The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s ruling that the state cannot deny two transgender women Medicaid coverage for sex reassignment surgery. In its ruling Friday, the state’s high court agreed with Judge Arthur Gamble’s ruling in June that a 1995 Iowa Department of Human Services policy denying Medicaid coverage for sex reassignment surgery violates the state’s 2007 Civil Rights Act, which added gender identity to the state’s list of protected classes.

Gamble also deemed state’s 1995 policy unconstitutional, but the high court did not address that finding. The ruling comes in the consolidated cases of Carol Ann Beal and EerieAnna Good, who sued in 2017 after their Medicaid provider and the Iowa Department of Human Services denied surgery requests recommended by doctors.

(Radio Iowa) — A 37-year-old man from Cherokee has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on drug charges. State prison records show Raymond Andrew Kerns had seven felony convictions in Pottawattamie, Ida and Cherokee Counties in the past six years. In September, he pleaded guilty in federal court to possession and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Kerns was arrested in Storm Lake a year ago. Prosecutors say he was trying to meet with another meth dealer at the time. Kerns was responsible for selling about three pounds of meth in the Cherokee area, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) — More reports are trickling in which predict Iowa could face a serious flooding problem this spring. The U-S Army Corps of Engineers is the latest agency to issue a warning about the potential for “major-level” flooding, based on the snowpack in the Rocky Mountains. Kevin Low, a hydrologist with the Missouri Basin River Forecast Center, offers this update. “Snowpack conditions in the mountains can be categorized as near-normal to a little bit above normal,” Low says. “By this point in the winter, we’ve accumulated usually about 80% of the seasonal peak snow-water equivalent in the mountains, so we’re getting close to seeing what we’re going to see.”

While the mountain snowpack may only be slightly above normal, there’s a lot of snow on the ground across the region which will soon melt as well. Low says the Corps of Engineers is putting out a series of long-range flood outlooks for the upcoming three months. “These outlooks call for major-level flooding along many of the tributaries in South Dakota and in Iowa,” Low says. “Specifically, we are projecting major-level flooding along the Big Sioux in South Dakota and in Iowa, and on the Floyd and Little Sioux rivers in Iowa.”

The river that comprises the border between Iowa and Nebraska may also soon experience a level boost. “The Missouri River downstream of Gavins Point Dam is also expected to see moderate-level flooding this season,” he says. Low says localized flooding due to ice jams is also possible over the next few weeks.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report 32-year old Jestin M. Hambright, who was being held in the Pott. County Jail on Theft charges, was presented with a warrant Thursday afternoon, for Violation of Probation. Hambright was returned to Corrections Staff for further processing. 29-year old Amanda Marie Sprinkel, who was being held in the Pott. County Jail, was presented with a warrant out of Douglas County, NE., for being a Fugitive from Justice. And, 23-year old Hayley Yvette Byerly was transported from the Dakota County, NE. Jail to the Pott. County Jail, to address a warrant for Violation of Probation.

Officials with the Audubon County Memorial Hospital report the hospital has been notified by several members of the community that they have been contacted by a caller claiming to be from the Audubon County Memorial Hospital.  The caller has a foreign voice and asks for money they claim is owed for a hospital bill.  The caller ID is showing up as Audubon County Memorial Hospital which is something easy to do according to the police.  They are apparently very persistent and hospital officials are concerned that a person might give them credit card or personal information over the phone.  The Audubon Police Department has been made aware of the situation.  The incidents are a classic case of spoofing that is unfortunately all too common these days.

Tips to avoid spoofing scams
You may not be able to tell right away if an incoming call is spoofed. Be extremely careful about responding to any request for personal identifying information.

§  If you answer the phone and the caller – or a recording – asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should just hang up. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.

§  Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with “Yes” or “No.”

§  Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden names, passwords or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.

§  If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the company’s or government agency’s website to verify the authenticity of the request.  You will usually get a written statement in the mail before you get a phone call from a legitimate source, particularly if the caller is asking for a payment.

§  Use caution if you are being pressured for information immediately.

WASHINGTON (AP) — There’s no time like the present to watch the shifting sands of the hourglass foretell the inevitable forward march of time. It’s time again to abide by the old adage to spring forward (though it’s not yet spring) and mark the shift from standard to daylight saving time. The change occurs at 2 a.m. local time Sunday across most of the United States, so set your clocks an hour ahead before going to bed Saturday night. Daylight will begin to last longer into the evening, but the sun will take an hour longer to emerge in the morning.

No time change is observed in Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas. Standard time returns Nov. 3.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports 59-year old Charles Frederick Fancher, of Audubon, was arrested Feb. 28th. He was taken into custody for Simple Assault and Disorderly Conduct.  Fancher was later released on bond from the Audubon County Jail. And, on Thursday (March 7), 22-year old Zeth Lee Petersen, of Audubon, was arrested for Filing a False Report to Law Enforcement.  Petersen turned himself in on a warrant and was released after posting bond. The incident remains under investigation.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A woman has been accused of stealing thousands of dollars from several businesses in Polk County. Polk County court records say 65-year-old Janet Cole is charged with six counts of theft, three of forgery, two of fraudulent practices and one of money laundering.  Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 18. Court documents say since 2012 she wrote unauthorized checks to herself and forged signatures on checks written to the companies. The records say she lives in Altoona.

Police in Creston report 40-year old Seth Jacob Preston, of Creston, was arrested Thursday afternoon. Preston was arrested at the Adult Probation Office, for a State narcotics warrant – controlled substance violation, a Class-B Felony. Preston was being held without bond, in the Union County Jail.

And, Creston Police say a resident reported to them on Wednesday, that a lock on his truck was cut. A drill and grinder were reported missing. The incident resulted in a loss of about $150.