The Atlantic School Board Monday, discussed, but did not take action on a possible change in the way Driver’s Education is taught in the District. Drivers’ Ed is currently only available during the summer, but Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein said with the trend in other area districts being to contract-out the service of Driver’s Ed instructor, it’s appropriate that Atlantic consider doing the same thing, because of the cost saving it would provide. That includes the areas of FICA and IPERS on the salaries the district pays, and wear and tear on the vehicles the district provides for the training.

Amstein says the district can realize a considerable savings by contracting-out the service, and potentially, offer the classes during the early Fall and Spring semesters, as well. They would be designed so as to not interfere with daily instruction.

The district currently pays about $25,000 in salaries and benefits for the Driver’s Ed instructors, along with the price of gasoline and wear and tear on vehicles. This past summer, there were more than 100 students taking Driver’s Ed in two class periods. Atlantic Activities Director Josh Rasmussen said smaller class sizes of about 20 or so would be a better learning environment for those students, instead of 50-per class.

The school would still collect money from the students for the classes. It would not be paid directly to the company or person providing the training. If the district decides to contract-out for those services, the earliest it would take effect would be the summer of 2013. Amstein said if a contract is worked out, it could also be an option in-place for the fall of 2013 and Spring of 2014.

Authorities in Montgomery County says three-people were transported to the hospital following a two-vehicle accident Monday afternoon. According to the Red Oak Police Department, both drivers and an infant passenger in one of the vehicles suffered non-life threatening injuries during the crash, which occurred a little after 3:30-p.m.

Officials say a vehicle driven by 32-year-old Peggy Sue Gurney, of Red Oak was hit at the intersection of East Corning and North 2^nd Street, as Gurney was traveling east on Corning, and 87-year-old Howard Austin McClelland, of Villisca, as McClelland was traveling west. Gurney, her infant son and McClelland were injured in the crash.

Officers cited McClelland for having no proof of insurance, failure to wear a seatbelt, and unsafe turning.

Police in Red Oak say a Malvern woman was arrested Monday on assault charges. Officials say 24-year-old Tonisha Christina O’Meara was taken into custody for allegedly assaulting separately, police and corrections officers. O’Meara was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

The Atlantic Board of Education, Monday, approved the assignment of Level 1 Investigators for the school district. Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein explained what a Level 1 Investigator is responsible for. He said they look into allegations against a building employee, in the areas of “inappropriate behavior,” or possible abuse. Amstein their findings are reported to his office, and if the allegations are deemed credible, he will make contact with the proper authorities, based on the findings the investigation. He said it’s a “self check” in each of the district’s buildings, to make sure there is no abuse going on, and that there are “qualified folks” to conduct the investigation.

If there is a conflict of interest, a separate investigator will be used from another one of the districts’ schools. The advantage of having multiple investigators, according to Amstein, is that depending on the situation, the district has the option of using a man or woman, depending on the allegation.

Currently, each of the schools in the District with the exception of the Atlantic Middle School, has one Level 1 investigator per building. On-line training is available for persons to be certified as a Level 1 investigator. Approval of those internal investigators is an annual occurrence required by the Board.

Wondering where your new polling site may be on Election Day? Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz says there’s now an “app” for that. “We’ve been working on this for the last six to eight months,” Schultz says. “Now it’s available on iPad, iPhone and Android.” Beyond finding your polling place, the new “app” helps Iowans register to vote, ask for an absentee ballot — and even track that absentee ballot once they’ve mailed it.  “You can check right on your phone to see if your absentee ballot’s been received by your (county) auditor,” Schultz says. Download the app, for free, in the Apple App Store or in the Google Play Market. “It’s a comprehensive app that is really a first of its kind, I think, in the country,” Schultz says.

He hopes to add new features for future elections, allowing people to follow real-time Election Night results via their smart phone or tablet. “More and more people are using tablets and smart phones. I mean, I don’t even use a computer much anymore. I use my tablet more than anything,” Schultz says. “I think a lot of people who use technology are going down this road and, obviously, those voters who don’t still have the general way of going to the auditor’s office and getting their absentee ballot request form and so forth, but this is a way in which we try and make it as easy and accessible as possible for voters here in Iowa.”

One of the apps lets Iowans report suspected voter fraud. Schultz, a Republican, reviewed Iowa D-O-T lists earlier this year and discovered almost 34-hundred people had registered to vote when they got their driver’s license or photo I.D., but were not eligible to vote. Schultz wants to check that list against a federal database, but the effort has been challenged in court. A lone Division of Criminal Investigation agent is combing through the list, however, and so far five people have been charged with voter fraud.

(Radio Iowa)