CENTERVILLE, Iowa (AP) — A new report by the Iowa state auditor has raised questions about nepotism, improper payments and undeposited collections regarding the Appanoose County Conservation Department and its fundraising arm, the Appanoose County Conservation Foundation. State Auditor Mary Mosiman says in the special report released Tuesday that the lines between operations of the Appanoose County Conservation Department and the fundraising foundation are improperly blurred.

The department is responsible for the oversight of the county’s natural resources, such as parks and campgrounds. The foundation was created in 1994 to solicit gifts for the department’s conservation projects.
Much of the report focused on the actions of Mark Hoffman, who was fired as the department’s director in 2016 amid questions of improper payments and actions. He continues to play a significant role in the foundation’s operations.

The report found more than $74,000 in undeposited collections and improper payments, such as nearly $18,000 to Hoffman by the foundation for unused leave, which is contrary to county policy. The report says the undeposited collections include rent of properties to members of Hoffman’s family. The report also questioned the transfer in 2013 of several parcels of county land to the foundation, free of charge, which were then sold for $280,000.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A rededication ceremony will mark the completed restoration of a World War I cannon in Sioux City. The Sioux City Journal reports that the ceremony will be held Wednesday at the Memorial Park Cemetery. Restoration efforts began in 2016 when veterans Wayne Schipper, Wayne Thieman, Curt Moodie and Kie Ahrens came together to figure out how to fix the rotting cannon. Moodie says they raised $10,000 to refurbish the cannon, most of which came from veterans.

The U.S. War Department awarded the cannon to the Sioux City chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, a national organization for veterans who were wounded in combat and received a Purple Heart award. The chapter dedicated the cannon on May 30, 1941 at the cemetery, where many veterans are buried.

A rollover accident in Union County Friday night, resulted in an Adair County woman being transported to the hospital in Creston. The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports 37-year old Talana Kaye Auten, of Greenfield, was driving a 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser north on Cherry Street Road at around 7:55-p.m., when the car crossed over into the southbound lane and the driver’s side tires slipped onto the shoulder. Auten over-corrected, sending the vehicle sliding across the road and into the east ditch, where it rolled several times, damaging a fence before coming to rest on its wheels, in a soybean field.

Auten, who wore her seat belt, was transported to the hospital following complaints of pain and to be checked for injuries. Damage from the accident, including to the fence owned by Todd Downing, of Creston, was estimated at $5,200. No citations were issued.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports six arrests took place from June 24^th through the 30^th. As we mentioned Monday, a man from Greenfield was arrested on a warrant with regard to an assault. 29-year old Steven David Armstead, was taken into custody for Willful Injury/Serious Injury, a Class-C felony, and Assault with intent to commit harm (an aggravated misdemeanor). The charges are with regard to incidents that occurred June 30^th, where Armstead allegedly attacked a man who came to his house to retrieve some personal items for his girlfriend. Armstead allegedly put the man in a restraint, or choke hold. He also allegedly struck a woman in the face twice, with a brick, causing serious injury. Amstead initially refused to come out of the house when authorities showed up, but later surrendered without incident. He was brought to the Adair County Jail and released Sunday on a $4,000 cash or surety bond.

At around 11:35-p.m. Saturday, 28-year old Samantha Lynn Bell, of Greenfield, was arrested for simple Assault, after allegedly coming at another woman with a broomstick. The incident took place at the same residence whee Armstead was arrested earlier in the day. Bell was released Sunday on a $300 cash/surety bond.

On June 28^th, 45-year old Holly Jolene Nadolsky, of Adair, was arrested for Public Intoxication, following numerous calls about a woman walking down Interstate 80 near the Adair Exit (mile marker 75), at around 11:50-p.m. She was located about 15-minutes later by an Iowa State Patrol Trooper, as the woman was walking eastbound. Nadolsky had a breath alcohol content (BAC) of .013. When asked why she was walking on the Interstate, the woman explained she was suicidal, and wanted to jump in front of a truck. She was brought to the Adair County Memorial Hospital before being transported to the jail, where she was placed on suicide watch. Nadolsky was advised after being released on a $300 bond, later to seek professional help due to her multiple suicidal comments.

On June 26^th, 27-year old Hannah Rose Mauldin, of Des Moines, was arrested at the Polk County Jail, on an Adair County warrant for Driving While Barred. Her bond was set at $1,000. On June 25^th, 54-year old Todd Lee Conlin, of Canon City, CO., was arrested at around 10:40-p.m., for OWI/1^st offense after he was stopped for speeding upwards of 92-mph on I-80. His BAC came in at .119. Conlin was later released from the Adair County Jail on $1,000 bond.

And, on June 24th at around 12:52-a.m., 23-year old Jared Russell Uhl, of Pleasant Hill, was arrested for OWI/1^st Offense, after he was pulled over for complaints of erratic driving and inability to stay within the lanes while traveling on I-80 eastbound. His BAC was later determined to be .160 (twice the legal limit). Uhl was released later that day on a $1,000 bond.

Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees is urging residents to use caution and be respectful when it comes to using fireworks. He said the biggest thing is, if you are going to use fireworks, know your local ordinances, and use the fireworks properly. Know what they do and how they are supposed to be used. Don’t aim them at people, don’t tear them apart, and don’t make your own. He stressed you should be “considerate of those around you and cautious of those around you, because they don’t often go off as designed.”

He cautions also, that if you shoot off a fireworks and it lands on someone’s home or property, you are liable for damages and/or injuries. He recommends having a bucket of water handy in case there are mis-fires. McNees said there are areas in town where it is illegal to shoot-off fireworks. There is a 300-foot buffer around schools, the hospital and any assisted living facility. And there are certain hours when fireworks are allowed. Fireworks may be used from Noon until 10-p.m. Today (Tuesday), and from Noon until 11-p.m.,Wednesday. You’ll face hefty fines for setting them off outside those hours.  You are also only allowed to use fireworks on your own property, or property you have been given permission to use. That means no fireworks on City streets or property. That also includes the Atlantic Municipal Airport, during Wednesday night’s huge fireworks display. He said there were some issues last year with dangerous activity involving people bringing fireworks to the airport. McNees says this year’s fireworks show at the airport will be bigger and louder than before, in celebration of Atlantic’s sesquicentennial.

J&M Displays will be in charge of electronically shooting off the fireworks at the airport, with an extra special element at the end. For those wanting to come out to the airport for the display, McNees said there are restrictions on when you should arrive for the show. Parking will not be allowed before 8-p.m., Wednesday, and it is limited. The Display will begin after dusk, at around 9:45-p.m., or around 10-p.m.

Senator Chuck Grassley says he hopes the North American Free Trade Agreement is renegotiated before Mexico’s new president is sworn into office December 1st. On Sunday, populist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador became president-elect of Mexico by winning a four-way race with more than half the vote. “On the surface, I would be very pessimistic,” Grassley says, “but I think I have seen this guy who is very left wing campaign in a different way than he did when he lost the elections in 2006 and 2012.”

Lopez Obrador is the author of the book titled “Listen Up, Trump” and during the campaign, he vowed that Mexico would not be the U.S. president’s pinata. But this week, Trump and Mexico’s next president have engaged in polite, diplomatic statements about one another. Grassley suggests that’s progress. “I’m very hopeful that there’ll be good communication between the United States and Mexico,” Grassley says. “And I hope, even before he’s sworn in, we can get a new NAFTA agreement.”

Representatives from the U.S., Canada and Mexico have been negotiating since last summer, but the deal is not done. Grassley made his comments Monday after a mid-day speech to Webster City’s Rotary.

(Radio Iowa)