CLARE, Iowa (AP) — A trial has been scheduled for the second defendant in the slaying of a Fort Dodge woman. The Messenger reports that Phillip Williams, of Lafayette, Indiana, on Monday pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. He and Mackenzie Knigge are accused of killing 26-year-old Jessica Gomez, on or about Aug. 5 last year in Knigge’s apartment in Clare. Williams’ trial is set to begin Sept. 11.

Knigge and Gomez, who were once described as friends, were publicly reported missing on Aug. 9, 2017. Knigge was arrested with Williams on Aug. 10 in Lafayette, Indiana. Gomez’s burned body was found in a ditch near Clare on Aug. 12.

Knigge also has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge. Her trial is scheduled to start Nov. 26.

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

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ELKADER, Iowa (AP) — A northeast Iowa man has been given 25 years in prison for a crash that killed two teenage boys. Clayton County Court records say 21-year-old Kory Doeppke, was sentenced Tuesday in Elkader. He’d pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular homicide. Authorities say Doeppke, of Elkader, was driving west when he didn’t halt at a stop sign near Edgewood on Feb. 16 and collided with a northbound pickup. The two fatally injured boys were in the back seat of Doeppke’s car. Officials identified them as 16-year-olds Brady Edwards and Izaiah Drinkwater.

The pickup driver suffered minor injuries.

Officials with the Atlantic Community School District have issued information with regard to 2018-19 School Year Student Registration. The district will be opening online student registration on Wednesday, August 1st.  All parents will be receiving an email on Aug. 1st with the information, but if you don’t receive it, all the details can be found in a letter posted to parents or guardians of students, shown below.

Dear Parents/Guardians of ACSD Students:

Welcome to the 2018-19 school year!  Atlantic Community School District will continue to utilize the “rollover” online registration process with JMC, the district’s student information system. If your student(s) attended ACSD last school year (2017-18) and were still in attendance on the last day of school, you need to follow the 6 steps below to verify registration information and pay student fees. Student fees will need to be paid by Friday, October 5, 2018.

Students who are new to the school district and are planning to enroll for the 2018-19 school year will need to register for school at our school buildings. During this time, if administration is available we will be more than happy to give new students tours of their new school. Parents can also access school registration forms by visiting the district’s web page, www.atlanticiaschools.org.

The 6 Quick Steps for “Rollover” Online Registration.

Log on to Parent Portal (Click HERE for detailed instructions, if needed)
Click on Register for School  (Click HERE for detailed instructions, if needed)
View Tuition/Fees & Make Payment (Click HERE for detailed instructions, if needed)
View Lunch Account & Make Payment (Click HERE for detailed instructions, if needed)
Set Up Alert Configuration in Parent Portal (Click HERE for detailed instructions, if needed)
Click HERE to find other information such as: Online Free and Reduced Forms, Physical Forms, Transportation Requests (rural only), Yearbook Orders, Handbooks, Parent Portal Information, and much more).

If you don’t have access to the internet/online, please feel free to stop at your child’s school. The office will be more than happy to assist you in anyway. Should you have any questions regarding school registration or the payment of school fees, please contact our schools at the numbers below.

Washington Elementary School

Pre-K – 3rd grade: Phone: 712-243-5234; Stacey Hornung, Principal; Hours: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm

Schuler Elementary School

Grades 4-5: Phone: 712-243-1370; James Northwick, Principal; Hours: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm

Atlantic Middle School

Grades 6-8: Phone: 712-243-1330; Josh Rasmussen, Principal; Hours: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm

Atlantic High School

Grades 9-12: Phone: 712-243-5358; Heather McKay, Principal, Andrew Mitchell, Asst Principal/Activities Director; Hours: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm

Transportation

All Grades: Phone: 712-243-3374; Dave Eckles, Supervisor

Food Service

All Grades: Phone: 712- 243-5369; DeeAnn Schreiner, Supervisor

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey report suggests economic growth is still slowing in nine Midwest and Plains states. The report released Wednesday says the Mid-America Business Conditions Index declined to 57.0 in July from 61.8 in June and 67.3 in May. It’s still the 20th straight month that the index remained above growth neutral 50.0.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the region’s manufacturing growth of 2.6 percent over the past 12 months exceeds the U.S. growth rate of 2.3 percent.

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth in that factor. A score below that suggests decline.
The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Police in Red Oak report 49-year old Robby Dale Lukehart, of Red Oak, was arrested Tuesday evening, for Driving While Suspended. His bond was set at slightly more than $566. And, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department reports two arrests. At around 2:15-a.m. today (Wednesday), 41-year old Alan Levern Walter, of Grant, was arrested near the 33 mile marker of Highway 48. Walter was charged with OWI/2nd offense, and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $2,000. And at around 9:45-p.m. Tuesday, Sheriff’s deputies arrested 20-year old Benjamin Parra-Moreno, of Lenox, on a valid Montgomery County Bench warrant for Violation of Probation. Parra-Moreno was taken into custody during a traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 34 and Vine Avenue. His bond was set at $5,000.

(Radio Iowa) — A state commission has been examining barriers that pose problems for low and moderate-income Iowans in the civil justice system. Criminal cases are NOT heard in civil courts. Instead, lawsuits over things like property disputes and unpaid wages are handled in civil court.

The Iowa Access to Justice Commission has released its 2018 report. It notes as many as a million low and moderate income Iowans confronted with a legal matter cannot afford a lawyer and it lists ways to connect those Iowans with a lawyer who will volunteer their time or charge reduced rates.

The Commission hopes to find a way to establish a legal clinic in at least one Veterans Administration medical facility in Iowa. Iowa is one of only nine states that does not have a legal clinic at a VA hospital or clinic.

The Veterans Administration operations 23 hospitals, clinics and health care centers in Iowa. In the KJAN listening area, that includes the Shenandoah VA Clinic, and the Carroll Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). For other sites, click on this link:

https://www.va.gov/directory/guide/fac_list_by_state.cfm?State=IA&dnum=All

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

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials say two former Omaha Tribal Council members have pleaded guilty to misusing federal funds. Nebraska federal prosecutors say 44-year-old Doran Morris Jr. and 70-year-old Mitchell Parker each pleaded guilty last week to one count of conversion and misapplication of funds of a health care benefit program. Prosecutors say Morris and Parker are the last of nine defendants in the case to enter guilty pleas.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials have closed the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge linking eastern Nebraska to western Iowa for a routine inspection. Omaha Parks and Recreation says the bridge closed Monday and will remain closed most of the week until a five-year maintenance inspection can be completed. Officials expect the bridge to reopen before the coming weekend, but note “there is no guarantee.”

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) — Friends say a missing Iowa college student had been planning to travel to the Dominican Republic this week for a wedding. Blake Jack says his brother Dalton and Dalton’s longtime girlfriend, 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts, were supposed to be there when he married his fiancee, Aimee Houghton. He says he joked with his brother that he should propose to Tibbetts during the trip. Tibbetts was last seen jogging on the evening of July 18 the small Iowa town where she had been living this summer.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — The interim leader of Briar Cliff University in Sioux City has been named the new president. The university trustees announced their choice of Rachelle Karstens on Tuesday. She’s been leading the campus since last summer, following the resignation of President Hamid Shirvani. He quit after 14 months on the job.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will meet 9-a.m. Wednesday in the Adair County Courthouse in Greenfield. The Board will discuss and possibly act on: A Township Trustee and Clerk appointment question resolution; Fireworks permit; A Hazard Mitigation Plan adoption resolution; and a Health Insurance Financial Committee appointment.

County Auditor Mindy Schaefer will discuss an Election Deputy/IT Support Staff new hire. VA Director Rick Schaecher will present the annual VA report. Mike Lamb and Joanie Finck will once again talk about wind farms/safety concerns, and the Supervisors will discuss wind farm matters, followed by a public forum.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials say two former Omaha Tribal Council members have pleaded guilty to misusing federal funds. Nebraska federal prosecutors say 44-year-old Doran Morris Jr. and 70-year-old Mitchell Parker each pleaded guilty last week to one count of conversion and misapplication of funds of a health care benefit program.

Prosecutors say Morris and Parker are the last of nine defendants in the case to enter guilty pleas. Prosecutors say those council members charged gave themselves bonuses of $388,972 in federal money intended to provide health care to tribal members.

Those defendants will be sentenced in separate hearing in the coming months, starting in September and stretching through October.