WESTFIELD, Iowa (AP) — A former city clerk accused of stealing from a northwest Iowa community has pleaded not guilty.

The Sioux City Journal reports that 50-year-old Angela Sorensen filed a written plea Thursday in Plymouth County District Court. The charges: theft and ongoing criminal conduct.

Sorensen had been clerk in Westfield from May 25, 2013, until she quit in August 2017. A special state audit of the city books shows auditors identified nearly $40,000 of utility payments to the city that were never deposited.

Auditors also said Sorensen was overpaid by more than $13,000 during the 4½ years and said she wrote herself about $4,300 worth of unauthorized checks.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — President Donald Trump has repeatedly told U.S. farmers he will support ethanol and he largely continues to have their support but many are growing unhappy with EPA decisions that hamper ethanol production.

The EPA refuses to restore 2.6 billion gallons of ethanol removed from production through refinery waivers. It’s a significant blow to corn farmers and counter to Trump’s promise but many hesitate to blame Trump, known for retaliatory tweets.

Republican U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is the most direct urging Trump to compel EPA “to reverse course and keep his word to the forgotten Americans who have faithfully stood with him,”

U.S. Representative Cindy Axne, a Democrat says Trump isn’t taking responsibility for policies that hurt farmers and his administration is good at distancing him from EPA decisions.

BANCROFT, Iowa (AP) — North-central Iowa law enforcement officials say three people have been found dead in Bancroft. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says in a news release that the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call Friday morning reporting two people found dead in a Bancroft home.
Bancroft police officers who were first to arrive at the home also found a third person there dead.

Police have released no other details, including the names of the dead or how they died. Officials have only said there is no on-going threat to the public.

Officials say the names of the victims and more details will be released following notification of the victims’ family members and the completion of autopsies.

Two people have been arrested in Cass County, for Violating Iowa’s Sex Offender Registry. On July 12th, deputies arrested 35-year old Jessy Mark, of Atlantic, on a Sheriff’s Office warrant for Sex Offender Registry Violation (Aggravated). Mark was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $2,000 bond. On July 5th,  24-year old Shawn Michael Williams, of Griswold, turned himself in at the Cass County Sheriff’s Office on a Sheriff’s Office warrant for Sex Offender Registry Violation (Aggravated). Williams was booked at the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $2,000 bond.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office also reports the following arrests:

• 43-year old Noah Gerard Cross, of Atlantic, was arrested today (July 12th), on a charge of OWI 1st Offense (Serious). Cross was taken to the Cass County Jail and later released on his own recognizance.
• 21-year old Jacob Hoyt Way, of Council Bluffs, was arrested June 28th in Cass County, on two District Court warrants for Probation Violation. Way was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $20,000 bond.
• And, on June 30th, 51-year old Michael Andrew Haas, of Kimballton, was arrested on charges of OWI 1st Offense (Serious) and Driving While Revoked (Serious). Haas was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two people from Oregon have been arrested on drug charges. 22-year old Gary Eugene Graham, Jr., of Roseburg, OR, was arrested July 5th on two Sheriff’s Office warrants for two counts of Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana (D Felony); Drug Tax Stamp Violation (D Felony); Prohibited Acts (Aggravated); and Child Endangerment (Aggravated). Graham was taken to the Cass County Jail and later released on $10,000 bond.

On July 8th, 32-year old Erika Jo Graham, of Roseburg, OR, was arrested on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana (D Felony); Drug Tax Stamp Violation (D Felony); Prohibited Acts (Aggravated); and Child Endangerment (Aggravated). Graham was booked at the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $325 bond.

And, on July 3rd, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 28-year old Jacob Allen Washburn, of Council Bluffs, on charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Meth (B Felony); three counts of Felon in Possession of Firearm (D Felonies); and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Upon investigation, Washburn was also charged with Burglary 3rd Degree (D Felony) and Theft 2nd Degree (D Felony) in relation to a burglary that was reported in rural Cass County four days earlier. Washburn remains held at the Cass County Jail on $50,000 bond.

Atlantic Parks and Recreation Director Bryant Rasmussen informed KJAN that the connector trail between the Schildberg Campground and KJAN will be closed on Monday, July 15th. The closure is due to sidewalk repairs being done that day. Atlantic Parks and Recreation apologizes for any inconvenience during that work.

A Red Oak woman was arrested for Public Intoxication on Friday morning. Red Oak Police were called to the Casey’s General Store in the 1300 block of North Broadway in Red Oak at 9:22am for a possible intoxicated female.

Upon arrival and investigation Officers did find a woman to be intoxicated. They attempted to take 42-year-old Stephanie Sue Jeffords of Red Oak into custody and she initially resisted arrest.

She was charged with Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts Jeffords was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 cash bond.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce is reminding area shopper that Crazy Daze Reimagined: A Carnival of Savings will be held this Saturday in Atlantic. The event will have free games and family activities.

The games will be located down Chestnut Street from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will give shoppers the opportunity to win additional discounts to participating businesses. Games include duck pond matching, go fish, disc drop, bean bag toss, lily pad and spin the wheel.

There will be bounce houses provided by the Nishna Valley YMCA in Atlantic City Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as well as drawings provided by Chad and Hunter Oliver, yard games, chalk art, hopscotch and a temporary tattoo station.

A-Town SmokeShack will also be in City Park serving their regular menu as well as kid-sized meals.

Music for the day will start at 8 a.m. with The High Crest with Kat Darling, of Des Moines, and will be located just south of The Franklin Market. Jason Reed will follow, and Randy Burk will close.

Shoppers will have the chance to win $250 in AtlantiCash by bringing a receipt from any of the participating businesses to the Chamber’s table in City Park from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. that day. They can also bring their receipts to the depot Monday, July 15 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The winner will be drawn Tuesday.

A complete list of participating businesses can be found on the Atlantic Area Chamber’s Facebook page or at atlanticiowa.com

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office released further details on a shooting that occurred in Lyman on Thursday evening. The Sheriff’s Office reports they responded to a call of a shooting at 69244 Lyman Street in Lyman at 7:02pm. The victim, 22-year-old Chase Jones of Atlantic, was transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital by Griswold Rescue. Jones was declared deceased at the hospital.

Initial dispatch reports indicated Jones was shot in the neck during the misfire of a .9-mm handgun. An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday, July 13th at the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny.

The incident remains under investigation by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Criminal Investigations.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say one man was fatally stabbed and another wounded in a fight between them on the west side of Sioux City.

Officers sent to the scene around 6:50 p.m. Thursday found both men, who were taken to hospitals. One was released after his treatment. Police have not provided his name.

The other man was pronounced dead at a hospital. Police identified him as 45-year-old Eleazar Lopez-Martinez. He lived in Sioux City.

No arrests or charges have been announced.