FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A man charged in the killing of his girlfriend’s mother in Fort Dodge earlier this year has pleaded not guilty. The Messenger reports that 29-year-old Mark Russell, of Fort Dodge, pleaded not guilty on Monday to first-degree murder in the January beating death of 45-year-old Angela McLeod. Police were called to McLeod’s home on Jan. 20 for a domestic dispute report and found her gravely injured. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators say in court documents that they believe Russell used a golf club to beat McLeod. Russell was found competent to stand trial in May following treatment for mental illness. Russell’s lawyer says his client has a history of schizophrenia.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors are set to meet 9-a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16th, in an electronic session (See meeting access details below). On their agenda, in addition to regular discussion with regard to the Manure Management Plan (MMP) and COVID-19, is a presentation by Kimberly Dickey and Bo McGee, with NextEra Energy. They’re expected to provide the Board with an update on the Heartland Divide Phase II Transmission Line.

Officials have said once completed, up to 71 GE wind turbines will be capable of generating up to 200 megawatts of renewable energy. It comes with a 42 mile transmission line that would transmit the power from the wind farm in Audubon County, to a substation located in Adair. Subject to local and state approvals, the project is scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2021. Phase I of the Heartland Divide wind project was a 103 megawatt farm that went into commercial operation in December 2018.

Conservation Director Dominic Johnson will provide the Board with an Annual Report along with Conservation updates and plans.

And Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman will present the Adair County Supervisors with an agreement to purchase a motor grader, along with various project updates.

Meeting access information:

Dial in Number: (605) 313-6157         

Access Code: 526272#

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report four arrests took place last week. Friday morning, 43-year old Sean Michael Gochenour, of Missouri Valley, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant charging him with three counts of Failure To Appear.  His bond in the Mills County Jail was set at $150,000.

Thursday afternoon, 41-year old Christopher Michael Peterson, of Grimes, was arrested at the Polk County Jail, on a Mills County  warrant for Contempt of Court. Peterson was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

On September 9th, 48-year old Dallas Dewayne Heath, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office on a warrant for Failure to Appear on a Child Endangerment charge. Heath was being held on a $5,000 bond.

And, on Sept. 8th, 40-year old Christopher Michael Fronce, of Omaha, was arrested following a traffic stop on I-29. Fronce was taken into custody for Driving While Barred. Bond was set at $2,000.

The Cass County Memorial Hospital’s Board of Trustees will meet 8-a.m. Wednesday (Sept. 16), in Conference Room 1 (Just inside the Main entrance/atrium). During the meeting, the Board will hold a Public Hearing on the Plans, Specifications and Form of Contract, for Bid Package #2 – 2021 Addition/Renovation Cass County Health System.

Back on Aug. 26th, CCHS announced construction would begin August 31st, on their main entrance parking lot, Lot A. The parking lot renovation is being completed in two phases, which allows half of the parking lot to remain open to patients and visitors only. The project is expected to last through November.

The parking lot construction kicks off the first phase of CCHS’s master facility plan initiative that includes parking lot renovations, electrical upgrades, remodel of the Atlantic Medical Center clinic, as well as several other updates.