IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – After Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation leaders summoned an agent to Des Moines to be fired, they mistakenly allowed him to drive two hours home in a state car equipped with a shotgun.  One workplace safety consultant says it was a stupid blunder that created serious security and liability concerns and showed a lack of respect for the employee.  Department of Public Safety spokesman Scott Bright calls it an oversight that won’t be repeated.

Division officials ordered Council Bluffs-based agent Andrew Harrelson to a meeting at their Des Moines headquarters on Feb. 6 to be fired. Harrelson drove a state vehicle equipped with a Remington 870 shotgun. Bright says administrators wrongly assumed Harrelson had driven a personal vehicle and didn’t know until later he drove the state car home.

An Iowa State University professor was among the 11 people arrested this week in a prostitution sting. Ankeny Police made the arrests at a hotel on Wednesday after posting an ad on an adult website. All 11 people were charged with prostitution, including 54-year-old Michael Spurlock of Ames, who’s a professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at ISU. In a release, Ankeny Police said prostitution stings are carried out in order to focus on predators who surf the Web and may be involved in human trafficking offenses.

Prostitution is an aggravated misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in jail and a fine ranging from $625 to $6,250. Police identified those who were arrested as Erin Blue, 28, of Des Moines; Scott Daniel, 45, of Pleasant Hill; Luis Epinoza, 40, of Denver, Colorado; Chris Gilroy, 61, of Story City; Rita Gray, 45, of Des Moines; Thwang Chia Hlun, 25, of Des Moines; David Nord, 48, of Sleepy Eye, Minn.; Andrew Novak, 27, of Ames; Levi Riddick, 21, of Bloomfield; Michael Spurlock, 54, of Ames; and Sabrina Williams, 21, of Des Moines. Blue was additionally charged with interference and arrested on two outstanding warrants.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowans who are planning to fly off to visit far-flung friends or family for Thanksgiving need to get their travel dates lined up in the next week or so — if not sooner. Rose White, at Triple-A-Iowa, says many flights are filling up and prices are climbing.  “Capacity rates right now are already higher than what they were a year ago, meaning, fewer seats are available because many people have already booked their vacations,” White says. “It is important to take advantage, if you can, of at least 14-day advance reservations to obtain better price rates.”

When demand is high, like during four-day holiday weekends, the airlines know premium prices can be charged for fares. “Very few will have discounted rates unless you travel on the holiday itself,” White says. “If you travel on Thanksgiving Day, you should be able to find better rates as well as many seats available.”

White says the hardest flights to get will be on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after. Even if you book 14 or more days out, she says ticket prices are higher this November.  “They are up about 6-8% compared to a year ago, so it’s important to keep that in mind when booking your travel,” White says. “Of course, if you can book in advance, you’ll also be able to receive lower rates.”

Triple-A reports more than 3.14-million Americans flew somewhere during last year’s Thanksgiving holiday and the numbers are expected to be up this year.  

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Atlantic Community School District have scheduled a public meeting for Thursday, Nov. 14th, with regard to concepts the district is considering to address its need for more instructional space. The community meeting is intended to provide the public with information about five concepts to increase the size of its instructional facilities, and will begin at 7-p.m. Thurday, in the Commons Area at the Atlantic High School.

Participants will be encouraged to provide feedback and input to the School Board, with regard to the concepts to be presented.