A report from the Iowa Association of Realtors shows the number of homes listed for sale dropped by more than 11 percent in January compared to one year ago. But association president, Krista Clark, says listings were up compared to December.

Rising interest rates help slow things down in the housing market — but they appear to have leveled out.

Clark says you have to understand that rates had been at historic lows.

Clark says the slowdown in the market was a good thing.

Clark says she is optimistic about spring after weathering the slowdown.

The days on the market increased to 48 days in January, compared to 38 days last month and 40 days in January last year. Median sales prices increased four-point-seven percent compared to last January and were 190-thousand-500 dollars. Clark is a realtor in Newton.

The Atlantic Community School Board’s meeting and public hearing that was scheduled for Monday night has been cancelled due to inclement weather.  The meeting will be rescheduled for a a later date.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Diamond Cook, age 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 16, 2023, to 48 months in prison following his plea of guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. After he is released from prison, Cook will serve three years of supervised release.

On February 24, 2022, a Fremont County Deputy stopped a car on Interstate 29 for not displaying registration and a nonworking brake light. The deputy could smell marijuana coming from the car. Cook was a passenger and lied about his name. During a search of the car, law enforcement located a loaded handgun. Cook is prohibited from having any firearms because he is a convicted felon.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Fremont Cunty Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

DES MOINES, IA – A Dallas Center woman was sentenced on February 14, 2023, to 18 months in prison for wire fraud.

According to court documents, Jordyn Darion Culp, age 28, stole $273,698 from the Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program. From approximately October 2019 to September 2021, Culp accessed FEGLI trust accounts through her employment and fraudulently transferred money from the FEGLI accounts to her personal bank account. Using the funds, Culp purchased a motorcycle, motorhome, and cargo trailer which were forfeited. Culp posted TikTok videos discussing her purchases. Culp was ordered to pay restitution and after her prison sentence she will serve three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau investigated the case.

Photo courtesy of the Polk County Jail.

Des Moines – Andrew Thomas Ellis, age 30, of Des Moines pled guilty on February 16, 2023, to one count Presenting False Information (Class D Felony) following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau.

The charges against Ellis stemmed from an investigation which began in June 2022.  According to criminal complaints filed by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, Ellis filed a false report to the Des Moines Police Department, claiming theft of personal property.  Ellis then provided false statements to an insurer in connection with a personal property insurance claim in an attempt to receive loss claim benefits he would otherwise not be entitled to.  Ellis was arrested on October 9, 2022 and booked into the Polk County Jail where he later posted bond.

Following his guilty plea, Ellis received a five-year suspended prison sentence and placed on supervised probation for a period of two years. Ellis was also ordered to pay a fine of $1,025.