DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa woman accused letting seven children live surrounded by garbage, rotten food and feces has been given probation. Dubuque County court records say 35-year-old Tiesha Martin pleaded guilty last month to seven counts of child endangerment. She was given two years of probation and deferred judgments. Deferred judgments allow Martin’s convictions in the case to be removed from court records if she fulfills her probation terms.

The records say police and a social worker checking on the children at Martin’s Dubuque residence Jan. 2 found the squalid conditions and say the children were sharing just one bedroom and bed. Jermaine Watson is the father of Martin’s youngest child, and he pleaded guilty to child endangerment and two drug counts. He’s been given two years of probation.

MEAD, Neb. (AP) — A pickup truck passenger has been fatally injured in a collision with a semitrailer in eastern Nebraska’s Saunders County. The accident occurred around 7 p.m. Sunday on Nebraska Highway 92 about a mile and a half west of Mead. The Saunders County Sheriff’s Office says the eastbound pickup went out of control and was struck broadside by the westbound semi, which was being driven by 53-year-old James Cooler, of Smithland, Iowa.

The sheriff’s office says the passenger was pronounced dead at a hospital in Wahoo. Another eastbound pickup sustained minor damage when it collided with the other pickup. The names of the others involved have not been released.

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund recently donated books to Schuler Elementary. Fund spokesperson and Trevor’s mom, Melanie Petty, said “Trevor was an avid reader and we have enjoyed donating to the libraries every year since losing him in 2009. Reading is important and we hope by investing in our libraries we can help the youth of Atlantic become great readers.”

Shown: Janice Dickerson and Grant Petty (Photo courtesy Melanie Petty)

The fund is a 501(c)3 non profit organization.  For more information on the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund follow us on Facebook or the local media.

The Creston Police Department reports the arrest of 23-year old Able Rosales, of Jacksonville, TX. Rosales was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense. He was later released from the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

(7-a.m. News)

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — A January sentencing is scheduled for a registered sex offender in Iowa who prosecutors say has sexually abused more children. Story County court records say 30-year-old Michael Ferguson entered Alford pleas Thursday to five counts of lascivious acts with a child. In an Alford plea, a person doesn’t admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a likely conviction.

Prosecutors committed to dropping a sex abuse charge in exchange for Ferguson’s pleas. His sentencing is set for Jan. 14 at the courthouse in Nevada. The crimes occurred during a camping trip in Colo, Iowa.
Ferguson was convicted of assault with the intent to commit sexual abuse of a teenage boy in 2008.

The Atlantic City Council will hold their first meeting of the month. 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in their chambers at City Hall. On their agenda, is recognition of the Atlantic High School Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams. The boys and girls, like other AHS athletes, went to State this year. They finished in 7th place, and Taylor McCreedy came in 6th out of the top 15 finishers.

The Council will then act on approving a Resolution approving the CY 2019 Budget for Atlantic Municipal Utilities. The City traditionally passes the AMU budget without issue, since AMU is accountable to the Utility Board of Trustees. AMU General Manager Steve Tjepkes and Comptroller Jennifer Saathoff are likely to attend the meeting to answer any questions the Council may have. The AMU Board of Trustees will hold a Public hearing on their CY 2019 budget 4-p.m. today (Monday), at the AMU Business Office. Data from the utility shows the Budget amounts to $10.06-million, which amounts to a $1.16-million increase over the re-estimated 2018 budget.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hear a presentation, Wednesday, from Kris Erickson, City Code Enforcement Officer, with regard to policies concerning dogs and cats. The Mayor and members of the Council recently received an e-mail pertaining to cats, and the Shelter’s policy for those animals. Erickson will address any concerns stemming from that e-mail.

Patrons of the Harlan Community School District have an opportunity to attend a Public Hearing this evening in the Harlan High School Auditorium, with regard to next Tuesday’s (Dec. 11) Special Election on a $28.5-million  bond referendum. The meeting begins at 7-p.m.  On Dec. 11th, voters will head to the polls from 7-a.m. until 8-p.m., to decide the fate of Proposition A: A General Obligation bond which would fund facility updates, and Proposition B – Authorizing an increase in the tax levy by $4.05 per thousand dollars of taxable property value, of which the district will contribute 80-cents per $4.05, leaving a net tax impact of $3.25 per thousand. Proposition C asks for voter approval to extend the PPEL (Physical Plant and Equipment Levy), and Proposition D – Extending the Instructional Support Levy (ISL), neither of which school officials say, has no added tax effect.

The tax impact for homeowners with a home assessed at $100,000 would amount to $13.75/month, and $3.97/acre, to landowners, for agricultural property.

School officials say the Harlan Intermediate and High School facilities are between 40- and 50-years old, and are in need of major renovations. If approved, the $28.5-million bond would call for security and system updates at the Intermediate/High School. It also would provide at the Intermediate/High School: More Classrooms/Hands-on space; Auditorium updates; STEM/Science spaces, and updates to the Weight Room.  The bond would fund over 180-thousand square feet of renovations at a cost of 50-percent less than a new building. Safety and Security, Educational Enhancements, and Systems Upgrades are the three main priorities identified as a result of multiple work sessions, and community meetings.

For more information, go to: http://bondissue.org/harlan/