SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa woman who duped dozens of people into buying non-existent tickets to the Super Bowl and other high-profile events has been charged with fraud. The federal charges of mail and tax fraud against Ranae Van Roekel of Boyden, Iowa come four years after her alleged scheme became public. A document filed Monday charges Van Roekel with fraudulently obtaining more than $531,000 from customers between 2008 and 2012.

Prosecutors say Van Roekel falsely claimed to have access to tickets, hotel rooms and VIP passes at deep discounts due to personal connections, once claiming she was on the Super Bowl planning committee. After collecting money, she told customers she couldn’t fill most of the orders. She often targeted customers that she had contact with through youth sports.

The Missouri State Patrol says a woman from Page County was injured during a crash Saturday night, in Nodaway County, MO. 19-year old Carrie L. Beason, of Clarinda, who was wearing her seat belt, was transported to St. Francis Hospital in Maryville, MO., following the single-vehicle accident that happened at around 11:30-p.m., Saturday.

Officials say Beason was traveling west on 330th Street in a 1999 Ford Escort, when her car left the north side of the road and began to slide. The car then struck an embankment and rolled over, coming to rest on the driver’s side, facing north.

A man from Page County died following a crash Monday afternoon, in northwest Missouri. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, 52-year old Todd M. Pedersen, of Clarinda, who was wearing his seat belt, died in a collision with a semi in Nodaway County, MO. The accident happened at around 12:10-p.m. on Highway 71.

Authorities say Pedersen was traveling south in a 2005 Chevy Impala, when for reasons unknown, his car cross the center line of the road, into the path of a northbound 2013 International semi, driven by 55-year old Donald Root, of Punkhannock, PA.  Root was not injured in the crash.

Following the impact, the car skidded off the north shoulder of the road and came to rest in the ditch. The semi came to rest on its wheels off the south side of the road.

AMES, Iowa – July 19, 2016 – The Iowa Department of Transportation is conducting a planning study of Interstate 80. The study will be developed and released through a series of technical reports that identify the existing condition of I-80, the way the system is performing, short- and long-term issues, and strategies to improve the route. Each report will be accessible online as it becomes available on the Iowa DOT’s I-80 Planning Study website at: www.iowadot.gov/interstatestudy.

An online meeting is now available to view on the website. To view the meeting, select the “Public Meetings” tab, and then select “Meeting 1.” The meeting was recorded allowing persons to view it at any time and will be available on the website throughout the duration of the planning study.

The Iowa DOT is asking interested parties to take a few minutes to view the online public meeting and review the information on the website. The website also offers a way for those interested to receive future emails or text messages regarding the study. Use the “Stay Connected” link on the I-80 Planning Study website to sign up.

For information regarding the study, contact the Iowa DOT’s Office of Location and Environment, 800 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa 50010, phone 515-239-1225 or email DOT-I-80Planning@dot.iowa.gov. To submit a comment online about this project, go to: http://bit.ly/I80Comment.

The Iowa DOT will be using the hashtag #I-80IowaPlan and you can use that key phrase to find relevant tweets about the planning study. When posting to Twitter or Facebook about the planning study, please use #I-80IowaPlan and reference @iowadot in your post.

DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad has ordered all flags in Iowa remain flown at half-staff in accordance with the presidential proclamation extension issued until sunset, Friday, July 22, to honor police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who were killed in the line of duty on Sunday, July 17th. This directive follows a presidential proclamation that was released by the White House on Monday night.

The governor’s directive applies to all U.S. and state flags under the control of the state. Flags will be at half-staff on the state Capitol building and on flag displays in the Capitol complex, and upon all public buildings, grounds, and facilities throughout the state. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.

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

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• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white syrup
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 box Rice Chex cereal

Bring to a boil brown sugar and syrup about one minute, take off heat and stir in peanut butter, vanilla and salt.  Pour mix over cereal in large bowl and mix well to coat.  Butter 9″ x 13″ pan and pat in pan.  Drizzle with chocolate on top.

(LaVerne Martens)

Creston Police say a resident in the 1100 block of W. Adair Street reported Monday, that someone had slashed both passenger side tires on his vehicle, which was parked outside his home. The incident, which happened sometime between 6:30-p.m. Sunday and 9-a.m. Monday, resulted in a loss of about $210.

And, on June 27th, a resident of the 700 block of S. Poplar Street in Creston, reported someone had entered her home by kicking in a door. Nothing was reported missing. The incident happened sometime between June 26th and 27th.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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A truck driver suffered minor injuries after the semi he was driving rolled onto its side northeast of Exira, Monday afternoon. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the semi was traveling south on Audubon County Highway N-36, when it entered a curve at a high rate of speed, causing the load to shift. The semi went out of control and entered the west ditch.

The name of the driver was not immediately available. The accident remains under investigation.