The CAM Community School District’s Interim Board of Education will hold a hearing during their meeting Monday night, on an application for an early start date for the 2011-2012 school year. The hearing, which begins at 7-p.m., will determine whether the district should obtain permission from the Department of Education to begin the school year earlier than the designated start date. Following the hearing, action will be taken on approving the application.

Afterward, the Board will adjourn the hearing and begin their regular session, during which they will act on approving a fire safety project and agreement with the Cass County Educational Opportunity Center.

Funeral services have been set for a western Iowa solider who was killed in Afghanistan April 23rd. Ohde Funeral Home in Manilla reports services for 32-year old Staff Sgt. James Justice,  of Grimes, and formerly of Manilla, will be held on Wed., May 4th, at the IKM-Manning High School Gymnasium, in Manning.
Visitation in the IKM-Manning Middle School gym in Manilla, will be held from 4-to 8-p.m. Tue., May 3rd. Visitation will resume at 1-p.m. Wed., prior to the funeral service, in the high school gymnasium.

Burial, with full military honors, will be at the Arlington National Cemetery, at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the James Justice Benefit Account at Veridian Credit Union, 5910 University Avenue, West Des Moines, IA, 50266.

Justice, was killed by enemy small arms fire in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan while helping to rescue the crew of a downed helicopter. Specialist Zachary Durham, age 21, of Des Moines, was injured in the attack. Both Soldiers were assigned to Troop A, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry, Camp Dodge, Johnston.

Durham was being treated for his injuries at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D-C.

The Iowa DOT’s Council Bluffs construction office says road construction work will cause traffic to be restricted to one lane in alternating directions on Iowa 191 from just south of eastbound Interstate 680 to just north of westbound I-680 beginning Friday, May 6th.
Traffic in the work zone will be controlled by temporary traffic signals. A 16-foot width lane restriction will also be in place. The project is expected to be completed by early July, weather permitting.

Have you ever wondered how the pioneers made their own rope or dipped their own candles?  Maybe you have even thought about trying your hand at spinning wool.  If so, you should come to the Hitchcock Pioneer Skills Festival.

The Festival will be held on Saturday, May 7th at the Hitchcock House, which is located 6 miles south of Atlantic and 1.5 miles west of Lewis, IA.  The festivities will begin at 1:00 p.m. and end at 4:00 p.m.  You will have an opportunity to visit the historic Hitchcock House and see many of the skills and crafts that people of the late 1800’s used in daily living.

You could begin your visit with a tour of the Hitchcock House that is also a National Historic Landmark.  At the barn, there will be rope making, candle dipping, tin punching, and butter making.

Don’t miss out on this exciting day!  The festival will be held rain or shine.  Families are encouraged to come and share the day together as they might have in the 1800’s.  There is a $5 fee for a tour of the Hitchcock House, last tour at 4:15 pm.  All activities in the barn are free of charge; donations to the Hitchcock House will be accepted.

For more information contact Lora Schwendinger, Naturalist, Cass County Conservation Board, at 712-769-2372

(CCCB Press Release)