(Atlantic) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office would like to advise residents of a recent scam call. Authorities say a person called a resident and told them that they (The caller) were with the clerk of court’s office and were calling in regards to paper service. Officials warn these types of calls are NOT legitimate.

Residents are encouraged to hang up if they get a call like that, and do not give out any personal information. Please contact the sheriff’s office if you have any questions or concerns regarding fraudulent calls.

(Radio Iowa) – Police in the southeast Iowa town of Sumner are looking for a blue-green Chevy extended cab pickup after the possible attempted abduction of a 14-year-old girl outside the town’s public library. Sumner police chief Chad Koch says tips have flooded in since the incident on Tuesday morning. “We want to thank everybody for their assistance,” Koch said, “and let everyone know that we are working around the clock to try to bring this incident to a resolution and determine exactly what happened.”

Police are looking for this truck.

The pickup’s license plate is visible in several photos, but as yet, there’s no word on any arrests in the case. The driver, Koch says, has been identified. “We’ve had a lot of calls, messages, information passed our way regarding this incident,” he said, “and all that information has been useful and we sincerely appreciate that.” Chief Koch explains what happened that morning about 10:40. “A young, 14-year-old girl was at the Sumner Public Library parking lot,” he says, “at which time a vehicle pulled up and the driver attempted to entice the young lady into his vehicle.”

The chief says the girl is fine — and she did the right thing by ignoring the man, going inside the library and reporting it.

With Ric Hanson.

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(Updated) The Creston Police Department reports the arrest Wednesday evening, of 31-year-old Clinton Harold Overton, from Creston. He was charged with Theft in the 4th. Overton was taken to Union County Jail and has since posted $1,000 bond. And, at around 8:23-p.m., Wednesday, 40-year-old Latisha Gene Breen, of Creston, was arrested on a Union County warrant. Breen was charged with two counts of a Controlled Substance Violation, two-counts of Possession of Controlled Substance- 3rd or subsequent offense, and Failure to affix drug stamp.  She is being held in Adams County Jail without bond until seen by a Judge.

Creston Police said also, a woman reported Wednesday morning, that her daughter’s house had been broken into. A PS-4 and a laptop were reported missing, a window was broken, and her dogs had been let loose.

The broadcast News from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The first severe thunderstorm warnings in June were issued for the KJAN listening area, Wednesday night. The National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch at around 10-p.m., and less than 30-minutes later issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning, for Audubon and Guthrie Counties. The Weather Service says at around 10:17-p.m., thunderstorm wind damage was reported in Templeton, where tree branches ranging in size from 2-to 6-inches in diameter were snapped, and a flag pole was blown over.

At around 10:32-p.m., thunderstorm winds knocked a tree and blocking Highway 141, two miles northwest of Manila. A personal weather station six-miles west of Gray recorded a wind gust of 60-miles per hour at around 10:19-p.m. Another personal weather station reported a 62-mile per hour wind gust two miles south of Willey, in Carroll County, and a 59-mile per hour wind gust two miles northwest of Carroll.

(See the latest storm damage reports at https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=DMX&issuedby=DMX&product=LSR&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1)

A dozen Iowans, state-based organizations, schools, teams and companies that go above and beyond to promote good character are being honored by the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University in Des Moines with this year’s Iowa Character Awards. Spokeswoman Hilary Ortmann says the winners are finally being named. “We had a selection committee of about 40 representatives from across the state who came together at the end of May and made great selections,” Ortmann says. “We had nearly 100 nominations from across the state, representing nearly 70 communities.”

She says these Iowa citizens, businesses and organizations have displayed their role in living the six pillars of character: caring, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility and trustworthiness.  “One great award we love to give every year is our Robert D. Ray Pillar of Character Award,” Ortmann says, “and this one is a very special year for us as we will be giving former Governor Ray’s wife, Billie D. Ray, the Robert D. Ray Pillar of Character Award this summer.” In southwest Iowa, Alison Van Gelder, of Creston, was named the Youth Citizen of Character award winner.

Another notable recipient of this year’s awards is opera singer Simon Estes as the recipient of the Adult Citizen of Character Award. A T-V special recognizing this year’s recipients will air on the FOX-affiliated stations in Iowa this summer while a recognition event will be held August 29th at the Prairie Meadows Events Center in Altoona.

2021 Iowa Character Award Recipients

Business/Organization of Character:

Matthew 25 (Cedar Rapids)

Honorable Mentions:

Dorothy’s House (Des Moines)

African American Museum of Iowa (Cedar Rapids)

Adult Citizen of Character:

Simon Estes (Ankeny)

Honorable Mentions:

Dr. Monic Behnken (Ames)

Kyle Horn (Des Moines)

Youth Citizen of Character:

Alison Van Gelder (Creston)

Honorable Mentions:

Carley Deery (Des Moines)

Mackenzie Kokke (Mitchellville)

Mackenzie Eichhorn (Cedar Rapids)

Aaron Eilerts Community Service Award:

Toby Laurie (Norwalk)

Educator of Character:

Yonas Michael (Ames Middle School)

Honorable Mentions:

Shane Ehresman (Lynnville-Sully CSD)

Shana Putnam Dibble (Decorah CSD)

Jim Hallihan Pursuing Victory with Honor Award:

Storm Lake St. Mary’s Girls Basketball Team (Storm Lake)

School of Character:

Ames Community School District (Ames)

Honorable Mention:

Pella Middle School (Pella)

Student Organization of Character:

Sioux City East High Student Council (Sioux City)

Honorable Mentions:

Nevada High School FFA (Nevada)

Community of Character:

Iowa Great Lakes Region (Northwest Iowa)

Partner of the Year:

Iowa Cubs / Gartner Family Foundation (Des Moines)

Character Champion:

Drake University Women’s Basketball (Des Moines)

Robert D. Ray Pillar of Character:

Billie Ray (Des Moines)

(Radio Iowa) – Des Moines Area Community College on-line classes will resume today (Thursday) after a two-week hiatus caused by a ransomware attack. DMACC (D-Mack) cancelled online classes on June 3rd and wound up closing the entire campus on June 4th due to the security breach. In-person classes resumed June 9th. Governor Kim Reynolds says the State of Iowa did not pay any ransom to the hackers. The Office of the Chief Information Officer, a part of the executive branch of state government, wasn’t involved either, according to the governor.

“The state wasn’t involved. We did reach out — OCIO reached out to them to see if we could be of any assistance. At this time they didn’t request or ask for any assistance,” Reynolds says, “so they’ve been on their own dealing with this.”

All students and staff have been directed to change the passwords they use to access DMACC’s computer network. DMACC faculty are adjusting course schedules. Students will be advised tomorrow (Friday) about new deadlines for dropping classes and getting tuition refunds.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has vetoed a mortgage-related bill that sailed through the Iowa House and Senate without a single vote against it. During debate in the Iowa House and Senate, the bill was described as leveling the playing field for mortgage brokers like Rocket Mortgage and Quicken Loans. Legislators said a recent state law had reduced duplications in the required paperwork Iowa banks, savings and loans and credit unions present someone to sign for a home mortgage — but digital mortgage brokers were not included. In a veto message, Governor Reynolds said stakeholders and some legislators raised legitimate concerns about the bill after it had passed, so she vetoed it and encouraged legislators to work on the issue next year.

This is the only bill the governor has vetoed in 2021. Reynolds has used her ITEM veto authority sparingly to reject portions of spending bills and vetoing an entire piece of legislation is a rarity. In 2019, Reynolds vetoed a bill that would have made changes in Iowa’s medical marijuana law. The governor vetoed a bill in 2020 that would have established legislative review of state leases worth 50-thousand dollars or more and it would have required a two-thirds vote in the legislature, city councils or county boards of supervisors for any sale of government property that did not go to the highest bidder.