DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have arrested an Ankeny woman accused of faking pregnancy to trick an Iowa couple into giving her money. The Ankeny Police Department says 29-year-old Tracy Leann Bess-Thacker was charged Friday with fourth-degree theft after prospective adoptive parents from Dewitt, Iowa, claim she accepted $200 from them when she wasn’t pregnant.

According to a news release, Bess had signed onto Life Long Adoptions, an agency that connects birth mothers with potential parents. Detectives say Bess wasn’t pregnant during this scam, but that she used information from a prior pregnancy to con people into offering her financial support. Police say Bess previously used a similar scam in multiple states, including Nebraska.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Senate panel has approved a bill that would add fine arts to Iowa’s mandated education curriculum for K-12 students, though lawmakers expressed concern about its potential costs. An education subcommittee approved the bill Monday. It now heads to a full committee, where it would need approval by Friday to survive a procedural legislative deadline.

The bill would add music, theater, visual art and other fine arts to the Iowa Core, the state’s mandated academic standards. Sen. Herman Quirmbach, who sponsored the bill, says it would properly recognize fine arts. He questioned an analysis by the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency, which determined it could cost a school district up to $100,000 to implement the bill.

Lawmakers say they need more financial analysis to pass the bill out of committee.

If you received a text message today on your electronic device saying your “Check/Card-is SUSPENDED! Please respond,” DO NOT RESPOND OR ACCESS THE WEBSITE THE TEXT THE MESSAGE REFERENCES!

This is the message many people have received via text. DO NOT click on or access the fake website.

It is an attempt by scammers to gain access to your personal information. Numerous individuals in Atlantic have received the text, including KJAN News Director Ric Hanson, County officials and law enforcement personnel. The Atlantic Police Department has confirmed with officials at Wells, the message is an attempt to scam those who receive it. Even persons who do not have an account with Wells Fargo, have been receiving the text message.

The text message gives a web site address to respond to that appears to be from Wells Fargo, but it IS NOT.  Again, do not respond to this text message or access the website given. If you have any questions about your account, call Wells Fargo directly or stop by your local branch.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two Pottawattamie County residents were arrested Saturday on drug charges, following a traffic stop. 21-year old William Dunlap, Jr.,  of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody on charges of OWI 1st Offense, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Driving Under Suspension. And 20-year old Robyn Lynn Spitler, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance. Both were taken to the Cass County Jail. Spitler was released the following day on $1000 bond; Dunlap was released later the following day on his own recognizance.

Starting today (Monday), fans of Travel Iowa on Facebook can cast their vote to determine the best pie in Iowa. Through Thursday, March 5, two pies will face off head-to-head in the “Tasty Eight” round. The slices receiving the most votes in each matchup will move on to the Final Four round, which starts Tuesday, March 10. The top two pies from those competitions will face off in the championship round to determine the best pie in Iowa. The winning slice will be announced on Saturday, March 14 – or Pi Day, mathematically speaking.

Although there will only be one ultimate pie champion, everyone who votes also wins. The winning restaurant will provide a special offer to each participant.  Competing pies and restaurants include:
· Triple Fruit Pie, Picket Fence Café, Guttenberg
· Peanut Butter Pie, The Sanctuary, Shenandoah
· Coconut Cream Pie, Coffee Cup Café, Sully
· Sour Cream Raisin Pie, Country Junction, Dyersville
· Chocolate Cream Pie, Cronk’s Café, Denison
· Cherry Pie, Crouse Café, Indianola
· Lemon Meringue Pie, O’Farrell Sisters, Okoboji
· Rhubarb Custard with Streusel Topping, Ox Yoke Inn, Amana

Tourism in Iowa generates more than $7.75 billion in expenditures, employs 65,400 people statewide and generates $353.9 million in state taxes.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Two Iowa lawmakers plan to introduce a bill that would change state law and keep confidential the identities of those who own permits to carry firearms. The Des Moines Register reports that the proposal is aimed at preventing the release of any information that could link a person to his or her gun permit, including names, addresses and dates of birth. Current Iowa law allows public access to such permit records.

Sen. Steve Sodders, a State Center Democrat, says it’s unnecessary for people to know if others have guns in their homes. He says the public would still have access to general statistics, like the number of firearms purchased each month. Rep. Matt Windschitl, a Republican from Missouri Valley, says lawmakers are still working out the legislation’s details.