A former north central Iowa superintendent gets a small fine after he pleads guilty to shoplifting. Dr. James Jess, the former superintendent of both the Dows and CAL-Latimer School Districts, pled guilty to fifth degree theft. He’ll pay a 90-dollar fine for stealing a flag and a picture frame from a Ben Franklin store in Clear Lake. Jess was arrested in early July and in early August he resigned from his jobs as superintendent of the two school districts. Jess had pled guilty to the charges but changed his plea this morning.