SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Sioux City will soon start hiring employees. Officials say they will hire more than 500 people for a variety of positions at the casino and hotel. The casino’s website has a careers section that allows visitors to submit an application. A career center in Sioux City will open Monday and offer a computer terminal.

The estimated $120 million project is scheduled to open this summer. The construction schedule was briefly in jeopardy after the developers’ casino license was challenged in court by the owners of the nearby Argosy riverboat casino.

The riverboat casino has been ordered by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission to close this summer, but owners say they plan to fight to stay open.

The planned burn-down of a vacant elementary school in Exira this weekend has been postponed due to forecast windy and dry conditions. Exira-EHK Superintendent Dean Schnoes said Friday that Sunday’s event will take place on May 4th, instead.

The former Exira Elementary building has sat empty for three years. The building was to have been set on fire and burned to the ground, instead of using a demolition team. The burn also will allow Exira firefighters an excellent training opportunity. The decision is expected to save the district 50-to 60-thousand dollars.

The May 4th controlled burn will cost about $7,000, plus a fee to an agency that will oversee the operation. Multiple fire departments and emergency personnel will be on hand for the event.

Officials with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation report two arrests have been made in what is now being ruled a homicide that took place in Taylor County.The Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny has determined 56-year old Steven C. Malson, of Bedford, died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

Cindy Malson

Zach Malson

Taken into custody Thursday night in connection with his death, was Malson’s wife, 47 year-old Cindy L. Malson and the couples’ son, 24 year-old Zachary Malson. Both were charged with 1st Degree Murder and were being held in the Taylor County Jail awaiting their initial appearances.

Steven Malson’s body was found at a residence in Bedford, on April 23rd.

A U-S District Court Judge in Council Bluffs has sentenced a Mills County woman to prison for her role in methamphetamine distribution in southwest Iowa. 38-year old Heather Jean Reekers, of Glenwood, was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge Robert Pratt to 60 months in prison, and five years of supervised release, following the period of imprisonment, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

On January 3rd, 2014, Reekers pled guilty to the charge, which resulted from an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration into the distribution of methamphetamine from the Southwestern United States into Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa. Reekers’ co-defendant, Jose Raul Guevara, was sentenced previously by Senior Judge Robert Pratt to ten years in prison.

The investigation was conducted by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Glenwood, Iowa, Police Department, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports 49-year old Franklin D. Schmidt, of Atlantic, was sentenced today (Friday) to 10-years in prison on a drug conviction. Schmidt was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge Robert Pratt for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Judge Pratt also ordered Schmidt to serve five years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment.

On April 26th, 2013, Schmidt obtained methamphetamine from his South Omaha source and was stopped by law enforcement before he could distribute it in and around Cass County, Iowa. The investigation revealed that Schmidt was also responsible for distribution of marijuana along with methamphetamine.

On December 5th, 2013, Schmidt pled guilty to the charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, which resulted from an investigation by law enforcement into the transportation and distribution of methamphetamine from South Omaha, Nebraska to Cass County, Iowa.

The investigation was conducted by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the Atlantic, Iowa, Police Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.