(Avoca, Iowa) – Patrons of the AHSTW Community School District have three more community meetings set to take place between now and November 2^nd, with regard to two parts of a 2021 Bond Referendum that, combined, amounts to just under $20-million. Previously, meetings were held in Avoca, Walnut and most recently, in Shelby. AHSTW School Superintendent Darin Jones says the next meetings are set for:

• Tuesday Oct. 12^th, at 7-p.m., in Tennant, (During the Tennant City Council meeting)
• Thursday, Oct. 14^th, in Avoca, from 5:30-until 7-p.m. (at the AHSTW High School Cafeteria)
• and Tuesday, Oct. 19^th, in Hancock, from 7-8:30-p.m. (at the Hancock City Hall).

Jones explains there are two questions on the November 2^nd, ballot for the referendum (See the actual wording of the referendum’s below). The first is with regard to remodeling, repairing and improving the district’s existing pre-k through 12 facilities, along with some additions to the buildings.

Jones said the lighting components aspect of the improvement is not limited to the high school section.

The second question voters will act on, is with regard to the construction of an auditorium.

In addition to the classroom learning environment, the auditorium can be used for community education spaces and other opportunities.

Jones said he think the overall feedback they’ve received from the three previous has generally been positive.

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Here are the questions AHSTW School District Patrons will see on their ballot Nov. 2nd:

QUESTION 1: Remodel, repair, improve the existing K-12 facilities, along with additions 

Shall the Board of Directors of the AHSTW Community School District in the Counties of Cass, Harrison, Pottawattamie, and Shelby, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $12,900,000 to provide funds to remodel, repair, and improve the existing K-12 facilities; and to build, furnish, and equip additions to and renovations of learning environments, including related site improvements?

QUESTION 2: Construct an auditorium addition to AHSTW Community Schools 

Shall the Board of Directors of the AHSTW Community School District in the Counties of Cass, Harrison, Pottawattamie, and Shelby, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $6,750,000 to provide funds to build, furnish, and equip a new Auditorium at the existing K-12 facilities? 

To learn more, please go to https://www.ahstwschools.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/Referendum%202021%7CFAQ

The broadcast News at 8:07-a.m., with Ric Hanson.

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(Atlantic, Iowa) – More than 90-thousand young Iowans are involved with the 4-H program and this is National 4-H Week, that wraps up this Sunday, with a County 4-H Carnival for the entire family. Cass County Extension 4-H Youth Coordinator Shelby Van Horn says the time is special because it gives them an extra chance to reach new audiences and help kids reach their full potential in 4-H.

The 4-H program empowers young people to make their community a better place to live — be it urban or rural.

Even in these challenging pandemic times, the program is maintaining its popularity. Kindergarten through Third-grade children can be a part of the “Clover Kids” program in Cass County.

Regular 4-H programming is primarily for kids in grades 4-through 12.

In Cass County, they’re wrapping up the week with games and food during a 4-Carnival.

Hot dogs, pretzels, nachos, cotton candy and snow cones are being provided free of charge. Admission is FREE! Game tickets are 10 cents and can be redeemed at 4-H Club Activity Booths. The Carnival takes place on the Cass County Fairgrounds this Sunday, October 10th, from 4-6 PM.   There are nearly 15-hundred 4-H clubs statewide being guided by some 7,000 adult volunteers. Learn more about the program at www.4-h.org.

The latest area/state news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Des Moines) – Governor Kim Reynolds today (Friday) signed a proclamation convening a special legislative session on Thursday, October 28, 2021. The purpose of the special session will be to consider and enact a plan of legislative and congressional redistricting in accordance with the framework set forth in chapter 42 of the Iowa Code.

Gov. Kim Reynolds (RI Photo)

A copy of the proclamation can be found here. 

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa State University Extension Service is getting reports of a pest that’s damaging hay fields, pastures and even some lawns. Gentry Sorenson, an I-S-U Extension field agronomist based in northwest Iowa, says it’s a caterpillar known as the fall armyworm. “The fall armyworm basically blew up as a moth from Florida and the Gulf Coast area through the hurricane winds,” he says. “The armyworm that we’re seeing is the rice strain and that strain of fall armyworm particularly feeds on alfalfa and forage grasses.” The fall armyworm can grow to be up to an inch and a half long.

Sorenson says farmers can use an insecticide if the bugs are causing a lot of damage.  “The best times to scout for fall armyworm are early mornings or late in the evenings,” he says, “mainly because the fall armyworm is more of a noctural pest and they come out at night and do a lot of feeding at night or when it’s cooler.”

Army worm in a field. (Photo by Rebecca Vittetoe.)

Sorenson says some parts of southern Iowa have been hit hard by fall armyworm infestations that drifted here due to winds from Hurricane Ida, but even farmers in northwest Iowa are starting to see the pest in their fields. The bugs flourish in warm climates, according to Sorenson.

“So once we see the hard freeze, it will essentially wipe out the fall armyworm population,” he says. The rice strain of the fall armyworm is found primarily in the southeast United States and cannot survive the mild winter in Alabama according to that state’s Extension Service. The bug is known to feed on crops like rye, wheat and oats as well as rice and various grasses.

(Radio Iowa) – There were more than 210-million dollars bet on sports in Iowa in September. Racing and Gaming Administrator, Brian Ohorilko says “September handle numbers were the highest to date. That goes back to when sports betting was legalized,” Ohorilko says. The 2021 September betting increased by more than 138-million dollars compared to September of 2020. Ohorilko says the January law change allowing players to sign up for online sports betting without going to a casino, and the return to a normal schedule of games following the pandemic were a couple of factors.

“If people remember last year — September of 2020 — there were a number of leagues that were just kind of finding their way — the PAC-10, Big-12 — it was just a situation where there weren’t as many opportunities,” he says. There was not an Iowa-Iowa State football game in 2020, and this year’s version featured two top ten teams. Ohorilko says that undoubtedly had an impact. “We don’t have game-specific data — but just anecdotally what you hear from operators is that when the local teams are doing well — it drives additional handle to the books,” according to Ohorilko. “And so it’s more the casual fan base that would like to make a friendly wager and do it legally — they will come out.”

Ohorilko says the massive jump in sports betting from August to September shows the impact of college and N-F-L football. “In August we had a handle of 108 million. And then to see that handle jump to 210, which is what we saw in September, that was a significant increase,” he says. The sports betting pace could keep up this month as the baseball playoffs add to the full football schedule. “We see the more serious or more regular player betting baseball throughout the year. But when we get into the playoffs — again that will drive just more interest and more casual fans. We will see some more activity in the baseball markets, and that will help the overall markets,” Ohorilko says.

More than 204-point-seven million dollars were paid to bettors in September out of the more than 201-million bet. The state will receive around five-point-seven million dollars in net receipts from sports gambling for September.

(Radio Iowa) – A federal district court judge has granted a preliminary injunction that lets Iowa school district mask mandates remain in place. Governor Reynolds is appealing the ruling to a three-judge panel on a federal appeals court based in St. Louis. A state law that took effect just before the last school year ended prohibits schools from requiring that students, staff and visitors wear masks on school grounds.

A group of disability rights advocates, including parents of some Iowa students, filed a lawsuit arguing the law discriminates against students who’re at greater risk of contracting Covid. Last month, a federal judge based in Iowa issued a temporary order that has blocked the state from enforcing the ban on school mask mandates, and this new order extends that.

In his ruling, Judge Robert Pratt cited the potential for irreparable harm to some children if masking requirements are forbidden in schools. In a written statement, Governor Kim Reynolds said she’ll never stop fighting for the rights of parents to decide what is best for their children and to uphold state laws — including the one that bars schools from having mask mandates.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Officials with the U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, Friday (today), said that on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, 43-year-old Myron Lee Brandon, of Pacific Junction, was found guilty in federal court of two counts of kidnapping and two counts of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The verdict came after a three-day trial. Sentencing has been set for March 2, 2022 in Council Bluffs.

According to evidence presented at trial, on June 21, 2003, Brandon was in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, and offered a ride to two teenage girls. One female was fifteen years old and the other fourteen. The girls were expecting to be transported to a location in Omaha, but Brandon drove to a location near Pacific Junction, Iowa. On a rural road outside Pacific Junction, Brandon brandished a knife before sexually assaulting both victims and used a cigarette to burn each of them on the breast area. The victims escaped from Brandon and managed to walk to Interstate 29 where they were picked up by a motorist and taken to safety.

Law enforcement began an investigation on June 22, 2003, that included a medical exam and collection of evidence from each victim. After an extensive investigation failed to identify a suspect, the evidence that had been collected was stored until a suspect was identified.

In 2015, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office created the Sex Assault Kit Initiative, a program that submits old case evidence to a laboratory to determine if DNA evidence is present to help identify suspects. In July of 2018, the sexual assault kits collected from the victims were placed in this program. In February of 2020, Brandon was identified as a suspect, and further DNA evidence collected from Brandon confirmed he was the person who sexually assaulted the victims.

It was the first jury trial in the State of Iowa using DNA evidence processed by the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. The first conviction in a Sexual Assault Kit Initiative case occurred in 2019 in Dallas County, Iowa.  Acting U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Council Bluffs Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Omaha Police Department, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

Police in Red Oak have arrested a man for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. Authorities say 44-year-old Clyde Everett Zeigler, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 10-a.m. in the 1300 block of N. Miller Avenue. He was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.