ROCKWELL CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Calhoun County jury has found a Pomeroy man guilty of first-degree murder for the shooting death of a North Dakota man. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports the jury reached the verdict Friday afternoon in the case against 48-year-old Freddy Crisp, who shot 41-year-old Dale Currie Potter, of Devils Lake, North Dakota.

Deputies found Potter dead on Nov. 10 when Crisp called 911 to report the shooting. Crisp was arrested eight days later. Crisp has maintained that he shot Potter in self-defense after Potter pulled a gun during an argument. But prosecutors pointed to inconsistencies in Crisp’s recollections about the shooting.

Sentencing has been set for July 22, when Crisp faces a mandatory life sentence.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A jury has found Council Bluffs man guilty of four counts of second-degree sexual abuse involving a child. The Daily Nonpareil reports  47-year-old Michael Wineinger was found guilty Friday in Pottawattamie County District Court.

Prosecutors say Wineinger abused a girl under the age of 12 several times in 2013 and 2014. Wineinger faces up to 25 years on each conviction when he’s sentenced on Aug. 24. He’ll be held in the Pottawattamie County Jail until his sentencing.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports four arrests over the past couple of weeks.

On June 10th, 22-year old Daylan Gene Kleen, of Audubon, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was cited and released on a promise to appear later, in court.

On June 7th, 34-year old Juan Manuel Anaya Mendez, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant. Mendez turned over to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.

On May 24th, Audubon Police arrested 33-year old Jason Schumann, of Audubon, for Domestic Abuse Assault with intent to inflict serious injury, and 50-year old Scott Gerard Koppold, of Harlan, for Public Intoxication. Koppold pled guilty and was released the following day. Schumann was taken to the Audubon County Jail and held pending a court appearance.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer, Saturday, said that after a lengthy investigation, the Audubon Police Department has arrested 36-year old Angel Marie Siepker, of Audubon. Siepker faces multiple charges, including:

• Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Deliver within 1000 feet of a school – a Class D Felony
• Ongoing Criminal Conduct – a Class B Felony
• 3 counts of Child Endangerment – an Aggravated Misdemeanor
• Failure to Affix Drug Tax Stamp – a Class D Felony
• Gathering Where Illegal Substances are being used – a Serious Misdemeanor
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – a Simple Misdemeanor

Siepker remains in the Audubon County Jail on $25,000 cash bond. An investigation into her case remains open. The Audubon Police Department was assisted in executing the search warrant of her home, by Audubon Sheriff’s Deputy Tibbets and K-9 Axle, as well as the Iowa State Patrol.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – The Iowa-based operators of the ACT college entrance exams in South Korea and Hong Kong say they had to cancel today (Saturday), after finding out the tests had been breached.  ACT spokesman Edward Colby said Saturday the cancellation affected about 5,500 test takers who will receive refunds of test fees. Colby says that the exams will be administrated in South Korea and Hong Kong again in September.

South Korea has struggled to clamp down on cheating on standardized English and college admission tests and similar problems have been reported in China.

Briquettes from a charcoal grill getting onto a wooden deck are to blame for a fire early this (Saturday) morning, north of Atlantic. Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN News a neighbor of Jake Smith, who resides at 54393 Buck Creek Road, was up at around 4-a.m. and noticed smoke before calling 9-1-1.

Photo courtesy Cass County EMA Coordinator Mike Kennon

McNees said when they arrived on scene, the deck and side of an attached portion of a home was on fire. Crews were able to get a quick knockdown of the flames. Still, about half the deck was lost, and the home sustained some smoke damage.The Chief said Smith had been barbecuing on the deck and threw water on the flames at around 12:30-a.m., but it appears some charcoal might have slipped through the bottom of the grill or blown out, onto the deck, according to McNees.

Firefighters remained on the scene until about 5:30. No injuries were reported.