The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education Tuesday, approved a recommendation from Middle School Principal Josh Rasmussen, for the hiring of a Family and Consumer Science Instructor. Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein said the position will finally be filled after a year-long search.

Carolyn Russell (from her Linked-In profile)

Amstein says Rassmussen recommended the hiring of Carolyn Russell, from Minnetonka, MN. She’s fully-endorsed in Family and Consumer Science. Rasmmussen said Russell has started FCS programs from scratch in other schools, and will be helping Atlantic’s fledgling program get off the ground. That includes getting the students lab time in areas such as cooking and sewing.

Every 6th, 7th and 8th grader will be required to take the class and related labs. Russell has an impressive resume. She has years of experience, including working for General Mills, being a Culinary Specialist. She has an MBA in marketing from Indiana Wesleyan University, a BA from Iowa State University in Vocational Family and Consumer Science, and a Bachelor of Science degree in General Food Science from the University of Illinois.

Rasmussen said Russell saw the Atlantic School District’s website, and liked what she saw. On her way to Atlantic from Minnesota last week, Russell ran into trouble, in the form of Mother Nature. He says she was caught in the massive hail storm near Adair. Her car was a mess, but Russell still made it into town and accepted the position.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board renewed Superintendent Amstein’s contract for the 2014-15 school year. The contract calls for a two-percent negotiated increase in pay, and for a payment of $25,000 upon retirement, to a health insurance plan.

The Board also received and approved a resignation from para-educator Michelle McLaren who was hired for another position within the district but had not turned in her resignation from her current position. And, the Board approved the first reading of a new policy with regard to Honorary Diplomas. Superintendent Amstein said there was a request made to the Board for that, and since there was none in-place, that topic is up for discussion and possible action. He said it’s a “Good opportunity to award those individuals, who for one reason or another, may not have been able to complete their high school education, but certainly have made [documented] contributions to the school district itself or to the community.”

The Iowa State Patrol says a truck driver from Michigan was cited following an investigation into an accident Monday morning on Interstate 80, in Adair County. Officials say 64-year old Franklin LeRoy Voss, of Port Austin, MI., was cited for Failure to Maintain Control, after the 2009 tractor-trailer he was driving left I-80 westbound near the 88-mile marker, at around 8-a.m., Monday.

The semi, registered to Stageline Express, of Coopersville, MI, entered the median and hit a cable guardrail, which stopped the rig and became entangled beneath the tractor and trailer. Voss was not injured during the accident, but a passenger in the cab, 45-year old Gregory Lynn Harris, suffered minor injuries. He refused transportation to the hospital.

Damage from the accident amounted to $8,500.

In a follow-up to our story earlier this week, officials say a truck driver from California was cited for Failure to Maintain Control and Failure to Move over for a Patrol Car, following an investigation into Monday’s crash on Interstate 80 in Adair County, that sent a State Patrol Trooper to the hospital. In information released late Tuesday, the Patrol said 59-year old Michael Patrick O’Hara, of Hesperia, CA, was cited.

O’Hara, who was driving a 2013 Volvo semi registered to Hill Brothers Transportation, of Omaha, was traveling west in the right hand lane of I-80 area around 10:17-a.m. Monday, when he became distracted, looked up and saw traffic in front of him slowing for an earlier accident being covered by Iowa State Patrol Trooper Todd Granner. O’Hara slammed on his brakes, which caused the semi to lose control.

The rig crossed both lanes of traffic and struck the left rear corner of Granner’s 2009 Ford Crown Victoria cruiser, which was parked in the left, westbound lane of traffic with its emergency lights activated. After the cruiser was hit, the semi struck a cable guard rail and came to rest in the median. The accident happened near the 89.2-mile marker.

Trooper Granner was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital to be checked for injuries before being released. Damage from the crash amounted to $11,000.

Police in Council Bluffs are looking for three suspects in connection with a home invasion, robbery and assault that happened Tuesday night. According to Sgt. Dave Dawson with the Council Bluffs P-D, at around 9:40-p.m., three black males of unknown age, entered a residence at 2404 7th Avenue, through an unlocked back door. All of the suspects wore masks. Two of the men had a handgun and rifle, while the third was brandishing a “billy club.”

The suspects found 56-year old Beverly Breeden in her bedroom. One of the men held a rifle to her head. The other suspects entered a separate bedroom, where they found 18-year old Taylor Shew, of Council Bluffs, and a 16-year old female.

One of the suspects held a gun to the juvenile’s forehead and then began to assault her while at the same time demanding money. The teen was later treated for minor head and rib injuries at at hospital in Council Bluffs. Shew complied with the suspects’ orders, and handed them his wallet. The three armed men then fled the area in a brown Dodge Durango with unknown plates.  If you have any information pertaining to the crime, call Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.