Red Oak Police have arrested a woman on a Felony Theft charge. 41-year old Heidi Ann Divis, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 6:20-p.m., Monday in the 400 block of E. Corning Street, for Theft in the 2nd Degree. Divis was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $5,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Officials are asking Iowans who’ve gotten a mysterious package from overseas to call the Iowa Department of Agriculture. The packages are coming from China and other countries and often indicate the contents are jewelry, but small packets of seeds are inside. Robin Pruisner is the seed control official at the Iowa Department of Agriculture.

“There are no labels, so we don’t know what the seed is,” Pruisner says. “…We don’t know if they have any potential to transmit any seed-borne diseases and, in some cases, it appears they’ve been treated with a pesticide. But again, it’s unlabeled and so treated with exactly what?” Pruisner says she and plant health officials in other states are waiting for U-S-D-A guidance on how to properly dispose of these seeds.

“Do not plant them. Don’t open them. Just kind of hang onto them, but do give us a call and let us know you have them so we can put you on our list,” Pruisner says, “and then once we have direction from USDA, we can make contact and pick up those seeds.” The goal is to ensure some plant disease, unwanted genetic trait or noxious weed doesn’t get introduced in the United States. Pruisner says she’s hearing from a lot of home gardeners as well as people who have never ordered seeds before who’ve gotten these packets. Investigators suspect this COULD be something called a “brushing” scheme.

“You have people who will gather just enough personal identification on you to develop an account for you on a website and then they will send something to you,” Pruisner says. “…With that fake account, they’ve got you down as a verified buyer.” The scammers then use your name on positive reviews posted online to tout the sale of other products.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CDT

UNDATED (AP) — A survey conducted by the Iowa auditor shows a majority of health care organizations are dissatisfied with the state’s Medicaid program and think the privatized system hasn’t been good for the more than 650,000 poor and disabled residents receiving care. Iowa shifted the state’s Medicaid system from a state-run program to one managed by private insurance companies in 2016. There have been persistent complaints over the past four years that providers have a more difficult time getting fully paid and that access to care has worsened for patients. Auditor Rob Sand said Monday that his survey reinforces those complaints.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa physician groups are urging Gov. Kim Reynolds to order the public to wear masks as cases continue to rise. The Des Moines Register reports that the Iowa Medical Society and 14 other health-professional groups said Monday in a letter to the governor that “widespread use of cloth masks in public settings will dramatically slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.” The Republican governor has encouraged Iowans to “mask up,” but she has rebuffed calls to join more than half of other states in requiring it.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s campaign against voting by mail is setting his party back in the race to sign its voters up for the easiest and safest way to cast a ballot during the pandemic. Republican strategists have worried privately for months that the president’s baseless claims of widespread mail voting fraud would put them at a disadvantage in November. Now that seems to be coming true. Republicans have traditionally dominated in mail voting in Florida. But now Democrats have leapt ahead in the race requesting mail ballots. The situation is similar is several other swing states.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A woman has died in an apartment fire in downtown Fort Dodge. Firefighters were called to the building Sunday afternoon after a fire alarm activated and a neighbor reported smelling smoke. Crews were met with heavy smoke in the apartment and then found an unresponsive woman. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Her body was taken to the State Medical Examiner’s Office. She was identified Monday at 67-year-old Jeanne Miller. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – The number of Iowans hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19 is more than double what it was a month ago. On June 27th, there were 118 Iowans with COVID were in the hospital. A month later, there are 241. A third of them are in an intensive care unit and 32 patients are on a ventilator. The deaths of 829 Iowans have been linked to the virus and more than half of those who’ve died of COVID-19 complications were nursing home residents. COVID-19 outbreaks are currently reported in 22 long-term care facilities.

Passengers inside the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids will be required to wear face coverings, starting tomorrow (Tuesday). Officials in Des Moines announced that due to a surge in COVID cases in Polk County, city hall and a handful of other city buildings will remain closed to the public until October 1st. Starting today (Monday) in Ames, face masks are required in the public library and on city buses.

(Radio Iowa) – President Trump’s campaign, along with state and national G-O-P groups are asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit over new rules on how Iowa election officials correct problems on absentee ballot request forms.

The new law forces county auditors to call, email or send a letter to voters if there’s missing or incorrect information on a ballot request form. Previously, county officials could cross-check voter registration data to correct discrepancies. The lawsuit filed by the League of United Latin American Citizens and a Democratic non-profit argues the new process increases the risk some voters will not get their mail-in ballot on time.

The Trump campaign and Republican groups have filed a motion asking an Iowa judge to dismiss the lawsuit. In addition, the Republican National Committee is asking Iowa’s Secretary of State to order Linn and Johnson County Auditors to stop mailing ballot request forms that include the voter’s I-D number. Republicans say that’s a breach of election security.

Democrats say many Iowans do not know what their voter I-D number is or how to find it.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Monday, released a report on three recent arrests and one court ordered finger printing. On July 23rd, 49-year old Charles Michael Carter, of Los Angeles, CA., was stopped by the Iowa State Patrol on I-80 and charged with Possession of Marijuana/1st offense. Sheriff Jeff Vandewater says Carter wasn’t arrested per-Se, but there was a court order for him to be finger-printed.

On July 22nd, 22-year old Tyler Wayne Holloway, of Waukee, was arrested in Greenfield for Carrying Weapons, after his vehicle was pulled-over for failure to have registration plates. He was also wanted on a warrant out of Louisiana for Domestic Battery. Four handguns were found in his vehicle, which Holloway had permits for in Louisiana, and did not yet get a license for in Iowa. After receiving a citation for the offense, Holloway was released from custody at the scene of his arrest.

On July 19th, 38-year old Brian Harold Eilts, of Massena, was pulled over for unsafe driving down a highway, and cited for Driving While Barred. He was issued the citation after being seen driving an SUV backward down Mainstreet in Bridgewater. Eilts told the Deputy his vehicle only had a working reverse gear. He was subsequently released at the scene with his citation.

And, at around 12:05-p.m. on July 19th, 34-year old Roger Joseph Draman, of Casey, was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear on a charge of Driving While License Denied or Revoked. He was released the following day on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa physician groups are urging Gov. Kim Reynolds to order the public to wear masks as cases continue to rise. The Des Moines Register reports that the Iowa Medical Society and 14 other health-professional groups said Monday in a letter to the governor that “widespread use of cloth masks in public settings will dramatically slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.”

The Republican governor has encouraged Iowans to “mask up,” but she has rebuffed calls to join more than half of other states in requiring it.

Cass County Treasurer Tracey J. Marshall, today (Monday), said Governor Reynolds’ Proclamation of Disaster Emergency signed on July 24th impacts many of the services provided at the CassCounty Treasurer’s office.

The proclamation sections related to property taxes were extended through Friday, July 31st, 2020. The sections related to driving with expired licenses were extended through August 23rd, 2020. The sections related to motor vehicle renewals and title transfers and temporary plates were not extended and expired on July 25, 2020 at midnight.”

What You Need to Know:

• Pay property taxes that were due in March by July 31, 2020 to avoid penalties. Send checks to Cass County Treasurer; 5 W 7th St.; Atlantic, IA 50022; pay online at www.iowatreasurers.org; drop payment off in the yellow drop box located in front of courthouse door.
• Pay motor vehicle renewals by August 31, 2020, if your registration expired in the months of January 2020 through July 31, 2020. Send checks to Cass County Treasurer; 5 W 7th St.; Atlantic, IA 50022; pay online at www.iowatreasurers.org ; drop payment off in the yellow drop box located in front of the courthouse door. * If you purchased a vehicle between February 13th – March 15th, your vehicle must be transferred as soon as possible to avoid penalties. ** If you purchased a vehicle between March 16th – July 25th, you must apply for title and registration by August 24th to avoid penalties.
• Driver’s Licenses that expired beginning January 16th and during the proclamation have driving privileges extended through August 23rd. The Cass County Driver’s License Station is open by appointment only for Cass County Residents– call for an appointment at 712-243-5503; Some driver’s licenses can be extended for 6 months for driving purposes online with the Department of Transportation.
• REAL ID driver’s license enforcement was extended until October 1, 2021.

Marshall says “We are open to the public now, but because of social distancing health needs we are limited to three to four people in the office and one to two people in the Driver’s License Station. We are asking people to pay taxes and motor vehicle renewals through our online website, mail, or drop box.”

Montgomery County Public Health officials say two additional cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in residents of Montgomery County, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to thirty-eight (38). The new cases contracted the virus via community spread and close contact with a previously reported case. Of the two additional cases, one case is a middle-aged adult (41-60) and one case is an older adult (61-80). The number of residents who have been tested in Montgomery County amount to 1,100.

And, Public Health officials in Mills County have confirmed four additional positive cases of COVID-19. The latest cases are persons in the age ranges of 0-17, 18-40, 41-60 and 61-80. Those individuals contracted the virus through known contact and community spread, and brings the total number of cases to 68.

Authorities say 37 of the affected persons have recovered from COVID-19 in Mills County. To date, 2,537 residents of the County have been tested, for a positivity rate of 2.7%.

DES MOINES– Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Monday), announced her appointment of John Flynn as a district court judge in Judicial Election District 2B.  Flynn, who is from Boone, currently practices law with the Jordan & Mahoney Law Firm, P.C., in Boone. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and his law degree from the Drake University Law School.

Flynn fills the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of District Court Judge James McGlynn. Judicial Election District 2B includes Boone, Calhoun, Carroll, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Humboldt, Marshall, Pocahontas, Sac, Story, Webster, and Wright counties.