A Cass County woman convicted in November on numerous charges associated with faking her 5-year old daughter’s cancer received 5-years of probation Tuesday, instead of a minimum of two-years probation or a maximum of 21-years in prison. In November, 30-year old Leatha Kaye Slauson, of Atlantic, plead guilty to two counts of child endangerment, one of administering harmful substances, one of theft and one of unlawful possession of a prescription drug. Slauson admitted to giving her daughter Riley Cannabis Oil and Neupogen without a prescription. She also admitted she raised money for her daughter’s supposed cancer treatment, under false pretenses.

Leatha Slauson reads a statement to the court.

District Court Judge Kathleen Kilnoski issued the order against Slauson. Because of the nature of the offenses, counts one and two were ordered to be served consecutively, with remaining sentences to be served concurrently. She also must continue mental health treatment and not contact her five children unless requested by her therapist.

The decision came down after nearly an hour of testimony from a mental health professional, Slauson’s uncle and Leatha Slauson herself, during which she apologized for her actions, but admitted she “Still needs work,” in the area of mental health, to deal with the “voices” in her head, and the “Shadow figures” she used to see before she was placed on medication.

As part of her probation agreement, Slauson was ordered to make restitution, with a hearing to take place later to determine the means and method for which that is accomplished. There is still a little more than half of the $30,000 donated in a special bank account that can be used toward restitution. Slauson will not have to reside at a Residential Correctional Facility. The judge decided the 90-days the woman had served and progress she’s made through mental health counseling and medications was sufficient.

Leatha Slauson enters the courtroom prior to hear sentencing hearing. Judge Kathleen Kilnoski is behind her.

Slauson’s attorney Jay Mez had asked for a deferred judgement of conviction, meaning the woman would have no criminal record, but the judge disagreed. Kilnoski said “I think you need to have a criminal record that will alert the public to your behavior, so that others can be en guard, so that no other child potentially could be hurt, no other vulnerable adult could potentially be hurt by your actions.”

With Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Like most fried chicken recipes, the chicken parts are coated with a seasoned flour mixture and browned in oil.  This recipe, however, adds the convenient step of finishing the cooking in the oven.  This gives the cook time to prepare the rest of the meal.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons ground mustard
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons garlic salt
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 boiler-fryer chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut up
• Vegetable oil

Combine the first 11 ingredients.  Place about one cup flour mixture in a large resealable plastic bag.  Add a few chicken pieces to the bag at a time; shake to coat.  Heat 1/4 inch of oil in large skillet on medium-high.  Brown chicken on all sides; transfer to an ungreased 13″ x 9″ x 2″ baking  pan.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes or until juices run clear.  Recipe makes enough coating for three chickens.  Store unused mixture in an airtight container.  YIELD:  4-6 servings.

(Audrey Read, Fraser Lake, British Columbia)

DELOIT, Iowa (AP) – Jury selection is scheduled to begin Tuesday for one of two men accused of killing two people and attempting to burn their bodies in western Iowa. Twenty-six-year-old Michael Schenk is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson. Authorities say Schenk and 19-year-old Jayden Chapman, both of Denison, shot 80-year-old Marvin Huesling and 81-year-old Alice Huisenga at a trailer home in Deloit on March 10 and then set it on fire. Investigators say the two men likely were on the property to steal scrap metal.

Chapman’s trial is scheduled to begin April 28 in another county. A judge has ruled that because of expected media coverage of Schenk’s trial, it would be difficult to find an impartial jury for Chapman’s trial in Crawford County.

Police in Creston report the arrest on Saturday, of a Creston woman on a charge of 5th degree theft. 33-year old Bobbie Sue Flynn was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center and later released on a Citation to Appear in court.

The Creston P-D is also investigating a couple of break-ins that took place over the weekend. The owner of Reflections Salon in Creston reported to police that sometime from 3-pm Saturday and 8-a.m Monday, someone broke into the business, but nothing was reported missing. The damage was estimated at $500.

And, a Creston resident told police that sometime between Dec. 25th and Jan. 4th, someone entered his home and took an iPod case, a Toshiba Notebook, iPod, Notary seal and $150 in cash. The loss was estimated at $665.

The 7-a.m. newscast w/Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

As the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) begins processing tax returns Tuesday, the agency offers a word of caution for those who will seek help from a paid professional. IRS spokesman Mark Hanson says most preparers are knowledgeable and trustworthy, but sometimes taxpayers can be misled by those who don’t understand complex tax situations – or who mislead people into taking credits or deductions they aren’t entitled to, in order to increase their own fee.

“Each year, it’s not uncommon to find stories around the country where a tax preparer has done something that may not necessarily be right,” says Hanson. “You want to make sure you have somebody who represents your best interests, and does so legally.” Hanson says a reliable tax professional will have an IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number. He also advises taxpayers to investigate the individual’s professional credentials, review the return before signing, and make sure any refund is sent directly to you, never to the tax preparer.

Hanson also recommends checking the service fees for a professional tax service upfront. “A tax preparer should not be charging you a fee based upon the amount of refund you’re expected to get,” he says. “This could be a red flag, right up front.” Hanson notes you’re still legally responsible for what’s on your return, even if you don’t prepare it yourself.

“If the IRS questions the accuracy of any information, we’re going to ask you the taxpayer – not necessarily your tax preparer,” says Hanson. “So once you sign that return, you’re telling the IRS, ‘This is a complete and accurate return,’ to the best of your knowledge. Once you sign it, you own it.”

Tuesday is the first day taxpayers can file electronically, and also the first day for IRS processing of paper returns.

(Iowa News Service)

A man from Lenox was arrested Sunday afternoon. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports 40-year old Matthew Rayhons was taken into custody at around 4-p.m., on a charge of Public Intoxication. His bond was set at $1,000.

One of two Cass County men suspected of illegally possessing more than 100 sets of deer remains has been cited in the matter. 23-year old Sean Chamberlin, of rural Atlantic, is charged with 111 counts of illegal possession of deer remains, plus one count of illegally transporting deer, illegally killing a raccoon, illegally killing a badger, unlicensed harvesting of fur and failure to report a harvested deer. He had earlier been ticketed for littering. State Conservation Officer Brian Smith told the Daily NonPareil Sean’s father, 47-year old John Chamberlin, Jr., also of rural Atlantic, will be cited later this week.

A rookie Republican in Iowa’s congressional delegation has accepted the invitation of the lone Iowa Democrat in congress for tonight’s (Tuesday’s) “State of the Union” address. Republican David Young of Van Meter has agreed to sit next to Democrat Dave Loeback of Iowa City for President Obama’s speech. “I’ll sit with him and we’ll listen to the president,” Young says. But Young says he wants to find out if Obama “understands” what happened during the November 4th election.

“And that was about the American people saying: ‘It’s time to govern. It’s time to come together. It’s time to do the will of the people and the people’s priorities,'” Young says. Rod Blum is Iowa’s other rookie representative in the U.S. House. He’ll also be listening with a critical ear. “I’m all for listening to his ideas and I hope they’re good ideas and I hope they help the economy and I hope they help working families, but I also want them to be constitutional,” Blum says.

Blum, who is from Dubuque, is Iowa’s new first district congressman. Democratic Congressman Dave Loebsack, who represents Iowa’s second congressional district, was part of a movement in 2011 to break up the partisan cheering sections for the president’s State of the Union speech. Republican Congressman Steve King has said just finding a seat on the House floor is a challenge with 435 members of congress, 100 senators, members of the president’s cabinet and U.S. Supreme Court justices all crowding into the area.

Iowa’s rookie Republican Senator — Joni Ernst — has a special spot reserved for her tonight (Tuesday) on network television. Ernst will deliver the Republican response to President Obama’s speech.

(Radio Iowa)