DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A nonprofit wants to build a YMCA and community center in a low-income neighborhood near downtown Des Moines to provide the area with access to the same resources as those offered in the suburbs. Pillars of Promise’s proposal includes an 87,000-square-foot (8,080-sq. meter) YMCA, outdoor recreational fields and a community center to offer health services and educational opportunities in the King-Irving neighborhood.

The Des Moines Register reports that the City Council approved the group’s letter of intent last week to provide a 99-year lease for the city-owned land at $1 per year. Pillars of Promise can now begin fundraising for the project. The group will need to decide which local organizations will offer services at the community center. The city’s letter expires within a year. The council will consider other projects should the nonprofit’s plans fall through.

Quad Cities-based Deere & Company is being named one of the world’s most ethical companies. The designation comes from the Ethisphere Institute. It annually ranks companies that achieve highly ethical business practices. Deere is one of only a dozen companies to have earned the recognition for all 12 years the institute has done the research. This year, 135 honorees in 23 countries and 57 industries were recognized. Deere chairman and CEO Sam Allen says the company has an unwavering commitment to ethical behavior and doing the right things in the right way. Deere is Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer.

(Radio Iowa)

Des Moines – Richard H. Hartman, age 69, of Manchester, IA, and Tobin L. Hartman, age 44, of Ryan, IA, have been sentenced to two years of supervised probation after pleading guilty in Delaware County District Court recently to the charge of Fraudulent Practices in the Third Degree, an Aggravated Misdemeanor.  Both were originally charged in connection with an insurance fraud investigation conducted by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau and the Delaware County Attorney’s Office.

Hartman, Richard Herbert

Hartman, Tobin leroy

The investigation concluded that Richard Hartman filed a fraudulent insurance claim with Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company seeking insurance proceeds to cover damages he falsely reported to have been caused when he struck his son Tobin’s cattle barn with a skid loader, causing the building to collapse.  Tobin Hartman, provided false statements to the insurance company supporting his father’s version of the events. The estimated cost to replace the damaged building exceeded $240,000.00 which the Hartman’s were ultimately unsuccessful in obtaining.

“Insurance companies work hard to identify suspected fraudulent insurance claims and they play a very important role in deterring insurance fraud by denying claims such as this,” Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen said.  “Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime and we will continue to help ensure those attempting to commit insurance fraud are held accountable.”

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-242-5304.

Des Moines – Billie J. Holmberg, a former insurance agent in Bettendorf, has been sentenced to five years supervised probation after pleading guilty in Scott County District Court to the charge of Ongoing Criminal Conduct, a class “B” Felony. Holmberg was originally charged in connection with an investigation conducted by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau which concluded that Holmberg altered and endorsed a series of checks which in total exceeded over $7,000.  The checks obtained by Holmberg were from insurance policyholders of American National Property and Casualty Insurance Company and were actually intended to pay their insurance premiums.  Holmberg deposited the insurance premium proceeds into her own bank accounts and ultimately used the funds for personal use rather than as originally intended.

Billie J. Holmberg

Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen said “Holmberg is no longer authorized to sell insurance in Iowa as her license was revoked by the Division on April 4, 2017 for this misconduct.  This type of conduct cannot and will not be tolerated as consumers need to be able to put their trust in their insurance agents. The vast majority of licensed agents (he said) are doing right by their clients every single day, but we will continue to work to bring cases like this to prosecutors in order to protect Iowans.”

The criminal prosecution was the result of a collaborative effort of the Scott County Attorney’s Office and the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau. Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-242-5304 or online at https://iid.iowa.gov/reporting-insurance-fraud.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Creston Police Department reports a man was arrested late Sunday night on numerous charges. 32-year old Steven Bochniak, of Creston, was arrested at his residence on charges that include: Domestic Abuse Assault; 2 counts of Neglect of Child; Possession of Controlled Substance/2nd Offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bochniak was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

Early Saturday morning, Creston Police arrested Nicholas Foltz, of Mount Ayr, for OWI 1st offense. Foltz was later released from the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond. Friday night, 40-year old Toni Bozeman, of Ottumwa, was arrested in Creston on two warrants out of Wappello County. She was transferred to the custody of Wappello County. Also arrested Friday night, was 33-year old Clint Smith, of Clearfield. Smith was wanted on four warrants out of Wappello County. He was also  transferred to the custody of Wapello County.

And, Friday morning, 32-year old Patricia McFail, of Creston, was arrested on two Union County warrants for two counts of Probation Violation. McFail was being held in the Ringgold County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — The trial of a second man accused of fatally shooting a gender-fluid Iowa teenager will be moved to another county. The Hawk Eye reports that a judge Thursday granted a request from the attorney for Jason Purham, of St. Louis. The attorney cited in part the extensive media coverage of the case in Des Moines County. The trial will be held in Washington County and is scheduled to begin Sept. 25.

Purham has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder in the slaying of 16-year-old Kedarie Johnson, whose body was dumped in a Burlington alley on March 2, 2016. Purham’s cousin Jorge “Lumni” Sanders-Galvez was convicted in November and sentenced to life in prison.

A Fort Dodge woman was killed in a two-car accident near the town of Badger in Webster County on Sunday afternoon. A tractor with a snow blower was reportedly backing to the south blowing snow to clear a farm drive causing temporary white out conditions on to the highway. Meanwhile, a southbound Toyota Camry driven by James Harris of Fort Dodge was steering his car to give the tractor more room, crossing the center line and then collided with a northbound Ford Focus driven by Robert Eilerts of Algona. A passenger in the Harris car, 81-year-old Norma Harris of Fort Dodge died of her injuries in the accident. Both James Harris and Robert Eilerts were transported to a Fort Dodge hospital for treatment of their injuries. The accident remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa)

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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OELWEIN, Iowa (AP) — Officials say the expansion of a battery company facility will bring 350 new jobs to northeastern Iowa. East Penn Manufacturing Co. executives joined city and state officials Friday at a celebration of the new battery manufacturing and distribution plant in Oelwein. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that the expansion was aided by $3.1 million in state tax credits and $1.75 million in direct financial assistance approved by the Iowa Economic Development Authority in 2015.

The company has operated a smaller distribution center in Oelwein for about 10 years.