FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A judge has declared a mistrial in the case of a Georgia man charged with first-degree murder in the death of a roommate whose skeletal remains were found in an Iowa basement in 2012. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports Judge Gary McMinimee ordered the mistrial Tuesday in the case of 55-year-old John Green, of Blairsville, Georgia. Green is accused of killing 58-year-old Mark Koster, who was reported missing in 2010. His remains were found buried in the basement of Koster’s Sac City home.

McMinimee made his decision after Sac City Police Chief John Thomsen testified investigators interviewing suspects “minimize the crime” because “bad people” don’t want to admit their roles. Defense attorney Charles Kenville argued that mischaracterized Green. McMinimee agreed, declaring a mistrial. A new trial will be scheduled.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Officials have apprehended a man accused of escaping from a work release facility in Iowa. The state Department of Corrections says 29-year-old Justin Lee Miller was back in custody Monday. He is being held at the Polk County Jail.

Officials say Miller was placed on escape status from a Sioux City work release program in August, after an unexcused absence. Additional information about Miller’s return is not available. He is serving time for convictions of willful injury, assault and escape. He was transferred to the work release program in June.

A public hearing will be held Wednesday morning in Atlantic, with regard to an amendment of the Fiscal Year 2015 Cass County Budget. On Nov. 19th, the Board of Supervisors discussed the budget and scheduled the hearing for 8:30-a.m. Wednesday, in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Courthouse.

During last month’s meeting, Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman explained the amendment is NOT related to a shortage of funds. In fact, he said, the “Jumpstart Program” was allowed to continue, which means the flow-through funds may be four-million dollars more than what was expected. The amendment allows the funds to be spent.

The funds are administered through SWIPCO (The Southwest Iowa Planning Council), are paid to contractors for work on disaster recovery and housing assistance. The funds can also be used to assist local governments in the areas of Public Safety and Communications.

In other business, the Board will hear from a representative with West Central Community Action (WCCA), with regard to a request for continued, matching funding. WCCA will also deliver its annual report. And, Cass County Weed Commission Larry Randel will present his annual weed control report to the Board.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County say an Adair County woman was transported to the hospital in Creston following a single-vehicle rollover accident Monday afternoon. 18-year old Alison Metzger, of Orient, was traveling north on Highway 25 at around 2-p.m., when she came over a hill and saw another vehicle passing a vehicle as both of those vehicles were traveling southbound.

Metzger said she had no choice but to swerve onto the shoulder to avoid a collision. When she took evasive action, the 1998 Plymouth Neon she was driving went into the east ditch, and rolled onto its top. Metzger was transported by private vehicle to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, to be checked for possible injuries.

The car sustained $5,000 damage. No citations were issued.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education, Monday, approved the District’s participation in a Financial Planning Program (FPP). Superintendent Mike Amstein told KJAN News the action came after the Board heard from FPP advisor Gary Sinclair. He says based on that presentation, the Board thought the FPP would be beneficial in preparing budgets and formulating budget scenarios for the upcoming year, as well as up to the next five-years.)

The Board authorized the purchase of the full FPP package in the amount $10,000, of which the District is responsible for $5,700. The cost will likely be paid for through the Capital Projects because it’s non-instructional software. Amstein says the FPP will be greatly beneficial in determining the outcome of specific financial scenarios, especially with regard to the amount of money the District receives from the State in the form of Supplemental Aid.

He says it allows them to project what their income will be regardless of whether the State aid is zero percent or as much as five-percent, and it takes into consideration student enrollment. It helps in determining the tax rate, where there staffing needs are the greatest and other costs. Last year, school districts were forced to try and determine their budgets for the upcoming year without having known for certain the amount of Supplemental Aid they would be receiving, because the legislature took so long in reaching a decision on the matter.

Amstein said instead of “Being in a position where you have to sit on your hands a little bit, we can be a little more proactive in taking a look at the different scenarios that might come into play so we’re not having to wait for the last minute to go ahead and start punching in the numbers.”

In other business, the Board discussed the possibility of hosting a Legislative meeting for local legislators to come and visit with Atlantic School Board members, as well as those in Griswold and CAM. The details are still being worked out, but the tentative plan is for the week of January 5th. Additional information will be released once all the facets of the meeting are hammered out.