COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A former Council Bluffs candidate for mayor has been charged with stealing vending machines in Nebraska. Online court records say 33-year-old Matthew Hartfield has pleaded not guilty to a dozen misdemeanor counts of theft. His trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 31 in Douglas County Court.

The thefts started occurring in November. Police say sometimes a well-dressed man would enter an Omaha store, measure a machine and take it, saying he’d bring back a larger machine. The vending machines’ owner estimated his loss at $10,000.

The Daily Nonpareil reports that Hartfield ran for mayor in 2009 and was beaten by incumbent Tom Hanafan.

The owner of a Ford dealership in south-central Iowa is facing charges of identity theft after investigators say he was caught trying to steal over $16,000 through false claims of warranty work. Sixty-one-year-old Wil Reisinger, owner of Anchor Motor Company in Osceola, was arrested last week. Mike Athey, Deputy Director of the Iowa DOT’s Bureau of Investigation and Identity Protection, says the investigation started in August after a former service technician at Anchor Motor made a call to the Iowa Attorney General’s office.

“He was alerted that an employee number that Ford had assigned to him was now being used under the auspice of Anchor Motor well over a year after he had actually left employment there,” Athey said. Investigators uncovered 21 cases of fraud.”Some of the repair orders…the signatures contained upon those documents were not the signatures of the owners of the vehicles and some of the repairs were not even associated with that particular vehicle,” Athey said.

Police and prosecutors decided to charge Reisinger in connection with the five highest dollar claims, which range from $1,752 to 7,034. If convicted of the charges, Reisinger could face up to 25 years in prison. The DOT could also impose a five-year suspension from the auto dealership business.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Sen. Charles Grassley says he doesn’t think he’ll be condemned for moving quickly on a Donald Trump nominee for U.S. Supreme Court after refusing last year to hold hearings on President Barack Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland. Grassley says the opposition expected from Democrats makes it more important that Trump does as promised and selects a nominee who received strong Senate support when named to a federal court.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Outgoing Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad says he doesn’t think tax cuts are feasible during the upcoming session, a position that seems to put him at odds with fellow Republicans who will control both chambers of the Legislature. Branstad told reporters at the annual Associated Press legislative seminar that although he generally supports tax reform, immediate cuts aren’t sustainable amid the state’s financial climate.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State officials say six employees workers have been fired from a southwestern Iowa disability treatment center after an investigation revealed numerous cases in which patients had been physically or verbally abused. The Department of Human Services said Wednesday that six other workers at the Glenwood State Resource Center have resigned and five were otherwise disciplined. One case is still pending.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Documents obtained by The Associated Press show that an unconscious inmate was beaten to death by a fellow prisoner at Iowa’s maximum-security penitentiary. It is believed to be first homicide at an Iowa prison since 2010, and has prompted a union to accuse the state of trying to cover up safety lapses. Documents show the deadly assault at the Iowa State Penitentiary continued despite a correctional officer’s failed attempt to get the assailant to stop.

In other business, the City Council held a Public Hearing on a Development Agreement with Whitney Group, LLC, authorizing an annual appropriation of Tax Increment payments and pledging certain revenues to the payment of the agreement. The only comment came from Pat McCurdy, Chairman of the Cass Atlantic Development Corporation’s Housing Committee. McCurdy said he supported the project “100 percent.”

The Council did not take any action on the agreement, as a final wording is being hammered out. A vote on passing the agreement is expected during the next regular Council meeting on January 18^th. Mark Smith, along with a group of investors purchased the three-story Victorian-era Boss Hotel that was built in 1890, and is on the list of the National Register of Historic Places. Smith has previously stated that plans for the structure includes commercial space and a restaurant on the first floor, along with a community room. The top two floors will be remodeled into eight apartment units on each floor for “mature adults.” The project is expected to cost $4-million.

The Council, Wednesday, passed a Resolution for matching funds amounting to $100,000, in support of an Enhance Iowa CAT grant for the Schildberg Recreation Area Campground improvement and bathhouse projects. Atlantic Parks and Rec Department Director Seth Staashelm said the Resolution was necessary because the previous application had been submitted to the now defunct Vision Iowa Board. The old application was rescinded and is being updated before being submitted to the Enhance Iowa Board for review and action, which is likely to occur later this summer.

The City’s share of the matching funds will come from the Local Option Sales Tax Recreation Improvement Reserve and the Hotel-Motel Tax.

Atlantic officially has a new Chief of Police and a new Police Officer. Mayor Dave Jones, Wednesday night administered the Oath of Office to Chief Dave Erickson, who formerly served as a Lieutenant under Chief Steve Green, who retired at the end of December. Erickson began his duties as Chief on January 1st, but the title wasn’t official until he was sworn-in.

And, the Oath of Office was administered to Officer Cameron Ward, from Griswold. Ward’s family looked on as the young man became the latest Police Officer to serve the City. He comes from a family of law enforcement officers. The new Chief is in the process of interviewing candidates to fill one more position on the Atlantic Police force created by the resignation of Cody Eckles, who left to become a sheriff’s deputy in Shelby County. The new officer is expected to be hired by the first week in March, bringing the total police force to 12 full-time officers.

Dave Erickson is sworn-in as Chief of Police.

Mayor Dave Jones issues the Oath of Office to Police Officer Cameron Ward.