CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – More than 20,000 people could soon be eligible for reimbursement of fines and late fees collected by the city of Cedar Rapids on traffic camera citations issued between 2010 and 2018. A proposed class-action settlement shows the city has agreed to pay nearly $3 million in refunds and attorneys’ fees to end a lawsuit that challenged its two-year-old collection program. Those who paid late fees or who had their state tax refunds seized by the city will be eligible to seek up to $599. Pending court approval, notices will be sent to class members detailing the process for filing claims.

FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) – Prosecutors have cleared an officer who fatally shot an armed man at a warehouse in Fort Madison earlier this month. A special assistant attorney general said Friday that Officer Cory Brown’s shooting of Robert Elfgen was “legally justified.” Officers sent Dec. 10 to the warehouse encountered Elfgen. The West Point resident was armed with a handgun, and several warehouse workers were nearby. Authorities say Elfgen refused to follow Brown’s orders and was shot when he turned to flee. Elfgen had been searching the warehouse for a former girlfriend who worked there. He’d gone there after shooting a man elsewhere in Fort Madison.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has nominated 50 Iowa students to be considered for appointments to the U.S. service academies. Grassley said “These young Iowans who want to enter the academies and serve our country are a remarkable reflection on our state. Their accomplishments, leadership and desire to serve are exceptional, and signal continued excellence in the U.S. armed forces.”

Each year, Grassley has the opportunity as a U.S. senator to nominate either current or future Iowa high school graduates for a select few service academy placements. The U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy and U.S. Naval Academy all select at least one qualified student from Grassley’s nominations. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy makes selections in proportion to states’ representation in Congress.

Grassley encourages Iowa students to consider applying to more than one service academy due to the highly competitive nature of admissions. Iowa members serving in the U.S. House of Representatives make nominations in addition to both of Iowa’s U.S. senators. Students may receive more than one nomination. Students interested in academy appointments should begin the application process in the spring of their junior year of high school. Early application is encouraged. The academies select students based on the number of vacancies available for the next school year.

Traditionally, the high quality of Iowa nominees results in several Iowa students being offered admission to attend each of the service academies. These students then choose whether to attend the academy. Among the 2020-2021 nominees appointment (locally) to the U-S Air Force Academy, is:

• Anthony Cordes –  of Avoca
• Jacob Hrasky – from Treynor
• Jacob James – of Council Bluffs
• Connor Pickhinke – from Early

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests. This (Monday) morning, 33-year old Amanda Fay Maln, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving While Barred, and Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability. Her bond was set at $2,000.  Sunday afternoon, 41-year old Myron Lee Brandon, of Pacific Junction, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office for Violation of an Order/Contempt of court. His bond was set at $300. And, Friday afternoon, 37-year old Amberlee Wilmot, of New Market, was arrested at the Page County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree. Her bond was also set at $300.

A collision at an uncontrolled intersection in Creston, Saturday morning, resulted in a total of $16,000 damage to the vehicles, but no one was hurt. Authorities say a 2006 Saab driven by 51-year old Rusty Provance, of Creston , was traveling south on Maple Street in Creston, at the same time a 2020 Ford F-250 pickup driven by 22-year old Coltyn Bredberg, of Creston, was traveling east on Page Street.

Officials say the front end of the Saab struck the left side of the pickup. The accident happened at around 10:37-a.m.  Following the collision, the pickup struck a tree and came to rest on private property. Both drivers were checked out by EMS personnel.

Authorities say Provance was cited for Failure to Yield to a vehicle on the right. Bredberg was cited for Failure to show proof of insurance – accident related.

(Radio Iowa) — Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker will wrap up his four-day bus tour of the state this (Monday) afternoon with a holiday party at his campaign headquarters in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale. During a stop in Ottumwa Sunday night, Booker delivered his unity message. “If you Caucus for me, if you stand with me in this fight, I promise you that we will fight the only way I know how, which is bringing people together,” Booker said.

And Booker suggested Democrats will lose if the message is anger. “The last thing America needs is for our party to out-Trump Trump,” Booker said. “I don’t want to do that. You know what Martin Luther King said. It’s so beautiful: ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness.’ Only light can do that.”

Booker’s other stops today (Monday) are in Mount Pleasant and Indianola. Pete Buttigieg will hold a town hall meeting this (Monday) afternoon in Ankeny. There will be a three-day lull on the Iowa Caucus campaign trail on the 24th, 25th AND 26th, then Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar return to the state on Friday the 27th. Klobuchar is making stops in three counties on Friday — and will complete a 99-county tour of the state.

Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, report a man from northwest Iowa was recently charged with three felony counts of Insurance Fraud – Presenting False Information, and three felony counts of Forgery (all Class-D Felonies).  64-year old Jay Wickey, of Sergeant Bluff, was charged following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau that began in February 2019.  It is alleged that Wickey submitted multiple fraudulent insurance claims to different insurance companies seeking payments he was not entitled to.

Jay Wickey (Woodbury Co. S/O photo)

On December 18, 2019, a warrant was issued for Wickey’s arrest.  On December 21, 2019, Wickey was arrested by the Sergeant Bluff Police Department and booked into the Woodbury County Jail.  He later posted a $5,000 bond and was released.  Trial will be set at a future date.

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

(Radio Iowa) — The first confirmed cases of influenza are already being reported in Iowa, and it’s a reminder for people to use good hygiene habits as we head into the busy holiday week. Jeni Stiles, a disease prevention manager at Cerro Gordo County Public Health, says proper hand washing will help prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses.  “Make sure you’re washing your hands after you’ve been out in the community, when you get home,” Stiles says. “Wash your hands with soap and water before you’re going to eat, if you’re going to prepare food for anybody else. Just pick up that good hand hygiene habit throughout the season. That’s going to be your best way to protect yourself from spreading germs to other people and picking up germs.”

Stiles says if you have a holiday event planned and you’re not quite up to it, don’t force yourself. “If you are sick or not feeling well, don’t go, stay home. Keep the germs contained to one place,” Stiles says. “You can always meet up with family and friends later on, but we don’t want to go to a holiday event when we’re not feeling well and get everybody else sick.”

The latest figures from the Iowa Department of Public Health say influenza activity is -below- the typical numbers for this time of the year, but that activity has been increasing over the past few weeks.