MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — A February trial has been scheduled for a 19-year-old Muscatine man accused of stabbing to death his grandmother. Muscatine County court documents say Darian Lensgraf pleaded not guilty Friday to first-degree murder. He’s accused of killing 66-year-old Diana Lensgraf at her home early on Dec. 12. Authorities say police found the young man at a convenience store after the store clerk called to report a man holding a bloody knife in the store.
Darian Lensgraf’s trial is set to begin Feb. 11.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A southeast Iowa couple convicted of locking their adopted 7-year-old son in their basement at night have filed appeals. Des Moines County court records say the attorney for 44-year-old Heidi Fiems, of Mediapolis, filed the appeal notice after her sentencing Friday. A jury found the woman and her husband, 45-year-old Justin Fiems, guilty in October of misdemeanor child endangerment. He filed his appeal after his sentencing Nov. 30. Both were sentenced to 180 days in jail but must serve only 60 days. Each was fined $625 and given two years of probation.

The Hawk Eye reports that Heidi Fiems was tearful Friday as she described the “wrong choice” she and her husband made. At trial Fiems said she told investigators the couple moved their son to the basement from his upstairs bedroom because he was urinating on the carpet and in his bed.

The Harlan Police Department reports two people were arrested last week. On Friday, 46-year old Larry Monroe Lange, of Harlan, was arrested following a disturbance in the 500 block of Durant Street. Lange was brought to the Shelby County Jail, where he was charged with Public Intoxication. And, on Thursday, 41-year old Brian Anthony Wood, of Harlan, was arrested following a complaint in the 1000 block of Chatburn Avenue. Wood was transported to the Shelby County Jail, and charged with Violation of a No Contact Order, Interference with Official Acts, Disorderly Conduct, and Public Intoxication.

When the Atlantic City Council holds its first meeting of the new year, Wednesday, among of the items on their agenda, is a presentation followed by discussion, with regard to a Water Source Protection Plan (WSPP) by DNR Source Water Community Facilitator for Southwest Iowa, Zachary Johannes.

According to City Administrator John Lund, Johannes would like to create an action plan for the City that can help to organize water supply protection. The idea is to draft an WSPP that meets the City’s needs, but in order to do so, Johannes needs a letter of commitment from City leaders. Lund say he will encourage the Council to allow the City Attorney and himself to review any documents, prior to making a commitment to another government agency. Anything the binds the City into making future expenditures or limiting revenue opportunities, Lund says, should be referred to the Personnel and Finance Committee.

In other business, the Council will take action on annual administrative matters, such as approving a bank for the City’s 2019 Checking Account, Approving the official City Newspaper for 2019 legal publications, and acting on a recommendation to change the duration of Parks and Recreation Board member terms from six-years, to four-years. The Parks & Rec Board has already approved the term-limit change, because they feel a longer term discourages people from running for the Board, and creates burn-out.

If the Council goes along with the plan, current Board Member terms would be adjusted as follows:

John Krogman & Jolene Smith, (whose old term expire 11/15/2023) – New term 11/15/2021

Charlene Beane & Vice-Chair Erin McFadden (whose current term expires 11/15/2019) – would be left at the same expiration date.

Stuart Dusenberry (Board Chair) – term would remain unchanged, with expiration date 11/15/2021.

The Atlantic City Council meeting begins 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors are set to hold their first, regularly scheduled meeting of 2019, this Wednesday morning (Jan. 2nd), in their Board Room at the Adair County Courthouse in Greenfield. During their session, which begins at 9-a.m., the Board will take care of their annual administrative matters, including (But not limited to): Administering the Oath of Office; Electing a Board Chairman and Vice-Chairman; Approving an Organizational Resolution; Approval of Deputy and/or Assistant Clerk appointments for the Recorder, Treasurer and County Attorney.

In other business, at around 9:30-a.m. Wednesday, the Board will hold a Public Hearing on a Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Amendment, followed by a Resolution to approve the amendment, and an Appropriations Resolution. At 10-a.m., the Adair County Supervisors will consider and set Compensation Board Recommendations for FY 2020 and set the FY2020 hourly wage increases for full- and part-time County employees. They’ll also act on a County Engineer Resolution, and other Secondary Roads Dept. matters.

The Audubon Community School District’s Board of Education will hold a Special Session early Wednesday morning (Jan. 2nd) in their Board Room at the Audubon High School. The only action item on their agenda for the 7:30-a.m. session, is a Motion to Approve [a] New Superintendent Contract.

The Board had narrowed down their choice of 13 candidates to a final five, and held followup interviews with some of those candidates on Dec. 19^th. The person selected will succeed Brett Gibbs, who is retiring at the end of the current school year.