DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state audit says that a University of Iowa professor misused nearly $100,000 on hosting unauthorized conferences between 2011 and 2017. Iowa State Auditor Mary Mosiman said Thursday that physics professor Michael Flatte improperly used his university procurement card to pay for $47,203.81 in expenses for three conferences. He also collected $44,161.69 in registration fees and used most of that for the conferences.

The University of Iowa says it identified Flatte’s unauthorized transactions in November 2016 and requested the state audit. University officials are reviewing potential disciplinary action.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports an eastern Iowa man was arrested Wednesday evening on a Union County warrant. 19-year old Brazon Jordan Davenport, of Tama, was arrested on a warrant for failure to appear on the original charge of domestic abuse assault. Davenport was being held in the Union County Jail on $2,000 bond.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency reports Mulberry Loop in Shelby County, is currently closed for a bridge replacement with low water crossing. The bridge is in the 800 block of Mulberry Loop in Fairview Township Section 23. The bridge has been removed and will be replaced with a low water crossing. Work will continue as weather conditions permit.

Area affected by closure

The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office reports the two victims of a Riverside School bus fire on December 12th, died of smoke and soot inhalation coupled with thermal injuries. The deaths of a passenger, 16-year old Megan Klindt, and the driver, 74-year old Donnie Hendricks, have been ruled accidental. The fire broke broke out around 7 a.m. after the vehicle backed out of a farm driveway and entered a ditch across the road.

Deputies arrived on scene around 7:20 a.m. but were unable to board the bus because it was fully engulfed in flames. Fire department crews from Carson and Oakland extinguished the fire. The farmstead was the first scheduled stop on the bus route. No one else was on board.

DETROIT (AP) — Ford and Mazda are recalling more than 380,000 older small pickup trucks for a second time to replace Takata air bag inflators that can explode and hurl shrapnel.
The recalls cover driver and passenger inflators in certain 2004 to 2006 Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series trucks made by Ford. Takata uses ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion that inflates air bags. But the chemical can deteriorate over time and burn too fast, blowing apart a metal canister. At least 20 people have been killed worldwide.

The trucks were recalled in 2015 and 2016 to replace inflators with newer ones as a temporary fix. Under the latest recalls, inflators will be swapped for ones that don’t use ammonium nitrate.
Owners will be notified starting later this month.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Hancock turned himself-in to the Sheriff’s Office, Wednesday afternoon. 43-year old Jeffrey Bruce Willett was wanted on a Probation Violation warrant. He was transported to the Jail and booked-in. And, a Council Bluffs man was arrested Wednesday morning for Interference with Official Acts. 47-year old Kenneth Edward Petty was arrested after a Deputy went to Petty’s home to serve legal papers. Petty allegedly became argumentative, even after he was warned to stop, or face arrest. He continued to show resistance while being arrested and while being put in the patrol vehicle.