(Radio Iowa) – A northeast Iowa woman accused of stealing more than one-hundred-thousand dollars worth of state money has turned herself into authorities after warrants were issued for her arrest. Thirty-six-year-old Nicole Foelske of rural Jesup is charged with first-degree theft, felonious misconduct in office and ongoing criminal conduct in connection with a State Auditor’s investigation involving the alleged misappropriation of money during Foelske’s employment with the Iowa Department of Juvenile Services.

A report released by State Auditor Rob Sand today (Tuesday) claims that Foelske purchased unauthorized food, beverages and gift cards totaling $107,745.46 between July 1, 2018 and October 31, 2019. Foelske allegedly bought 438 gift cards totaling nearly $87,000, of which she allegedly deposited more than $84,000 into her personal bank account. According to the report, Foelske also made unauthorized purchases from Amazon and had the products delivered to her home.

The investigation looked at the Juvenile Services’ finances during the calendar years of 2016 through 2019. The state probe was connected to an earlier investigation completed by the Black Hawk County Attorney’s Office and local sheriff’s officials.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa House subcommittees are advancing two of the governor’s education priorities. One bill would make it easier for groups to create charter schools. The other creates state-funded private school scholarships for students in struggling public schools. Trish Wilger of the Iowa Alliance for Choice in Education testified at a House subcommittee hearing today (Tuesday).

“We’re happy to see the Iowa legislature entertaining so many ways to offer parents option this year,” she said. “This bill gives choice to a handful of parents at a handful of schools.” The “Students First” Scholarships would be for students transferring out of 34 public school BUILDINGS where test scores rank in the bottom five percent of Iowa schools. Shanda Carstens of Panora says state scholarships for private schools will be an incentive for families to leave rural towns like hers and move closer to cities with private schools.

“At the center of our community is our school: Friday Night lights, cheering on the basketball teams, watching the amazing dance team…I’m worried that this bill could put all of this in jeopardy,” Carstens says. “As we’ve seen in other states like Arizona, the voucher expense went from $1.5 million to over $100 million in just eight years.” Republican Representative John Wills of Spirit Lake says over the past six years he’s supported spending more on public schools and he’s willing to try something different.

“People who are talking in opposition to this bill it so often doesn’t even reflect to the kids, (saying): ‘I’m opposed because public taxpayer dollars shouldn’t got to private schools.’ Well, who cares?” Wills asked. “If we don’t do something different, we’re going to keep getting what we got.” Both bills now go to the House Education Committee, which is set to meet tomorrow (Wednesday). The Iowa Senate has already passed a single bill that includes these proposals and others that were part of the school choice agenda Governor Kim Reynolds unveiled in January.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police have charged five people with attempted murder in a brazen Des Moines shooting that critically injured a 2-year-old child. Police say the shooting happened Monday night when more than a dozen shots were fired into a house. Officers called to the home found that one of the shots had hit a toddler inside. The child was rushed to a hospital and remained in critical condition Tuesday afternoon.

Police later arrested five people ranging in age from 18 to 20 believed to have been involved in the shooting. All were initially charged with attempted murder and weapons counts. Police say the group intentionally targeted the house, but say the toddler and a 17-year-old girl who were in the home at the time were not the intended targets.

The Harlan Police Department reports just two recent arrests. On Feb. 27th, 28-year old Cody Duane Wills, of Carroll, was arrested following a traffic stop, in Harlan. Wills was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while revoked, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, prohibited acts, operating a non-registered vehicle, no proof of insurance and improper rear lamp.

And, on February 18th, 50-year old Kimothy Recardo Jones, of Omaha, NE, was arrested following a traffic stop, in Harlan. Jones was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with operating while intoxicated and stopping on traveled portion of a highway.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Police have identified a Cedar Rapids police officer who fatally shot a man suspected of stabbing a woman to death. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says in a news release that Kyzer Moore was the officer who shot 39-year-old Arnell States, of Cedar Rapids, on Feb. 20 as States ran from a hotel where two women had been attacked. Police say States was believed to have been the attacker who killed 34-year-old Katrina Latrese Brinson and injured another woman.

Authorities say Moore is a 3 1/2-year veteran of the Cedar Rapids Police Department. He remains on paid administrative leave pending the investigation into the shooting.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that would reduce the penalty for people caught with small amounts of marijuana has again cleared a subcommittee in the Iowa Senate. Supporters say the bill will help Iowans who have difficulty qualifying for college scholarships, loans and jobs because of a marijuana possession conviction. Lisa Davis Cook is with the Iowa Association for Justice. “We think it’s a small and measured approach to this issue,” Davis Cook says.

If the bill becomes law, people possessing five grams or less would be charged with a simple misdemeanor. A first offense with any amount of marijuana today is an aggravated misdemeanor that could land a person in jail for up to six months. Carl Olsen of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws says lawmakers instead should start the process of amending Iowa’s Constitution, to make growing and possessing marijuana legal. “The founders would have never imagined that the government would take that right away,” Olsen says.

Susie Sher, of the Governor’s Office on Drug Control Policy, says the agency is not taking an official position on the bill.  “Complicating this issue is the rising potency of marijuana,” Sher says, “and some of these high potency products and some of the risks associated with some of those products.”  Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, voted to advance the bill, but he would prefer to decriminalize marijuana and regulate it like alcohol. “It seems to me across the country we’re now up to 16 states that have moved in that direction and what I think people are figuring out across the country is that marijuana prohibition has actually destroyed far more lives and the futures of far more families…with these harsh criminal penalties.”

Republican Senator Dan Dawson of Council Bluffs, a special agent in the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, also supports the bill. He says it will give officers who catch someone on parole or probation with a small amount of marijuana a charge that doesn’t land the person back in prison. “A lot of times they come into contact with people with a few joints or some trace amounts in a pipe or whatnot when they’re already in the parole and probation system,” Dawson said. “And they were looking for a tool that was less than an indictable offense and that’s where they really were wanting a simple misdemeanor here.”

There’s a deadline for policy bills in the Iowa legislature this week. It means THIS bill must win approval in a Senate committee by Friday in order to remain eligible for debate in the Senate and House this year.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous arrests took place from Feb. 24th through March 1st. Most recently, on Monday (3/1), 23-year old Zachary James Martin, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a warrant for a Sex Offender Registration Violation. He was being held in the Pott. County Jail on $2,000 bond. On Sunday, three people were arrested on drug charges, in Walnut: 42-year old Erica Joyce LaPorto, of Denver, CO., was arrested for Possession of Meth/1st offense, Prohibited Acts; and Possession of Marijuana/1st offense. Her bond was set at $4,300; 41-year old Michael J. LaPorto was arrested for Possession of Meth/1st offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and, 51-year old Jennifer Diane LaPorto, was arrested for Possession of Paraphernalia. The trio were taken into custody at around 9:15-p.m. following a call about a disturbance at 2101 Antique City Drive. An investigation determined all three subjects in a vehicle had narcotics inside the vehicle.

The Shelby County K9 was requested, and alerted to the vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted. All three subjects were transported to the Pott. County Jail, where only Erica LaPorto remained, as of today (Tuesday). Sunday afternoon, a Deputy was called to a residence in the 7,300 block of Stafford, where a disoriented man had driven off the road. Once 59-year old Kevin L. Conant was checked out by Underwood and McClelland volunteer firefighters/EMS, and sobriety tests were conducted, Conant was arrested for OWI/1st offense. At around 3:30-a.m. Sunday, a check on a vehicle in the median at mile marker 1 of I-680 resulted in the arrest of 45-year old John Eric Blankenship being arrested for OWI/1st offense.

Saturday evening, a welfare check on residents of a home in the 1100 block of Jennings Avenue in Council Bluffs, resulted in the arrest of 59-year old Darby Leroy Durham, for Domestic Abuse Assault/2nd offense. The man allegedly was intoxicated, and had caused an arm injury to a female party. The woman was transported by Underwood Rescue to Mercy Hospital.  Saturday morning, 56-year old Debra Sue Jacobsen was arrested in Hancock for OWI/1st offense, following a warrant check. Friday evening, 34-year old Charles William Walker, of Adair, was arrested for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender, following a traffic stop on a vehicle with fraudulent license plates. Walker was found to have valid arrest warrants, and a barred license. His bond was set at $2,000.

On Feb. 26th: 31-year old Nathaniel Robert Didamo was arrested in Council Bluffs for Violation of Probation; An eight-year old male was arrested for Burglary in the 3rd Degree/2nd or subsequent offense, Feb. 26th, following a call about a burglary in Neola. Also arrested Feb. 26th in Pottawattamie County, was 39-year old Chad Gerald Fulsos, who was wanted on a bench warrant for failing to pay child support. He was taken into custody in Council Bluffs. Authorities said also, 42-year old Jason Riley Lawton turned himself-in to the Pott. County Jail. Lawton was wanted on a warrant for Burglary in the 2nd Degree. He was turned over to Corrections Staff and booked into the jail.

On Feb. 25th, 32-year old Felicia Rae Ross, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pott. County Jail, on a warrant for Burglary in the 3rd Degree/1st offense. 24-year old Dakota William Ruby was arrested the same day, in Council Bluffs, for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender. And, 44-year old Kevin Scott Waters was arrested for OWI/1st offense, following an investigation into an overturned semi off I-80 at mile marker 27.

On the 24th, 61-year old Mark William Armstrong was arrested on Crescent, on a warrant for Violation of Probation.

(Radio Iowa) – A 21-year-old Newton couple face charges after their three-month-old child was found with broken bones. Newton Police Chief Rob Burdess says Stormy and Jessica Agan both face two counts of child endangerment and one count of child neglect. They are currently free on bond. A police investigation determined they were responsible for the care of their child when the injuries occurred. Newton Officers were called to MercyOne Newton Medical Center November 24th, when the Agans had brought the child in with a broken arm. Hospital staff also discovered the infant had a broken rib. The injuries seemed inconsistent with an accident.

According to Chief Burdess, officers received conflicting stories as to how the infant was injured. With the help of the Department of Human Services, additional medical information was obtained. It involved an additional broken bone in the child’s leg. Doctors described that injury as a highly specific fracture from non-accidental trauma.

March 2, 2021 (DES MOINES) – Awards totaling $6.18 million were announced today (Tuesday) for 18 communities across Iowa. The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) made the awards through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which provides support for community improvements.  Awards were made for water/sewer and stormwater infrastructure improvements, housing rehabilitation and employment-related transportation projects. Grants are awarded based upon the benefit to low- and moderate-income Iowans, financial need, project impact and readiness, and commitment of local resources to the project.

In western Iowa:

• The City of Manilla received a CDBG Community Facilities award amounting to $300,000, for Daycare. The local match is $250,000.
• Madison County received a CDBG Community Facilities award amounting to $170,000, for Mental health facility improvements. The local match is $96,725.
• The City of Creston received a CDBG Community Facilities award amounting to $600,000 for Water treatment improvements, with a local match of more than $1.63-million.
• And, the Monona County community of Ute received a CDBG Community Facilities award amounting to $300,000, for Water system improvements, with a local match of $792,560.

CDBG funds enable communities to make needed improvements to water and sewer systems, improve housing conditions for low-income homeowners, provide facilities for disabled and at-risk individuals and make transformative downtown improvements. The CDBG program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. IEDA is responsible for administering the CDBG funds in the non-metropolitan areas of the state.

For more information on CDBG or other community programs, visit iowaeda.com/cdbg/ or contact cdbg@iowaeda.com.