NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — A woman accused of stealing from the account of a central Iowa nursing home resident has been given three years of probation. Jasper County District Court records say 36-year-old Christan Maddison was granted a deferred judgment at her sentencing Monday in Newton. A deferred judgment allows Maddison’s conviction to be removed from court records if she fulfills her probation terms.
Maddison also was fined $750 and was ordered to pay restitution. She’d pleaded guilty to dependent adult abuse.

A criminal complaint says Maddison, of Pella, was granted a power of attorney to handle the nursing home resident’s finances. Nearly $195,000 in annuities, investments and Social Security payments were deposited into an account managed by Maddison over 14 months. Newton police say nearly $81,000 did go to the elderly woman’s care, leaving nearly $114,000 missing. Police say the woman’s bank noticed a change in disbursements from the account, such as $15,500 for plastic surgery and payments for tattoos.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Court records say an 18-year-old from Mason City has been accused of sex extortion schemes in three Iowa counties. The records show Christian Gossweiler already has been given two years of probation and a five-year suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty in Story County. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that authorities say Gossweiler targeted an Iowa State University student he met online when he was using an assumed name. The records say she sent him a nude photo and he later threatened to show the photo to her friends and family if she didn’t do what he wanted or blocked him on social media.

The records say he’s scheduled to go on trial April 16 in Black Hawk County, where authorities say he threatened to release another woman’s photos and videos if she didn’t have sex with him. He’s also charged with extortion in Scott County, accused of using threats to collect more photos from the woman involved in the Black Hawk County case.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County today (Thursday) said two juvenile males – an 8-year old and a 9-year old — face charges of Assault, following a disturbance Tuesday afternoon, in rural Shelby. The victim was the boys’ 71-year old Guardian/parent. No other details were made available. The Sheriff’s Office said also, 28-year old Megan Nicole Peters was arrested Wednesday at the Pottawattamie County Courthouse. Peters was taken into custody on a warrant for Willful Injury resulting in Bodily Injury.

35-year old Emily Ann Clayton was transported to Pott. County Correction from the Nebraska Correctional Center in York. Clayton was wanted in Pott. County on a warrant for Violation of Probation. And, 34-year old Zachary Cameron Meyer was transported from the Sarpy County, NE. Jail to the Pott. County Jail, Wednesday, on a warrant for Failure to Appear.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say they’ve charged a Nebraska woman who stole $400 on the first day she worked at Sioux City store and stole $1,000 on the last day she worked there. Woodbury County court records say 39-year-old Sandra Martinez, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, is charged with theft. The Sioux City Journal reports that Martinez worked at the Sears store from Jan. 4 through March 2. Investigators say she would place money from her cash register into a store cash bag and then secret the bag up a sweater sleeve. Investigators say she took a total of $3,200.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, approved the FY 2019-2020 Budget, adopted a 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and they passed a Resolution with regard to a 28-E cost-sharing agreement with the Cass County Landfill. The Council began their meeting by recognizing and saying farewell, to Parks and Rec Director Seth Staashelm, who is taking a similar post with the eastern Iowa City of Marion. Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Somers presented Staashelm with a placque for his years of service.

Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Somers presents an award to Seth Staashelm

His last day is March 14th. Staashelm thanked everyone for making he and his wife Morgan feel welcome in the community. Morgan Staashelm is a math teacher for the Atlantic High School. Former Atlantic Parks & Rec Foreman Bryant Rasmussen will take over March 15th as Interim Parks and Rec Department Director. Former Parks & Rec Director Roger Herring will be used on a consultant, or management adviser basis, through the end of August, as needed, and for no more than 20-hours per week.

Following a Public Hearing, and prior to approving the City’s FY 2020 CIP, City Administrator John Lund told the Council the plan includes updated long-term forecasting and costs. Many of the projects in the 10-year plan, won’t even begin until 2024, assuming there’s reasonable property growth. The Council Wednesday, following a Public Hearing, adopted a Resolution for the FY 2020 Budget. Lund said with the FY 2020 Budget, the combined property tax levy will remain the same as 2019. The rollback on residential property has gone up, however, which means there is more value subject to taxation, which will ultimately result in an increase in taxes to property.

The budget includes around $3.8 million in capital improvement projects. Lund says of the $3.8 million, $2.1 of that will be spent for improvements to the runway and taxiway at the airport. Additionally, $250,000 goes towards a new shelter and bathhouse at the Schildberg Recreation Area; and over $200,000 will be spent on equipment for the fire department. The budget also includes more than $200,000 for street repairs and maintenance.

And, the Council approved a 28-E General Obligation Solid Waste Management Loan Agreement with the Cass County Landfill, along with providing a levy to pay for the debt. The Landfill has instituted a per-capita fee of $12.00 per resident to be assessed annually. The City’s share of $85,344 is payable in four equal payments during the fiscal year. The County pays a per capita fee for all people not living inside the corporate limits. Cumberland, Massena, Anita, Griswold and Marne all pay their share as well.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge says a northwest Iowa couple owe a lawyer $2.18 million more for representing them in talks that resulted in a $7.5 million settlement with Sioux City. The judge said in her lawsuit ruling filed Monday that attorney Stan Munger’s contingency fee contract with Chad and Rosanne Plante was “reasonable and valid.” The Sioux City Journal reports that Judge Nancy Whittenburg said Munger was entitled to receive 33 percent of the settlement the city paid the Plantes to resolve claims from a 2016 bus crash that caused serious injuries to Chad Plante.

The Plantes already authorized Munger to withdraw $380,000 from the settlement. He says they told him the contingency fee agreement “is against public policy.”

Two men from Creston were arrested on separate Union County warrants, Wednesday. 29-year old Anthony Alan Short II was arrested at the Union County LEC on a warrant for Failure to Appear on an original, Driving while license denied-suspended or revoked, charge. His cash-only bond was set at $300. And, 28-year old Alex Richard Cunningham was arrested on three warrants for Pretrial Release Violation. He was being held in the Union County Jail without bond, until seen by a magistrate.