Audubon County Attorney Sarah A. Jennings reports Zackary Scott was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison, for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine (a Class C Felony), and Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver Marijuana (a Class D Felony), after having his probation revoked for another drug violation. He received a ten-year sentence on the Class C and a five-year sentence on the Class D, with the two running consecutive to each other for a total prison term not to exceed 15 years.

Zackary Scott

Scott was caught running meth and marijuana in Audubon County in August of 2018. Because he had a drug addiction of his own and only a moderate criminal history, the county attorney allowed him to be placed on probation so he could seek help for his problem. In a quid pro quo, a 15-year suspended prison sentence was hung over his head, to be imposed if he did not comply with the terms of his probation. He pleaded guilty and was placed on probation on November 14, 2018.

Just one day later, Zackary Scott was arrested for possession of marijuana in another county. Because the county attorney believed Scott had abused the generous deal he had received, the State joined with the Department of Probation in recommending that his probation be revoked and his original sentence imposed. Scott had already been given suspended prison sentences in 2015 on two other felony convictions in other counties, so this violation was his “third strike.” Judge Craig Dreismeier revoked Mr. Scott’s probation and imposed the original prison sentence yesterday in court with mittimus to issue immediately. The judge’s order also states that the defendant is to receive drug treatment while incarcerated.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa social worker has been charged with perjury for giving false testimony during a court proceeding in which a judge removed four children from their parents.
Criminal complaints released Tuesday allege that former Department of Human Services case manager Chelsie Gray lied repeatedly during a 2017 hearing in which she recommended a judge terminate the parental rights of a mother and father.

Chelsie Gray

A judge relied on Gray’s testimony in ordering the children be placed in foster care. An assistant Cerro Gordo County attorney later discovered discrepancies in Gray’s testimony and reported them. Judge Adam Sauer found in a ruling last June that Gray’s testimony was riddled with “lies and misrepresentations” and ordered the children not be placed in foster care.

Gray resigned from DHS last September. But the state opened a criminal investigation only after The Associated Press reported on Sauer’s opinion in October. Gray, 30, was arrested Monday and released from jail after posting bond. She’s charged with three felony counts of perjury.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A zoo in Des Moines has announced another birth for a pair of endangered rhinos. Blank Park Zoo says its 9-year-old female eastern black rhino, Ayana, gave birth Friday to a 112-pound (50.8-kilogram) female calf. Ayana and her mate, Kiano, produced their first calf in 2016, Tumani. The African species is considered critically endangered, primarily because of poaching.

The newborn isn’t on display while still bonding with her mother. Zoo spokesman Ryan Bickel says people can check on her through the zoo’s social media and live webcams. The zoo will name her through a fundraising contest: $50 per name or three suggestions for $100. The zoo says the names should be in an African language. A public vote will be held on the finalists.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have arrested another suspect in the slaying of a young woman found lying in a West Des Moines road. Dallas County court records say 20-year-old Johndarius Lewis and 17-year-old Eliazar Montoya Gama weres charged with robbery and first-degree murder. Lewis was said to be an accomplice to the crime. KCCI says court documents indicated Gama picked up 18-year old Sakira Bonner in his vehicle from the Holiday Inn at 6075 Mills Civic Parkway, because she wanted to buy marijuana. Once inside the vehicle, Bonner was beaten, robbed and then shot numerous times.

Police found the woman in the road late Friday night in an area west of Interstate 35. She was pronounced dead later at a hospital. Authorities say Bonner was from Chicago, but attended high school in Des Moines.

The CAM School Board, Monday evening, adopted their Budget Guarantee Resolution and approved the 2019-2020 Certified Budget, following a Public Hearing. Superintendent Casey Berlau said they certified their budget at $10 per thousand dollars valuation. He said also, the Board approved the continuation of sharing agreements with the Griswold and Nodaway Valley School District. It was the fifth year of sharing positions with Nodaway Valley.The Board also approved the purchase of two vehicles for the District. They decided to purchase two Chevy Suburbans from Deter Motor Company in Atlantic, to replace one vehicle that was wrecked, the other with high mileage and ongoing issues.

Berlau said the CAM School Board approved several resignations.

Contracts were also approved.

And, the 2019 graduating seniors list at the CAM High School and Connections Academy was approved during Monday’s Board meeting.

Police in Glenwood, Monday, arrested 20-year old Trent Bowden, of Glenwood. He was taken into custody for a Controlled Substance Violation and Possession of Drug paraphernalia. Bowden’s cash or surety bond was set at $5,300.

A man on a motorcycle suffered suspected serious/incapacitating injuries during a crash Monday evening, near Clarinda. Clarinda Police say 51-year old Douglas Franklin Nicholas, of Clarinda, was riding a 1999 Harley Davidson motorcycle southbound on S. 20th Street at around 5:35-p.m., when the cycle went out of control. The bike went down on its side. Witness said as the cycle was sliding, it rolled over twice before Nicholas was ejected. He and the cycle came to rest off the road in a yard to the Westridge Care Facility.

Nicholas was transported to the Clarinda Regional Health Center for treatment. The motorcycle sustained about $4,000 damage.  Nicholas was cited for Operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license, Failure to Maintain control, and No insurance – accident related.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Tuesday), canvassed the results of the April 2^nd $9.5-million bond vote for the Atlantic Community School District. Auditor Dale Sunderman confirmed the measure passed by more than a supermajority. There were a total 736 yes votes [65.74%] to 385 no votes [34.3%]. Board Chair Steve Baier noted that 573 of the votes were cast absentee. Sunderman said the aim was to get at least 1,000 people to vote on the proposition.

The Board then heard from Atlantic photographer Fred Fiddelke, who is one of the local photographers who take passport photos. Fiddelke wondered why, when in May 11, 2016 the Board was against the County Recorder buying passport photo equipment, was she allowed to do so this year? Fiddelke voiced his opposition in 2016, and explained why. His contention is that county government should not compete against small business.

Fiddelke says a review of the Board’s minutes from May 2016 through March 2019 makes no mention of passport photos being allowed or expressing an interest in taking passport photos. He mailed letters to each of the Supervisors and wanted to reinforce his case against the county offering the service. He asked “Is the vote that was taken in May, 2016…did that just go away? Is it null and void? Can county officers or agencies say ‘They didn’t vote the way I wanted, I’m gonna do what I want?”

Board Chair Steve Baier said there’s one explanation. “What one board does, doesn’t bind all future boards. In other words, decisions can be changed. In fact that’s why we have elections sometimes.” Supervisor Steve Green said the Board doesn’t have control over what the department heads do, except for when it comes to their budget. He said he thinks there’s a misunderstanding in the general public, that the Board of Supervisors authorize what this office or that office does. Our only power in that office is once a year, when we set the bottom line on their budget. Anything the Board did prior, it may have been ‘requesting that they not do it’, but this board doesn’t have the power to tell them they can’t do it…neither did the previous board.” Essentially, it means the votes the Board makes is not binding on the county offices.

In other business, the Board voted to approve an application to the Iowa DOT for 90% Federal funding associated with needed crossing signal lights at four railroad crossings along Buck Creek Road, for safety reasons associated with the Elite Octane Ethanol Plant. Nick Bowdish, President and CEO of Elite Octane, said applications are due June 1^st.  Bowdish said the once a year application process requires 10% participation in order to get funding. If the 90% is approved, Elite Octane will know by sometime in July if the project is scored highly enough to acquire funding. The total cost of the project ranges anywhere from $250,000 to as much as $500,000. He proposed to have Cass County pick up 5% of the total cost, with Elite Octane the other 5%. Iowa Interstate Railroad has indicated they would pay for on