WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A Waterloo woman faces theft charges after police say she stole nearly $30,000 in unemployment benefits from a relative. The Courier reports that 43-year-old April Ann South is charged with first-degree theft, identity theft and credit card fraud. Police say the theft occurred after the relative asked South for help in applying for unemployment last year. Police say the relative was told she didn’t qualify for unemployment, but was told in January by the Iowa Workforce Development that she had been receiving unemployment payments.

Officials say the money was paid into a bank account set up in her name and spent using a pre-paid credit card. Police say surveillance videos show South using the card at different locations to spend more than $28,000 from the funds.

A Welcome Home Celebration for Atlantic High School Senior Steele McLaren will be held on Thursday, March 25th. Steele suffered a traumatic brain injury during an accident on Oct., 25, 2020, and has spent the past nearly four months undergoing intense surgeries and physical rehabilitation. He has made remarkable progress but is a long way from full recovery. His family will escort Steele into Atlantic from the Elk Horn Exit of Interstate 80. They ask that there be no loud noises, sirens, lights, etc. (and, no duck calls, at least for now). The intent they said, is to stimulate his brain as little as possible. The family asks also, that you not approach their vehicles, either. Just hold up signs, give a huge wave, and an even bigger smile as he rolls into town.

Steele after months of rehab and prayers. (Photos via the Praying for Steele #32strong Facebook Page)

The planned route has changed so that the family vehicle will come straight across 2nd Street and directly up Chestnut Street. The family says there is still TONS of space along the Highway coming into town, by Mahle, the rock quarry, along 2nd Street, and up Chestnut for everyone to attend and support. The plan is to leave the Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Omaha at around 10:30-a.m. Thursday, and arrive to Atlantic Around 11:45 to Noon.

In the hospital following the accident.

There will be live feed of the celebration available on the Praying for Steele #32strong facebook group.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports four arrests took place last week. Thursday night (March 18), 56-year old Jimmy Alan Robertson, of Bridgewater, was arrested after a search warrant was conducted at an apartment in Bridgewater. As law enforcement made entry into the apartment, a man and women were found in a bedroom, with the door closed. The male was identified as Robertson, and the female was identified as 51-year old Mary A. Giles. Another male, Mary’s 19-year old son Daniel, was located in another bedroom. Vandewater said Jimmy Robertson was arrested for violation of a No Contact Order, as he was prohibited from having contact with Mary Giles. Robertson was released the following day on a $300 cash/surety bond, with 10% acceptable.

At around 12:30-a.m. Thursday, 36-year old Amy Suzanne Brown, of Des Moines, was arrested by the Iowa State Patrol, for OWI/3rd offense and Driving While Barred. She was taken into custody after the Trooper saw her vehicle with its lights on, parked half on the traveled portion of Interstate 80 near mile marker 88. Her breath alcohol content registered .171, or slightly more than double the legal limit. She was later released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

At around 9-a.m. on March 17th, Stuart Police arrested 34-year old David Spencer Reeves, of Earlham, for Violation of a No Contact Order, after the protected party showed Stuart Police a letter she had received from Reeves, in violation of the order. Reeves remains in the Adair County Jail on other charges in addition to his latest charge. His cash or surety bond was set at $300. And, around 12:55-a.m. March 17th, Stuart Police arrested 24-year old Jesse Andrew Queener, of Stuart, for Violation of a No Contact Order, after he sent numerous text messages and social media messages to a protected female party. He was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the National Weather Service have declared the week of March 22 through March 26, 2021 Severe Weather Awareness Week. Severe Weather Awareness Week is an annual event to remind Iowans that severe weather is part of being in Iowa and that understanding the risks and how to respond to them can save lives. The highlight of the week will be a statewide tornado drill on Wednesday, March 24^th.

For this drill, the National Weather Service in Des Moines will issue a mock tornado warning issued at approximately 11:00AM coinciding with weekly weather radio testing. Outdoor warning sirens will be sounded at or soon after 11:00AM in cities throughout Cass County, according to Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator. Also, those who subscribe to the Cass County Emergency Notification System will receive an alert concerning the drill. Kennon adds,”This is an excellent opportunity for residents, businesses, and schools to practice their own procedures in the event of a real severe weather event.”

In the event of actual severe weather occurring during or close to the drill time, the drill will be cancelled.  To register for the Cass County Emergency Notification System, go to links located on the Cass County homepage or the Cass County EMA Facebook page. If you need assistance, contact Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator at 712-243-1500.

The news at 8:05-a.m., with Ric Hanson.

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The News at 7:07 with KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Atlantic) – The Cass County Board of Health met via conference call Monday afternoon. During their session, the Board re-elected Doctor Wessels as Board Chair, and elected Betty Johnson to continue as Board Secretary. Vice-Chair, Dr. Todd Bean, stepped-down from the Vice-Chair position because of his busy schedule. The Board then elected Mary Strong to fill the post. Cass County Public Health Director Beth Olsen said there continues to be progress on vaccinations.

She said they’re making rounds this week to nursing homes to inoculate new residents who haven’t received a COVID vaccine.

Beth said also, they are pushing out the vaccines as soon as they receive them.

Members of the Board of Health told Olsen they are pleased with how smoothly the vaccination process is going. Olsen said Public Health gets their vaccines from Moderna. Rex & the Hy_Vee Pharmacies are working with Pfizer. The one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine Olsen said is hard to come by.

A fight Monday night in Red Oak resulted in a brief foot pursuit and an arrest. Red Oak Police say officers responded at around 9:50-p.m. to a report of two men fighting in the 300 block of 2nd Avenue. When officers arrived, one of the men took off on foot. 28-year-old Isaias Guerra, of Red Oak, was taken into custody on a Felony charge of Burglary in the 2nd Degree. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $10,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — People could buy firearms and carry a concealed handgun without first obtaining a state permit in the state under a bill the Iowa Senate approved and sent to Gov. Kim Reynolds. The bill was approved Monday with only Republican support. Last week it cleared the House with the backing of only one Democrat. The bill would eliminate current state permit requirements and the accompanying background checks that ensure the person obtaining or carrying a gun isn’t disqualified from ownership due to past felonies or abuses. It now goes to Gov. Kim Reynolds.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A federal appeals court says three University of Iowa administrators can be held personally liable for monetary damages for improperly revoking a Christian student group that rejects homosexual relationships. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says the administrators are not immune from the lawsuit brought by Business Leaders in Christ because they violated the group’s clearly established constitutional rights to freedom of speech and association. The case dates to 2017, when the organization barred a student from serving in its leadership after disclosing that he was gay and did not agree with its teachings on sexual morality. A federal judge ruled later that the university unevenly applied its human rights policy by revoking the group’s registration.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A 54-year-old mother and son from Iowa are facing new charges arising from their alleged roles in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Deborah Sandoval, of Des Moines, and her 23-year-old son, Salvador Sandoval, of Ankeny, were each originally charged with three counts after their arrest on Feb. 19. A new federal indictment filed in their extradition case shows Salvador Sandoval now faces 13 counts and his mother faces five charges. Federal officials say video shows the younger Sandoval fighting with several police officers in the Capitol building. They are not currently in custody. They are scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Washington D.C.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The husband of Vice President Kamala Harris toured a Des Moines food bank as the Biden administration continued its effort to promote the recently passed $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill. Doug Emhoff, accompanied by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Iowa U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, toured the Food Bank of Iowa on Monday. Emhoff and Vilsack announced a 15% increase in benefits in the SNAP program through September 2021. The funding is in the recently passed bill and Vilsack says it will provide about $28 more per person, per month, or more than $100 more per month for a household of four, in additional SNAP benefits.