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Iowa town set to pick new mayor after previous one’s arrest

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January 30th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

JAMAICA, Iowa (AP) — The Guthrie County town of Jamaica is set to appoint a new mayor after its previous mayor was arrested earlier this month on charges related to marijuana found growing in her basement. Acting mayor Tim McDermott tells the Des Moines Register that city leaders are expected to appoint a new mayor Monday. McDermott says former mayor LaDonna Kennedy submitted her resignation last week.

Kennedy and her husband, 58-year-old Randy Kennedy, were arrested Jan. 16 on various drug charges after Guthrie County Sheriff’s deputies searching for a suspect in a separate crime knocked on their door. The suspect wasn’t found, but deputies called for a search warrant after smelling an “overwhelming odor of raw marijuana” coming from the home.

Investigators say 18 marijuana plants, several bags of marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found.