Red Oak Police report the arrest today (Tuesday), of a man wanted on a warrant for Probation Violation. 30-year old Joshua Kenneth Wolcott, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 10:30-a.m., at 106 W. Coolbaugh Street. Wolcott was transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where his Cash bond was set at $2,000.

You may be one of the thousands of Iowans who are taking advantage of lower ticket prices to fly to see relatives for Thanksgiving. The executive director of the Des Moines Airport Authority, Kevin Foley, says you may find some new rules when you get to the airport. “The requirements for removing all electronics for example — that requirement just came about here in the last four to six weeks — so, if you haven’t traveled for awhile, there may be some new requirements,” Foley says.  The electronics requirement is pretty simple.”Anything that’s larger than a cellphone will now have to be pulled out of your bag,” Foley says.

He says you can put those devices on top of your carry-on luggage as you prepare to go through the T-S-A screening. He says the easiest way to find out all you need to know is to go online and review the rules. “The best way is to while you’re packing to check the T-S-A website,” Foley says. “Remember if you don’t have pre-check or global entry and you are going through the normal screening lanes — remember the three-one-one rule. That’s three-point-four fluid ounces max in any one container into a one quart ziplock bag, and one bag per passenger.”

Some people combine the Thanksgiving trip with a Christmas celebration. If that’s what you’re doing, DO NOT wrap any presents before you get to the airport. “T-S-A may have to unwrap ’em if you do, so the best way to get through screening if you are taking gifts is to leave them unwrapped,” Foley says. “You can take the wrapping paper with you and you can wrap them when you get through screening or just wrap them when you get to your destination.” One other key is to remember that it is one of the busiest travel times of the year and you may have to wait in line sometimes.”Understand that the frontline airline employees want to get you to your destination as bad as you want to get there, and they are under restriction. They often times can’t bend policy,” Foley explains.

Wednesday is one of the busiest travel days — but Foley says nothing will top Sunday. “Going to Thanksgiving celebrations is spread out between Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Some of them left last Saturday and took the entire week off,” he says, “but everyone will come home on Sunday.” Foley says the good news right now is the weather forecast isn’t showing any concerns of major problems for travelers through the weekend.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Senate’s Republican leader is changing course, announcing he WILL — by the end of the week — release a report on the internal investigation into alleged sexual harassment of the employees he supervises. Senate G-O-P Leader Bill Dix also has dropped plans to pay an “outside organization” for advice on human resources issues. A former lawmaker who once led the H-R department of the state’s largest insurance company has volunteered to offer Dix her counsel for free. Governor Kim Reynolds says former Iowa Senate President Mary Kramer — who’s also a former U.S. Ambassador — is a “good choice.” “I think it’s really positive steps in the right direction and I want to commend him on that,” Reynolds says.

Last week, the Republican governor and Republican House Speaker Linda Upmeyer called on Dix to release any details about sexual harassment in the Senate G-O-P’s office that were not revealed during a recent trial. Former Senate G-O-P communications director Kirsten Anderson and three people who still work for Dix testified about a “toxic work environment,” but Dix last week said the investigation of that environment should be kept secret because there was an “expectation of privacy” for senate employees. Dix today (Tuesday) has also agreed to “reengage” with Upmeyer, the top Republican in the legislature, on the hiring of an H-R manager for the legislature. The governor says she “appreciates” Dix making these changes. “That’s a step in the right direction,” Reynolds says. “I think releasing the information this Friday is a step in the right direction.”

Reynolds has talked privately with Dix about these issues, but the governor told reporters she has not seen or read the report Dix plans to make public. Dix released a written statement this (Tuesday) morning, saying he’s bringing Kramer in as a volunteer advisor to assist in efforts “to improve the workplace culture.” Kramer released a written statement, too, saying she was dismayed to watch the situation in the senate unfold and she has concluded “there is serious need for culture reform in the Iowa Senate.”

(Radio Iowa)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say five more people from the Dubuque area have pleaded guilty to participation in a phone call scam. The five entered the pleas over the past week in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids to one count of wire fraud. Prosecutors said in a news release Tuesday that the five are 34-year-old Paul Chase, 20-year-old Morgan Cornell, 23-year-old Payton McCarville, 32-year-old Tiffany Reynolds and 21-year-old Joshua Willis. Sentencing dates have not been set yet.

Prosecutors say the scheme consisted of phone calls to elderly people across the country, telling victims that relatives were jailed and that money should be wired to free them. All five admitted picking up the wire transfers. Earlier this year five other people pleaded guilty in Cedar Rapids to similar or related charges.

Members of the Griswold School Board, Monday evening, acted on personnel changes. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said there was one new hire. Steve Vance was hired as Assistant High School Wrestling Coach. They accepted the resignation of Ashley Cibic as Elementary School Para-Professional, and Troy Quick as Midle School/High School PE Teacher and Coach. The changes are effective at the end of the current school year.

The Griswold School Board also received updates from KPE and Estes, the two firms helping with the District’s building projects. The timeline for the projects include: a pre-bid meeting 3:30-p.m. on Dec. 5th; Bid openings on Dec. 21st at 2-p.m., and consideration of the approval of bids contracts by the Board on Jan.15th. Construction would begin as soon as the weather allows. And, the Griswold Board had asked for bids on either a Suburban and/or a van. They received two bids back on the potential purchase Suburban, but none on the van. Since the District may need an additional vehicle to transported Special Education Students, and since Suburbans cost more than a van, the Board instructed Henrichs to approach other dealerships and send out another request for bids, especially with regard to vans. With the bidding process, Henrichs said they gave the dealers the option of trade-in allowance for the van the District is trying to sell, but they did not received any outright bids to buy it. That process will also start anew.

Last Summer, the District’s sign was damaged during a storm. The District has since received an insurance payment amounting to $3,200 for a replacement. Henrichs said the Board wants to hear from some sign manufacturers during their next meeting, to learn more about what’s available, what the restrictions are, and related issues.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Student veterans from Nebraska and Iowa have joined together in a nine-day march to raise awareness of veteran suicide ahead of a football game between the two universities. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the student veteran organizations at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Iowa organized the 347-mile march from Iowa City, Iowa to Lincoln, Nebraska. The march started Wednesday and will conclude Thursday, just before Friday’s football game. They passed through Atlantic, Monday.

The groups hope to bring attention to the problem of veteran suicide. Studies show that about 20 veterans die by suicide every day. This is the second year the groups have marched. Veterans march about 20 miles every morning and afternoon while carrying 20 pound (more than 9 kilogram) backpacks with their personal belongings.