IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld the first-degree murder conviction of a woman serving life in prison for the 2001 fatal shooting of a neighbor in her Iowa home.  The court on Wednesday rejected Tracey Richter‘s argument that prosecutors failed to overcome her claim that the shooting of 20-year-old Dustin Wehde was in self-defense.

Richter shot and killed Wehde in her home in the Sac County town of Early. She maintains that she shot Wehde to protect herself and her three children after Wehde and another man invaded her home. Prosecutors say the home invasion claim was a hoax, and that Richter killed Wehde as part of a plot to frame her ex-husband.

The court says there was “substantial evidence” from which jurors could conclude the killing wasn’t justified.

The Shelby County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, approved a five-percent increase in wages for elected officials, with just a few exceptions. Tim Meyer, Treasurer of the Shelby County Compensation Board, requested the increase for elected officials except for Shelby County Sheriff Mark Hervey, who will see a 6 percent increase. Meyer told the supervisors his first year on the board in 2011, that Shelby county officials were trailing the rest of the counties considerably, ranking 89^th as compared to the population at 65^th. The Compensation board decided in 2011 to ask for the increase in wages and continue a plan to raise the compensation closer to the population. Meyer said the 5 percent increase agreed upon by the Compensation Board prior being recommended for approval by the Supervisors.

Meyer said the county officials do a great job and should be commended for the work they do. Supervisor Steve Kenkel compared elected officials’ wages in Shelby County and four other counties in the area prior to the Boards’ vote.  Kenkel said “Shelby County population ranking is 64 and property tax is 63 so we are right where we need to be. But I wanted to look at the levy rate where we are with taxes. The levy rate of the counties around us varies to 37.3 and we are 30.3. The state average is 34 so we are real low in the property tax levy. Property tax in our 5 year average what our change has been is 2.4%, or about half of the state average.”

He said also, the County will be debt free by next fiscal year, and he reminded the Board other County officials received a $1,500 raise this year. Kenkel said “If we weren’t doing anything at all you have to look at that and factor that in there that’s $12,000 subtract off of there. You are looking at above and beyond a 1.5% increase about what the other employees got. Charlie and I said we would not take a raise the 1^st year if this is approved, that’s $1,279. If you take that savings out, we are looking at additional cost for the county of 1.1%.”

Supervisor Roger Schmitz said he would not vote for a salary increase, because he is not better than the other two supervisors.  Kenkel refuted that argument, saying “What I wanted to do was approve it and Roger get his now and wait 6 months the next year and then enacts Charlie and I in. That way we end up with two and a half and he ends up with 5.” A motion to approve the increase passed however, by a vote of 2-to 1, with Schmitz voting no, because he felt everyone should be the same on the board.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

(Updated 7:23-a.m.)

Officials in Council Bluffs say a large water main break near North 9th Street and Avenue F, has resulted in the issuance of a BOIL ADVISORY for the entire City of Council Bluffs for anywhere from 24-to 48-hours.   According to media reports, a geyser was shooting up from the street for a while after the incident occurred sometime between 2:15- and 2:30-a.m., and a vehicle was observed partially submerged in the large hole created by the water main break. The road has also buckled in the area.  The cause of the break is under investigation.

Authorities have shut down at least nine blocks to traffic, as the main break caused street flooding.  Temperatures below freezing means that roads in the vicinity of the incident are very icy or slushy. Drivers are urged to avoid the area.

And, schools are asking students to bring bottled water to class today, due to the Boil Advisory. Under a Boil Advisory, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that persons use bottled water for drinking, cooking and the brushing of teeth, or tap water be brought to a rolling boil for one minute before it is consumed in order to kill protozoa, bacteria and viruses.

(7-a.m. News)