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

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

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Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate says cyber security is a “constant challenge” and it’s “vital” that his office get more state tax dollars in the next budgeting year. Pate says the I-Vote system that handles voter registration data needs attention. “That’s a system that was built over 15 years ago and obviously elections have changed dramatically since then,” Pate says. “It needs some serious upgrades if we’re going to go forward and we need to look at replacing that system in the coming years.”

Pate is asking the governor and legislators to provide his office with an additional one-point-75 MILLION dollars for the budgeting year that begins July 1st. He’d spend much of it on upgrades for the voter registration system. Earlier this year, lawmakers set aside more money to replace a different computer system in Pate’s office. It’s the one used by people filing out the online forms to start a new business. “A new fast track filing system that’s going to provide Iowa’s business community with service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Pate says. “Whether it’s three o’clock on a Friday afternoon or 3 am on Christmas morning, they’ll be able to access it and do business.”

That system should “go live” something this spring. Pate’s office handled the records for more than 20-thousand businesses that were launched in Iowa this past year. That’s an all-time high in new business filings. Pate says the number of Iowa businesses being dissolved is declining, too. The Iowa Secretary of State’s office has an elections division, but it also has a business division that handles documents for non-profits, corporations, partnerships that operate in Iowa.

(Radio Iowa)

Two separate traffic stop early this (Saturday) morning in Fremont County resulted in three arrests. It also involved one accident. Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports his Deputies conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 29 southbound, near mile marker 8. The Fremont County K9 Unit conducted a search, during which methamphetamine and marijuana were found. The vehicle was reported stolen out of Missouri. The license plates on the trailer being hauled by the stolen vehicle, had also reported stolen. 38-year old Joshua Lanning, of South Sioux City, NE, and 49-year old Jerry Lee Bossow, of Green Valley, MO.,  were arrested on numerous charges, to include the stolen property and drugs. Lanning’s bond was set at $6,000, while the bond for Bossow was set at $12,000. He was also being held on a Parole Violation warrant out of Missouri.

Not long after the previous incident was wrapped-up, Fremont County Deputies received word a vehicle was traveling south in the northbound lanes of I-29. Deputies were able to intercept the vehicle north of te Hamburg exit, but as they tried to get it stopped, the vehicle continued southbound and struck a vehicle head-on. Minor injuries were reported from the accident. The driver of the wrong way vehicle, 23-year old Daniel Kauffman, of Thurman, was arrested for OWI/1st Offense, and numerous traffic citations.  His bond was set at $1,000. The incident remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol.

Two people were arrested and one was cited following separate traffic stops Friday night. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of 150th and Quince Avenue. The driver of the vehicle, Camden McFadden, of Atlantic, was arrested at around 10:54-p.m., for Possession of a Controlled Substance – 1st Offense/Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His cash bond was set at $1,300.

In Montgomery County, 33-year old Joseph Edward Halvorson, of Murray, was arrested at around 8:30-p.m. following a traffic stop in the 1800 block of Highway 34. He was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond was set at $1,000. At the same time and place, 32-year old Cassidy Ryan Lamb, of Murray, was cited for Possession of an Open Container of Alcohol as a passenger.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:50 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An internal review shows that several Republican staff members in the Iowa Senate are unlikely to report sexual harassment or workplace misconduct because of fear of retaliation. A brief report was released Friday summarizing the in-house investigation that started this summer. The three-page report says senators made “sexually suggestive comments” or discussed “sexual preferences” on the chamber floor in recent years, though no details about the comments or who made them were included.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s former worker’s compensation commissioner plans to take his discrimination lawsuit to state court next year, alleging he was pressured by former Gov. Terry Branstad to resign because he’s gay. Chris Godfrey is seeking damages in one of the first cases attempting to hold the state financially liable for actions of state officials that infringed on an individual’s rights. Branstad has denied the allegations. The case is being closely watched by state agencies across Iowa.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A quirk in the mail delivery system is forcing some residents in rural northern Missouri to have Iowa mailing addresses, causing problems when they vote, pay taxes and even when they die. Sen. Claire McCaskill calls it “one of the dumbest things” she’s seen and is seeking help from the U.S. Postal Service. The agency says it’s working with the Missouri senator. Local officials have been asking for help for years. In one county, residents say accurate addresses are critical for 911 systems.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have arrested an Iowa State football player accused of vandalism at a skate park in Ames. The Des Moines Register reports that cornerback Brian Peavy has been charged with criminal mischief. Court records don’t list an attorney for him. A team spokesman says he expects Peavy will play Saturday when the Cyclones take on Kansas State in Manhattan.

A reminder from the Page County Sheriff’s Office: From November 24th through December 20th 2017, the Page County Sheriff’s Office is taking gift requests for Operation Blessing. The Page County Sheriff’s Office program will cover children in the communities of Shambaugh, Braddyville, College Springs, Yorktown, Coin, Blanchard, Northboro, and Hepburn as well as the rural areas, of Page County. Ages of children covered by this program are Birth to 15 years of age. The requests must come from a parent or guardian of the child and can be called into the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193, or reported in person at the Page County Sheriff’s Office located at 323 N 15th Street in Clarinda. Each child will be given a first and second choice. It is suggested that a toy and clothing be requested.

Operation Blessing was started in the mid 1980s by the Page County Reserve Deputies to ensure that every child in the rural areas of Page County has the opportunity to receive a gift at Christmas. It has continued every year since for over 30 years. This year the Sheriff’s Office and Reserve program will continue this tradition of ensuring that children in Page County receive a gift for Christmas. Anyone wishing to donate to the Page County Sheriff’s Office Operation Blessing program can either stop by the Page County Sheriff’s Office or mail the monetary donation to the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 323 North 15th Clarinda, Iowa, 51632. Monetary donations are taken year round at the Office.

The Sheriff’s Office will again this year be delivering the gifts to the children. That will take place on December 21st, 22nd, & or 23rd. The date depends on staffing, call load, and of course weather. A message from Sheriff Palmer: ” I would like to thank everyone for their donations and support of the program throughout the years, for without monetary donations, this program would not be able to continue. I wish to also thank our staff at the Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in everything they do with this program. They go above and beyond with the call taking, shopping, wrapping and organization of this program. They along with the organizations, businesses, and individuals who donate make this program a success every year. THANK YOU!!! May everyone have a joy filled and safe Holiday season.”

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports an incident occurred at the jail in Clarinda earlier this past week.  Sheriff Lyle Palmer says at around 2:30-p.m. Wednesday (11/22), Page County Jailers separated a physical altercation in the Page County Jail. One male inmate was transported to the Clarinda Regional Health Center E-R for injuries. The incident remains under investigation and no further information will be released until the investigation is completed.

Dogs may be a man’s best friend but puppy sellers can be among our worst enemies. Iowans are being warned about a series of scams involving online dog sales. Jim Hegarty, with the Better Business Bureau in Omaha-Council Bluffs, says a three-month study of internet puppy ads brought very discouraging results.

Hegarty says, “Nearly 80% of the paid ads that you will see online if you do a Google search for a pet are believed to be fictitious and set up by fraudsters who primarily reside in Cameroon, West Africa.”

Still, the ads all claim they’re based in the U-S, often in Texas. Initially, Hegarty says customers are often asked for a deposit. Later, they’ll be notified the puppies are ready to be shipped and full up-front payment is needed, typically for several hundred dollars.

He says, “Normally, when these deals are being operated by scammers in Cameroon, they are advised to make their payments through wire transfers, usually at Western Union or Moneygram.”

Hegarty says customers are then told by an alleged shipping company that a special crate is needed, for an extra fee. They may also get a call from the airport, claiming the animal is in quarantine and requires a vet check prior to release, yet another scam. Omaha resident Judy Stroy says she and her husband wanted to buy a beagle puppy from a breeder in Texas and had to send 400-dollars via wire transfer, which they did.

“The next day, I received the shipping instructions for the puppy and they requested another $750 for pet insurance,” Stroy says. “I was like, whoa, red flag. This isn’t working. So, I refused to pay the pet insurance and the owner kept emailing me saying, ‘Please send this money,’ and I said, ‘No.'”

They lost the 400-dollar deposit and never got the dog.  (Radio Iowa)

https://www.bbb.org/

An effort to replace one of the famous covered bridges in Madison County is gaining momentum. The Cedar Bridge near Winterset was destroyed by arson back in April. Brenda Hollingsworth, with the Madison County Historic Preservation Association, says the fundraising goal for replacing the bridge is $550,000. “We are at $246,000 and we have made an application for A Great Places grant that would pay for the remainder of that,” Hollingsworth says.

The group should learn by December 15 if they’ll be getting the grant from the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. “With this particular grant, we’d have a two year window to finish the project, so we wouldn’t have to complete the bridge until 2019 – which is a reasonable time frame to do that,” Hollingsworth says.

Cedar Bridge credit Sarah Boden IPR

If they don’t get the grant, Hollingsworth says they plan to stay on their proposed timeline of beginning construction in late 2018. The Cedar Bridge was featured on the cover of the best-selling novel “The Bridges of Madison County,” which was adapted into the 1995 movie starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. The bridge has been destroyed by fire twice.

It burned in 2002, when insurance helped fund a replacement. Premium rates increased and the insurance was dropped. Hollingsworth says that will never happen again and all six covered bridges in Madison County are now insured. Three people, between the ages of 17 and 19, were arrested and charged with setting the April 15 fire at the Cedar Bridge.

(Radio Iowa with Thanks to Michael Leland, Iowa Public Radio)