Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A one-time Charles City school board candidate accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy will be retried on charges in the case in Mason City. The Courier reports that retrial for 62-year-old Douglas Lindaman has been set for April 9 at the Cerro Gordo County Courthouse. Lindaman is accused of performing a sex act on a 17-year-old without the boy’s consent.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A woman accused of killing her stepfather in Des Moines has pleaded guilty. The Des Moines Register reports that 29-year-old Sera Alexander pleaded Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter and reckless use of a firearm in the May death of 49-year-old Anthony Hartmann. In exchange, prosecutors dropped a second-degree murder charge against Alexander, whose trial began earlier this week.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police say officers called to an early morning disturbance found a dead man and have taken another man into custody. Police says a resident called police just before 6 a.m. Wednesday to report hearing a disturbance, adding that someone may have been killed. Officers rushed to the home and found the dead man, later identified as 34-year-old Christopher John Latimer, in a second-floor apartment. Officers took a man into custody but haven’t filed charges.

SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have charged a driver whose sport utility vehicle collided with a car in northwest Iowa, fatally injuring the car driver and his 5-year-old son. Court records say Ann Vanderpool, of Milford, faces two counts of vehicular homicide while driving intoxicated. Her attorney declined to comment Wednesday. Authorities say the collision last June killed 48-year-old Travis Mier, of Spirit Lake, and his son Elliot.

The Atlantic City Council met Wednesday evening, at City Hall. They pretty much whizzed right right the public hearings and approved various resolutions, because there were no comments from the public on any of the matters before the Council.
They passed a Resolution adopting the Fiscal Year 2019 City of Atlantic Budget, which amounts to nearly $12.5-million – a reduction of a little more than $1.8-million over last year. The budget calls for an increase in the tax levy of 2.87%, to $16.86 per $1,000 assessed valuation for FY2019, but the levy will be frozen for the FY 2020 and 2021 tax years.

The Council also passed a Resolution adopting the FY2019 10-year Capital Improvement Plan, and a Resolution setting the salaries for City of Atlantic appointed officers and employees, for the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 2018, through June 30th, 2019. The City will begin negotiations with both of its Unions this fall, but the Council will need to meet to discuss future wage growth for all personnel, because it has a multi-year implication on the city’s budgets.

Other action pertained to a Resolution “Designating Distribution of Sales Tax Revenues to various funds for specific purposes.” City Administrator John Lund says last year, the City made changes to the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) allocation formula, for the first time in decades. Since then, the State’s sales tax receipts have come in short of forecasts, a situation that occurred in Atlantic, as well. He said in order top keep the budgets whole, an additional change for FY 2018 is required to ensure minimum fund balances are maintained. The City will return to the original allocation formula beginning with the FY 2020 budget.

The Atlantic City Council also approved a Resolution “In support of a Workforce Housing Tax Credit Benefit Application to be submitted to the Iowa Economic Development Authority by Ash Land Development, LLC, for the Atlantic Boose Affordable Housing Project,” and a Resolution setting the date for a public hearing on a proposal to enter into a General Obligation General Purpose Loan Agreement, and to Borrow money there under. The City is assuming $304, 181 in general corporate purpose debt. The FY 2018 Bond portion of the CIP would be used for Fire Station improvements, beautification projects, phase 2 of the Library remodel, and an incinerator for the Atlantic Animal Shelter.

The Council also approved an Engineering Agreement with Snyder and Associates in the amount of $20,200, for the Beautification Project. The agreement will be paid for out of budgeted sales tax dollars in the LOST Progress Fund. Snyders will draw up the cost estimates for the selected projects and prioritize the projects to be completed. $90,000 is being allocated for beautification projects in the 2018 bond will be reserved for construction.

Snyder and Associates’ Dave Sturm told the Council, prior to their awarding a contract for the 2018 Summer Street projects, bids were received Tuesday from Carley Construction, Henningsen Construction and Precision Concrete. The low bid, of $1.186-million, came from Carley Construction, which was under the engineer’s estimate by about $24,000. The other two bids came in at around $1.27 and $1.28-million. The Council then moved to award the contract to Carley Construction.

On another note, Councilman Chris Jimerson announced the State-wide Tornado Drill will be held March 28th. The sirens will sound once for the mock “Warning,” with no “All Clear” given, to avoid confusion among residents. In the event of actual severe weather, the Drill will be postponed.

A man from Nebraska was injured during a rollover accident this (Wednesday) afternoon, north of Atlantic. The Iowa State Patrol reports 54-year old Greg A. Zurek, of Omaha, was transported by Medivac Ambulance to CCMH following the crash that happened at around 12-p.m. on Highway 71, south of Interstate 80.

The Patrol says Zurek, who was wearing his seat belt, was traveling south on Highway 71 in a 1996 Dodge Ram Wagon B3500, when he apparently fell asleep at the wheel. When the truck went off onto the right shoulder, Zurek overcorrected, causing the vehicle to overturn into the median before rolling again and landing on its wheels.

After being transported to CCMH, Zurek was transferred by ambulance to Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha, for treatment of his injuries.

A call to Council Bluffs Police at around 9:45-a.m. today (Wednesday), about a fraud in progress, resulted in the arrest of two men and two women. Authorities say Officers were called to the US Bank located at 421 W. Broadway, with regard to subjects in the drive thru attempting to use a stolen debit card.

Upon arrival, officers located a 2018 Nissan Altima driven by a white female, later identified as 29-year old Victoria Gosch, of Omaha. Gosch was cooperative with officers and was taken into custody without incident. However, the front seat passenger, later identified as 40-year old Carrie Kirchner, of Omaha, fled the vehicle on foot and was captured a few blocks away.

At the same time Kirchner fled on foot, a backseat passenger, later identified as 32-year old Fabian Moultry, from Lauder Hills, FL, jumped from the front seat of the vehicle in an attempt to take control of the vehicle. Officer’s deployed a Taser on Moultry and were able to subdue him following a brief struggle. A third passenger identified as Broderick Taylor from Lauderdale Lakes, FL was also taken into custody.

All four subjects were charged with 2 counts of Identity Theft and Forgery. Moultry was also charged with Disobedience to a Peace Officer and Interference with Official Acts.

Hundreds of credit union members flooded the statehouse today (Wednesday) to lobby against a tax increase on credit unions.  “If you are a proud member of a credit union, let me hear you. Make some noise!” That’s Kenia Calderon, a member of a credit union in central Iowa who was one of the featured speakers during a rally outside the capitol. Calderson told the crowd her parents fell victim to the “predatory lending practices” of banks, but her family became financially stable and she was able to go to college after they became credit union members.

“Thank you for your mission and for living up to the people helping people philosophy because that’s why we’re standing in front of you today. That’s why all of us are here,” Calderone said. “We cannot let this tax increase affect our credit unions.” Senate Republicans passed a wide-ranging tax bill last month that included a hike on credit union taxes. A Republican member of the Iowa HOUSE who opposes that move spoke during the rally. Representative Walt Rogers is from Cedar Falls.

“During my second campaign I had a friend of mine come up to me and say: “Why do you support credit unions?’ And I said: ‘Well, do you know what they do? They’re a co-op, non-profit — that their profits go right back to their members.’ I said: ‘I love that model. I believe in that model and that’s what I’m going to support,'” Rogers said. One woman yelled: “Thank you!” as the crowd cheered. Former Iowa Congressman Jim Nussle, a Republican who is now C-E-O of the Credit Union National Association, spoke directly to the Republican leader in the Iowa Senate.

“Let me tell you, Majority Leader Bill Dix: When you tax a credit union, you’re taxing Iowans — 600,000 of them — and we’re here to tell you that’s not fair and we’re not going to stand for it,” Nussle said and the crowd cheered. Iowa Credit Union League president Pat Jury hosted a rally outside the capitol.

“Credit unions even help bank customers save money by providing competition that forces banks to keep their rates consumer friendly,” Jury said, “and more and more Iowans are choosing credit unions for their financial services and banks don’t like this.” After the rally concluded, the crowd walked up the steps to speak with their senators and representatives.

(Radio Iowa)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports three men were arrested Tuesday on drug and other charges.

At around 1:30-p.m., the Mills County K9 Unit assisted the Iowa State Patrol with a traffic stop on northbound Interstate 29, near mile marker 30. A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of 22.8-grams of MDMA (Ecstasy), 4.3-grams of Heroin, 8.5 Xanax pills, and 18 amphetamine pills. The driver, 32-year old Kory James Johne, of Sioux City, was arrested for Possession with the Intent to Deliver MDMA, Possession of Heroin, A Drug Tax Stamp Violation, and two counts of unlawful possession of a prescription pill. His bond was set at $19,000.

At around 8:20-p.m., the Mills County K9 unit conducted a traffic stop for a speeding vehicle on 360th Street. 29-year old Brent Allen Neal, of Shenandoah, was subsequently arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance (8 grams of marijuana), and cited for No Valid Driver’s License. His bond was set at $1,000.

And, at around 11:15-p.m., 58-year old Michael John McSorley, of Council Bluffs, was arrested following a traffic stop by the K-9 Unit on Highway 34 near mile marker six. Upon further investigation, McSorley was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance (1 gram of meth), and for Driving While Barred. He was also cited for Operating a non-registered vehicle and Failure to Maintain a Registration plate. Bond was set at $3,000.

(Update 12:45-p.m.) Atlantic Fire and Rescue and other emergency personnel were dispatched to a reported rollover accident this (Wednesday) afternoon. The single-vehicle accident, which took place on Highway 71 just south of Interstate 80, was reported a little after 12-p.m. Cass County Sheriff Darby McLaren told KJAN the driver/occupant of the vehicle complained of rib pain, but their injuries did not appear to be life threatening. The Iowa State Patrol is handling the accident investigation.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports that on March 2nd, Ben Reece was extradited from Armenia back to the US (to the Taylor County Jail). Reece was charged and arrested on 3 counts of Sexual Abuse 2nd degree in December of 2016. In April of 2017 Reece was able to post bond and placed on pretrial release supervision. In October of 2017 Reece violated the terms of his release and a warrant for his arrest was issued.

Reece

Reece absconded and fled the country and was later arrested in Armenia on Dec. 11th, 2017. Several agencies worked together on returning Reece to the US thru an international extradition. The Department of Justice transported Reece from Armenia back to the Iowa on March 2nd. His cash bond was set at $1-million.

Agencies assisting in locating, arrest and extradition were US Dept. of Justice, Dept. of State, US Marshalls, US Embassy in Armenia, Iowa Dept. of Public Safety Division of Intelligence, Interpol, Armenian Government and The Taylor County Attorney’s office.