DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state of Iowa has tentatively agreed to pay $4.15 million to two executive branch employees who were sexually harassed for years by an agency director who had been a longtime friend of Gov. Kim Reynolds. Settlement agreements released by the state Monday show the money would go to former Iowa Finance Authority business development director Beth Mahaffey and its current communications director Ashley Jared. The state appeal board will consider approving the deals this (Monday) afternoon.

Both women came forward last year to the governor’s office to detail the sexual harassment and hostile work environment they endured under Iowa Finance Authority executive director Dave Jamison. The deals call for the state to pay $2.35 million in cash and monthly annuities to Mahaffey, 53, who left state employment and moved last year after complaining about Jamison’s behavior. Another $1.8 million would go to Iowa Finance Authority communications director Ashley Jared, 35.

The City of Audubon is asking residents to please check their basements, to make sure you do not have any broken pipes or meters due to the extreme temperatures we’ve experienced over the past few days. If you find any issues, call the Audubon City Hall.

FOREST CITY, Iowa (AP) — Winnebago Industries says it’s shifting to its Forest City, Iowa, campus the production of Class A diesel motorhomes from the company plant in Junction City, Oregon. Winnebago announced Monday that the change will consolidate product development, supply chain and assembly for the company’s diesel motorhome business. Winnebago Vice President Brian Hazelton says the strategic decision to move diesel product manufacturing to the former Country Coach facilities in Junction City years ago did not achieve “our targeted operating efficiency and profitability goals.”

The company expects to begin the transition immediately. Winnebago says the 250 positions in Junction City will be reduced to about 30 and that there will be an increase of about 175 positions at the Forest City campus by the end of fiscal year 2020.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report a man from Cass County was arrested on drug charges, Sunday morning. Authorities say 36-year old Jason Mitchell Fulk,, of Atlantic, was driving a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer on Interstate 80 at the 30-mile marker, and had stopped his vehicle at around 12:40-a.m., in the traveled portion of the roadway. Fulk was passed out while his vehicle was running, with its light off. A Pott. County Sheriff’s Deputy who made contact with Fulk conducted an OWI investigation. Officials say Fulk was found to be in possession of 6.4-grams of marijuana and a marijuana smoking pipe. He was arrested at around 1:35-a.m.  for Possession of a controlled substance, and Possession of Paraphernalia, with an OWI/1st offense charge pending drug test results.

A call about a possible stolen vehicle late Saturday night, resulted in the arrest of 34-year old Ian Robert Caldwell, of Dunlap. Authorities say deputies were called to a residence in the 1000 block of Old Lincoln Highway to locate a vehicle reportedly stolen out of Missouri Valley. The stolen 2010 Ford Focus was found outside the residence in the driveway, along with the registered owners’ cell phone, which was also reported stolen. Caldwell, who was the owners’ boyfriend, was taken into custody on the stolen vehicle charge out of Harrison County, and transported to a location where he could be picked-up by Missouri Valley Police.

An accident Saturday night in the 21,000 block of Mudhollow Road in Pott. County, resulted in the arrest of 61-year old Franklin Lugene Stricklett, of Crescent. He was taken into custody on a warrant for Contempt of Court, and cited for Failure to Maintain Control of his vehicle. And, Pott. County authorities say 25-year old Jricka J. Rothermund, of Council Bluffs, turned herself-in to the Sheriff’s Office, Friday afternoon. She was wanted on a warrant and transported to the Pott. County Jail to be booked-in.

The Atlantic Police Department reports a telephone scam is going around the area, from someone who claims to be from the “Clerk’s Office,” and is trying to collect for a bad check.  Chief Dave Erickson says the clerk’s office does not make calls to collect bad debt. One local woman told police she received the call for her daughter, and that they had to try and serve her last night, but were unable to. The caller said the matter needed to be taken care of quickly. Erickson said the caller knew personal information, including the last four-digits of her Social Security Number (SSN).

As the woman spoke with the caller, she was even transferred to a so-called lawyer by the name of “Don Harris.” The daughter then called them back and gave them her card number to handle the matter. It wasn’t until they put the number into a computer, that they learned the call was a scam. Erickson warns, if you have elderly family members, be sure and tell them not to give out any bank, credit card or personal information.

Erickson said there were numerous instances where people across the country have received similar calls, with the “lawyer” threatening arrest about a stolen check passed at an office supply store. The phone numbers potential victims of the scam received, varied from call to call.

(Radio Iowa) — An Iowa State University science professor has launched a citizen science project — looking for people to help her catalog thousands of species in a collection at northwest Iowa’s lakeside lab. Lori Biederman is looking for people to help transcribe thousands of labels that belong to plant and animal specimens that will then be put in a database accessible to people around the world. Biederman says Iowa has lost a lot of biodiversity over the years. Many of the specimens are from the late 1800s or early 1900s and clue us into the past. “This is a way to get a measure of what was here before humans really started cultivating wide scale, or building cities, taking over the lake,” according to Biederman.

She says the database will help people learn more about diverse species whose populations have declined over time. “You may not see an indigo bunting anymore in your daily life but you could see this was an indigo bunting and it was caught in Iowa. It’s an Iowa thing,” according to Biederman.  The citizen science initiative has already attracted nearly 300 volunteers. Biederman found close to seven thousand preserved specimens of birds, mammals and plants at the lab in the Iowa Great Lakes area. She learned many of the records cataloging the specimens had been lost or never existed in the first place.

(Thanks to Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — More than a dozen military veterans have been given a 30-day notice to leave a transitional housing facility in Des Moines. Station KCCI reports that a Department of Veterans Affairs official dropped off the notice at the 180 Degrees facility last week, but VA officials have declined to discuss the issue. The VA subsidizes 180 Degrees for each client and says there’s a dispute between 180 Degrees and the owner of the home, Makar Limited Partnership. Makar said in an email to 180 Degrees that expenses outlined by the rental agreement were not paid by 180, thus breaching the agreement.

Gerald Murphy is managing partner of Makar Limited Partnership, and he declined to answer specific questions regarding the dispute between Makar and 180 Degrees. Navy veteran Kurt Gabrielson lives at the home and says he has a post-traumatic stress disorder and problems with alcohol. He says that being forced out is “overwhelming.”

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

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Creston Police say two people were arrested Sunday, and one incident of vandalism was reported, Saturday. Authorities say 41-year old Brandie Sue Whitney, of Creston, was arrested just before Noon, SUnday, on a warrant for Failure to Appear in court on a Driving While Barred, charge. And, at around 1:25-p.m., 43-year old Amy Louise Kay Smith, of Des Moines, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on an outside agency warrant for Probation Violation, on an original Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense, charge.

Whitney and Smith were being held for Union County in the Adams County Jail, where Whitney’s cash-only bond was set at $4,000, and Smith was being held without bond, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

And, a woman residing in the 500 block of N. Chestnut Street, in Creston, reported Saturday evening, that sometime between 10:30-p.m. Friday and 4:40-p.m. Saturday, someone broke out the back window of her 1986 Olds Delta 88, that was parked across the street from her home.

(used in the 7-a.m. News report)

ESTHERVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say officers have captured an inmate who assaulted a jailer before fleeing custody in northwest Iowa. The Emmet County Sheriff’s Office says the 19-year-old attacked the jailer around 7:20 p.m. Friday and then fled out a door the jailer had just opened at the jail in Estherville. The inmate was apprehended 45 minutes later by an Estherville officer and a K-9.

The inmate has been identified as Divine Watkins. He’s been charged with escape and assaulting the jailer. He’d been jailed while awaiting prosecution on burglary and other charges.