Christmas was a few days ago, and the big crowds are gone from Iowa’s malls. Now would be a good time to return that ugly sweater or the toaster oven you didn’t need. Kimberly Hazen, with the Better Business Bureau, says stores aren’t required to exchange an item unless it’s defective or was wrongly advertised. “It really is up to the store’s policy to take — or not take — an item in return,” Hazen says. “They can decide if they offer a full refund, if they offer just a store credit or if they offer just an exchange.”

Stores must honor their written policies, but those might not always be clear. Some Iowa stores print those policies right on the receipt, which she says is very helpful, but most don’t. “Then you want to really hope you got a gift receipt from the person that gave you the gift,” Hazen says. “Also, making sure you don’t take the tags off and you keep the original packaging.” Consumers need to beware, Hazen says, as retailers may charge a fee to put the items back on the shelf. “A restocking fee can be as high as 25% of what you paid for the original item which can be kinda’ hefty,” she says.

If you encounter a problem at the store, consult the Better Business Bureau website at b-b-b-dot-org and enter your town in the search window.

(Radio Iowa)

Snow covered, slipper roads contributed to a two-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon, in Atlantic. The Police Department reports vehicles driven by Michael Bald and Danny Anderson, both of Atlantic, collided at around 1:25-p.m., at the intersection of 10th Street and Hospital Drive.

Officials say Bald was traveling eastbound when he lost control of his vehicle due to the road conditions. The vehicle slid and hit a SWITA bus driven by Anderson, as the bus was traveling west in its normal lane. No injuries were reported. Damage to the SWITA bus amounted to $500, while Bald’s vehicle sustained $3,000 damage. No citations were isssued.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Department reports three South Dakota residents were arrested early this (Friday) morning, on drug charges. 33-year old Florencell James, Jr., 29-year old Roseanne Weddell and 23-year old Rochelle Bordeaux, all of Sioux Falls, SD, were taken into custody at around 2:40-a.m., on Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, charges.

The trio were arrested at the Pilot Truck Stop in the 2400 block of 210^th Avenue in Fremont County, after deputies responded to investigate a reported suspicious vehicle. Each of the individuals were brought to the Fremont County Jail and held on $1,000 bond each.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following a two-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon, just south of the Audubon County Airport. Officials say 59-year old Keith Vokt, of Audubon, was traveling south on Highway 71 at around 2-p.m., and in the process of turning east onto 215th Street, when his 1996 Chevy struck a northbound 2011 Jeep, driven by 50-year old Edward Cooper, of Des Moines.

Damage from the accident amounted to $5,000. Authorities say Vokt was cited for making an Unsafe Turn.