WOODWARD, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa school district official was arrested Tuesday on theft charges for allegedly embezzling nearly $217,000 over the course of several years. 35-year old Melissa Lee Lantz, who resigned as the Woodward-Granger Community School District’s business manager shortly after being placed on administrative leave last August, was arrested on first-degree theft charges at the Dallas County Jail, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said in a statement. She later posted bond and was released.

The arrest follows a state audit that found more than $270,000 in improper and unsupported disbursements by the district over five years, including 101 checks that Lantz issued to herself on top of her authorized paychecks. Those additional checks, which weren’t approved by the school board, ranged from $315 to $6,500, according to the auditors, who forwarded their findings to the authorities.

District officials who were concerned about Lantz’s actions requested the audit.
Auditors said it was impossible to determine whether more payroll checks were improperly issued, because time sheets before June 15, 2013, were not available. It also wasn’t possible to determine whether all district collections were properly deposited, because sufficient records were not available, the report said.

In addition to the $217,000 in unauthorized checks, the audit found improper disbursements including nearly $12,000 in health and dental insurance premiums that were paid for people after they had stopped working for the district and $14 for excess mileage in a reimbursement check issued to Lantz.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested on drug charges Monday afternoon in the area of 221st Street and Highway 34. 24-year old Elizabeth Carrie Lynn Heinrich, of Council Bluffs was arrested for OWI/1st offense. Henirch, and a passenger in her vehicle, 25-year old Austin Charles Harmon, of Crescent, were also both charged with Possession of Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs, Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Interference with Official Acts. Heinrich’s bond was set at $4,600, while Harmon was being held on a $3,600 bond.

Monday evening, 33-year old Robyn Leigh Salmons, of Glenwood, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Failure to Appear. Bond was set at $1,000. And, 25-year old Patrick Allen Eggerling, of Avoca, was arrested Monday night for Driving Under Suspension, with bond set at $300.

Cass County Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns, Tuesday, said another candidate has filed nomination papers for a non-partisan office. Richard Hoffman, an incumbent, filed his papers to run for the second position as Union Township Trustee. He joins fellow incumbent Daryl Schrier on the ballot in November.

There is still one open position to fill in Cass County, and that is a seat on the Soil and Water Conservation Board. Candidates have until 5-p.m. Wednesday to submit their completed nomination forms to the County Auditor’s Office.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 27-year-old Cody Keen Blystone of Red Oak on a valid Red Oak PD Warrant for Unauthorized Use of a Credit Card. Blystone was arrested at the Mills County Jail on Tuesday at 11:14am and transported to the Montgomery County Jail where he was held on $2,000 cash bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa is challenging city ordinances that prevent homeless people from asking for money in public places saying the local laws are unconstitutional. The ACLU of Iowa says it sent on Tuesday formal demand letters to Council Bluffs, Des Moines, and Grimes insisting that they repeal their bans on panhandling. ACLU of Iowa legal director Rita Bettis Austen says it’s part of a larger effort with other organizations to notify cities in 12 states that such ordinances are unconstitutional.

The ACLU says a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision set a new standard for protected speech resulting in more than 25 city anti-panhandling ordinances being declared unconstitutional. At least 31 cities repealed ordinances.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Family members say former Speaker of the Iowa House and former Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Dale Cochran has died. Iowa Rep. John Forbes, Cochran’s son-in-law, says Cochran died Monday in West Des Moines. He was 89. Cochran, a Democrat, was elected to the Iowa House in 1964. He served as House speaker from 1975 to 1979.

He was first elected Iowa secretary of agriculture in 1986 and served three terms, retiring from the job in 1999. Born in Fort Dodge in 1928, Cochran farmed for more than 40 years while serving in elected positions.
He is survived by his wife, Jeannene, three daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The funeral is scheduled for Friday at Dunn’s Funeral Home in Des Moines, with burial in Fort Dodge.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports several arrests. On Sunday, 33-year old Melanie Marie Morris, of Atlantic, was arrested on a charge of OWI 1^st Offense. Morris was released later that day on her own recognizance.  On August 22nd, Cass County Deputies arrested 39-year old Craig Robert Olson, of Griswold, on a charge of Trespass. Olson was taken to the Cass County Jail and released on his own recognizance later that day.

On Aug. 17th, 35-year old Anthony James Batiste, of Omaha, was arrested in Cass County for OWI 1^st Offense. Batiste was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance. On Aug. 16th, 43-year old Deborah Gail York, and 44-year old Preston Allen Lindberg, both of Casey, were each arrested on a warrant out of Guthrie County. Their arrests took place following a traffic stop. York and Lindberg were taken to the Cass County Jail and transferred the following day to Guthrie County authorities. Also arrested Aug. 16th, was 60-year old William Perry McDaniel, of Council Bluffs. He was arrested for  OWI 1^st Offense, brought to the Cass County Jai,l and released later that day on $1000 bond.

And, on Aug. 15th, 23-year old River Dean Pecha-Nichols, of Griswold, was arrested by Cass County Deputies, on a charge of Theft 4^th Degree. Pecha-Nichols was taken to the Cass County Jail and released on his own recognizance the following day.