Governor Terry Branstad has presented what he calls a “plan of action” to lawmakers today. Branstad delivered the annual “Condition of the State” message to legislators, with a “Together We Can” theme. Working together “matters” — Branstad said — since any bill must win approval in the Republican-led Iowa House and the Democraztically-led Iowa Senate before it reaches Branstad’s desk. Many of the governor’s priorities are hold-overs from previous years, with a few some tweaks.

Branstad’s proposes a new five-million dollar competitive grant program for communities or private sector companies that extend broadband service in rural Iowa. Ae he outlined during the campaign season, Branstad proposes a new “IowaNEXT” program for “quality of life” projects and a new public-private partnership to manage state workforce development programs.

The governor says it’s “common sense” for legislators to finally pass an anti-bullying bill, after similar proposals faltered in each of the last two years, and he’s calling for longer sentences and electronic monitoring of “habitual” domestic abusers. Branstad also released his budget plan today, outlining seven-point-three-BILLION dollars in state spending. That’s between four and five percent bigger than the current year’s budget.

Branstad did not fully embrace the Regents plan to provide more state money to the public universities so in-state tuition can remain the same for a third straight year. He recommends Iowa’s public school districts get about 50 million dollars more in general state aid for the next academic year. That’s an increase of one-and-three-quarters of a percent.

(Radio Iowa)

Atlantic isn’t the only community to have had recent incidents of vandalism perpetrated on local businesses. The Creston Police Dept. reports at around 8:50-p.m. Friday, someone threw a brick through the front door of Coen’s Furniture on north Maple Street.There was no immediate word on the dollar loss.

And, sometime between 3-pm Dec. 28th and 2:20-a.m. Dec. 29th, someone threw a brick through the glass door of the Family Shoe Store on west Adams Street, in Creston. The loss was estimated at $765.

Late last week, Designer Portraits by Ann studio in downtown Atlantic sustained damage when someone threw three field rocks through the business’ windows and doors. The damage was estimated at $2,200. And during the late night hours of Dec. 29th, another downtown Atlantic business, Aunt B’s, sustained $1,500 damage, when someone threw a piece of black asphalt through the front, plate glass window. They also smashed the front glass door. Damage from that incident amounted to about $1,500.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education Monday night, approved the 2015-16 Modified Supplemental Amount application from the State for At-Risk & Dropout Prevention, which amounted to about $450,000. Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein told KJAN News that was less than the $470,000 they’d hoped for.

He said “I think people don’t realize that’s been implemented by legislature not setting the State Supplemental Aid last last year, because it’s being calculated on this year’s cost per student, which, if it would have been set, that would have been factored in,”  such as two-percent. He said now, because it’s been calculated already, it’s going to be less than what we would have gotten,” (Under the old Allowable Growth formula).

Amstein said Maintenance Director Russell Peck also provided the Board with an update on projects that will likely need to be tackled this summer. That includes tuck-pointing, and a portion of the Middle School roof over the locker rooms that needs to be replaced. He also is working on a schedule for roof replacement that will take place over the next few years.

Amstein said the Board also approved an Early Retirement application and Early Resignation incentive for Barb Olsen, Middle School Cross Country Coach and P-E teacher at the Washington Elementary School.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Police say a man pulled out his concealed weapon to calm down two people who were fighting over a toddler outside a fast-food restaurant in Des Moines. The Des Moines Register reports that the incident occurred around 1:20 p.m. Sunday. The child’s mother and father had met at the restaurant but their dispute got physical when the mother left with her son in her arms. Police say the father ran up behind her outside and pinned her against some glass.

Police say a man walking into the restaurant pulled his pistol, pointed it at the ground and talked the couple down. The man described himself as a good Samaritan who was concerned that an assault was taking place. He has a permit for a concealed weapon.