area, where it was “disrupted.” Stallman says it sounded like a shotgun blast when the pipe bomb was detonated.

Authorities continue to investigate the matter. Anthon is about 25 miles east of Sioux City.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press