The Audubon School District’s Board of Education will hold a brief, Special session this Wednesday morning (Jan. 15th), to act on approving a Resolution Ordering an Election to be held (in March) on the issuance of $7.5-million in General Obligation Bonds. The meeting takes place 7:30-a.m. in the Boardroom at the Audubon High School.

If approved by voters in the Audubon Community School District, the bonds would be used to pay for a school improvement project at the high school, which was built over 50-years ago and saw an addition constructed in 2006. School officials have said the building is in need of a replacement HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system, as well as simple upgrades to classrooms.

The School Board had previously decided to handle the projects all at once, in order to save money, as opposed to piecing work on the various projects out over a period of time. And, they voted to approve Denovo as the Construction Manager for the projects, which would begin in the Summer of 2021. Public meetings are planned to better explain the work needed, as well as the bond issue.

Red Oak Police report the arrest at around 2:45-p.m. Saturday, of 47-year old Rondy Ruby Porter.  The Red Oak woman was taken into custody in the 100 block of W. Grimes Street, following a traffic stop. Porter was charged with Driving while license revoked, a serious misdemeanor. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:55 a.m. CST

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A former nursing home worker has been given two to five years’ probation for abusing a nursing home resident. The Courier reports that 61-year-old Michael Ritchie Kane, of Westgate, pleaded guilty earlier this month to dependent adult abuse with injury. In exchange for his plea, Kane was granted a deferred judgment, meaning the offense will come off his record if he successfully completes probation. Kane had worked at Ravenood Specialty Care in Waterloo, and investigators say that in June 2018, he pinched and punched a resident there, attempted to suffocate the patient and threatened to shoot him.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — At least one death in eastern Iowa is being blamed on a winter storm that slicked Interstate 80. The Iowa State Patrol reports a westbound semitrailer on I-80 crashed early Saturday morning in Cedar County east of Iowa City. The Patrol says roads were completely covered in ice when the semitrailer left the road and overturned, killing a passenger in the truck. The victim’s name had not been released by late Saturday afternoon. The storm system brought high winds and snow to much of Iowa Friday overnight into Saturday. Around 2 inches fell in areas of eastern Iowa, including Davenport.

HOUSTON (AP) — Authorities blame severe storms sweeping across southern portions of the U.S. and into the Midwest for the deaths of at least 11 people, including two first responders. High winds, tornadoes and unrelenting rain have battered large swaths of the country. Officials say a police officer and a firefighter in Lubbock, Texas, were killed Saturday after being hit by a vehicle at the scene of a traffic accident. Hundreds of thousands of people were left without power from Texas to Ohio, sections of flooded highways were closed in Oklahoma and Arkansas and hundreds of flights were canceled at Chicago’s airports.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Supreme Court Acting Chief Justice David Wiggins says he’s retiring, a vacancy that will give Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds an opportunity to build an even more conservative court. The 69-year-old Wiggins says Friday he will retire March 13. He was appointed to the court by Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack in 2003. He was named acting chief justice in November after the unexpected death of Chief Justice Mark Cady. Wiggins is one of the two remaining Democratic appointees on the seven-member court. Reynolds just received the names of three nominees Thursday to fill Cady’s vacant seat.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – Much of eastern/southeastern Iowa remained under a winter storm warning or winter weather advisory through Saturday evening, as a system that began in the region Friday moved eastward, leaving behind dozens of vehicle crashes and injuries from falls in slick conditions. The system brought high winds and snow the southeastern quarter of Nebraska on Friday overnight into early Saturday. The system dropped 4 inches in the Des Moines area on Friday, were police responded to 46 vehicle crashes — two with injuries. Around 2 inches fell in areas in eastern Iowa, including Davenport. But central and eastern parts of Iowa also received a thin coating of ice, making travel and even walking on sidewalks dangerous.

Another round of snow was expected Sunday, Monday evening and toward the end of the week, with the possibility of quick couple of inches during each occurrence.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – A former nursing home worker has been given two to five years’ probation for abusing a nursing home resident. The Courier reports that 61-year-old Michael Ritchie Kane, of Westgate, pleaded guilty earlier this month to dependent adult abuse with injury. In exchange for his plea, Kane was granted a deferred judgment, meaning the offense will come off his record if he successfully completes probation. Kane had worked at Ravenood Specialty Care in Waterloo, and investigators say that in June 2018, he pinched and punched a resident there, attempted to suffocate the patient and threatened to shoot him.

Democrat presidential candidate/Former Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill are returning to Iowa, for a campaign swing. Jill Biden will meet with Iowans in Mt. Ayr and Winterset, Sunday, Jan. 12th. On Monday, she’ll have “Meet and Greet” (M&G) stops (locally) in Guthrie Center, Audubon and Harlan. (See the schedule below)  Joe Biden will be in the State later next week, with events in Sioux City, Council Bluffs and Indianola. Members of the public who wish to attend any of the events should make reservations via the campaign website.

Jill Biden (local) Schedule:

Sunday, Jan. 12

• Ringgold County Meet & Greet, Jamie’s Coffee Mill & Deli (118 W. Adams St.) in Mt. Ayr.; Doors open at 5:15-p.m. for the 5:30 event.
• Madison County Meet & Greet at the home of Mike & Vicky Brenner (1632 Mueller Ct.), in Winterset; Doors open at 7:15-p.m. for the 7:30 event.

Monday, Jan. 13

• Guthrie County M&G, Children’s Reading Room at the Mary Barnett Memorial Library (400 Grand St.), in Guthrie Center. Admittance 10:45-a.m., event at 11-a.m.
• Audubon County M&G, El Adobe Mexican Restaurant (320 Broadway), in Audubon. Doors open at 12:30-p.m., event at 12:45-p.m.
• Shelby County M&G, Milk and Honey (1101 7th St.), in Harlan. Doors open at 2:45-p.m., event at 3-p.m.

Joe Biden’s Schedule (Local):

Friday, Jan. 17

• Western IA Tech Community College in Sioux City, IA – Rocklin Conference Center (4647 Stone Ave.). 12:15-doors/12:45 event
• Abraham Lincoln High School (1205 Bonham St.), Council Bluffs. 5:30-p.m. doors/6-p.m. event.

A pursuit in Audubon County late Friday afternoon ended in a crash and the arrest of two people. Dispatch reports at the time indicated authorities were chasing a vehicle that was traveling from 80-to 100-miles per hour. The suspect vehicle blew through the intersection at Highway’s 44 and 71 just outside of Hamlin, and crashed about two-miles west of Hamlin into a field south of the intersection of Highway 44 and Jay Avenue.

The pursuit ended with the arrest of two subjects at around 4:28-p.m. Additional details are currently not available.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – After months of running on unconventional campaign strategies, Andrew Yang has arrived at a point in the 2020 campaign that is governed by the conventional rules of election. The candidate powered by online buzz is now living firmly on the real, and often uncool, campaign trail through Iowa and New Hampshire. While several other second-tier candidates are planning to use money and advertising to make an end-run around those early voting states, Yang is largely sticking to the traditional path. His campaign staff has grown tenfold since last summer, and he’s hired some well-known political hands. He’s paid for it all with strong online fundraising.