Certified enrollment in the Griswold Community School District is down this year. Superintendent Dave Henrich’s said he spoke about the figures with the Griswold School Board during their meeting Monday evening. In Iowa, he said, there are two different counts. One is the Certified count which the number of students that reside in the district, regardless of where they attend classes. The other is the BEDS count, or the number of students served by the district, regardless of where they live. The certified enrollment in Griswold was 475.8, which is a decrease of 28.1 students from a year ago. Henrichs said the BEDS – or, Basic Educational Data Survey – enrollment is 444.9, which is a decrease of 31.8 students. He said they anticipated a decrease in enrollment of about 15 students which accounted for 46 graduating seniors and a kindergarten class of about 30, but they didn’t anticipate this many.

Henrichs said open enrollment had very little to do with the decline in numbers. The difference was only two from last year. There were two fewer kids who open-enrolled out, and four fewer students who open-enrolled in. More families moved out of out the district than moved in. The difference in funding from the State of $6,700 per student, will amount to a loss of $100,000-to $125,000, which will be made up through various methods, including the offering of Early Retirement. The more experienced, higher-paid teachers who apply for and are accepted for early retirement, will likely be replaced by younger, less-experienced teachers who are lower on the salary schedule. The early retirement package will be available for up to five teachers, on a first come first serve basis. Last year one teacher took advantage of the offer. Henrichs says a teacher must be at least 55-years of age, with ten-years service to the district. Teachers who are eligible, must notify the district by February 25, 2019, in order to receive the $18,000 incentive package to be paid over three years.

Another way the district expects to save money, is through reduced operating costs associated with their facilities, especially when work on the new building is complete. Henrichs says that should save around $250,000 per year.

He said also, the Griswold School Board took action during their meeting on some personnel changes. (click on the left side of the audio bar below, to listen)

And, he said the Board was updated on their facilities building project, which has been affected by swings in the weather. He says “We’re progressing nicely, and there’s no reason to believe that we won’t have the building enclosed by the middle of November.

(Radio Iowa) — Most Iowans have already fired up their furnaces during the nippy fall days of late, and the experts say there’s an ample supply of natural gas to keep us warm through the winter. Dean Foreman, chief economist for the American Petroleum Institute, says natural gas and oil set record production levels in recent months, even though challenges in the industry are rising. “We’re putting tariffs on imports from China and that’s raising the costs to consumers here at home,” Foreman says. “At the same time, they’re putting tariffs on U.S. exports of things like natural gas.” It’s translating to a wealth of natural gas supplies and a dropping demand.

“U.S. energy security has never been higher in terms of what we have of the ability to not only step up for domestic energy at home but also what we can provide to the global economy,” Foreman says. “That’s a good story and we expect that to continue.” Foreman says there are still challenges ahead, including lower growth expectations, rising inflation, interest rates, trade barriers and financial market uncertainties. Still, he says domestic production of both oil and natural gas is on the rise. “All of the global oil market fuss is about annual growth of only 2% but natural gas markets are quietly expanded by 12% year to year,” Foreman says. “What we see is a natural gas market that’s very much in surplus right now.”

A federal report finds 67-percent of Iowans use natural gas to heat their homes, 15-percent use electricity, 14-percent use propane, and the rest use wood or fuel oil.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office says two men have turned themselves-in to the sheriff’s office, Tuesday, on warrants charging them with Failure to Comply with the State Sex Offender Registry. 32-year old Eduardo Corona and 34-year old Sean Edward Newman, both of Council Bluffs, were taken into custody and turned over to Corrections Staff. Corona was wanted for a second offense violation of the Registry, while Newman was wanted for a first offense violation.

And, 31-year old Troy Maurice Taylor, of Council Bluffs, who was being held in the Pott. County Jail on felony charges that include Possession with the intent to deliver and felon in possession of a firearm, and other charges, was read a warrant charging him with Violation of Probation. After being read the warrant, Taylor was returned to the custody of jail staff.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of a Council Bluffs homicide has taken a plea deal. Pottawattamie County court records say 44-year-old Michael Thacker pleaded guilty Tuesday to willful injury and attempted murder and was sentenced to 45 years in prison. He’d previously pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. Jury selection for his trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday.

Police say Thacker and Cleo McClellan were involved in the Nov. 28 slaying of 34-year-old David Simpson, whose body was found Dec. 11. He’d died of blunt force trauma. Police say all three men were homeless at the time.

McClellan pleaded guilty to being an accessory and was sentenced.

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

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — No winning lottery ticket was sold for the latest Mega Millions drawing, meaning the estimated jackpot climbs to $868 million. Mega Millions officials say no tickets matched all six numbers to claim the estimated $667 million prize Tuesday night. The numbers were 3, 45, 49, 61, 69 and Mega Ball 9. The next drawing will be Friday. The estimated jackpot for that drawing would be the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. history.

The largest lottery jackpot was a $1.6 billion Powerball prize won in January 2016. The jackpot has been growing since July, when some California office workers won $543 million. The odds of winning the jackpot aren’t good. The chance of matching all six numbers is one in 302.5 million. Mega Millions is played in 44 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Creston Police report a woman told authorities late Tuesday morning, that sometime in the last few days, her wallet was taken out of her vehicle while it was parked at either her residence, or at McDonalds in Creston. The wallet contained cash, personal identification cards and other miscellaneous cards. The loss was estimated at $85.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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ALTOONA, Iowa (AP) — A grand jury has decided not to indict a Polk County sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot a driver after a chase that ended in Altoona. The Des Moines Register reports that the jury heard evidence last week about the July 17 chase. Investigators have said Deputy Ryan Phillips pulled over 25-year-old Isaiah Hayes, of Ashland, Wisconsin, just east of Altoona but that Hayes soon sped off. He stopped a few minutes later, and deputies reported that he appeared to have a weapon in one of his hands when he got out of the car. Officials say that’s when Phillips shot him.

Sheriff’s Lt. Rich Blaylock says he can’t answer the question of whether Hayes had a weapon until an internal sheriff’s investigation is finished. Phillips has eight years of service with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports 33-year old Tashina Martwick, of Creston, turned herself into sheriff’s office Tuesday. Martwick was wanted on an outstanding warrant for controlled substance violation, possession of a controlled substance, and carrying weapons. She was being held in the Taylor County Jail on a $10,000 bond. The charges stem from a high speed pursuit that occurred near Lenox, late last month.