Iowans who will be hopping planes for the upcoming holidays who haven’t flown lately — or perhaps have never flown — will need to do a little homework first. Roy Criss, spokesman for the Des Moines International Airport, tells not-so-frequent fliers those security lines really aren’t that daunting, as long as you’re properly packed and prepared. “You want to check the website tsa.gov and take a look at all of those items you can and cannot carry on a plane,” Criss says. “That’s going to cause you a problem when you try to get through security. Make sure you pack your luggage well and you’re not trying to take something on a plane that you’re not supposed to have.”

It can save precious time to print your boarding passes on your home computer up to 24 hours before the flight, and Criss says you may want to bookmark that page on your browser. “Go to your airline’s website, check the status of your flight, check it early and check it often, because with weather, during the winter, it can change,” Criss says. “Be at the airport at least 90 minutes before the scheduled departure of a domestic flight. While you’re here, be sure to pay attention to signage inside the airport so you’re going to the right places and doing the right things.”

Some of us are not “morning people,” but Criss says the wee hours around dawn and shortly thereafter are routinely the most hectic at the airport. “Probably about 65 or 70% of all the capacity, all the seats that leave this airport, do it between the hours of about 5 and 8,” Criss says. “We do have a lot of folks here in the terminal but if people have packed properly and know what to do, the lines move pretty quickly and everybody gets to their planes on time.”

Not long ago, the busiest travel days were around the Thanksgiving holiday but Criss says that’s shifted to the Mondays and Fridays during the two weeks of Spring Break.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce reminds parents and children alike, that Santa will make two more appearances in his cabin at the Atlantic City Park, prior to his busy night on Christmas Eve. The Jolly Old Elf will be in his cabin to visit with the children this Thursday, Dec. 20^th, from 5:30-to 7:30-p.m., and on Saturday, Dec. 22^nd, from 1:30-to 3:30-p.m.  While talking with Santa, kids can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate. So far, he’s seen more than 700 children at his cabin here in Atlantic.

Santa’s cabin is sponsored by the Atlantic Rotary Club and decorated by Brink Flower and Gift Company. Area businesses, including Simply Hair, Midwest Health Center and Atlantic Feedwater Systems, are providing the cocoa. Popcorn is also available to children who stop by the cabin. It’s made possible in part through Meyer and Gross Real Estate.

And, don’t forget horse drawn wagon rides will be offered one more time before Christmas: On Saturday, Dec. 22^nd, from 1:30- to 3:30-p.m. The free wagon rides start at the City Park at 6^th & Chestnut Streets. They’re sponsored by First Whitney Bank, the Leonard Family Businesses and Wells Fargo Bank.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

At least two area school district boards of education are planning to hold their regular meetings tonight (Monday). The CAM and Elk Horn Kimballton School Board meetings both begin at 7-p.m., in Anita and Elk Horn, respectively. In Anita, the CAM Board will hold its Annual/Reorganizational meeting in the High School Media Center.

During the session, they will discuss, and possibly act on: a Resolution setting the bid date and public hearing with regard to the multipurpose building; Extra-curricular activities; Semester graduates; Revisions to Board Policies; a Wellness Center request, and the CAM Education Association Initiation of Bargaining toward the 2013-2014 Master Contract.

In Elk Horn, the EHK School Board will discuss the Early Start Calendar for 2013-2014 and try to answer any questions with regard to Reorganization and the related petitions. They’ll also discuss and possibly act on suggested changes to the Early Retirement package, as well as approve the second reading of Board Policies, series 500.