The Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton School Board, Tuesday evening, completed the hiring of teaching staff for the upcoming school year. The Board approved the hiring of: Emma Bireline – High School English; Heather Sprague – ½ time Title 1 Teacher, and Drew Buckholdt – Asst. Baseball Coach. They also approved the resignation of Dan Spooner – Technology Support/Digital Learning. Exira-EHK Superintendent Trevor Miller echoed comments made by other Superintendents in the area, in saying during his Administrators Report at the Board meeting, about the lack of applicants available to fill teaching positions.

Miller said he in light of the current teacher drought, he hopes the (State) Board of Education/Board of Education Examiners will give districts a little flexibility, in terms of “conditional licenses” and/or “Alternative” licenses.

He says there are persons who want to teach, but they don’t want to have to go back to school and incur the extra expense of a Bachelor’s Degree before they can come back to education.

In other business, Miller said the Board chose to stick with Anderson-Erickson as their milk supplier, and Lightbox Systems out of Harlan for Technology Services.

The Board approved Driver’s Education Contracts for Paul McKay, Jeremy Blake, Dick Casady, and Casey Pelzer. And, they approved a Transportation Director Sharing Agreement with the Harlan Community School District.

Des Moines, Iowa – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a Johnston man was arrested Friday night on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement in the manufacture and possession of an explosive device that was located June 9th in the 1400 block of SE Waywin Drive, in Ankeny. According to court documents, 46-year old Chad Allen Williams, of Johnston, unlawfully manufactured and possessed an unregistered explosive device in violation of federal law.

Allen is charged by criminal complaint with possession of an unregistered explosive device in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 5861(d), and manufacture of an explosive device in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 5861(f). If convicted, Allen faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Ankeny Police Department, State of Iowa Fire Marshall’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.

(Des Moines, IA) – A reminder from the Iowa Department of Public Health: Three Test Iowa sites are the first to close this week as the State prepares to end operations of its drive-thru and clinic COVID-19 testing locations by July 16, 2021.

The state-operated drive-thru sites will close when testing concludes at 4 p.m. on the following days:

• TODAY June 23: 3236 Nebraska Ave., Council Bluffs (Pottawattamie County)
• June 24: Windstar Lines, 5755 Willow Creek Dr. SW, Cedar Rapids (Linn County)
• June 25: 4121 Alexandra Drive, Waterloo (Black Hawk County)

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and State Hygienic Lab (SHL) are finalizing plans to provide at-home COVID-19 test kits free of charge to Iowa residents following the closure of the Test Iowa sites. More details will be provided in the coming weeks. Additionally, COVID-19 testing will continue at health care providers, pharmacies, and other retail testing sites statewide.

For more information about Test Iowa locations, hours or scheduling a test, visit coronavirus.iowa.gov or testiowa.com.