(Griswold, Iowa) – Members of the Griswold School Board, Monday evening, acted to approve two new hires, a transfer, and one resignation. That’s according to District Superintendent Dave Henrichs.

Henrichs said also the Board spent a lot of time discussing benefits for non-certified staff retirement benefits, but took no action. The story was different, however, when it came to two other staff members.

As a part of that Resolution, Hendrichs says, the Griswold School Board decided there will be no more early retirement packages for non-certified staff members until policy revisions can be made. The Board had deactivated the early retirement policy for certified staff, last Fall. The Board considered, but then took not action on Track maintenance bids due to having received only one bid.

They approved a bid from Bob’s Mowing for Chemical Application and Mowing. The Griswold School Board accepted the FY 22 Audit Report, which notes the need to improve segregation of duties, as auditors often note with school districts and small cities.

The Board held continued discussion with regard to Girl’s Wrestling, which is being evaluated, and a four-day school week. He said with regard to the four-day week, District Administrators will be in contact with other Districts to see why they took that route, what’s working for them and not working,

The Griswold School Board concluded their meeting with an Exempt Meeting for the purpose of a collective bargaining strategy session.

(Radio Iowa) – After unseasonable warmth on Monday in the low 50s, forecasters say light snow is likely later today (Tuesday) in northern Iowa, the first part of a two-part winter wallop. Meteorologist Cory Martin, at the National Weather Service, says this first round won’t cause much trouble, but the second round promises to be a doozy. “We’re only expecting maybe some really light snow near the Minnesota border today into tonight,” Martin says. “Possible minor travel impacts, but really we’re not expecting that to have a whole lot of bite to it. Most of the attention is on a much more significant system that’ll be crossing through Wednesday and into Thursday.” Winter weather advisories and warnings are posted for much Iowa’s northern half for Wednesday and Thursday, while a Blizzard Warning is in effect for Lyon and Osceola counties. Martin says a fast-moving system will arrive tomorrow.

“We’re looking at precipitation overspreading much of the state beginning Wednesday morning and into the afternoon,” he says. “Varying temperatures are going to lead to a whole mixed bag of precip types from north to south across the state. We’re looking at highest probabilities for snow, potentially quite heavy near the Minnesota border where they could see possibly up to 10 inches.” The forecast for the Estherville area calls for nine to 13 inches of snow, though it could taper off to just rain in southern Iowa, while central Iowa may be facing a combination of rain, sleet, snow and ice. Martin says the roads could be treacherous in parts of the state.

“We could see some hazardous travel conditions develop, especially going into Wednesday night,” Martin says. “If we do see any change over to snow, with how strong the winds are going to be, that’s going to blow around quite a bit. Check ahead on travel conditions and on the latest weather conditions, especially if you’re going north up into Minnesota. It looks like they get a whole heap of snow up there.” Moving forward, there is a chance of light snow for Friday, but the weekend ahead to looks to be dry for much of Iowa.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports eight arrests took place from Friday through Monday. At around 11-p.m. Friday, Officers arrested 23-year-old Bradford Guy Boyer, of Kent, on a Union County Warrant for Failure To Appear (FTA) on an original charge of Disorderly Conduct-Fighting/Violent Behavior. Boyer was also charged with Interference with Official Acts and Public Intox. He was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on $900 cash or surety bond.

Early Saturday morning, 54-year-old Shellie Joe Adams, of Creston, was arrested at the Creston Union County Law Enforcement Center (LEC), for OWI/1st offense. Adams was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond. At around 2:30-p.m., Saturday, 45-year-old Travis Quinn Wambold, of Fontanelle, was arrested in Creston on charges that include three Union County Warrants for: Harassment 1st an Aggravated Misdemeanor. Fail to Serve Jail Time. No Bond Must serve balance of sentence; FTA for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia a Simple Misdemeanor, and FTA on a Felony Theft in the 2nd Degree charge. Wambold was being held in the Union County Jail on a $5,000 cash only and $300 cash or surety bond.

At around 3:55-p.m., Saturday, 43-year-old Julio Cesar Villalpando Castro, of Creston, was arrested at Saint Malachy on a Union County Warrant for Theft in the 5th. Castro was taken to the Union County Jail where he later was released on $300 cash or surety bond.

Sunday afternoon, 23-year-old Noah Alexander Young, of Creston, was arrested at a pharmacy in the 400 block of S. Sumner Street. He was charged with Interference with Official Acts, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Marijuana 3rd or subsequent. Young was taken to the Union County Jail. He was later released on a $2,600 cash or surety bond. And, at around 10:15-p.m. Sunday, 23-year-old Sanden Kenneth Cheers, of Afton, was arrested in Creston. He was charged with OWI 1st offense. Cheers was transported to the Union County Jail and  later released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Late Monday night, 21-year-old Kelli Sabrina Romero, of Diagonal, was arrested at the intersection of Cherry and Buckeye. Romero was charged with OWI 2nd Offense. Romero was released on $2000 cash or surety bond. And, 39-year-old Christopher Earl Baker, of Afton, was arrested at the Creston Union County LEC. Baker was charged with OWI 1st Offense. He was transported to the Union County Jail and was being held on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

(Radio Iowa) – A University of Iowa researcher is studying what he calls “boomerang employees,” those people who quit their jobs and later return to their former employers. The phenomenon is surging now as those who left careers during the so-called Great Resignation early in the pandemic are now rethinking their decisions. Chad Van Iddekinge, a U-I professor of management and entrepreneurship, says rehiring former workers is something of a safe bet. “Boomerangs are a known quantity and because of that, they’re thought to be a less risky hire than someone who’s completely new,” Van Iddekinge says. “Boomerangs also tend to require less onboarding and training than first-time hires who are completely new to a job.”

Still, U-I studies have found boomerang employees are more likely to quit a second time, often for the same reasons they left initially. “One study we did, we were looking at retail managers who returned to a former employer,” Van Iddekinge says. “We found that although rehires initially performed better than first-time hires, the first-time hires eventually began to outperform rehires after they got into the organization and trained and got accustomed to their jobs.”

Indications are that the Great Resignation is still underway and hasn’t let up since the onset of COVID-19. People who were unfulfilled in their positions quit under the “you only live once” creed to forge a new path, but he says many have found early retirement isn’t for them, or they may simply need the money. “A big one that we hear about is thinking that the grass is greener on the other side, and that moving to a different organization will be better,” Van Iddekinge says. “I think what people often find is that the grass isn’t greener and they actually had it pretty good where they were before, and that leads them to pursue returning to a former employer.”

It reinforces the importance of keeping good performance review records so employers can best assess the potential of a rehire. “We’re finding that if people were solid performers before they left, they’re likely to be solid performers again,” Van Iddekinge says. “If they were below-average before, it’s unlikely that they’ve suddenly turned a new leaf and will be a lot better this time around.”

While conventional wisdom indicates people gain experience when they leave for a new job and come back better than before, he says for most it will evoke the adage: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak, Monday afternoon, arrested an man on a Shoplifting charge. 63-year-old Ronald Lee Hall, of Red Oak, was taken into custody for Theft in the 5th Degree at around 1:30-p.m. following an incident at the Red Oak Fareway Store. His bond was set at $300.

(Creston, Iowa) – Two people were injured during a collision Monday night at Cherry Street and College Drive, in Creston. According to Creston Police, a 2020 Subaru Ascent SUV driven by 60-year-old Timothy Moreland, of Afton, was traveling south on Cherry Street at around 10:15-p.m., and a 2005 Chevy pickup pulling a gooseneck trailer driven by 39-year-old Christopher Baker, of Creston, was traveling north in the southbound lane.

Moreland swerved into the northbound lane in an attempt to avoid a collision, but Baker swerved into the northbound lane. The vehicles collided head-on. Moreland was trapped inside his SUV and had to be extricated by Creston firefighters. Moreland was transported by EMS to the Creston hospital. Baker suffered minor facial injuries and denied treatment.

An investigation into the accident revealed there was an open container and a case of beer in the back seat of the pickup. Baker was cited for Open Container and Failure to Provide proof of insurance. He was also charged with OWI. Damage from the collision amounted to $30,000.

(Radio Iowa) – The debate over removing books from public school libraries and curriculum continues at the Iowa Capitol. The House Oversight Committee held a hearing last (Monday) night to quiz superintendents and school board presidents from six districts about the process for handling complaints. Republican Representative Phil Thompson of Boone questions why the graphic novel “Gender Queer” remains in a West Des Moines school library.

“There’s obscenity in the book and I think that’s really, honestly where you can look and say: ‘That isn’t age appropriate,'” Thompson says. West Des Moines School Board president Jeff Hicks says taken as a whole, the 265-page book has literary value. “You can’t take one picture, one image out of context and say the entire thing is obscene,” he said. Lisa Bartusek, executive director of the Iowa Association of School Boards, says when parents or district residents raise questions about books in the school library or that are to be read for a class, her association has a framework school boards may use that follows state law and Supreme Court opinions.

“As I’m sure you’ve heard, defining what communities want, parents don’t always agree on what we want for our kids,” Bartusek says, “and it’s hard work.” Two weeks ago, five members of a group called Moms for Liberty told members of the House Oversight Committee the school book review process is too slow and there are dozens of inappropriate books that should be removed from Iowa schools.

On Monday afternoon, House Democrats hosted a forum for parents and students who object to what they call book banning. Rebeka Schurz, a junior at Carlisle High School, says says she’s a more informed and empathetic person after reading one of the books Moms for Liberty wants removed from school libraries. “Our narrow minded politicians and intolerant groups like Moms for Liberty should not be controlling what I and my peers can and cannot read, what we can and cannot learn and, most importantly, what we can and cannot be,” she said.

Last (Monday) night’s House Oversight Committee hearing ended abruptly after a partisan squabble and officials from one of the six schools called to testify were never questioned.

(Radio Iowa) – Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has kicked off the Iowa leg of her week-old presidential campaign, suggesting the G-O-P must be forward looking and solutions oriented to win back the White House in 2024.  “We need to make sure that we’ve got the energy, the power and the ability to bring more people in to see that our solutions are the right ones,” Haley said.

Haley spoke to over 300 people last (Monday) night in Urbandale. A man in the crowd noted Donald Trump won Iowa in the 2016 and 2020 General Elections, and asked Haley why Iowa Caucus goers should vote for her rather than someone like Trump. “Because I don’t think you have to be 80 years old to be in D.C. I really don’t,” Haley said, to cheers and applause. “Look, President Trump is my friend. He was the right president at the right time…As much as all the media and everybody wants to talk about the past, we’ve got to look forward. We’ve got to figure out what we’re going to do for America. This is bigger than a person and we need to fight for that.”

Haley told the crowd she was proud to serve in Trump’s Administration as United Nations Ambassador. After someone in the crowd asked about the war in Ukraine, Haley expressed admiration for the people of Ukraine and support for sending U.S. military equipment and ammunition to the fight. “If we win this fight for freedom, it will send a signal to every enemy we have. If we lose this fight for freedom, Russia has said Poland and the Baltics are next and then we’ve got a world war,” Haley says. “A strong military doesn’t start wars. A strong military prevents wars. Our goal has to be to be strong enough that we prevent the next war.”

Haley is scheduled to hold a campaign event in Marion today (Tuesday). Last (Monday) night, Governor Kim Reynolds did not endorse Haley, but gave welcoming remarks at what was the first presidential campaign event in Iowa this year.  “Once again, the eyes of the country are on Iowa,” Reynolds said. “Iowa Republicans, you in this room are truly going to have the opportunity to kick off the 2024 presidential campaign and we’re excited about the opportunity to participate in the Iowa Caucuses.”

Haley, who may be competing with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for the G-O-P’s presidential nomination, called Reynolds the best governor in the country.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – (UPDATED) A motion to request or recommend to the Atlantic City Council, an increase in the Hotel-Motel Tax died for lack of a second, during a meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board, Monday evening. The measure would have proposed increasing the Parks share of the tax from four-to seven-percent. It’s expected the Board will make it’s request or recommendation to the Council, at a later date, so that they can vote on whether or not the matter should be placed before the voters, in November. Ashley Hayes explained the current seven-percent tax is a COMBINATION of state, county and city sales tax rates (Local Option sales tax funds), with three-percent directed CADCO and the Chamber of Commerce.

That was passed about six-years ago, she said. Hayes said also, Atlantic is the lowest in the State, with regard to the Hotel-Motel Tax.

When it was passed in 2010 it was designated for “improving, repairing, operating and maintaining parks and recreation facilities and grounds for the city of Atlantic.” Since then, it has netted the Parks Department $463,199. Hayes crunched the numbers, and said if the Parks Department had received the full seven-percent of the tax instead of just four-percent, it would have generated $810,599 to be used for various parks projects.

A number of local hotel-motel owners expressed their opposition to raising the tax. None were opposed to the Splash Pad concept, but at the same time, they didn’t want to raise the tax on their guests if it was to be used specifically for the Splash Pad. That rumor, or misconception – that the tax increase was only for the Pad – according to Ali Pieken, with the Splash Pad Executive Committee, was news to her.

The City of Atlantic has already agreed to chip-in $50,000 for the Splash Pad, with the remainder to be accumulated through fundraising. Hayes acknowledged getting money from other sources, such as grants and fundraising, is not as simple as it sounds.

Ali Pieken presented to the Parks and Rec Board final renderings of the proposed Splash Pad Project from Crouch Recreation from Elk Horn, Nebraska, and Vortex Aquatic Play Solutions. The Board was overwhelmingly in support of using the renderings from Crouch Recreation as the impetus to move forward in garnering interest for fundraising. The difference between the two renderings was like night and day, even though both had most of the elements the Committee was hoping to add to the facility.

In other business, the Atlantic Parks and Rec Board agreed to support a request from Frank Saddlemire, who was instrumental in designing, raising the money and building a very popular Disc Golf course to Sunnyside Park. Saddlemire will be allowed to write a grant for new signs at the course.

Saddlemire produced data that show how many people come to town for all-day tournaments and casual play. The data was “mined” through U-Disc, a scoring app. Attendance for Disc Golf has increased each year, except for the last, due to an increase in gas prices and people less willing to travel, he said.

The Atlantic Parks Board, Monday, announced plans for a Park Party, that will take place June 17th from 10-a.m. until 2-p.m., at Sunnyside Park. Additional details will be released in the months to come.

Des Moines, Iowa – Gov. Reynolds, Monday, signed SF 181 into law, a bill that clarifies the rollback calculation for residential and multi-residential property and delivers $127 million in property tax relief to Iowa homeowners.

(Will be updated)