Patrons of the Red Oak Community School District will be able to participate in the district’s facilities planning process, during a regular meeting of the Red Oak School Board on Dec. 15th, beginning at 6-p.m. in the Red Oak Technology Center. The Daily NonPareil reports, the district’s facility planning process, known as Tiger Vision, accelerated after Red Oak Community Middle School was temporarily shut down over the Labor Day weekend. Facility recommendations were made in September, and the board has since mulled how it wants to proceed on the project that could include a $12.5-million high school addition.

The addition would make room for middle-schoolers in the current high school classrooms. Tiger Vision proposes consolidating the district into a two-building campus instead of having separate, stand-alone buildings across the city for preschool, kindergarten through grade 3, grades 4 and 5, grades 6 through 8 and grades 9 through 12. Superintendent Terry Schmidt told the paper in an email that no decision would be made concerning “Tiger Vision” until another opportunity is given for public input – questions or concerns.

Governor Terry Branstad will be hosting his family’s Thanksgiving celebration today (Thursday). “Thanksgiving is a special holiday, it’s truly an American holiday where we really celebrate the founding of our nation, the pilgrims coming to America, the hardships that they overcame,” Branstad says. He says the holiday is a time to reflect on what we have.

“I think it’s also an important time for us to just say thanks to everyone who has done so much to give us the freedoms and opportunities that we enjoy in this country — especially our military veterans,” according to Branstad. The governor will be joined by his wife Chris, his kids and grandkids and some special friends for the holiday. He has this message for Iowans.

“We wish a very blessed and enjoyable Thanksgiving to all Iowa families,” Branstad says. Branstad pardoned two turkeys earlier this week in an annual ceremony, but he does plan to have the traditional turkey on his plate for the big dinner.

“I’m a white meat eater, and my role is carving the turkey. Chris basically prepares it and I carve it,” Branstad explains. “We have other members of the family bring other food items as well.”
The governor is attending the annual community Thanksgiving service at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Des Moines today where parishioners dress in period garb. That service begins at 10 a-m.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad is facing hours of questions under oath about his administration’s treatment of a gay former state administrator. The governor was being questioned in a deposition Wednesday by an attorney for Chris Godfrey, the former workers’ compensation commissioner. Godfrey has filed a lawsuit against Branstad and aides alleging he was singled out for harsh treatment because he’s openly gay.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska bank president and an Iowa teenager who kept their cool and saved others will be honored during halftime of the Nebraska-Iowa “Heroes” football game on Friday. Gene Willers is president of Midwest Bank in Pilger, and on June 16th he saved eight people from an EF4 tornado. Eighteen-year-old Austin Benson of Winterset will be honored for helping a friend thrown from a horse last Fourth of July.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Mason City clown who was in a coma for more than a week following an August car accident is on the road to recovery. As Happy the Clown, Anne Grady has been putting smiles on the faces of children and adults for the past 30 years. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports she was in a coma for 12 days after a multi-vehicle wreck on August 27th near Sheffield.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Cedar Rapids man has pleaded guilty to distributing heroin that caused an overdose death. Federal authorities announced the conviction on Wednesday. Ramon Freeman appeared in federal court Monday.