The Alzheimer’s Association is offering a free educational class for the general public on Friday, March 1st, at the Atlantic Public Library, 507 Poplar Street, Atlantic, IA 50022. The class, entitled “10 Warning Signs,” will be held from 2:00-until 3:00 p.m. The meeting is designed for you to learn the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Organizers will separate myth from reality and address commonly-held fears about Alzheimer’s in America. You’ll hear also from people who have the disease, and find out how to recognize the signs in yourself and others.

Spokesperson, and class facilitator, Amanda Brophy says, “This class will be very beneficial for anyone who wants to know what to look for with regards to Alzheimer’s disease or has questions about Alzheimer’s and dementia. Our goal is to equip our communities with the knowledge, resources, and support they need as they age or continue on the journey of living with this disease. We want to connect them to a community of people who care and understand what they are going through, as well as provide them with the resources and information necessary to understand the disease.”

For more information about this educational program and to register, contact Amanda Brophy at abjrophy@alz.org or 712.454.5035. You can also visit alz.org/crf to find out more.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — An 18-year-old Burlington resident has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, accused of fatally stabbing another woman during a fight. Des Moines County District Court records say Kaylee Wilson entered the plea Monday. The court records say she intends to claim self-defense at her trial, which is scheduled to begin April 30.

She’s accused of stabbing 23-year-old Mallery Doak on Jan. 22 during a fight in front of Wilson’s Burlington home . A criminal complaint says the two had been arguing in instant messages over a man who’d fathered one of Doak’s children. Wilson reported that Doak threatened her for spending time with the man and said she was headed over to Wilson’s house.

Wilson told investigators that she then armed herself with a kitchen knife and hid it in her waistband awaiting Doak’s arrival.

The Creston Police Department reports four people were arrested Monday, on separate charges. 31-year old Lansey Rene Cheramie, of Creston, was arrested Monday morning at the Wal-Mart store. He was taken into custody on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear (in court). Cheramie was being held in the Union County Jail on a $5,000 bond. Later that same morning, 19-year old Kimberlyn Calie Albrechtsen, of Afton, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on two Union County warrants for Class-D Forgery. Albrechtsen was being held for Union County in the Adams County Jail. Her bond was set at $15,000.

Monday afternoon, 20-year old Brianne May Lawson, of Greenfield, was arrested at the Creston Wal-Mart. She was taken into custody for Trespass/1st offense. Lawson was released from custody at the scene, on a citation to appear in court. And, Monday evening, 25-year old Kathryn Lee Roberts, of Creston, was arrested on an outside agency warrant. Roberts was transferred to the custody of Clarke County authorities.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A March sentencing has been scheduled for a nurse accused of stealing medications from patients at a nursing home in Dubuque. Dubuque County District Court records say 38-year-old Jenny Tjaden, of Bellevue, pleaded guilty to tampering with records and to unlawfully obtaining prescription drugs. The Telegraph Herald also reports that she pleaded guilty in a separate case to driving while intoxicated. Her sentencing is set for March 7.

Court records say Tjaden was working as a nurse at Stonehill Franciscan Services in October when she stole prescription drugs from three patients.

Key lawmakers are advancing a plan to continue providing state incentives to Iowa school districts that merge with others. The financial incentives for mergers, along with extra state money for neighboring districts that begin sharing buildings as well as teachers and staff, are set to end next year. Dave Wilkerson of the School Administrators of Iowa says the extra state support eases the burden on taxpayers if a district enters a merger with a significantly lower property tax base than its neighbor.  “If you’re been in one of those districts when a reorganization takes place — and I was teaching in a district when that did, this helps,” Wilkerson says.

School districts that merge or enter what are called “whole grade sharing” arrangements get state incentives for the first three years the deal is in place. Representative Cecil Dolecheck (DOLE-eh-check), a Republican from Mount Ayr, is chairman of the House Education Committee. “I have a couple of school districts in my area right now that are talking about the possibility of whole grade sharing with another school district that could lead to sharing or dissolution or whatever,” Dolecheck says. “I think these are important to allow those talks to take place, those discussions to take place.”

About 19 percent of Iowa school districts currently have “whole grade sharing” agreements.