ELKADER, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa prosecutor has dropped charges for now against two nurses accused of abusing a resident at a northeastern Iowa nursing home. Clayton County Court records show a judge Monday granted a request from Clayton County Attorney Alan Heavens to drop the charges. In his request filed June 28 Heavens told the court he wanted to delay a final decision on criminal prosecutions until the Iowa Board of Nursing and the Iowa Department of Inspection and Appeals had completed their investigations and imposed any sanctions.

The records show Nichole Buckley and Heidi Mueller have pleaded not guilty to charges of dependent adult abuse, wanton neglect of a resident of a health care facility and tampering with records. Authorities say the charges are related to the abuse of a patient at Elkader Care Center in March.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man has admitted stealing trade secrets and transferring some to his new employer. Court records say 55-year-old Josh Isler, of St. Ansgar, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids to theft of trade secrets and making false statements to the FBI. His sentencing date hasn’t been set.

The records say that while Isler was working as a technical service account manager for DuPont’s ethanol fuel enzyme division in August 2013, he downloaded hundreds of electronic DuPont files after accepting a job with an unnamed DuPont competitor. The documents say he transferred some of the DuPont information to his new employer.

The documents also say he lied to FBI agents when he told them he had not downloaded the files.

WASHINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man in southeast Iowa whose death has prompted an investigation. He was identified as 70-year-old Ed Jones, who lived in Washington.
The Washington Police Department sent officers just before 8 a.m. Wednesday to check a call about a suspicious death at an apartment complex. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was soon called in to help. No arrests have been reported. An autopsy has been ordered.

A recent report by U-S News and World Report places the Atlantic High School tops in the Hawkeye 10 Conference and it placed high among the best in Iowa. Superintendent Steve Barber spoke of the honor during Wednesday’s School Board meeting, in Atlantic.  Barber said the magazine uses criteria that focuses on how our students perform on State-level tests, how well the school prepares students for college, and other factors. Barber said he was happy and excited to report the Atlantic High School was ranked 26th Best in the State of Iowa, and is nationally recognized. He congratulated the staff and students for their efforts.

The High School earned a bronze medal as part of the recognition.  (For more information: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/iowa/districts/atlantic-comm-school-district/atlantic-high-school-7506)