Binghi Boppa Band playing Live on the Square; more

Binghi Boppa band playing Live on the Square

The 2012 Live on the Square Summer Concert Series returns to downtown Fairfield at 8 p.m. Saturday, with another local favorite.

Patrick White?s Binghi Boppa Band is one of the few known groups that write and produce Soukous music in English for Americans. A super lively dance group, Binghi Boppa performs a live set of reggae and African genres that are original simple and fresh. Originally known as ?rumba,? Soukous music originated in the Congo in the 1940s and long has drawn listeners from all walks of life for its driving drum beats and melodic wind instruments mixed with electric guitar. The Binghi Boppa Band has played many of Fairfield?s venues and festivals, but now will take to the big stage of Live on the Square for the fourth of its five free summer concerts.

The Live on the Square free summer concert series funded in part by the city of Fairfield, Greater Jefferson County Foundation, Fairfield Iowa Convention and Visitors Bureau, Danaher Oil, Cambridge Investment Research, Hy-Vee Foods and KMCD/Classic 96,

For more information on the the Binghi Boppa Band, check out themyspace page at www.myspace.com/binghiboppa.

Police: Beware of scent scam

Fairfield Police Department issued a scam alert today about a practice operating in midwestern states.

People have been approaching customers outside of gas stations or in store parking lots, inquiring what perfume or cologne they wear and offering to sell brand name scents at discount prices.

The scammers will offer a test sniff of a scent, but instead of a scent, the customer will breathe in ether, which could cause them to pass out. Valuables are then taken off the unconscious person.

Police advise everyone to avoid such offers and to contact the police if this scam is encountered.

Columbus Junction man arrested in stabbing incident

WASHINGTON, Iowa (GTNS) ? A Columbus Junction man was arrested Monday evening in the 300 block of East Second Street in Washington in connection with a stabbing that occurred earlier in the evening.

The incident remains under investigation by the Washington Police Department.

According to a press release from the Washington County Communications Center, Joshua Michael Bergen, 18, of 19163 105th Street in Columbus Junction, was arrested at the scene and charged with willful injury and public intoxication. Court records for Bergen were not available at press time. Willful injury is a class C felony that can bring up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Today?s police log, provided by the communications center, said at about 6:15 p.m. Monday, officers responded to reports from a caller who said her boyfriend had been stabbed in the arm. Members of the Washington Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff?s Office, and Washington County Ambulance responded. One patient was transported to Washington County Hospital and Clinics, where he was treated and released. The caller had also given a description of the assailant.

An Iowa Courts On-Line search shows 23 incidents where Bergen has been charged with a variety of crimes in Muscatine, Louisa and Des Moines counties, mostly juvenile related. He also was charged with two counts of assault causing bodily injury in Louisa County on March 22. He was sentenced on June 18 to 60 days in jail with 55 suspended, and a $315 fine for both counts with the sentences to run concurrently.

? David Hotle, Golden Trianagle News Service