CLARE, Iowa (AP) — A trial has been scheduled for the second defendant in the slaying of a Fort Dodge woman. The Messenger reports that Phillip Williams, of Lafayette, Indiana, on Monday pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. He and Mackenzie Knigge are accused of killing 26-year-old Jessica Gomez, on or about Aug. 5 last year in Knigge’s apartment in Clare. Williams’ trial is set to begin Sept. 11.

Knigge and Gomez, who were once described as friends, were publicly reported missing on Aug. 9, 2017. Knigge was arrested with Williams on Aug. 10 in Lafayette, Indiana. Gomez’s burned body was found in a ditch near Clare on Aug. 12.

Knigge also has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge. Her trial is scheduled to start Nov. 26.

ELKADER, Iowa (AP) — A northeast Iowa man has been given 25 years in prison for a crash that killed two teenage boys. Clayton County Court records say 21-year-old Kory Doeppke, was sentenced Tuesday in Elkader. He’d pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular homicide. Authorities say Doeppke, of Elkader, was driving west when he didn’t halt at a stop sign near Edgewood on Feb. 16 and collided with a northbound pickup. The two fatally injured boys were in the back seat of Doeppke’s car. Officials identified them as 16-year-olds Brady Edwards and Izaiah Drinkwater.

The pickup driver suffered minor injuries.

Officials with the Atlantic Community School District have issued information with regard to 2018-19 School Year Student Registration. The district will be opening online student registration on Wednesday, August 1st.  All parents will be receiving an email on Aug. 1st with the information, but if you don’t receive it, all the details can be found in a letter posted to parents or guardians of students, shown below.

Dear Parents/Guardians of ACSD Students:

Welcome to the 2018-19 school year!  Atlantic Community School District will continue to utilize the “rollover” online registration process with JMC, the district’s student information system. If your student(s) attended ACSD last school year (2017-18) and were still in attendance on the last day of school, you need to follow the 6 steps below to verify registration information and pay student fees. Student fees will need to be paid by Friday, October 5, 2018.

Students who are new to the school district and are planning to enroll for the 2018-19 school year will need to register for school at our school buildings. During this time, if administration is available we will be more than happy to give new students tours of their new school. Parents can also access school registration forms by visiting the district’s web page, www.atlanticiaschools.org.

The 6 Quick Steps for “Rollover” Online Registration.

Log on to Parent Portal (Click HERE for detailed instructions, if needed)
Click on Register for School  (Click HERE for detailed instructions, if needed)
View Tuition/Fees & Make Payment (Click HERE for detailed instructions, if needed)
View Lunch Account & Make Payment (Click HERE for detailed instructions, if needed)
Set Up Alert Configuration in Parent Portal (Click HERE for detailed instructions, if needed)
Click HERE to find other information such as: Online Free and Reduced Forms, Physical Forms, Transportation Requests (rural only), Yearbook Orders, Handbooks, Parent Portal Information, and much more).

If you don’t have access to the internet/online, please feel free to stop at your child’s school. The office will be more than happy to assist you in anyway. Should you have any questions regarding school registration or the payment of school fees, please contact our schools at the numbers below.

Washington Elementary School

Pre-K – 3rd grade: Phone: 712-243-5234; Stacey Hornung, Principal; Hours: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm

Schuler Elementary School

Grades 4-5: Phone: 712-243-1370; James Northwick, Principal; Hours: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm

Atlantic Middle School

Grades 6-8: Phone: 712-243-1330; Josh Rasmussen, Principal; Hours: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm

Atlantic High School

Grades 9-12: Phone: 712-243-5358; Heather McKay, Principal, Andrew Mitchell, Asst Principal/Activities Director; Hours: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm

Transportation

All Grades: Phone: 712-243-3374; Dave Eckles, Supervisor

Food Service

All Grades: Phone: 712- 243-5369; DeeAnn Schreiner, Supervisor

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey report suggests economic growth is still slowing in nine Midwest and Plains states. The report released Wednesday says the Mid-America Business Conditions Index declined to 57.0 in July from 61.8 in June and 67.3 in May. It’s still the 20th straight month that the index remained above growth neutral 50.0.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the region’s manufacturing growth of 2.6 percent over the past 12 months exceeds the U.S. growth rate of 2.3 percent.

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth in that factor. A score below that suggests decline.
The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.