DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Chicago man accused of trying to kill his estranged wife has been sentenced to 25 years in an Iowa prison. The Telegraph Herald reports that 51-year-old Clifford Smiley was sentenced Monday. He’d entered an Alford plea to a charge of attempted murder. In an Alford plea, a person doesn’t admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a likely conviction.

Prosecutors say Smiley stabbed his estranged wife in a Dubuque store parking lot on April 1. Last month Judge Michael Shubatt refused to consider Smiley’s guilty plea after Smiley wouldn’t admit in court that he tried to kill the woman. Smiley had made a plea deal with prosecutors.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer today (Tuesday) issued a report on arrests dating back to June 28th. Most recently, on Aug. 4th, 24-year old Joseph Ray Perkins, and 23-year old Corey Randall Dickson, both of Audubon, were arrested for Public Intoxication 2nd Offense, and Disorderly Conduct. Perkins faces an additional Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge.

On July 9th, 43-year old David William Devall, of Audubon, was arrested for Failure to Appear in court. The day before, 21-year old Tyler Ian Rumley, of Audubon, was arrested on a Polk County warrant for violation of probation.  He was released to Polk County authorities. And, on June 28th, 18-year old Dakota Rain Toepher, of Audubon, was arrested for Failure to Appear in court.

With the exception of Rumley, all subjects were booked into the Audubon County Jail.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Waterloo Fire Rescue’s proposal to bill insurance companies for its emergency response costs has been rejected. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that city council members voted 5-2 Monday against the plan that would seek payments for the city’s manpower and equipment costs when responding to car accidents, fires and other emergency calls. Councilman Bruce Jacobs says the plan is “just not politically acceptable right now.” He says he didn’t speak to anyone in his ward who was in favor of the plan.

The department’s proposal wouldn’t have billed victims directly and wouldn’t have sought payment when insurance didn’t cover the fees. But several residents still voiced objections to the plan before the vote, noting that they already pay taxes for public safety services.

Officials with the Adair County Extension Service say a benefit dinner, live, and silent auction, will be held for three children who lost their father when they were very young, and whose mother recently passed away unexpectedly. The “Hands to Provide Hope” Benefit for Christina, Ryan and Mason Wilson, takes place Saturday, Sept. 1st, at the Greenfield United Methodist Church (108 SW 5th St.). The menu includes pulled pork sandwiches, calico beans, pasta salad, chips dessert and drinks for your free-will donation. Dinner will be served from 5-until 7-p.m. (If you would like to donate to the meal or help out, call Susan Marnin at 712-779-0598).

The Live Auction begins at 7-p.m., with the Silent Auction running throughout the event on Sept. 1st. Proceeds from all auction donations go to support the Wilson kids. (If you would like to donate items for either auction, call Darla Baudler at 641-745-7274)

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley calls allegations of abuse and neglect at at northern Iowa nursing home, “heartbreaking.” Grassley demanded more information about the case last week after no action had been taken since the woman’s death in February. In a conference call with reporters this (Tuesday) morning, Grassley was asked if the fine is sufficient. “I wouldn’t want to say that it’s enough or not enough,” Grassley says. “The trouble is, a lot of this is just the cost of doing business and that’s the way some people see it.”

Eighty-seven-year-old Virginia Olthoff died in February at the Timely Mission Nursing Home in Buffalo Center. A state inspection report says Olthoff was in severe pain for days before she died, and that she went several days without water, suffering from critical dehydration. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) imposed the fine against the home on Friday. “Whether $77,000 is enough or not, I don’t want to say, but I do want to say that it’s never enough for the families and the loved ones of the victims,” Grassley says. “If you didn’t have any sort of government supervision, you can imagine how the quality of care would be.”

The state initially proposed fining the nursing home nearly 30-thousand dollars but did not do so in order for C-M-S, a federal agency, to investigate.  Grassley says, “It takes special people to work in nursing homes and everything we can do to make that a good place to deliver quality care, we ought to.”  Timely Mission officials have 60 days to appeal the fine. Reports say the C-M-S gave Timely Mission its highest five-star rating, despite the home being fined for multiple violations last year. At least eight residents at the Winnebago County facility claimed they were physically and verbally abused by staff.

BUFFALO CENTER, Iowa (AP) — The federal government has fined an Iowa nursing home nearly $77,500 over deficiencies in care for residents. The Globe Gazette reports that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services notified Timely Mission in Buffalo Center about the fine on Friday. The letter cites findings from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, which surveyed the facility in June. Officials said they found conditions that constituted “immediate jeopardy” to resident health and safety.

Officials say 87-year-old Virginia Olthoff was dehydrated, in severe pain and weighed less than 100 pounds prior to her February death. The facility has 60 days to appeal the federal fine. The CMS letter says the fine will be reduced by 35 percent if nursing home officials waive their right to an appeal.

FOREST CITY, Iowa (AP) — A man has been given probation for running an investment scheme in northern Iowa. Winnebago County District Court records say 55-year-old Randall Finer, of Lake Mills, was sentenced last week to five years of probation and a suspended five-year prison term. He’d pleaded guilty to theft.

Prosecutors say that from 2011 to 2015, Finer solicited from customers more than $800,000 for investments. He made payments to investors from what he described as well-performing stocks when, actually, the investments were losing money. In May 2015 the Iowa Insurance Commission ordered him to pay more than $614,000 in restitution, plus interest, for offering and issuing unregistered securities.