Members of the Adair-Casey Board of Education were the guests Monday evening at the CAM High School in Anita, during a joint meeting of the A-C and CAM School Boards. The cordial discussion lasted for about 50 minutes after introductions were made, but nothing was decided on at this stage of exploration. A-C/Guthrie Center shared Superintendent Steve Smith thanked the CAM Board for sitting down to talk with them about the direction A-C might take in determining the next course of action.

Members of the Adair-Casey School Board (far left) holds talks with CAM Board members (near side).

He said “We obviously looking for things that maybe could help us, and hopefully help other district or districts.” Smith said A-C “Took a hit last year in some enrollment [numbers], so if that happens again. obviously we may have different thoughts about what we may or may not do. So right now, to be a little proactive, we’re trying to reach out to all that districts that are contiguous so that we can see who is able to offer the best fit on the needs.

Adair-Casey has already held talks with West Central Valley, Nodaway Valley and now CAM. They have yet to sit down with the Guthrie Center School Board, but intend to do so in the near future. A-C Board President Megan Kading said they decided to explore their options because last year their district lost between 30-and 40-students, for a number of reasons, including the fact some families with three or more children who moved from the area, and less students came in after the graduating class.

CAM had a certified enrollment last year of 441 students. Adair-Casey had 328. CAM School Board President Gary Dinkla said he understands the process of change districts such as A-C are looking to explore.

One of the questions A-C Board member Mark Williams had for the CAM Board essentially boiled down to “How did they know when the process of sharing services needed to start,” and what are the challenges associated with going down the road toward possible consolidation? Gary Dinkla said “Probably the best time to start is when the communities are ready to accept it, or when you can convince communities it’s a process to go towards.”

The Cumberland-Massena and Anita School Districts had Whole Grade Sharing for eight-years before they consolidated into CAM. Megan Kading asked if declining enrollment was a financial factor in consolidation. Dinkla said it was “To better utilize the resources,” both districts had. CAM Board Member Todd McKee said the time to hold these types of discussions and make the tough decisions “Is not black and white…you never know,” but it’s important to start talking and make changes before it’s too late.

McKee said he was still trying to catch his breathe after going through the process of trying to find a Superintendent the district could share after former CAM Superintendent Steve Pelzer announced his retirement. CAM opted to share the services of Nodaway Valley Superintendent Casey Berlau. McKee said he personally, didn’t want to open the door to another change too soon, but CAM Board Member Chuck Kinzie said “Sometimes the situation is the boss,” and districts have to be open and proactive in serving the needs of their students.

He said “If the time is right for further discussions…we need further discussions…if it’s right.”

The Adair County Emergency Management Agency reports the City of Fontanelle is experiencing a major water leak. The leak affects customers west of 3rd Street on Highway 92. Officials have been trying to pinpoint the location, but the water is not coming to the surface.

They are trying to get a water leak detection company in the City as soon as possible. If residents of Fontanelle sees any water coming to the surface in that vicinity, please let a city employee know. You can also call the sheriff’s office and they can relay a message.

Officials they will try to get the leak fixed as soon as possible, but that may not be until Tuesday, in a worst case scenario.

Dozens of communities and a County in Iowa including Exira, and Audubon County, will be taking part in tomorrow (Tuesday) evening’s National Night Out. Matt Paskin is a spokesman for the 31st annual event which brings people together in their neighborhoods to unite in fighting crime. Paskin says, “It’ll be the block parties, the parades, the cookouts, the festivals, visits from local law enforcement, visits from local officials, all designed to bring people out, get them to know their neighbors better and get them to know local police and sheriffs departments.”

Nationwide, some 16-thousand communities will be participating in the National Night Out. “It kind of turns the clock back to the ’40s and ’50s,” Paskin says. “People knew their neighbors and routinely looked out for each other and everybody knew the cop on the beat. Society is a lot different now and if we’re going to keep up with criminals, we’ve got to do things like this.”

Learn more through the National Association of Town Watch website: www.natw.org.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce have announced entertainment for this weekend’s AtlanticFest. Live entertainment including gymnastics, dance routines, singer/songwriters and solo instrumentals will be featured all day on Saturday, August 9th, and into the evening.

Programs Director Ouida Wymer says the entertainment will start at 10-a.m. Saturday and continue until 11-p.m. at the main stage, at 6th and Chestnut. The band Exit 113 will be the evening entertainment starting at 8-pm and playing until 11-pm. They perform a wide range of music styles for everyone focusing on favorites from the 50’s and 60’s.

All the entertainment for AtlanticFest is free for the entire family, thanks to all the sponsors that make the entertainment (including: Great Western Bank, A.M. Cohron & Sons, Partners Insurance, Plastic Professionals, Salute Gymnastics, Wells Fargo, Atlantic Municipal Utilities, MAHLE Engine Components, Atlantic Motor Supplies, McDermott and Sons Roofing, Audiological Services of Iowa & Sunset Inns and Suites).

You can find the complete AtlanticFest Schedule at www.atlanticiowa.com or on the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce facebook page. You can also stop into the Chamber and pick up a schedule. For more information contact the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce at 712.243.3017

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) – Syracuse University knows how to party. The Orange are at the top of the annual list of the nation’s top party schools released Monday by The Princeton Review. Last year’s winner, the University of Iowa, is second. Rounding out the top 5 are: the University of California-Santa Barbara, West Virginia University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Repeating at the top of “stone-cold sober schools” was Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Syracuse University officials aren’t commenting on the private university’s showing in the 2015 edition of “The Best 379 Colleges.”  About 130,000 students on 379 campuses were surveyed for the book, which contains 62 top-20 lists ranking factors like financial aid awards, athletic facilities and food.

The publication is not affiliated with Princeton University.