SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – An October trial has been scheduled for one of three people accused of trying to pass counterfeit cash at Sioux City’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Court records say 29-year-old Brittany Derby entered a written plea of not guilty to a forgery charge last week in Woodbury County District Court. Her trial is set to begin Oct. 31.

Police say Derby, Kurt Jones and Jackelen Hartsock made several cash transactions at the casino on Aug. 5. Police say the bills were later found to be counterfeit. Jones and Hartsock also have pleaded not guilty.

Creston Police report the arrest early this morning of 32-year old William McKinley, of Winterset. McKinley was taken into custody at the Law Enforcement Center on a Union County Warrant for the charge of Theft 2nd. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The adoptive mother of a West Des Moines teenager who officials say was starved to death plans to use “diminished responsibility” as a murder trial defense. Polk County court records say notice of the defense was filed last week for 43-year-old Nicole Finn.

Finn has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in the death of 16-year-old Natalie Finn. Nicole Finn’s trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 23. The girl’s adoptive father, 46-year-old Joseph Finn II, has pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, neglect or abandonment and child endangerment. His trial is set to begin Nov. 27.

Medical examiners say Natalie Finn died from emaciation due to denial of critical care.

A smattering of area School Board Elections (with contested races and/or issues) are being held today. The polls open at Noon and close at 8-p.m.

In Cass County, there is a race for two At Large seats (4-year terms) on the Griswold School Board. The candidates include Incumbent Robert D. Peterson, and Bruce Brunk, both of Griswold, and Aaron Houser, of Henderson.

In Adair County, there are two At Large seats up for grabs in the Nodaway Valley School District, and four candidates: James Campbell and Terri Lee Raasch, both of Fontanelle, as well as Maureen Lonsdale and Melissa Schwartz, both of Greenfield.

In Audubon County, voters in the Exira/EHK School District will determine the fate of a $3.9 million bond issue intended to improve District facilities. The improvements would include: new bleachers at the football field in Exira; updating the boiler in the Elk Horn building; upgrading air-conditioning and heating systems in the Exira building; upgrading the playground in Exira, and renovating a school parking lot in Exira.

In Montgomery County, two incumbents, Mark Lindgren and Brian Bates, face a challenge from Amy Tibben and Travis Taylor, for one of three seats on the Stanton School Board. And, there’s a Public Measure calling for the renewal of a 10-year Instructional Equipment levy for counties in the merged, Area 14 of Southwestern Community College. The question asks if the voters wish to continue the levy for another 10-years, beginning July 1st, 2018, at a rate not to exceed 6 cents per thousand dollars assessed value in any one year.

In Shelby County, in the IKM-Manning School District, Larry Blake and Amy Ferneding are vying for one open seat in Director District 1B, and five candidates are running for two At Large seats: Kathleen Blake; Mike Blum; Sam Hansen; Brandi Perdew, and Lucas Potthoff.

In Pottawattamie County, two people are running for one position on the AHSTW School Board in each of Director Districts 1, 4 and the At Large seat. Running in District 1 is Katie S. Goshorn and Angie Grote. In District 2: Bobbi L. Lund and Thomas J. Ryemyk. And running for the At Large seat is Jamie Coon and Bernadette Hatch.

Four people are running for two seats on the Treynor School Board: Lisa Chambers, Greg Goos, Mickey Stogdill and Brandon Vorthmann. And, in the Underwood School District, three people are hoping to fill two seats on the School Board: Jeff Bonsall; Ashleigh Robinson and Michelle Soloth.