LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — A northwest Iowa man accused of insurance fraud has been given two years of probation. Plymouth County District Court records say 41-year-old Scott Leininger, of Le Mars, pleaded guilty to forgery after prosecutors dismissed the fraud charge. He also was sentenced Monday to five years in prison, suspended, and fined $750. The judge ordered that Leininger’s sentence be served at the same time as any punishment meted out to Leininger in a Clay County case. He’s pleaded not guilty there to a charge of ongoing criminal conduct and is scheduled to go on trial April 2.

Plymouth County authorities say Leininger submitted false paperwork to back his claim to Homesite Insurance for damage he said his disability equipment sustained during a lightning storm. Court documents say the company discovered the paperwork was bogus and didn’t pay the claim.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reminds patrons of the Atlantic Community School District, that a special public measure election will be held for the Atlantic Community School District for those voters in Cass, Audubon and Pottawattamie Counties. The election takes place April 2nd, with polls opening at Noon and closing at 8-p.m. on that date. Absentee voting for anyone who wishes to Vote Early, is permitted, beginning March 4th. Ballots may be requested now, but cannot be mailed until on or after March 4th. The last day to request a ballot to be mailed to you is Friday, March 22nd. Early voting is permitted at the Cass County Auditor’s Office during their regular business hours, from March 4th through 11-a.m. April 2nd.  There are only two polling places:

Voting Center 1 – Those voters living in Wards 1,4 and 5 in the City of Atlantic, will cast their ballot at the Heritage House, in Atlantic.

Voting Center 2 – Voters living in the remainder of the Atlantic Community School District (those residing in Audubon and Pottawattamie Counties; Bear Grove, Benton, Brighton, Cass, Franklin, Grove, Pymosa and Washington Townships in Cass County; The Cities of Marne, Wiota, and City of Atlantic Wards 2 and 3, will vote at the Atlantic Public Library.

The Special Election is with regard to a $9.2-million bond referendum that would pay for school building and site improvements. The Resolution to be voted on states: “Shall the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Community School District, in the Counties of Cass, Audubon and Pottawattamie, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness ans issue general obligation bonds in an amount not exceeding $9,500,000 for the purpose of furnishing, equipping, constructing, improving, repairing, and renovating school buildings and improving the sites thereof at the school district’s existing school buildings located in Atlantic, Iowa, including without limitation: (a) renovating, equipping and improving the football field/track/stadium, team building, concession and related buildings/site improvements, (b) renovating, equipping and improving  the softball/baseball fields and related buildings/site improvements, (c) constructing, relocating, equipping and improving tennis courts and related buildings/site improvements, and (d) improving and realigning a roadway for smoother access to the elementary school and connection to the middle school?”

If approved during the Special Election, the indebtedness of the district will be in excess of 1.25-percent of the assessed valuation of taxable property in the School District.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Exira-EHK School District Superintendent Trevor Miller today (Thursday), announced the district’s plans for Snow Make-up Days. Miller says the latest schedule to make-up for missed class hours due to the weather, includes (The newest in bold):

• Thursday, March 7th – full day of school with no 12:30-p.m. release for Professional Development (PD)
• Tuesday, March 19th will be a Full Day of school.
• Thursday, April 4th will be a Full Day of School, with no 12:30-p.m. release for PD
• Monday, April 22nd is a Full Day of School snow make-up day.
• Thursday, May 2nd will be a Full Day of School snow make-up day, with no 12:30-p.m. release for PD
• May 23rd will now be a full day of school.
• May 24th will be the last day of school with a 1:30-p.m. dismissal.

Miller says if there are any additional days, the district will add them to the end of the year or adding length to the day. He adds “Hopefully, Spring is right around the corner.”

Creston Police report two men were arrested on separate charges, Wednesday. 37-year old Dustin Dale Moore, of Creston, was arrested at around 7:10-p.m., for Domestic Assault. He was being held in the Union County Jail without bond, pending an appearance before the Magistrate. And, 51-year old Michael Robert Spare, of Afton, was arrested at around 1:30-p.m. Wednesday, in Creston, for Driving While Suspended at Saint Malachy. Spare has since bonded-out of the Union County Jail.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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FOREST CITY, Iowa (AP) — One of two men accused of stealing around 150 pigs in northern Iowa has been sentenced. Winnebago County District Court records say 21-year-old Robert Morales, of Thompson, Iowa, on Tuesday was given 10 years in prison, suspended, and five years of probation and fined $1,000. He also was ordered to make restitution of nearly $22,000.

The pigs were reported stolen Nov. 4, 2017, from a Christensen Farms operation near Lake Mills. The other man charged, 35-year-old David Cortez Jr., has pleaded not guilty to theft and burglary. His trial is scheduled to begin April 10.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa City woman who told police she drank several cans of beer before providing day care to an infant who died later that day has been given two years of probation. Johnson County District Court records say 49-year-old Wendy Young also was sentenced Monday to two years in prison and fined $625, but both were suspended. She’d entered an Alford plea to a reduced charge of child endangerment, no injury. In an Alford plea, a person doesn’t admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a likely conviction.

Officers called to Young’s home on Oct. 18, 2017, found the child unresponsive . The infant was pronounced dead later at a hospital. The records say Young acknowledged drinking 10 to 12 cans of beer before the child arrived. Authorities haven’t provided more information about the child.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Attorney General’s Office is appealing the district court ruling that threw out Iowa’s Ag Protection Fraud Law, the so-called “ag gag” law. Drew Mogler, public policy director for the Iowa Pork Producers Association, says his organization thinks the state has an excellent argument to protect farmers from imposters and intruders from animal rights groups.

“When we look at some of the pressures our industry is facing with foreign animal diseases in other countries,” Mogler says, “I think we’re all aware of the issue of African swine fever moving around lots of countries in Asia, biosecurity and protecting biosecurity in this state is definitely in the state’s interest.”

Mogler says the state’s livestock producers need to be shielded from activists’ attacks, including the use of undercover videos on farms and ranches. “This law is designed to protect farmers from folks who are really driving an agenda to end meat production and meat consumption in this state and in this country,” Mogler says. “Farmers deserve that protection because they’re caring for their animals each and every day.”

Mogler says if the court of appeals rules in favor of the state, then the ag-gag law will be reinstated. “If this appeal gets overturned in the Eighth Circuit, then the Ag Protection Fraud Law is back on the books here in the state of Iowa,” he says, “and producers will have protection under that statute.”

Mogler says those who challenged the Iowa law originally claimed it was a violation of free speech rights, but he says that wasn’t the intention of the law, as it aimed to protect ag operations.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies, Wednesday, arrested two Red Oak women on drug charges, in Red Oak. Rebecca Lynn Ceranek and Vicki Jo Straight, were arrested in the 500 block of E. Coolbaugh Street. Ceranek faces three felony charges, including Delivery of Marijuana and two counts Possession of a Controlled Substance, along with a serious misdemeanor Unlawful Possession of Prescription Medication, charge.

Straight was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance. Both women were being held in the Montgomery County Jail, with Ceranek’s bond set at $5,000, and Straight’s bond at $1,000.