CRYSTAL LAKE, Iowa (AP) — A 100-turbine wind energy center in northern Iowa is getting an upgrade. The Globe Gazette in Mason City reports that NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, briefed the Hancock County Board of Supervisors about the project on Monday.

Company officials say the project will generate more renewable energy over an extended period, which also extends the period they’ll generate payments to landowners and tax benefits. The upgrades are set to begin in January and be completed by May.

The project comes more than a decade after the first Crystal Lake Wind Energy site was completed in Hancock County. A site in Winnebago County is also slated to get upgrades. Company officials say they’re working with General Electric to integrate new technology, including longer blades and other turbine components, into the existing center.

TAMA, Iowa (AP) — A central Iowa inmate who walked away from his job outside of the prison has been captured. The Iowa Department of Corrections says Michael Eugene Field was placed on escape status from the Newton Correctional Release Center after he allegedly absconded from his job at Quantum Plastics in Victor on Wednesday night.

The 49-year-old was serving time for eluding, operating a vehicle without consent and operating while under the influence. Tama County sheriff’s deputies arrested Field on Saturday near Tama. Authorities are in the process of returning him to the Newton Correctional Facility.

Two people, a man and a woman, suffered from burns during a grease fire at an apartment in Atlantic, Saturday night. Atlantic Fire was called to the Walnut Hill Terrace Apartments at 1304 E. 10th Street, at around 5:53-p.m. Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN News both residents of an apartment on the third floor of the east building were injured.

Ric Hanson (photo)

A man suffered from burns to his hands, while a woman suffered burns to her feet. They were transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac Ambulance.

McNees said the male occupant grabbed a fire extinguisher from the hallway and put the fire out before firefighters arrived. Fire crews ventilated the upper floor and left the scene at around 6:13-p.m.

The Chief said the man was standing near the source of the grease flare-up when it happened and was able to get the pot or pan into the sink where it could be quickly extinguished. Atlantic Police also assisted at the scene.

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified a central Iowa man who died from an apparent stabbing. Police say they found 46-year-old Monte C. Brown, of Knoxville, bleeding when they were summoned to a downtown address shortly before 9 p.m. Friday. Police say Brown was taken to a Knoxville hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was later transported to the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. Autopsy results are pending.

Authorities say a person of interest has been interviewed, but no arrest has been made and no charges have been filed. The case remains under investigation.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Red Oak man on Friday night on a drug charge following a traffic stop. At 10:45pm Deputies conducted a traffic stop on Jacob Anderson of Red Oak. During the course of the stop K-9 Baxo was deployed and alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. Anderson was then placed under arrest for Possession of a Controlled Substance 2^nd Offense. He was also issued a citation for driving on the wrong side of a 2-lane highway.

The Red Oak Police Department reports multiple arrests on Friday. At 5:58pm Red Oak Police arrested 35-year-old Elysia Tylene White of Stockon, CA for Domestic Abuse Assault. White was arrested in the 400 block of East Reed Street in Red Oak. White was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on no bond.

At 9:28pm Officers arrested 21-year-old Devon Lee Smith of Red Oak on a charge of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. He was later released from custody with the charge dismissed.

At 2:15am on Saturday Red Oak Police arrested 21-year-old Michael Wade Hamilton of Red Oak for False Reports to a Public Safety Entity, a serious misdemeanor. Hamilton was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 cash bond.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowans who are buying last-minute Christmas gifts online with overnight shipping better not get in too great of a rush, or they might get Scrooged. Jim Hegarty, head of the Better Business Bureau in Omaha-Council Bluffs, says there’s a “Scammer Claus” lurking behind many websites. Hegarty warns to look over the address with caution and watch out if it only says “h-t-t-p” without an “s”.

“Make sure you look for the ‘https’ in front of the web address,” he say. “That reminds you that the ‘s’ stands for security and that the site is secure and that you can, more than likely, trust providing your credit card information to it.” This is the season for giving to those in need, but Hagerty warns there are certainly plenty of takers, too. Use care if you’re donating to a charity online as your good deed may be only contributing to thieves.

“There’s a lot of bogus look-alike charities that pop up this time of year,” Hagerty says. “They play off of legitimate charity names and they may, in fact, not be legitimate and the money you give them may not go to the people in need at all.”

It’s a wise move to avoid clicking on any links you might be sent over email from unknown sources. Instead, go directly to the charities’ websites.

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) — A central Iowa man has died from an apparent stab would he received during a reported domestic assault. Knoxville police said they found the 46-year-old man bleeding when they were summoned to a downtown address shortly before 9 p.m. Friday.

Police say the man was taken to a Knoxville hospital, where he was pronounced dead. They say they’re withholding the man’s name until they’ve notified his next of kin. Six state and local agencies are assisting with the investigation.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa-made craft beers are continuing to surge in popularity even as general beer sales decline, according to a new report from state alcohol regulators. The amount of such beer sold in Iowa increased 11 percent from fiscal year 2017 to 2018, to nearly 685,000 gallons, according to the Dubuque Telegraph Herald . The new numbers were released this week by the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division. The market has seen strong growth for the second consecutive year. Iowa breweries enjoyed a 9.7 percent increase from fiscal year 2016 to 2017.

The report notes that the craft beer growth happened despite a 2 percent decrease in overall beer sold in the state from fiscal year 2017 to 2018. About 71 million gallons were sold in Iowa in the past fiscal year, which ended June 30.

According to the report, total liquor sales totaled about $320 million in fiscal 2018 — up about 4.7 percent from the prior fiscal year and continuing a growth trend since at least fiscal 2013. State data show that the most-sold liquor last year was Black Velvet Canadian whiskey, with nearly 142,000 cases sold in the state. It marked at least the seventh consecutive year that it had been the top seller. Fireball cinnamon whiskey was a close second, with more than 134,000 cases.

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — A western Iowa town has hired a Des Moines law firm for an investigation related to three top city employees who were put on administrative leave.

The Sioux City Journal reports that the Denison City Council voted 4-1 on Friday to approve the contract. Mayor Jared Beymer has declined to disclose the reasons for placing City Manager Terry Crawford, City Clerk Lisa Koch and Fire Chief Cory Snowgren on leave Tuesday.

He also declined to say what the law firm will be investigating. In a statement, the city described it as a “personnel investigation.” The hiring came over the vociferous objections of Councilman John Granzen Sr., who said he was outraged at being kept in the dark about the investigation.