DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Alliant Energy has announced it will invest about $1 billion to expand its wind energy operations in the state. Alliant executives and Gov. Terry Branstad made the announcement Wednesday.

The Iowa utility said in a news release that it is seeking regulatory approval to expand its Whispering Willow Wind Farm in Franklin County and possibly develop wind energy in other areas of the state. Utility spokesman Justin Foss says the project will also generate more than 1,500 jobs in Iowa. Foss said it is not yet clear how many turbines the project would see erected.

The company says the five-year project will produce 500 megawatts of energy.

A former City Clerk in Neola faces three felony and six other charges associated with an investigation into improper and unsupported disbursements. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation reports Deborah Schierbrock has been charged with Felony Ongoing Criminal Conduct, two (2) counts of Felonious Misconduct, and six (6) counts of Non-Felonious Misconduct, a serious misdemeanor. Schierbrock turned herself in on July 27, 2016 and was released on her own recognizance.  Schierbrock is due back in court on August 19th, 2016.

Schierbrock was the City Clerk in Neola from January 7, 2008 until her termination on August 25, 2013.  After Schierbrock’ s termination by the city of Neola, the Mayor requested an audit be conducted.  The Iowa Office of Auditor of State conducted an audit and filed a report.  The audit identified improper and unsupported disbursements as well as undeposited collections from the City of Neola’s bank account during the time frame Schierbrock was the City Clerk.

After the audit was completed, the investigation was turned over to the DCI.  Agents from the DCI reviewed the audit and conducted several interviews and compiled an investigative report and turned the report over to the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office for consideration of criminal charges.

The Grant Sky Eagles 4-H Club from Guthrie County recently donated 36 receiving blankets and matching burp cloths to the OB Department at Cass County Memorial Hospital. The blankets and cloths were all sewn by members of the club as part of a community service project.

In the photo are club members Reagan Carney, Jaden Carney, Wyatt Rudy, Justin Davis, Bryce Rochholz, club leader Cindy Lundy, and CCMH OB nurses Britni Olson and Kate Nachtman.

A Korean-War era hand grenade that was thought to be a dud, turned out to be real and was safely disposed of in Fremont County, Tuesday. The Sheriff’s Office says a real estate agent found the grenade while cleaning out a property, and had put the device into storage, thinking it was a dummy. When a family member of the agent looked at the grenade and believed it to be real, law enforcement was contacted.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office called the Iowa State Fire Marshall, who confirmed the device was in-fact real. A charge was used to destroy the grenade. Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reminds you, that if you should come upon an item that is potentially dangerous, contact your local law enforcement agency, and have them inspect it.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety announced today (Wednesday), that a laboratory criminalist is no longer employed with the Department, in connection with public comments made on a social media site. The Department of Public Safety has a social media policy, along with a general Code of Conduct policy, regarding statements made in a public forum.

DPS Commissioner Roxann Ryan said “The Iowa Department of Public Safety has a strong commitment to integrity, impartiality and professionalism in every aspect of our work.   We have adopted these policies in order to ensure that the public has trust in all that we do, and our policies reflect the high standards that we maintain.”

Criminalist Amy Pollpeter was employed with the Department of Public Safety from June 5, 2006, to July 26, 2016.  She was placed on paid administrative leave from July 12, 2016, to July 26, 2016.  DPS officials do not discuss the details of confidential personnel matters.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Court of Appeals has reversed a portion of the fraud convictions of a former lottery official accused of fixing a Hot Lotto game in Iowa in 2010.  The court on Tuesday upheld a fraud charge against Eddie Tipton related to tampering with lottery computers, but threw out the charge related to attempting to cash the lottery ticket.

Tipton contends that evidence at his July 2015 trial was insufficient to support allegations that he tampered with computers to enable him to buy a winning ticket. A jury convicted him on both counts and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The court’s ruling sends the case back to district court for dismissal of one count and resentencing likely to five years in prison.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Monday afternoon of 29-year old Modanna Marie Meyer, of Blockton. Meyer was arrested on a Union County warrant for probation violation. She was brought to the Ringgold County Jail and held without bond, pending an appearance before a magistrate.

Audubon County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Jensen says the Audubon County Engineer’s office has informed him that a section of 255^th St was closed for safety reasons, due to the undermining of a culvert. The closure is in the 2300 block of 255th, a 1.5-mile section of road between Mockingbird and Oriole Avenues. Repair work on the road is expected to last approximately two weeks.

Emergency responders and persons who would normally traverse the road in that section of Audubon County, should plan to take alternate routes for the next couple of weeks. If you have any questions, please call the Audubon County Engineer’s Office at 712-563-4286.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa trial for a former Nebraska jail employee facing child sex and pornography charges has been delayed. The Daily Nonpareil reports that the Council Bluffs trial of Shawn Beu has been rescheduled to begin Oct. 18 at the request of prosecution and defense attorneys. The trial was supposed to begin Tuesday.

Beu has pleaded not guilty to Iowa charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of a minor, and related crimes. He’s also been charged in federal court with child pornography possession. Beu, who lives in Council Bluffs, was a corrections sergeant at the Douglas County Jail in Omaha when he was arrested in March.