MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Mason City mom accused of making her kids sleep in a feces-covered room has been given four years of probation. Mason City television station KIMT reports that 26-year-old Alexis Martinez was given a deferred judgment at her sentencing Monday. Under a deferred judgment, the conviction will be removed from her record if she successfully completes the terms of her probation.

Martinez had pleaded guilty to one count of felony neglect of a dependent person. Prosecutors dropped two other counts in exchange for her plea. Court documents say Martinez forced her children, ages 2, 4 and 6, in late August to sleep for a week in a room that had feces on the walls and floor.

The Glenwood Police Department reports four people were arrested recently, on drug charges. On Saturday, 33-year old Shawn Richter, of Malvern, and 23-year old Kadie Clark, of Glenwood, were arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Their bonds were set at $1,300 each.

22-year old Dylan Conn, of Glenwood, was arrested Sunday for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd offense. His bond was set at $5,000. And, 20-year old Bailey Taylor, of Glenwood, was arrested Sunday for Gathering, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.,

On Friday, 23-year old Bubba Mitchell, of Emerson, was arrested for providing false identification information and interference with official acts. His bond was set at $600.

Atlantic Police Chief Dave Erickson reports 20-year old Jacob D. Johnson, of Atlantic, was arrested Saturday. Johnson was taken into custody for OWI/2nd offense and Driving While License Revoked. He was booked into the Cass County Jail.

Postings on a social media website has resulted in two Council Bluffs men being charged with 3rd Degree Criminal Mischief. Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Deputies, followed up on a stop sign being bent over at the intersection of Bent Tree and McPherson. The incident had been recorded and posted on Snap Chat by 19-year old Alexander Jason Epperson.

During an interview with Deputies, Epperson admitted he was a passenger in a vehicle driven by 19-year old Kyle Thomas O’Neill, and the incident had occurred on three separate occasions. In addition to the Criminal Mischief charge, O’Neill was issued three citations for improper use of a curb. Damage to the stop sign was estimated at $750. Both men were taken into custody Friday morning.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office said also, 26-year old Milo Simon McAvoy, of Elyria, OH, was arrested Friday night for OWI/2nd offense, after authorities received a report of a man sleeping on the floor of the Underwood I-80 truck stop. A deputy arriving on the scene saw McAvoy driving in the parking lot, and placed him under arrest at around 12:40-a.m., Saturday.

An Omaha man was arrested Saturday for OWI/2nd offense and Child Endangerment, after he was pulled over for Failure to Obey a stop sign at around 10:10-p.m. south of Oakland. A deputy also observed the vehicle, occupied by 37-year old Matthew R. McNulty and his 10-year old son, swerving onto the fog line on least two occasions.

A traffic stop for speeding early Sunday morning resulted in the arrest of a Nebraska man on a Drug Possession charge, with an OWI charge pending completion of further testing. 26-year old Jeffrey Lyn Harris, Jr., of Omaha, was arrested after he pulled off into the Underwood High School parking lot. He was found to be in possession of a 23.3 grams of marijuana, one-half gram of a marijuana roach, and other, unknown substance.

A vehicle seen swerving all over the road Sunday morning, in Pott. County, resulted in the arrest of 26-year old Kyle Sterling Croushon, of Council Bluffs. Croushon was charged with OWI/1st offense, and carrying a concealed weapon. And, a complaint from a woman in Council Bluffs about a contractor allegedly stealing items from her house and damaging her property, resulted in the arrest Sunday afternoon, of 30-year old Jacob Andrew McCoid, of Council Bluffs, who was charged with 2nd Degree Theft/Theft from a building, and Criminal Mischief in the 3rd degree.  McCoid is alleged to have taken more than $4,600 worth of duct work items and caused more than $600 damage. The duct work property was recovered.

Officials with the Cass County Health System in Atlantic say the next session of “Healthy U” is scheduled for this Thursday (April 27th), at Noon. The session will focus on Medicare Wellness Exams, and will be held in Conference Room 2 at the Cass County Memorial Hospital, near the Atrium.  Mary Robinson, PA-C, Jessica Jackson, ARNP, and Wendy Hunter Williams, Wellness Coach, will present.

Hunter-Williams says “We want our patients to be healthy and have a good relationship with their healthcare provider. As part of their Plan B benefits, Medicare patients are eligible for a free annual wellness visit with their provider, which is a perfect opportunity to make sure we are all on the same page and working towards the same goal – good health!”

Patients who are new to Plan B (within 12 months) will first have an introductory visit that typically includes screenings, vaccines, body measurements, discussions on mental health and advance directives, and more. Those patients who have had Part B for longer than 12 months will have an annual wellness visit. Your provider will ask you to fill out a questionnaire, called a “Health Risk Assessment,” as part of this visit.

The wellness visit can also include a review of your medical and family history, updating a list of current providers and prescriptions, detection of any cognitive impairment, routine measurements, creating a screening plan for appropriate preventive services, and other services as needed.

Healthy U is a free educational lunch series at Cass County Health System held monthly in CCMH Conference Room 2. The public is invited and welcome to attend, but reservations are required as lunch is provided for all attendees. Call 712-243-7479 to reserve your seat.

Adair/Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Kempf reports a “Management of Spontaneous Volunteers in Disaster” class will be held Saturday, June 10th, from 9-a.m. until 5-p.m., at the Stuart Fire Station. The target audience for this free course is emergency manager and voluntary organizations responsible for the management of spontaneous volunteers.

Officials say one of the most crucial activities during a disaster is to ensure that disaster volunteers are used effectively in communities. This free course will introduce the skills and planning considerations that are required to manage large numbers of people who are not affiliated with an experience relief organization, but who want to help in disasters.

Lunch and Travel expenses are on your own. A minimum of 15 people are needed in order to hold the class. Sign up today at  https://hsemdtraining.iowa.gov/event/details/649.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – Astronaut Peggy Whitson has another record under her space belt.  Early Monday, the International Space Station commander surpassed the record of 534 days, two hours and 48 minutes for most accumulated time in orbit by an American. That record was set last year by Jeffrey Williams.

Whitson — a native of Beaconsfield in Ringgold County — already was the world’s most experienced spacewoman and female spacewalker and, at 57, the oldest woman in space. By the time she returns to Earth in September, she’ll have logged 666 days in orbit over three flights.

As part of the celebration, Whitson is getting a special phone call. President Donald Trump will speak to Whitson from the Oval Office, along with his daughter Ivanka and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins.

The world record – 879 days – is held by Russian Gennady Padalka.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reminds residents that ” In accordance with the CODE OF IOWA, a permit is required for display of fireworks.” Sunderman says applications for display of fireworks in the rural portions of Cass County are available at the County Courthouse in the office of the Cass County Auditor. Those who plan to display fireworks within the city limits should apply to the respective city.

CODE OF IOWA 727.2 FIREWORKS.
1. The term “fireworks” includes any explosive composition, or combination of explosive substances, or article prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or audible effect by combustion, explosion, deflagration, or detonation, and includes blankcartridges, firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, roman candles, or other fireworks of like construction and fireworks containing any explosive or flammable compound, or other device containing any explosive substance. The term “fireworks” does not include goldstar-producing sparklers on wires which contain no magnesium or chlorate or perchlorate, flitter sparklers in paper tubes that do not exceed one-eighth of an inch in diameter, toy snakes which contain no mercury, or caps used in cap pistols.
2. A person, firm, partnership, or corporation who offers for sale, exposes for sale, sells at retail, or uses or explodes any fireworks, commits a simple misdemeanor. In addition to any other penalties, the punishment imposed for a violation of this section shall include assessment of a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars. However,  the council of a city or a county board of supervisors may, upon application in writing, grant a permit for the display of fireworks by municipalities, fair associations, amusement parks, and other organizations or groups of individuals approved by the city or the county board of supervisors when the fireworks display will be handled by a competent operator . . .

CASS COUNTY DISPLAY OF FIREWORKS PERMIT APPLICATION
NAME: ___________________________________________________________
MAILING ADDRESS: _______________________________________________
CITY: _______________, STATE: ______ DATE OF BIRTH: ______________
(if applicable)
PHONE NUMBER(S): ________________________ CELL: ________________________
EMAIL ADDRESS: ______________________________________
FIREWORKS DISPLAY
DATE: _________________________ TIME: ____________________________
LEGAL DESCRIPTION (IF KNOWN): __________________________________
LOCATION: _______________________________________________________
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ATTENDING: ___________________
NUMBER OF PERSONS UNDER AGE 12: ______________________________
By signing and applying for a fireworks permit I do hereby accept full responsibility and liability for any and all
injuries and/or property damage liability and hold Cass County harmless of any liabilities that may occur during
the discharge of fireworks for which this application is intended.
I CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE IS CORRECT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE.
____________________________________________ ____________________
Applicant’s signature Date
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
PERMISSION FOR DISPLAY OF FIREWORKS
The CASS COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS grants permission for the display of fireworks to
the applicant listed and on the date(s) requested above.
_____________________________________________, Chairman ________________
Date approved
SUBJECT TO RULES OF SECTION 727.2, CODE OF IOWA
Cc: Cass County Board of Supervisors
Cass County Sheriff’s Department
Cass County Emergency Management
Applicable city fire department

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

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Clarinda Police and the Fremont County Sheriff’s Dept. K9 units kept busy over the weekend searching for youth who absconded from the Clarinda Academy. In an update to our earlier reports, Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers said that at around 9:15-p.m., Sunday, officials with the Clarinda Academy notified the police department that five female students had just absconded from the facility for At-Risk and Troubled youth.

The students that fled the facility included; a 15-year-old from Minnehaha County, South Dakota; A 16-year-old from Winnebago County, Nebraska; A 15-year-old from Cass County, Missouri;. A 15-year-old from Bellingham, Washington, and a 13-year old from Ramsey, County, Minnesota.

A search for the juveniles was conducted with assistance was provided by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Division, K-9 “Judge” and handler, Deputy Buttercase, and K-9 “Roby” and handler Deputy Wake. The K9 teams successfully tracked the juveniles to an area approximately 1.5 miles to the southwest of the Clarinda Academy campus.

The juveniles were apprehended without incident after about 90-minutes, and returned to the custody of the Clarinda Academy where all five juveniles are court ordered placements. Chief Brothers said the Fremont County’s K-9 units were instrumental in locating the five absconded students and that’s he’ grateful for the assistance.