DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Finance Authority lobbyist fired for retaliating against a colleague who reported sexual harassment allegations against their boss has been awarded unemployment benefits. Administrative Law Judge Nicole Merrill ruled Monday that Wes Peterson’s conduct was “merely an isolated incident of extremely poor judgment” that didn’t disqualify him from collecting unemployment.
Peterson, the agency’s government relations director, was fired Sept. 27 following an investigation into sexual harassment by fired director Dave Jamison. The report portrayed Peterson as a Jamison sidekick who witnessed him grabbing a colleague’s breasts at a bar in 2016.

Peterson yelled at the woman during a call after Jamison was fired last March, demanding to know whether she was among those who complained to Gov. Kim Reynolds and warning he’d falsely claim he was too drunk to remember the groping. He later texted an apology, saying he feared he’d become “collateral damage.” Merrill says the evidence supports Peterson’s claim that he was calling the woman as a friend about a stressful work situation and didn’t understand his actions could be considered retaliation.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report a man found slumped over his steering wheel in Oakland was arrested for OWI/3rd or subsequent offense and Driving While Barred, Tuesday afternoon. 28-year old Jan Palubjak. of Oakland, was taken into custody just before 3-p.m., in the vicinity of Oakland Avenue and N. Highland Street, and booked into the Pott. County Jail. And, 21-year old Nicole Paige Myers, of Oakland, was arrested on drug charges at around 3:50-a.m. today (Wednesday), following a traffic stop at US Highway 6 and Pullen Avenue.  Myers was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance (a pill bottle with 12.3-grams of marijuana), Unlawful Possession of Prescription pills (3 Alprazolam pills and 1 morphine sulfate pill), and possession of drug paraphernalia (2 glass pipes).

Tuesday morning, a man being held in the Pott. County Jail on burglary and theft charges, was presented with a warrant out of Nebraska, for being a Fugitive from Justice. 26-year old Jessie LD Smith, of Omaha, was read the warrant and returned to the custody of Corrections Staff.

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — A western Iowa city council has approved returning three top employees to their jobs. Denison City Manager Terry Crawford, City Clerk Lisa Koch and Fire Chief Cory Snowgren were put on administrative leave Dec 18. The council voted Tuesday night for their return to duty Wednesday. The mayor and council members have declined to explain why the three were put on leave, saying it was a personnel matter.

The attorney for Crawford and Koch says there was miscommunication between the three employees and the mayor about a piece of training equipment for the fire department. Mayor Jared Beymer says the investigation isn’t finished yet.

A man from Creston reported to Police, Sunday, that sometime overnight Saturday-into-Sunday, someone caused an estimated $300 damage to his truck. The tailgate of the vehicle had been vandalized with spray paint, while the truck was parked at the man’s residence in the 300 block of N. Maple Street. No arrests have been reported.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Mason City man accused of sexually assaulting two of his caretaker clients has been sentenced to four years in prison. Cerro Gordo County District Court records say 19-year-old Wasfie Alshara was sentenced Monday. He’d pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. Prosecutors lowered the charges of felony sexual abuse in exchange for Alshara’s pleas. Alshara also must register as a sex offender.

The court records say Alshara raped one of his dependent adult clients on Nov. 21, 2017, and sexually assaulted the other in a group home on June 8, 2018.