(Radio Iowa) -The first days of the summer travel season arrive this weekend and the Iowa Department of Transportation reminds that despite it being a holiday, drivers need to obey the rules in construction zones. Pete Hjelmstad, with the D-O-T’s Mason City office, says even though work crews will likely not be in those areas this weekend, you need to obey the posted speed limits. “Those speed limits, when those signs are up, whether people are there working or not, you need to slow down to that new speed limit,” Hjelmstad says. “As long as the sign is telling you to slow down, I don’t care if it’s 3 in the morning when you are working an overnight shift and you’re driving through a work zone with nobody there, or if it’s a Saturday and there’s a lane closure and there’s nobody working, you still need to slow down to that new speed limit.”

Hjelmstad says during this Memorial Day weekend, Iowans need to slow down and focus on driving — and not other things inside the car.  “Keep the cell phones down,” he says. “We always talk about that as a distraction, but there are all kinds of other distractions in the vehicle, too, as far as from talking to your passengers, to looking in the back seat to see what the kids are doing, to playing with a navigational system or radio or whatever. Anytime you’re driving, try to leave that stuff alone, but it’s even more important when you’re driving through a work zone.”

The D-O-T’s Pete Hjelmstad says you can use the D-O-T website 511ia.org to find out about where road construction is happening. He adds, most states have their own version of that website.

ISP via Facebook

On Wednesday, the Iowa State Patrol posted on social media, a picture of a dash-mounted radar showing a vehicle was traveling 111-mph on I-35 southbound, near Van Wert. Trooper Nguyen encountered the Kansas City driver that was passing through Iowa Monday. The driver claimed they were “unaware of the speed limit”. The Patrol said ” NEWSFLASH – nowhere in the United States is the speed limit OVER 100 MPH on a roadway.”

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Dept. reports an eastern Iowa man was arrested early today (Thursday). Authorities say 44-year-old Antoinio Derone Ross, of Waterloo, was arrested at 1501 W. Adams Street. He was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance Marijuana/3rd Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Ross was taken to Union County Jail. Bail is set in the amount of $2300 cash or approved surety.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Attorney General’s office is launching a series of consumer protection presentations today (Thursday) that will visit a dozen Iowa cities over the next month. Al Perales, an investigator in the A-G’s office, says he’ll be prepared to hear consumer complaints after he outlines some of the most popular scams, like when you get a message from a supposed Facebook friend. “They tell you that they’ve been approved for a grant and you’ve been approved, too,” Perales says. “The scam is so good because you believe that it’s coming from someone that you trust, someone that you know, and of course they didn’t get a grant. They tell you that you’ve been approved and start the process of trying to scam you.”

In another popular scam, Perales says you might get a text, email or robocall from someone claiming to be with Amazon, confirming you’ve been sent a high-dollar item. “It’s telling me that it’s been shipped to Arizona and it even gives you the address,” Perales says. “And of course, I have a customer service number: ‘If this is not you, or if there’s a problem, call this number.’ When you call that number, it feels like Amazon. It sounds like Amazon. They’re very kind. They want to take care of the problem, but it’s nothing but a scheme to defraud you of your money.”

Elderly Iowans are sometimes targeted in a late-night phone call from someone claiming to be a grandchild who needs bail money, but Perales says Iowans in their teens, 20s and 30s are falling victim to con artists, too. “The younger generation is getting hit on Facebook or on Twitter,” Perales says. “The scammer will put something up, whether it’s a job opportunity or something for sale, and there’ll be a link to get more information. You press on that link and guess what? You open yourself up to get scammed.”

Perales will start the tour today in Independence. Other cities on the list include: Eldora, Monticello, Dyersville, Lake View, Grinnell, Creston, Sioux City, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Atlantic and Tama. For a full schedule, visit:
https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/newsroom/consumer-davenport-atlantic-tama-eldora-monticello-dyersville-lake-view-grinnell-creston-sioux-co?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery