(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors have a full agenda for their meeting Tuesday morning. Their session takes place at 9-a.m. in their Boardroom at the Cass County Courthouse.

The Supervisors are expected to hear a request for ARPA funds from Jason Rouse, with the Cumberland Fire Department. They are then expected to discuss a new employee or employees, in the Cass County Treasurer’s Office. You may recall, on April 29th, the Board  had a lengthy conversation with regard to a new hire and the hiring process. That issue had been brought about after the Board of Supervisors previously approved hiring an employee as a Driver’s License Examiner at $18 per hour, a lower rate than what was requested by Treasurer Tracey Marshall.

Marshall had stated $18 per hour was not a proper wage for an employee in the Treasurer’s Office. The Supervisors stated that their biggest issue was that Tracey did not follow the proper hiring procedures. During the April 29th meeting, the Board agreed to hire Stacy Mueller, who at that time was a Dispatcher with the Cass County Communications Center. The sometimes heated discussion concluded with a motion to hire Mueller at $19 per hour with an increase on June 6^th pay to $20 per hour. Upon full certification her pay will increase to $22.25.

In other business, the Board will act on passing:

• A Rural Transit System Joint Participation Agreement with SWIPCO
• A Business Service Agreement with the DHS – re: Mediacom
• A Resolution approving ARPA funds for the Anita Child Care Center and Cass County Fire Association.

The Supervisors are expected to approve a cigarette, tobacco, alternative nicotine or vapor products sales permit to Hansen Valley Oil, Dollar General Store #20294, and 21st Century Co-Op. They will receive a weekly report as well, from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken.

(Epworth, Iowa) – A single-vehicle accident Sunday in eastern Iowa’s Dubuque County, claimed one life and resulted in one person being injured. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2005 Chrysler Town & Country van was traveling west on Millville Road at around 7:10-p.m., when the vehicle went out of control and entered a ditch before rolling over.

One occupant of the van died at the scene. The other was injured and transported by Epworth Fire/Rescue to Mercy Hospital, in Dubuque. Neither occupant was wearing a seat belt. Their names were being withheld pending notification of family.

The accident remains under investigation. Peosta Police assisted the Patrol at the scene, along with the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office and Medical Examiner.

(Radio Iowa) – A new state law outlines the visual language skills deaf and hard of hearing children need to learn — things like fingerspelling and American Sign Language — so they’re prepared for kindergarten. The law also establishes a mentoring program for parents of newborns and toddlers who are diagnosed with hearing difficulties. Tina Caloud, outreach director for the Iowa School for the Deaf, attended the bill signing ceremony in the governor’s office and spoke with Radio Iowa through an interpreter.

“We have been trying to propose this bill for several years now and it finally has been passed into law and we are absolutely thrilled. We are ready to work hard, work collaboratively for education our deaf and hard of hearing children across the state, to ensure they have language access,” she said. “This means both American Sign Language and English.” Studies show the majority of deaf children who enter kindergarten without knowing American Sign Language never catch up academically. Shirley Hampton of Davenport, president of the Iowa Association for the Deaf, spoke through an interpreter during a Radio Iowa interview.

“Don’t leave deaf children out. Don’t leave them behind,” she says. “Involve them in any type of communication that is occurring and that will allow them to thrive.” At least 2000 deaf and hard of hearing students are enrolled in Iowa’s K-through-12 schools. The Iowa Association for the Deaf is pushing legislators to offer closed captioning on the livestream of debate in the House and Senate. And the group says a state law may be needed to ensure emergency warning systems alert everyone.

“Any public places, such as the airport, anything like that, restaurants — we really need to make sure that it’s accessible for deaf individuals and the community, especially in those emergency situations such as a tornado,” Hampton said. “It’s vital not only for deaf people, but blind people as well to make sure they have access to that communication.” Hampton says she was recently eating in a central Iowa restaurant and saw other customers clustered around a television, then leave the dining room. She had no idea they had heard about a tornado warning through the television and were seeking shelter in the kitchen.