The Audubon School District Board will meet 7-p.m. Monday in the High School Board Room. Action items on their agenda are as follows:

• Approval of the 1st reading of a Title Nine  Policy
• Approval of a Review of 100 Series policies
• Approve the second reading of policies with exhibits and regulation
• Approve Student Handbooks
• Approve DMACC Observation Contract
• Personnel matters.

Under Communication and Updates, the Audubon School Board will:

1. Receive the Superintendent’s report, including: A Summer project update; IDPH/DE Reopening Guidance; A Budget Review for the Building Project, and Transportation Report.
2. Principal’s Reports, including with regard to the First day of school, and return to learn update, as well as an update on Fall Sports.

The Griswold School District’s Board of Education is set to meet 5:30-p.m. Monday, in the Elementary School Library. One their agenda under Old Business, is the second reading of 400 Series Board Polices, IASB updates, and a COVID-19 update. New Business will include:

• Consideration of approval for two Open Enrollment requests
• Discussion on vehicle inspections.
• Administrative matters.
• A decision on staff vaccinations.
• Approval of an agreement with the Corner Conference, and, separately, a Fire Monitoring contract.
• The first reading of various Board Policies.

The Exira-EHK School District’s Board of Education will meet in a regular session 6-p.m. Monday, in the Conference Room at the Elk Horn Building. On their Consent Agenda in addition to regular reports, is information with regard to Open Enrollment, and six families moving out.

Under “New Business,” the Board will discuss, and/or act on the following:

• The start of the school year (which began Friday, Aug. 14th)
• Approval of the Atlantic News Telegraph as the Official School Paper
• Approval of IASB Legislative Goals
• and Approval of Personnel matters (Hires, Transfers, Resignations, etc.).

Their next Board Meeting will be held 6-p.m. Sept. 21st, also in the Conference Room.

Two people were arrested on drug and other charges Saturday, in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, 38-year old Anthony David Smith and 35-year old Erika Joann Driver, both of Red Oak, were taken into custody at around 2:20-p.m. in the 400 block of N. Highland Avenue. Both face: Class-B Felony charges of Ongoing Criminal Conduct; Three Felony counts of Delivery of a Controlled Substance; Three counts of Gathering Where Controlled Substances are distributed, and six counts of Child Endangerment without injury. Smith faces an additional Felony Drug tax stamp violation.

(Left) Erika J. Driver; (right) Anthony D. Smith. (Red Oak PD Photos)

Both suspects were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $25,000 bond, each.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating a fatal weekend shooting in Waterloo. Waterloo Police said the shooting was reported around 11:45 p.m. Saturday. When officers and paramedics arrived, they found a 49-year-old man with gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he later died. His name wasn’t immediately released on Sunday. No arrests were reported Sunday morning.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities reported 573 additional coronavirus cases and two more deaths linked to the virus Sunday. The state said there had been 52,221 virus cases and 975 deaths linked to COVID-19 as of 10 a.m. Sunday, according to Iowa’s online virus tracker.

In Cass County, there was one additional, confirmed case of COVID-19, for a total of 94, with 60 recovered (2 more than reported Saturday). (For information on other, adjacent counties, see below) And as mentioned in Saturday’s report, there was one additional death in Cass County, for a total of two since the outbreak began.

The number of infections statewide is believed to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and experts believe people can have the virus without feeling sick. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Iowa has risen over the past two weeks from 472.14 new cases per day on Aug. 1 to 501.43 new cases per day on Aug. 15.

Here are the latest positive case numbers for southwest/western Iowa since 10-a.m. Friday (County; Positive Case #’s; number of persons who have (recovered); {deaths since the outbreak began}. Counties with changes have highlighted numbers over the previous 24-hours:

• Cass County: 94 cases (60); 2 deaths
• Adair County: 38 cases (20)
• Adams County: 17 cases (16)
• Audubon County: 30 cases (21); 1 death
• Guthrie County: 147 cases (110); 5 deaths
• Montgomery County: 64 cases (51); 4 deaths
• Pottawattamie County: 1,423 cases (1,054); 29 deaths
• Shelby County: 194 cases (176); 1 death.

Members of the Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will hold a meeting via YouTube 9-a.m. Monday, to take action on a handful of items, including the second and final reading of the COVID-19 revised school policy.

Last Wednesday, the Board passed the first reading by a vote of 3-to 2.  As previously mentioned, one section of the Policy states “Non-medical grade face masks are encouraged to be worn by all individuals on school grounds, including students, employees, and volunteers. Masks will be provided to individuals who request them. Reusable masks should be washed regularly by individuals wearing them.” The Policy does NOT mandate the use of masks.

The Atlantic School Board will also consider once again, a written agreement between parents of students and the district, who wish to transport their children to extracurricular actives. The agreement stipulates in-part, parents or guardians may to drive their student event participants to various competitions, with the understanding that the parent or guardian “Hold harmless and defend and indemnify the Atlantic Community School District from any and all damages and/or claims that may arise out of the transportation of [the child’s] participation…” in those activities. Rural families planning on driving their children to school rather than ride the school bus, should contact the bus garage to let them know of those plans, in advance.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board will act on the resignation of Steve Andersen as Route Bus Driver, and Contract Recommendations for: Jennifer Rumery – Food Service; Abby Becker – Volunteer Cross Country Coach; and Richard “Dick” Casady – Car driver. Their final order of business, is approval of a pay application in the amount of $23,238.78, for work completed to date on the Middle School sidewalks. The amount is 95% of the accepted bid price. Funds for the payment will be derived from the PPEL/SAVE accounts.

A man from Linwood, Kansas was arrested at around 11:30-p.m. Saturday, in Red Oak. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department reports Devon Triebel was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop on Highway 34, at Eastern Avenue. Authorities say Triebel’s Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was .104, or slightly more than the legal limit. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.

(Update 5-a.m., 8/16) The latest information from the Iowa Coronavirus dashboard shows there was one more confirmed case of COVID-19 in Cass County since our report Saturday, for a total now of 94. Statewide, 388 more Iowans tested positive for the virus, for a total of 52,065. Iowa’s reported positivity rate is 9.3%.

Two more deaths have been reported statewide since 10-a.m. Saturday, for a total of 975, with 543 of those taking place at a Long-Term Care facility. As mentioned Saturday, there was a second death reported in Cass County as well, since the outbreak began. The State’s website said 686 of the state’s deaths involved Iowans with preexisting conditions. The IDPH says 40,491 Iowans have recovered from COVID-19, 5,490 tested negative Saturday, for a total of 497,534. Altogether, 557,346 Iowans have been tested for the virus.

The IDPH data show the following new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in these area counties: Guthrie County, 2 (146 total); Montgomery County,1 (a total of 64); Pottawattamie County, 14 (1,416 total); & Shelby County has 2 new cases, for a total of 194.

Statewide hospitalization data show: 271 are hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms (compared to 261 Saturday); 80 are in an ICU (there were 82 yesterday); 43 were admitted to a hospital as compared to 33 on Saturday, and one less person was on a ventilator, for a total of 34.

Southwest/western Iowa hospitals report, over the past 24-hours: 10 people were in a hospital with COVID-19 (1 less than Saturday); 3 people are in an ICU (down 1 from Saturday); 2 people admitted were admitted to an area hospital since Saturday, and there remains no one on a ventilator. Long-Term Care (LTC) data today, show: 29 Outbreaks; 910 patients/staff have tested positive; and 543 have recovered.

Here are the latest positive case numbers for southwest/western Iowa since 10-a.m. Friday (County; Positive Case #’s; number of persons who have (recovered); {deaths since the outbreak began}. Counties with changes have highlighted numbers over the previous 24-hours:

• Cass County: 94 cases (58); 2 deaths
• Adair County: 38 cases (20)
• Adams County: 17 cases (16)
• Audubon County: 30 cases (21); 1 death
• Guthrie County: 146 cases (108); 5 deaths
• Montgomery County: 64 cases (47); 4 deaths
• Pottawattamie County: 1,416 cases (1,054); 29 deaths
• Shelby County: 194 cases (176); 1 death.

The Iowa DPH website now features an analysis for public school districts with data on average county positivity rates over the past 14 days. That information can be found here.

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Dept. Board of Directors will receive an update during their meeting at 5:15-p.m. Monday evening, with regard to park restroom vandalism.

Sunnyside restroom vandalism photos from the Atlantic Parks & Rec Facebook page.

In a social media post Saturday, Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen said “Due to multiple incidents…over the last couple weeks, we have decided to close the Sunnyside bathrooms for the year. If other bathrooms continue to be treated [in the same manner], we will be forced to close them all. Please don’t do this, you ruin a simple bathroom that someone may really need.”  Rasmussen posted pictures of the damage on the Parks and Rec Facebook page, showing extensive damage to the facilities.

In other business, the Parks Board will hear updates with regard to: The Schildberg Recreation Area; Schildberg signage; the Mollett Trail; Bull Creek; Nishna Park, and the Park mascot campaign. Bryant Rasmussen is also expected to discuss potential grants, storm cleanup, the pool painting is completed, and more about the Walkability maps.

The meeting takes place in the City Council’s Chambers, at the Atlantic City Hall.