The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will hold a work session Monday evening (Jan. 27th) in the High School Media Center, with regard to the issuance of $19.959-million dollars in bonds for Capital Improvement Projects. The Board will first receive petitions from the Atlantic School Improvement Committee (ASIC), asking for a Bond Referendum, before acting on passing a Resolution setting the date for a Special Election on the issuance of the bonds. The election will likely be held on April 1st. Earlier this week, members of ASIC the Atlantic School Board and others, sat down with members of the local media to answer previously submitted questions with regard to the Bond Election. That information will be forthcoming after the Board makes its decision Monday night on approving the special election.

During the Board’s meeting in December, they chose from two concepts to deal with increased enrollment and what they feel would offer the best opportunities for education. The first would have cost a little more than $8-million. Instead, they chose the second, more costly option, based upon a recommendation from Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein, who said the proposal was based on input from faculty, staff, the administrators, school board discussions, and input from the community.

Among other things, the bonds, if approved, would allow for the construction of: Four new classrooms on the northeast side of the Washington Elementary School, which will provide space for the two Pre-school classes currently in place at the Old Lincoln School building, as well as space for the Special Education classroom; The addition of a new Middle School building (for grades 7 and 8) next to the High School; The construction of eight new classrooms on the west side wings of the High School, and  the expansion and renovation of the Industrial Technology and Agricultural Education Lab; Replacement of 18-year old heat pumps at the high school; Reconfiguration of the Schuler and Middle School buildings, but no new construction other than a possible renovation of the Level 3 Severe and Profound classroom at Schuler or the current Middle School. The Old Lincoln building would house the Cass County Educational Opportunity Center (CCEOC), which was previously housed at that facility.

Other action items during Monday night’s Atlantic School Board Work Session include approval of personnel recommendations, and payment for the Spanish Trip. Discussion items during the work session include: Talks with Design Alliance Architect Jerry Purdy, with regard to the New Junior High Drawings and Model;The Fiscal Year 2015 Budget. and Board Long-term goals.

The meeting begins at 7:30-p.m., Monday.

The new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Cass County Health System is spending his first week on the job. Todd Hudspeth began his duties on Monday, January 20th. He was hired to succeed the retiring Pat Markham, whose last day on the job was last Friday. In a Press Release, Hudspeth said “I am thrilled to be selected as the next CEO of CCHS. Pat and her leadership team have done a tremendous job creating an excellent health system and I am excited to work with the board, leadership and the entire hospital team to continue to make CCHS a great place for patients, employees and physicians.”

Todd and Jessica Hudspeth

Ned Brown, Chairman of the CCMH Board of Trustees, said Hudspeth brings over 15 years of success as a CEO in critical access hospitals. He added “We are confident that his expertise and leadership are just what we need to guide our health system through the many challenges facing the healthcare industry today and in the years to come.”  Brown noted there were over 100 applicants for the position.

Hudspeth most recently served as the President and CEO of Jamestown Regional Medical Center, a 25-bed regional hospital in Jamestown, ND.  Prior to Jamestown, he was CEO at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake, Iowa.  He has also served as CEO at Guthrie County Hospital in Guthrie Center.  Hudspeth recently relocated to Atlantic.

His wife, Jessica, and two of their five sons will move to Atlantic at the end of the school year.  The boys will be in 6^th and 4^th grades next fall.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers are seeking to enact tougher kidnapping penalties following the kidnapping and killing of a teenage girl last year. The Des Moines Register reports a House subcommittee on Thursday granted preliminary approval to a bill that would increase the punishment for kidnapping if the victim is 15 or younger.

The legislation raises the sentence for such crimes to 25 years and blocks those convicted of certain crimes from the ability to reduce a sentence. The legislation responds to the death of 15-year-old Kathlynn Shepard, who is believed to have been killed by registered sex offender Michael Klunder. Klunder’s 41-year prison term was cut in half under Iowa law, which shaves sentences by an additional 1.2 days for every day served. He killed himself after the incident.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Legislation that would exempt military pensions from state income tax is moving rapidly through the Iowa Senate. A Senate committee approved the legislation during a brief hearing Thursday. It is expected to soon move to the full Senate for a vote. Sen. Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, says the bill honors veterans and may attract more military retirees to the state.

The military pension exemption is a top priority for Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, who has made support for veterans a key part of his budget plan this year. According to the Branstad administration, the pension exemption would cost the state a projected $10 million in lost annual revenue.

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a Cass County man was sentenced Wednesday to more than 9-years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. 44-year old Old Paul William Jessen, of Atlantic was sentenced in U-S District Court in Council Bluffs, to 122 months in jail followed by 4-years of supervised release.

On September 4th, 2013, Jessen pled guilty to the charge which was the result of an investigation conducted into methamphetamine distribution in and around the Atlantic area. Jessen was part of a drug trafficking group who distributed methamphetamine obtained from a source in Omaha, Nebraska.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report an arrest has been made in connection with an arson fire set last year at Sunbest-Papetti Farms, in Villisca. 31-year-old Carlton John Dolph, of Villisca, was arrested today (Thursday) on a Montgomery County warrant for terroristic threats and on  two counts of 2nd degree arson. Dolph was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center where he was being held on $10,000 cash bond.

Several chickens died in a blaze that occurred in one of the barns, in February 2013.