(Atlantic, Iowa) – A public hearing for patrons of the Atlantic Community School District will be held 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in the Atlantic High School Media Center. School District officials say the Board is considering extending the current Instructional Support Levy (ISL) for another five (5) years as allowed by Iowa Code. The ISL may be used for any general fund purpose. Notice was published on Feb. 8, 2023 in the Atlantic News Telegraph, that a hearing for the public to appear and present objections to, or arguments in favor of, any part of the Instructional Support Levy.

Following the Hearing, Wednesday, the Atlantic School Board will convene a Special Meeting for the following discussion and action items:

Discuss Items:

• Food Service Update by Natalie Ritter
• Strategic Plan Update

Action items:

• Resolution – Continue participation in the (ISL)
• Contract Recommendations for: Naela Thornton, 7th Grade ESL Teacher, & Kenneth Christensen, Washington School Day Custodian.

The Board will conclude the meeting with a reminder about upcoming date, including their next regular Board Meeting 5:30-p.m on March 8th, and a March 22nd Board Work Session (which may be rescheduled due to Spring Break).

(Radio Iowa) – Traffic was down on the state roadways in the last month of 2022. The D-O-T’s Stuart Anderson tracks the numbers. “Overall our traffic in December was down seven percent compared to our pre-pandemic December and it was down across all systems,” Anderson says. Recent lower traffic volumes have been attributed to higher gas prices — but he says this time it looks like winter is to blame.

“We do attribute that to the severe weather we had the end of December and the impact on travel on our public roadways.” he says. “And that is reflected that we do have preliminary January numbers which are showing traffic is now four above the pre-pandemic January — so we do think that is just a blip due to winter weather.” Anderson made his comments during the recent Iowa Transportation Commission meeting.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Two people from Polk County were arrested on drug charges, Saturday night, following a traffic stop, in Adair. An Adair Police Officer stopped the vehicle for having expired license tags. Upon further investigation, the driver, 21-year-old Marissa Jean Bonds, of Des Moines, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense – Marijuana. And, 22-year-old Trayvon Damontas Patrick Taylor, of Des Moines, was arrested for PCS/2nd offense – Marijuana. Inside the suitcase in the vehicle, the Officer found 226 grams of marijuana. Bonds and Taylor were transported to the Adair County Jail in Greenfield. Bonds was released with a citation. Taylor was released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Two men were arrested on separate assault charges last week, in Adair County: 67-year-old Dennis Gene Killion, of Orient, was arrested Thursday at a residence in Orient, and 55-year-old Charles Henry Elings, III, of Adair, was arrested Feb. 13th in Adair. Both were arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault with Bodily Injury. Elings was released the next day on his Own Recognizance. Killion was released the following day on a $1,000 c/s bond.

And, 39-year-old Brian Charles Shannon, of Greenfield, was arrested Feb. 14th on a Dallas County warrant. He was turned over to Dallas County Deputies.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports a man from Greenfield was arrested following an incident that took place Friday morning. The Sheriff says at 8:42 a.m., Friday, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office received a cellular 911 call from an individual who stated that his white 2011 Chevrolet pickup had just been stolen from the Casey’s General Store in Fontanelle. The Fontanelle Police Department and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office responded, gathered the available information and relayed that information to assisting agencies. Of particular concern, was that a loaded handgun was inside of the pickup at the time of the theft.

At 9:35 a.m., an Adair County deputy observed the vehicle traveling west on 310 th Street from the Orient curve. The deputy activated his emergency lights and a short pursuit ensued, before the suspect pulled over. The suspect immediately put his hands outside of the window and fully complied throughout the duration of his arrest. The suspect was identified as 19 year old Xachariah Hinson, of Greenfield. Hinson was charged with: Theft in the first Degree, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree, and Eluding. He was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $20,000 cash or surety bond.

The Adair County Sheriff would like to remind the public to be conscious of the fact that incidents like this can happen in a matter of just seconds and that they do happen in small towns and in the rural areas. Additionally, there have been many recent advancements in various methods to secure firearms in vehicles.

Multiple agencies assisted in searching for the stolen vehicle, including: the IowaState Patrol, Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division of the Iowa DOT, the Adair Police Department and the Adams, Cass and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Offices.

Disclaimer: “It should be noted a criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.”

(Radio Iowa) – As state lawmakers consider making it easier for more Iowans to buy a nasal spray that reverses an opioid overdose, federal officials are considering rules that would reclassify naloxone as an over-the-counter medication, so anyone could buy it. Current STATE law limits who may buy naloxone to first responders and school officials. While a pharmacist can sell it without a prescription, the person who buys it must sign a ledger. Talia Sopp, of Anchorage, Alaska is a University of Iowa medical student. She previously worked at an addiction treatment center for teenagers

“Over the past four years, I’ve worked with doctors, pharmacists and community organizations to try to get naloxone directly into the hands who use drugs, which is important,” Sopp says. “…Who’s most likely to be at the scene of an overdose? It’s most likely someone who uses drugs.” Alison Lynch is the director of the opioid addiction clinic at the University of
Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Lynch says being able to buy naloxone over the counter would make it more available in rural areas.”After hours they can go to Casey’s or Walmart or something,” she says. “Even if the pharmacy is not open at Walmart, you know, on a Sunday or something, they can still go and purchase it.”

Naloxone is sold under the brand name Narcan. Two federal advisory panels of addiction experts said last week the medication is safe to sell without a prescription. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to make its decision about the nationwide sale of naloxone by March 29th. A bill that would toughen STATE penalties for fentanyl-related crimes includes letting more public officials get naloxone from a pharmacist, but would not make it available to anyone.

(Denison, Iowa) – Three area juveniles will face charges in Crawford County, following incidents of street sign vandalism. That’s according to Crawford County Sheriff Jim Steinkuhler, who did not release the names of the suspects.

Crawford County Engineer Paul Assman told our sister station KDSN that they discovered almost a dozen road signs dumped in a ditch along 210th Street north of L Avenue.  “Some sort of a Sawzall or cutting wheel and just cut the steel posts off. Really pretty senseless. Not quite sure what the motive there was to do that. We would seek damages from them and press charges, of course,” Assman said.

Image via KDSN in Denison.

He says people do mess with signs in the spring and fall especially but he’s never seen anything quite like this in 23 years on the job. “I don’t ever recall anyone going through that much effort and just throwing them back in the ditch so it really doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense,” Assman said.

He says the incident is under investigation and they are asking anyone who might know something about the signs to notify law enforcement.