(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Board of Directors of the Atlantic Community School District will meet 4:45-p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, for the purpose of sharing Collective Bargaining Proposals with the District’s Non-Certified Staff Collective Bargaining Unit. The meeting takes place in the District’s Central Office (1406 SW 7th Street) inside the Achievement Center. The meeting is open to the public.

During the session, the Atlantic Employee Association, representing the Non-Certified Staff, will present its initial contract proposal between the Association and the Board of Education, for the 2023-24 school year. That will be followed by the Atlantic Board of Education presenting its initial contract proposal between the Employee Association and the Board of Education.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s largest school district plans to resume classes today (Thursday) after a cybersecurity attack on Monday forced the cancelling of school for 33-thousand students. Des Moines Public Schools Interim superintendent Matt Smith says the district is in the restoration-and-recovery phase and it’s still not known if students’ or families’ personal data was leaked.  “That’s what all of our diagnostics checks will actually let us know,” Smith says, “and so once we get those forensics back, we’ll have a lot more of a confident idea of anything that has or has not happened.” Smith says the district-wide computer system that was evidently hacked significantly impacts a wide range of student services.

“It impacts our routing system to make sure that we are picking up students at the right spot at the right time, that we know who’s on our bus and who’s not,” Smith says. “It impacts our food and nutrition system to make sure that we are supplying the meals necessary for all of our students.” Cedar Rapids schools were hit by a cyberattack last year and the state’s second-largest district paid an undisclosed sum in ransom after losing a week of summer school.

(reporting by Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – The Marketplace open enrollment period for people who don’t have health insurance ends this weekend. Regional Administrator Sharon Graham (Gram) says there’s still time to sign up. “It’s ending on January 15th. So that’s this Sunday, January 15th. And that will be the last time that people can enroll in quality, affordable health coverage for this year, with coverage effective on February 1st,” Graham says. She says a new law provides more help for those seeking insurance. “And they may find that they’re available for even more financial assistance than before. And when you go to our at healthcare.gov, it’s a really straightforward application. You’ll need some information that includes, for example, your family size and your tax records, because you’ll need to enter your income,” she says.

Graham says if you are not comfortable signing up online — you can call 800-318-8259. “That number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and even has up to 200 different languages available for people. And then lastly, if people do want an option to meet with somebody face to face, we have counselors who are right there in the community called navigators and assisters,” according to Graham. “And you can find one right there in your community by going to healthcare.gov and selecting a button that says ‘Find Local Help’, and then you can find a navigator in your community to help you sign up too.”

She says the window to sign up closes Sunday. “After January 15th, it’s only with based on an exceptional circumstance. like perhaps if you move for example, or if you have a situation change in your family, that you might be able to sign up for health coverage,” she says.

She says you should go to healthcare.gov as soon as you can and review the options available before the deadline.

(Radio Iowa)  – State Treasurer Roby Smith recited his oath of office in a ceremony at the Iowa Capitol Wednesday afternoon. “As your state treasurer, I will advocate for the taxpayer, keep the money safe and stand up to any overreach by the federal government or the IRS,” Smith said. “It is an honor to be your state banker.” Smith’s term officially began January 1st.

“It’s like the movie ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,'” Smith said. “Mr. Smith goes to Des Moines to be your state treasurer.”Smith defeated Democrat Mike Fitzgerald, the nation’s longest serving state treasurer. “He served the State of Iowa for 40 years and I want to thank him and his staff,” Smith said. “They have been nothing but gracious in the transition and I wanted to thank him now.” Smith’s margin of victory was about two-and-a-half points. Smith credits Republican Governor Kim Reynolds for leading him and other statewide G-O-P candidates to victory.

“Thank you for winning by 19 points,” Smith said and the crowd laughed. “I think that helped everybody, including me.” Smith, who’s from Davenport, served a dozen years in the Iowa Senate. He’s the first Republican from Scott County to win statewide office in nearly 50 years. Former Scott County Supervisor Roger Jepsen was elected to one term in the U.S. Senate in 1978 and lost his 1984 race for reelection.