Exira-EHK Superintendent Trevor Miller had some good news to report during Monday evening’s school board meeting. He said the District was up 13.46 students with concurrent classes factored-in. That means more money for the District next year. Miller also discussed the District’s financials. He said their Unspent Authority went up, and the District is staying at its 19-percent ratio, which is good, because the State’s fluctuate is between 5 and 15, so it looks better for the next few years, because school officials assumed enrollment would be going down. That, he says, always helps with the complicated school finance formulas.

In other news, the Exira-EHK Board awarded Viking Construction of Exira, the contract for the roofing and siding of the Weight Room building. Work on the project will likely begin later this Fall or Winter, depending on the weather. They also approved the Special Education Report to the state, which showed a positive ending near the end of the fiscal year instead of a negative deficit. Also approved was the district’s Certified Annual Report (CAR), along with the Transportation report.

INWOOD, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man died in a northwest Iowa farm accident. The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office says the accident occurred Friday on a farm northwest of Inwood. The office says 59-year-old Paul DeBoer was operating the machine when it rolled over and pinned him. DeBoer was pronounced dead at the scene.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Construction has begun on a world-class skate park in downtown Des Moines after years of fundraising. The Des Moines Register reports that ground was broken Monday for Lauridsen Skatepark. Officials say the skate park will be the second-largest in the country, with 65,000 square feet of skating surface. It covers five-acres of riverfront land just northeast of Wells Fargo Arena.

The park was first proposed in 2004, but raising the $3.5 million needed was slow going. A recent $1 million donation from Nix and Virginia Lauridsen and a $400,000 grant from Prairie Meadows helped push the total raised to $3.3 million, and donations are still being sought to cover the remaining $200,000.

The park will have a lower level pedestrian walk, a plaza, a downhill snake run and several skate bowls and pools for skateboarders.

Officials with the Creston Police Department say a woman residing in the 1000 block of S. Division Street reported Monday afternoon, that at around 3:30-a.m. Monday, someone broke into her husbands truck that was parked at the residence. Two Bosch Nail Guns, two Coil Roofing Nailers and a Plastic Cap Stapler were stolen. The loss was estimated at $615.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a licensed practical nurse has admitted diverting pain medications from residents of two northeast Iowa nursing homes. Federal prosecutors say 35-year-old Lacey Staveley, from Evansdale, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. The charges: one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception or subterfuge; and one count of false statements relating to health care matters. Her sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

Court records say Staveley admitted diverting pain pills from two patients at Cedar Falls Health Care Center in November 2016 and admitted diverting pain pills earlier this year from two patients at Harmony House in Waterloo. Authorities say she didn’t tell Harmony House officials about her employment at Cedar Falls Health Care Center.

Red Oak Police report a man and a juvenile female were arrested on separate charges, Monday. 28-year old Bruce Anthony Kaimann, Jr., of Red Oak, was arrested at around 9:40-p.m. for Violation of a No Contact order. Kaimann was being held overnight in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond. And, at around 11:58-p.m. Monday, a 17-year old female was arrested for Driving While Revoked. She was transported to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and later released to her guardian.

Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports that the Fremont County K9 Unit, Monday, arrested 28-year old Tyler M. Study, of Bartlett. Study was arrested on a valid Fremont County warrant for the delivery of methamphetamine – a class B felony.

His arrest was the result of multiple investigations that began in July, 2018. Study was arrested at his residence without incident and transported to the Fremont county Law Enforcement Center awaiting initial appearance from the magistrate.

Study

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The fourth-largest lottery prize in U.S. history will be on the line as numbers are drawn for the Mega Millions game’s $654 million jackpot. The grand prize for Tuesday night’s drawing has grown so enormous because no one has won the jackpot since July 24. Although the jackpot is massive, the odds of matching all six numbers and becoming instantly wealthy are remarkably small at one in 302.5 million. Mega Millions is played in 44 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — A judge has scheduled a January trial for a 22-year-old Iowa man charged with killing a top amateur golfer from Spain. District Judge Bethan Currie ruled Monday that Collin Richards will stand trial Jan. 15 for first-degree murder in the death of Iowa State University student Celia Barquin Arozamena. Richards entered a written not guilty plea and waived his right to a speedy trial.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Trump administration is doing its part to help Iowa congressman David Young hold onto his U.S. House seat. Last week President Donald Trump mocked Young’s 3rd district Democratic challenger Cindy Axne at a rally in Council Bluffs and praised the two-term Republican. On Monday, Young’s campaign announced Vice President Mike Pence will join Young for a rally Friday in Des Moines. Polls indicate a close race in the 3rd district, which includes the Des Moines metro area and southwest Iowa.

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) — Supporters of a right-wing group are asking a judge not to grant a “deluxe legal defense” for a Mexican national charged with killing an Iowa college student. More than 200 people have sent postcards to Judge Joel Yates protesting his decision to authorize $5,000 for an investigator to work with Cristhian Bahena Rivera’s defense. The postcards are distributed by the Virginia-based Secure America Alliance.