AVOCA, Iowa (AP) — A judge is expected to hand down her verdict today (Friday) in the second trial of a man who’d been convicted of killing a woman at his western Iowa home. The Daily Nonpareil reports that prosecution and defense lawyers tussled during their final arguments Thursday over whether Robert Reynolds had drunkenly hallucinated that 64-year-old Patricia Kinkade-Dorsey was possessed by a demon when he shot her. Reynolds was convicted in November 2014 of killing Kinkade-Dorsey after a night of drinking at his and his wife’s Oakland home. Kinkade-Dorsey was a friend of his wife.

The Iowa Appeals Court later ordered a new trial, ruling that the trial judge erroneously changed the first trial’s location. Judge Susan Christensen has said she’ll have the verdict in the second, non-jury trial read today (Friday).

The Atlantic Police Department reports three people were arrested, Thursday. 24-year old Albar Garza, of McAllen, TX, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. 20-year old Kaylee Sharp, of Atlantic, was arrested for Theft in the 2nd Degree. And, 27-year old Garrett Cooper, of Atlantic, was arrested for Harassment in the 3rd Degree. All three subjects were booked-into the Cass County Jail.

Clarinda Police, Thursday night, arrested a man for 1st degree Harassment. 47-year old Marvin Lee Harness, Jr., of Clarinda, was arrested without incident at around 9:30-p.m. at his home in the 500 block of N. 16th Street. Harness, Jr., was taken into custody after he allegedly threatened to kill a person. The alleged threat happened during a domestic quarrel involving Harness, Jr., and a 36-year old female, that occurred earlier Thursday evening.

Harness Jr. was being held at the Page County Jail without bond until seen by a Magistrate. Police reports have been submitted to the offices of Page County Attorney Carl M. Sonksen for review regarding the filing of formal charges.

The Creston Police Department reports a Ringgold County woman was arrested Thursday afternoon. 26-year old Latanya Renee Smith, of Tingley, was arrested at around 3:35-p.m. in the 100 Block of N. Elm Street in Creston, on a Missouri warrant for probation violation. Smith was being held on a $15,000 bond while awaiting extradition.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s time for a change in America — a time change. Let’s sleep an extra hour to that. At 2 a.m. local time Sunday, daylight saving time is ending, and it’s back to standard time for most people in the United States. The shift means it’s lighter earlier in the morning and darker earlier in the evening. And you’ll get 60 minutes more of shut-eye between Saturday night and Sunday wake-up.

Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and most of Arizona don’t observe daylight saving time, so there’s no need to change the clocks in those places. Daylight saving time will return at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, March 11.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City care provider has been accused of stealing from more than a dozen disabled adults. Court records say 48-year-old Lisa Sembach-Preston is charged with 19 counts of dependent adult abuse and 19 counts of theft. The records say Sembach-Preston was working for Crossroads of Western Iowa, a nonprofit that helps adults with disabilities and mental illnesses. She was responsible for each victim’s bank accounts and financial matters/

The records say the thefts from at least 16 people occurred from February 2015 through April. Authorities say the total taken was nearly $37,000.

A national travel magazine is naming an Iowa hotel as one of the top 25 in the Midwest. The Hotel Pattee, in Perry, made the list in the latest edition of Conde Nast Traveler. Jay Hartz is co-owner of the hotel and says the ranking is a thrill. “Very proud and quite honestly, very surprised,” Hartz says. “We did not anticipate that award. That’s the first time we’ve been named by that organization.” Hartz and his business partner/wife Denise have owned the historic Perry landmark for five years. “When we bought the hotel, the hotel was closed and we reopened it. The first year-and-a-half or two years was very scary but we turned the corner,” he says. “Business picked up and continues to pick up and we’re doing fine now.”

The Hotel Pattee is the only Iowa hotel on the list and it’s joined by posh facilities including the Ritz-Carlton in St. Louis, the Hotel Ivy in Minneapolis and the Hotel Iroquois on Mackinac Island in Michigan. “We do have to create more of a marketing plan to draw people here because there aren’t really demand generators right in our backyard,” Hartz says. “We have marketed the hotel as a destination and we try to tell our guests, once they come here, they don’t have to leave for a few days.”

The 40-room hotel features specialty rooms centered around Perry and the state of Iowa. www.hotelpattee.com

(Radio Iowa)

A Pottawattamie County man faces numerous charges after Council Bluffs Police responded to a report of an armed man who had stabbed a dog. Officers were dispatched to the 700 block of  S. 18th Street, where they learned a neighbor’s dog had gotten loose and attacked the dogs at 1731 8th Avenue. The owner of the dogs being attacked, 52-year old James R. Herman, of Council Bluffs, attempted to stop the attack on his dogs by striking the attacking dog with his fists. When the effort failed, he produced a knife and stabbed the attacking dog several times. The owner of the attacking dog was then able to get control of his animal. Herman, who suffered a minor laceration to his hand during the attack, then allegedly made threats to stab the owner of the dog.

James R. Herman

Officers made contact with Herman to discuss the incident, and during their investigation discovered a marijuana growing operation in his home, as well as several items of drug paraphernalia. Detectives from the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Fore were contacted and took over the investigation. A search warrant was applied for and granted, for Herman’s residence. During the search, several marijuana plants in various stages of growth, as well as miscellaneous items of drug paraphernalia, were located and seized into evidence.

James R. Herman was arrested and booked into the Pott. County Jail, on charges that include: Manufacturing marijuana (A Class D felony); Harassment in the 1st Degree; Possession of a Controlled Substance/marijuana, for personal use; and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Council Bluffs Animal Control arrived on the scene and took control of Herman’s dogs, who suffered only minor injuries during the attack. The other dog was transported by its owner to an emergency veterinary clinic for treatment. A report on its condition was not available.