DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa health coach accused of defrauding dozens of people who lost more than $6.5 million by investing in a gym program has taken a plea deal. U.S. District Court records say 49-year-old Mark Blankespoor pleaded guilty Friday to one count of wire fraud. Prosecutors dropped 23 more counts in return for his plea. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 24.

Prosecutors say Blankespoor told investors from at least May 2013 through this past January that the medically oriented program would be licensed to fitness clinics nationwide and that investors could earn a 40 percent return on their money. But prosecutors say Blankespoor instead used their money for himself and to pay other investors.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The director of the Iowa Department of Human Services says he resigned at the request of Gov. Kim Reynolds. Jerry Foxhoven released a statement Monday afternoon saying he’d submitted his resignation at the request of the governor and that it was an honor to serve as director of the agency. Neither Reynolds nor Foxhoven gave a reason for the change.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police investigating the shooting deaths of four family members in a Des Moines suburb are classifying three of the deaths as homicides and one as a suicide. West Des Moines police said Monday that autopsies showed 44-year-old Chandrasekhar Sunkara’s death was a suicide. The deaths of his wife, 41-year-old Lavanya Sunkara, and their boys ages 15 and 10 were homicides. Relatives who were staying as guests at the home discovered the bodies Saturday. Police didn’t release details about the deaths.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it has almost completed work to close three of the most serious levee breaches on the Missouri River in southwest Iowa. Matthew Krajewski is readiness branch chief for the Corps’ Omaha district. Krajewski says four of about 40 breaches needed urgent attention after the flooding in March and May, and three of those should be closed Monday. The levees needing urgent repair were designed to protect Council Bluffs, Bartlett, Percival and Hamburg.

UNDATED (AP) — Medication withheld, cries for help ignored, routine checks neglected: With suicides a problem in many jails across the U.S., an AP/Capital News Service examination raises troubling questions about whether deaths could have been avoided with more training, better technology and fewer broken rules. What are authorities doing to stop these tragedies? Some are adding staff and changing policies, but one expert says jails are unfairly being asked to become mental health and drug treatment centers.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, will discuss and act on a change from electing Parks and Recreation Board members to appointing those members, which comes as a complete surprise to the Parks Board. The Board, earlier this year, proposed reducing the terms of members to four-years instead of six, which the Personnel and Finance Committee endorsed during their meeting in February.

City Administrator John Lund said in a preview to Wednesday’s City Council meeting, that he and City Attorney David Wiederstein found it impossible to change the terms without disrupting the cycle of elections. Wiederstein is recommending the Council consider the option of ending the elections for the Board, and having them made by appointment. Lund says he agrees with that idea, and it would fall in-line with the Airport Commission and AMU Board.

Parks Board member Charlene Beane said the change was “Very disconcerting.” They didn’t know about the change until the matter appeared in the local paper Monday morning. She said “I’m horrified. The more elected jobs there are in the city, the better your democracy is represented. I think this idea of appointed positions keeps the same old pool going.” She said also, “Right now I see a lot of top-down governing that I don’t think is for the best.”

Assistant Parks Director Roger Herring agreed, saying “Often times you get into situations where you have accusations that it’s a ‘Good ol’ Boy’s society,’ to which Beane replied, “And it often is.” Herring said in that type of situation, you surround yourself with your own ‘yes” people, [whereas with elections] you have a better chance of representation, because you have a group that senses there’s a situation there and they want to be more involved…and run the risk of running for election and soliciting votes.” Beane said the change “came out of left field, and I resent it.” Other Board members concurred.

Councilman Pat McCurdy suggested the Parks Board attend Wednesday evening’s meeting to voice their opposition to terms of appointment instead of election. In other business, Interim Parks Director Bryant Rasmussen provided updates on the Schildberg Development Project. He said the west playground community building is this Friday and Saturday. The Street Department has been working in advance to excavate the playground area, and Snyder and Associates Engineers will pinpoint the holes for the playground poles and mounting equipment to make the install proceed faster.

A representative of Miracle Playground Equipment will be on hand Saturday to guide the construction process. Anyone wanting to help with the construction of the playground is welcome to show up between for one of two shifts each day:  8:00 AM until Noon and 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM. Lunch and tools will be provided. You may contact Park Director Bryant Rasmussen for more information at the Parks and Recreation Office (712) 249-3542.