(Radio Iowa)- A new “Safe and Sound Iowa” smart phone app is available to let Iowans anonymously report school-related safety concerns. Special agent Don Schnitker is chief of the Governor’s School Safety Bureau. “This tool helps identify and provide intervention to students in crisis before they hurt themselves or others,” Schnitker says. “Safe+Sound Iowa is designed to prevent violence, unlawful possession of weapons, self harm and other threatening behavior that affects Iowa youth.”

Schnitker says in 80 percent of school shootings, at least one other person noticed concerning activity or behavior that might lead to violence. “That person with advanced knowledge is most likely going to be another student or a teacher That is why having a tool like Safe+Sound Iowa available in every school is critical,” he says. “It gives every student and every teacher a voice in their safety.”

There’s also a “Safe and Smart Iowa” website and a toll-free number for calls. Any report through the website, the phone or the app immediately goes to a law enforcement dispatcher.”The school safety report is immediately shared with local law enforcement and school administrators to further investigate the concern,” Schnitker says. All of Iowa’s public and private schools have been notified that the app and website were launched this (Tuesday) morning and the School Safety Bureau is providing schools with educational materials about the Safe and Sound Iowa program.

(Radio Iowa) -(UPDATED 12:19-p.m.}  Several schools in Iowa are dealing with fake calls today (Tuesday) about possible shootings at district buildings. Classes were canceled at Clinton High School amid reports of possible gunshots having been fired at the school. The administration posted online that students were sheltering in place as police investigated — and in an update said police found no sign of any gunshots.

Muscatine police searched the Muscatine High School after a call and classes resumed when police turned up no threats. The Iowa City Police Department issued a statement saying it is communicating with the Iowa City Community School District regarding calls that are known as “Swatting.” The statement says the calls are not credible and there is no reason for concern at this time.

Officials with the Creston Community School District said that at approximately 10:30-a.m., the Union County Dispatch Center received a call from an unknown male reporting a shooting at the Creston High School. The caller claimed four students had been shot in a bathroom at the school. When officers arrived, they began an immediate sweep of the building and no evidence of a shooting was found. After clearing the building and consulting with district officials, the lock down was lifted. Officers were then sent to other buildings in the district while the lock down was lifted.

After consulting with the Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS), it was determined that the incident was part of a state-wide “Swatting” call that was made to 30 police departments across Iowa. The Creston PD is working with the DPS to investigate the incident.

(Griswold, Iowa) – Members of the Griswold Board of Education met Monday night and, according to Superintendent Dave Henrichs, approved several resignations and new hires. The resignations will be in effect at the end of the current school year.

Henrichs said a good portion of the meeting was covered contracts and handbooks for the 2023-24 School Year, which came with a bit of a dilemma, with regard to insurance.

He said the District utilized a partial self-funding policy that helps offset out-of-pocket insurance premiums and keeps them low. Each year money is placed into an account, which currently has a balance of about $60,000, which allows for an increase in the salary package.

In other business, the Griswold School Board approved continuing three current sharing agreements: An Elementary Guidance Agreement with the Riverside School District; a Transportation agreement with the Atlantic School District, and a School Business Officials (SBO) agreement with Riverside. A sharing agreement with regard to Girl’s Wrestling was tabled for now.

The Griswold School Board set Driver’s Education Fees for the Summer of 2024 at $385. The cost for students from other districts will be $495.

There were two bids for mowing. The current provider, Bob’s Mowing, was awarded the contract. They also received an informational update from Superintendent Henrichs on the four-day school week, but no action was taken. He says they’re still collecting information.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Tuesday), voted to pass a resolution vacating the county road right-of-way for Willow Lane, for the former Willow Heights facilty. Board Chair Steve Baier says as long as the County was operating Willow Heights, it needed the driveway to be designated as a road. With the potential sale of the property, the road, he says needs to go back to being a driveway that is a private drive, closed to the public.

Here’s a portion of the Resolution approved by the Board….

In other business, the Board tabled until next week, a presentation by Kate Olson, with a request for ARPA funds to temporarily expand the role of the Cass County Wellness Coordinator to address local public health priorities and assist in long-term pandemic recovery efforts. And, they tabled discussion/action on an investment policy revision.

The Board voted four-to-1, with Wendy Richter opposed, to reduce the Compensation Board salary recommendation for elected County officials by 40-percent to 6.0-percent, and 8.1-percent for the Sheriff. The Compensation Board’s recommendation was for 10-percent increase for elected officials and 13.5-percent for the Sheriff. Richter said she thought the cuts should have been more: 50-to 60-percent.

The Supervisors heard a report from Cass/Guthrie County Environmental Health Director Jotham Arber, and a regular, weekly report from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report the arrest today (Tuesday), of 40-year-old Joseph Aaron Nelson, from Red Oak. Nelson was taken into custody at around 9:10-a.m. in the 200 block of Oakwood Avenue, and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault causing bodily injury. He was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Mills County Sheriff’s officials report four recent arrests, with one subject being arrested twice. At around 11:30-p.m. Monday, 27-year-old Creighton Paul Catlett, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on 221st Street, on a warrant for Eluding/Speeding over 25 limit. His bond was set at $2,000. At around 9-p.m. Monday, 62-year-old Clyde James Jacobs, of Omaha, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail on a Mills County warrant for Failure to Appear on an OWI/1st offense charge. His bond was set at $3,000.

At around 2:15-a.m., Sunday, Mills County Deputies arrested 27-year-old Creighton Paul Catlett, of Council Bluffs, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond $300. And, Friday afternoon, 33-year-old Elizabeth Rene Lynette Evans, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Douglas County, NE jail, for Violation of Probation. She was being held on a $5,000 bond.