(Radio Iowa) – The groups Public Justice and the A-C-L-U of Iowa are suing Black Hawk County and the Sheriff on behalf of a Waterloo woman and others who have been forced to sign agreements requiring them to pay fees before being released from jail. A-C-L-U Attorney, Rita Bettis Austen says her client didn’t know a judge could rule on her ability to pay the fees.

“These agreements called Confessions of Judgment, result in people waving important legal protections that they would have and it allows the sheriff to garnish their wages without any right to a day in court,” she says. Bettis Austen says judges in many cases will waive the fees based on a person’s ability to pay. She says Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson is spending the fees to fund a shooting range for the enjoyment of department employees and families, including rentals of ice cream and cotton candy machines, and laser tag.

Public Justice Attorney Charles Moore says about two-thirds of counties charge fees to inmates. “In Iowa, the ability to charge these pay to state fees is discretionary. Some counties choose to charge these fees and others do not because they see how unfair it is,” Moore says. The sheriff in Black Hawk County has decided to go ahead and charge these fees at amongst the highest rates in the state 70 dollars per day.” He says the Sheriff sets the level of fees and controls everything without any check on that authority.

“In this case the sheriff pockets 300-thousand dollars a year without any court ever having reviewed the petitions,” he says. Moore says some of the money collected should not pay for things that aren’t related to jail costs. “I think that the statute is clear that it’s meant to reimburse for actual expenses that are at the jail and that’s not what’s being done here,” Moore says. Both attorneys say they are not trying to get the fees system overturned, they simply want the processed to be used fairly.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who enjoy the thrill of finding great deals at yard sales need to be wary of the potential dangers when purchasing items second-hand. Consumer protection expert Michelle Reinen says you should take special care with toys that might be unsafe, in addition to things like old cribs and used car seats.

Reinen says, “The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls products annually that could cause injury and death.” You can look up your potential purchase in an online database at Safer Products-dot-gov to see if a recall has been issued. For Iowans who might be planning to hold a garage sale, there’s always a risk of scammers trying to trick you. Reinen says there have been recent reports of people passing counterfeit bills at rummage sales.

“If you’re selling a $2 item and you’re handed a $100 bill, maybe that’s something you need to analyze a little more closely and see if you can get the $2 out of them, rather than being at risk with that $100 bill in your hand,” she says. If you think you’re being scammed, Reinen says to call local law enforcement and file a report.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report seven recent arrests:

On Monday (May 13th), at around 8-a.m., Mills County Deputies arrested 41-year-old Jennifer Lynne Kugland, of Council Bluffs, on a warrant for Harassment int eh 1st degree. Kugland taken into custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail, held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

There were two arrests Sunday, in Mills County: 50-year-old Jeffery Scott Leytham, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for  Possession of Controlled Substance and Driving Under Suspension (Bond $1,300); and, 48-year-old Jason Vaughn Young, of Silver City, was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear (Bond: $2,000).

Early Saturday morning, Mills County Deputies arrested Jose Manuel Maldonado-Santamaria, of Bellevue, NE, for OWI/1st Offense, and Interference with Official Acts (Bond: $1,000).

Last Friday, 52-year-old Scott Michael Hardman, of Malvern, was arrested for DUS (Bond $300); and 36-year-old Joshua Michael Brizendine, Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pott. County Jail on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation (Bond $10,000).

And, finally, on May 9th: 23-year-old Alberto Lopez Velazquez (No known address), was arrested for Harassment 3rd, Operating Without Certificate of Title, No Valid Drivers License, Provide Proof Financial Liability and Operate Without Registration/Plate (Bond $300).

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna reports the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors may be attending an Informational meeting to learn more about the proposed CO2 pipelines. They meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, May 14th, from 7-until 8-p.m., at the Stanton Viking Center.

Ozuna says “There is a possibility that there will be a quorum. No official county business will be acted upon during that time.”