MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A former janitor accused of video recording people in a northern Iowa school staff restroom has been given 60 days in jail.

Cerro Gordo County records say 47-year-old David Bemis, of Mason City, also was sentenced Wednesday to a year of probation and fined $1,260. He must register as a sex offender for 10 years. Bemis pleaded guilty to four counts of invasion of privacy.

Investigators say Bemis was working at Clear Creek Elementary in Clear Lake in May 2013 when he hid a camera in the restroom and recorded four school employees in varying degrees of nudity. He no longer works for the district.

The Clear Lake superintendent has said no students were recorded

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — People attending the Iowa State Fair have selected the Apple Egg Roll as the best new concession food for 2018.

A panel of celebrity judges named three finalists from which to choose: the Apple Egg Roll from Applishus, the All Iowa Belly Up Burger from The Rib Shack and the Brown Sugar Pork Belly on a Stick from Iowa Pork Producers.

Fairgoers tried the three and voted from Aug. 9 through Tuesday, and the winner was the Apple Egg Roll.

Apple Egg Rolls are two crispy egg roll wrappers filled with apples and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and served with caramel sauce for dipping.

DES MOINES – Alliant Energy residential customers can purchase landscaping trees for their homes at a deep discount this fall. Customers may reserve up to two trees per address and pick them up at Operation ReLeaf events in Cerro Gordo, Decatur, Hamilton, Linn, Poweshiek, and Winneshiek counties in October.

Operation ReLeaf is an energy-efficiency program from Alliant Energy that helps customers save energy by using trees to shade their homes from the summer sun and winter winds. For maximum energy efficiency, trees should be planted within 30 feet of the east and west sides of the house. Evergreens should be planted as a windbreak on the north and west sides.

“We enjoy trees for their beauty and environmental benefits, and they can become a family legacy,” said Doug Kopp, President of Alliant Energy’s Iowa utility. “When you plant a tree as a family and get the kids involved, it can be fun and meaningful. Ten, 15 years later, you can look back and see how it’s grown and changed with you.”

Operation ReLeaf makes high-quality landscaping trees affordable. The trees retail for $65 to $125 each, but are available for just $25 through Operation ReLeaf on a first-come, first-served basis.

“This is a great way for homeowners to get a quality tree at an affordable price,” said Jeff Goerndt, state forester with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

For best results from your planting projects, the DNR recommends variety. “Planting a diverse mix of trees on your property and in your neighborhood will reduce the likelihood of losing a large number of trees to forest health threats,” said Goerndt.

Operation ReLeaf is an Alliant Energy program administered by the Iowa DNR with assistance from local partners. Order forms and tree species are available at alliantenergy.com/releaf.

CHEROKEE, Iowa – Aug. 16, 2018 – A road construction project on U.S. 30 east of the north junction with U.S. 59 in Denison will require closing the roadway to traffic starting at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22, until 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Cherokee construction office.

During this closure, traffic will be detoured around the work zone using Seventh Street, Avenue C, Iowa 39, and U.S. 59.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through our 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or Twitter (find links at https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.

To receive email or text alerts about traffic incidents, road closures, traffic delays, and other restrictions that affect this highway route or other routes you travel, the Iowa DOT offers the “Your 511” option on 511ia.org. It’s easy to subscribe to Your 511 and sign up to receive the email/text alerts. Visit https://iowadot.gov/511/511-full-feature-website-help/how-to-videos for simple, step-by-step instructions.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports an arrest early Thursday. At 12:54am Deputies arrested 37-year-old Ellonna Christine Anders of Henderson for Obstruction of Emergency Communication. Anders was taken to the Mills County Jail and held on $300 bond.

The Creston Police Department reports one arrest and a reported theft on Wednesday.

At 10:30am Officers arrested 20-year-old Kole Andrew Lovely of Creston on the charge of Driving While Suspended. He was taken to the Union County Jail on $300 bond.

Also on Wednesday at 8:45pm a resident on North Sycamore Street reported that sometime over the previous night a shotgun was taken out of his garage. The loss was estimated at $550.

w/ Chris Parks

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The Union County Communications LMR(Land Mobile Radio) upgrade project will be holding two public forums for the press and the public to attend.  These public forums are to inform the public of the LMR radio project, the issues with our current system and the proposed solution to fix it. Members of all public safety agencies will be present to answer questions. We will also be providing a facebook live session for each of these public forums for the public to view if they are unable to be present.

The dates for these public forums are August 23^rd and August 29^th 2018 at 6PM.  They will take place at Union County Emergency Management Agency, 705 E Taylor St in Creston.

The Atlantic City Council unanimously approved the final reading of two rule changes and the first reading of another at their Wednesday meeting.

The Council passed the final reading of a rule change regarding the number of days the Atlantic Animal Control Office holds an animal before it becomes available for adoption. Animal Control Officer Kris Erickson had requested that the number of days an animal is held be changed from seven business days to three. The change aligns the city with the state required three days. The city hopes this helps animals minimize their stay and stress. Licensed dog owners will be contacted if their pet is found wandering.

The Council also approved the final reading of an ordinance changing zoning regulations. A number of changes to building heights and setbacks were included in the ordinance in hopes that residential property owners would have greater flexibility to improve their properties. These changes would eliminate the costly and time-consuming process of applying for a variance in some instances.

The first reading of an amendment to traffic code enforcement procedures was also passed. The changes will increase the fine amounts for regular parking violations and snow emergency violations. The changes will align the city with fine amounts in other nearby cities. The Personnel and Finance Committee recommended the council approve the fine increases which will go from $10 to $30 for regular violations and $25 to $50 for snow emergency violations.

The council also approved a key monitoring policy for the city. Alexis Fleener was appointed to the Community Promotion Commission and Megan Mewhirter was added to the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Adjustment. Those appointments replace the resignation of Christina Bateman from those spots.

At their regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday night, the Atlantic City Council unanimously approved a street name change to honor Atlantic native Ed Podolak. The small section of East 11th Street in front of the Atlantic Middle School and Schuler Elementary will now be known as Ed Podolak Drive.

Ed was born and raised in Atlantic and is a 1965 graduate of Atlantic High School. He went on to star as a multiple position football player at the University of Iowa before playing professionally for the Kansas City Chiefs. Podolak was part of the 1970 Super Bowl Champion Chiefs during his rookie season in professional football. Ed lead the Chiefs in rushing for four seasons and currently sits 5th on the team’s all-time rushing list with 4,451 career yards and 34 touchdowns. In the Chiefs’ playoff loss to the Miami Dolphins on Christmas Day in 1971 Podolak had a playoff-record 350 total yards: 85 rushing, 110 receiving, and 155 return yards. He was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1989.

Following his playing career Podolak turned to broadcasting where he currently serves as the Color Commentator for Iowa Hawkeyes Football broadcasts alongside Gary Dolphin.

New black and gold street signs will go up this week and a dedication ceremony is set to be held on Sunday at 2:00pm at the Trojan Bowl. The ceremony will be at the end of the Atlantic Sesquicentennial Block party on the Atlantic Middle School grounds from 11:00am-3:00pm.