An Exira man arrested in April in connection with a knifing incident outside of a business in the community, plead guilty Monday to charges associated with the crime. 21-year old Jesse Lee Brubaker was facing two Class C felony charges of Willful Injury, associated with an assault that resulted in two persons being cut with a knife. Online court records indicate Brubaker instead reached a plea agreement that reduced the Willful Injury charges to a Class D felony, and included a charge of OWI/1^st Offense.

Brubaker was sentenced to a total of 10-years in prison, the term for which will be served at the Iowa Medical & Classification Center, in Oakdale. He’s also required to pay a fine of $750 plus related court costs. Brubaker was given credit for time already served associated with the OWI charge for an offense that took place in January.   

Had he been found guilty of two Class C felony charges of Willful Injury, Brubaker could have been sentenced to 10-years in prison on each count, and would have been subject to fines of up to $10,000 for each count. The two Class D-felonies are punishable by a maximum of 5-years in prison on each count, and fines of up to $7,500 for each offense.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Months after customers blasted the company for skyrocketing rates, Iowa’s dominant health insurer says it will limit premium increases in 2014 to less than six percent for individual and small business policyholders. 

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced Tuesday it won’t raise premiums to cover increases for medical or administrative costs in 2014. Instead, it will only raise rates to offset new fees and taxes required of insurance carriers under the Affordable Care Act. The decision impacts 330,000 individuals who purchase health insurance from Wellmark, or who get insurance through small businesses with less than 50 employees. 

It comes after an increase of more than 12 percent went into effect for Wellmark customers April 1. The hike prompted customers to express frustration online and at a public hearing.

The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest on Monday of 62-year old Thomas Harrelson, of Atlantic. Harrelson was taken into custody for allegedly possessing a controlled substance believed to be heroin. Harrelson was booked into the Cass County Jail.

And, 33-year old Abigail Lennon, of Atlantic, was arrested Monday on a Cass County warrant charging her with Failure to Appear. Lennon was also booked into the jail and held pending a court appearance.