The Toy Depot Moves Into Former Close To Home Building
(Le Mars) — A Le Mars business known for selling educational materials and school supplies is now about to expand to market toys in a downtown store. John MacGregor, owner of The Education Station says the business “The Toy Depot” will
be selling toys in the former Close To Home store located on Plymouth Avenue northwest. MacGregor says the toys will be on sale all year round.
MacGregor says the new Toy Depot will offer toys for all ages, including nostalgic toys.
MacGregor says in addition to nostalgic toys, the new Toy Depot will also feature nostalgic candies and beverages.
MacGregor says The Toy Depot will feature toys and games that you may not see at a large discount store.
At a time when it seems as though most toys produced today are an electronic toy, MacGregor says his store will steer away from the electronic trend.
The new toy store owner says he has actually reduced the allowable screen time for his children, saying playing with toys helps with a child’s developmental skills.
Cresco Man Charged With Shooting Wife To Death
CRESCO, Iowa (AP) – A 34-year-old man has been charged with shooting to death his wife before holding officers at bay for several hours in northern Iowa.
Howard County Court records say Brian Fullhart is charged with first-degree murder and going armed with intent. The records don’t list the name of attorney who could comment for him.
The records say Fullhart shot his wife with a handgun early Thursday at a mobile home in Cresco and later used a bow to twice fire arrows at officers who’d been sent to investigate gunshot reports. The complaint says one arrow struck a squad car.
Officials say an Iowa State Patrol SWAT team negotiated Fullhart’s peaceful surrender to end the more than five-hour standoff.
Fullhart’s wife was identified as 34-year-old Zoanne Fullhart, who lived in Decorah.
Developer To Turn Former School Into Offices, Restaurant, Bars
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A developer is buying a former Des Moines junior high school with plans to transform it into a mixed-use entertainment venue with hotel rooms, office space, a restaurant and boutique bars.
We Can Build It owner Jeff Young tells the Des Moines Register that he plans to finalize the $2 million purchase of the former Franklin Junior High School Monday.
Young wants to turn the cafeteria into a restaurant, retrofit some rooms into bars and transform two auditoriums into venues for concerts or plays.
The two-story building was built in 1948. The district closed the school in 1979 after declining enrollment. The First Federated Church has owned the property since then, and decided to sell it about four years ago.
Young needs city approval to re-zone the property from its church classification.
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Six People Charged With Phone Scam
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Six people from Dubuque have been sentenced for participation in a phone call scam that victimized more than 250 elderly victims across the country.
The six were sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. All six pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
Prosecutors say the scheme consisted of phone calls to elderly people across the country, telling victims that relatives were jailed and that money should be wired to free them. The six handled the wire transfers.
Prosecutors say 33-year-old Tobey Hines was given 33 months; 33-year-old Tiffany Reynolds was given 19 months; Joshua Willis was given 23 months; 23- year-old Payton McCarville was given eight months; 21-year-old Morgan Cornell was given 14 months; and 34-year-old Paul Chase was given 15 months.
Former Habitat for Humanity Executive Charged With Theft
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A former executive director of Habitat for Humanity in Council Bluffs has been given five years of probation in a federal identity theft case.
The Daily Nonpareil reports that Gina Malloy was sentenced Wednesday.
FBI investigators say Malloy forged a signature and used the victim’s name, Social Security number and other information on loan and credit card applications. Investigators say the crimes occurred when Malloy was working for
Habitat.
She left its employ and became executive director of Joslyn Castle in Omaha, Nebraska, in August 2015. She left that job in May 2016. Malloy’s also known as Gina Primmer.
Her plea agreement says Malloy agreed to pay at least $13,490 back to Habitat and $12,100 to U.S. Bank in restitution.
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