The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education, Wednesday evening, approved the construction of a High School Gym-to Multipurpose Room-Walkway, with a stipulation that two questions be answered within two days before any work is authorized. One was with regard to how the project is paid for.

Superintendent Steve Barber said the Little Trojan Wrestlers would commit $15,000 toward the project. Iron Specialties..experts in those types of structures, would contribute additional volunteer time to reduce the costs associated with labor. Barber said “there’s other potential partners in finalizing this project.” It would cost the district anywhere from $20,000 to $35,000 for the walkway to be built.

Board member Dr. Keith Swanson wanted to make sure the district’s lawyer signed-off on that method of payment before work begins. Using volunteer time Barber said, would save the district costs. Furthermore, all volunteers would have to undergo a background check and Iron Specialties would oversee the work. Board President Josh McLaren asked also, what would happen if the project scope exceeded the expected cost, or $55,000.

Barber said he would do more research on the numbers and consult with the appropriate entities to make sure the project costs are in-line, and that work can begin soon. He will contact McLaren and the other board members later this week with the answers to their questions. He said also, the project is considered “Public Improvements,” not goods and services, therefore going out for bids is not required according to the code and policies.

In other business, Superintendent Barber said “After multiple attempts to resolve the Catwalk issue (At the Middle School),” he has turned over the claim to the district’s insurance company, to get it to a point where the catwalk will be functional for the winter months. The structure was hit earlier this summer by a truck, and sustained severe damage to an I-beam.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The National Weather Service says nearly a dozen tornadoes touched down in rural areas across Iowa as strong storms swept the state Tuesday. Service meteorologist Mike Fowle in Des Moines says 10 tornadoes were confirmed in the central third of the state, with the strongest hitting near Creston. Fowle says that EF-2 twister brought winds of up to 120 mph, destroying a garage and pulling off part of a mobile home roof. No injuries were reported with any of the tornadoes.

Fowle says an EF-1 tornado with 90 mph winds hit near Stuart, damaging trees. The others were rated EF-0 with winds of 70-85 mph. One damaged an airplane hangar at the Centerville Municipal Airport.

In eastern Iowa, the service says one tornado was reported near Blairstown. No damage was reported.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Montgomery County arrested 25-year old Dillion Roy Karwal, a little after 9-a.m. today (Wednesday). Karwal was arrested in the 100 block of W. Corning Street on a warrant for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $10,000.

Sheriff’s officials in Cass County say five people have been arrested on drug charges. On Monday, 18-year old Matthew Dean Rosenbaum, of Atlantic, and a 15-year-old male, were each arrested on a felony charge of Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana. Rosenbaum was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond. The juvenile was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs. Last Sunday, Deputies in Cass County arrested 24-year old Joel Shawn Thomas White, and 21-year old Caleb Garrett Woodard, both of Atlantic, on felony charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana and a Drug Tax Stamp Violation, as well as Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Both men were taken to the Cass County Jail where they remain held on $10,300 bond each. Also arrested Sunday, was 45-year old Christopher Michael Green, of Atlantic, on charges of OWI 1st Offense; Possession of Methamphetamine 1st Offense; Possession of Marijuana 1st Offense; and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Green was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $3,300 bond.

On Monday, 24-year old Alex Lee Pleis, of Audubon, was arrested on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for felony Theft 2nd Degree , and Forgery. Pleis was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond. And on Friday, 24-year old Tray D. Anderson, of Exira, was arrested in Cass County on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Anderson was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance.

(12:40-p.m. news)

A woman from Council Bluffs and a man from Red Oak were arrested on multiple charges, Monday, following a pursuit in Glenwood. Authorities say Officers Trevor Mass and Capt. P. Martin initiated a traffic stop on a black Jeep Commander with Nebraska license plates, for reckless driving in the area of 1201 S. Locust Street. The vehicle took off, leading Glenwood Police on a chase with assistance from Mills County Sheriff’s Deputies, the Iowa State Patrol and Council Bluffs Police. During the pursuit, officers observed the suspects – later identified as 22-year old Hayley Byerly, of Council Bluffs, and 28-year old Ian Clark, of Red Oak — attempting to discard evidence.

The Mills County K9 Unit, Deputy England, and his partner “Valor,” were deployed and recovered a pair of sunglasses along with a firearm. The suspects were apprehended in Council Bluffs. Byerly faces charges that include (felony) Possession with the Intent to Deliver/Methamphetamine, Obstruction of Justice, and Carrying Weapons. She was being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail on a $50,000 bond. Clark faces felony charges that include Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Theft in the 2nd Degree and Eluding. He was also charged with Carrying Weapons, Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, and Violation of a Restraining Order. The cash-only bond for Clark was set at $10,000.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lottery players will have a chance at the nation’s ninth-largest jackpot when numbers are drawn for Friday’s Mega Millions game. The estimated $548 million prize would be the largest jackpot in more than nine months. Players who buy $2 tickets face extremely long odds, with a one in 302.5 million chance of matching all six numbers.

The Mega Millions prize has grown so large because no one has won the jackpot since July 24, when 11 co-workers from the San Francisco Bay Area joined an office pool and hit the winning numbers for a $543 million payoff.

The $548 million prize in Friday’s drawing refers to the annuity option, which is awarded in 30 payouts. A winner who opted for a cash payout would receive $309 million, minus taxes.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Police say a 15-year-old Iowa boy has been taken into custody following a social media threat that prompted officials to cancel classes at three local high schools. Waterloo Police Maj. Joe Leibold says the boy is suspected of being involved in a SnapChat message that threatened two of the schools. It alleged he and a friend would make history. The boy was taken into custody pending a hearing on terrorism threat charges. Leibold says officers are trying to determine whether anyone else was involved.

The Waterloo school district sent messages to parents saying officials learned of a threat Tuesday evening that referenced West and Expo high schools. They worked through the night with police and decided to cancel Wednesday classes. Classes were also canceled at the district’s third high school. Staff members were also told to stay home.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A Division of Criminal Investigation agent in western Iowa is confirming that she’s on paid administrative leave amid a disciplinary investigation. Special Agent Ashley Goodsell said Wednesday that she’s done nothing wrong but cannot comment further because the investigation is ongoing. She says she’s being represented by the State Police Officers Council.

DCI assistant director Mitch Mortvedt said in a text message that he couldn’t comment on Goodsell’s status. The Department of Public Safety hasn’t responded to an inquiry about the case. A new department policy says officers facing misconduct investigations can be on leave for up to 30 days or longer with management approval, and calls for most inquiries to be completed within 60 days.

Goodsell is based in Council Bluffs and has been an agent since 2008. The state salary database shows she earned about $64,000 last year.

Sheriff’s officials in Ringgold County are investigating a shooting incident. Authorities say Scott Giles reported that someone had shot a hole in the north side of his house. A bullet, believed to have come from a rifle, was found on the shower floor Sept. 29th. Authorities think the incident happened on the 28th.  Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials with the National Weather Service today (Wednesday), confirmed a weak tornado with wind speeds estimated at 70-miles per hour, caused damage to standing corn, but no structural damage. In their preliminary assessment, officials said the twister was rated an EF-0, which typically have winds of 65-to 85-mph. The Guthrie County twister started at around 6:20-p.m. Tuesday about four-miles southwest of Jamaica, and ended one-half mile south of Jamaica about 12 minutes later. It was four miles long and 80-feet wide. It tracked northeastward through primarily cropland, causing tracks where it flattened the corn in a distinct path.

NWS photos of tornado damage in Clarke County, IA

An EF-1 tornado in Clarke County packed winds estimated at 100-to 110-mph. It was generated at around 7:48-p.m. and ended at around 8:02-p.m.  The twister was 250-feet wide at the height of the storm, and was on the ground for about seven-miles. The twister formed about four-miles north of Woodburn in an area of standing corn and ended seven-miles north/northeast of there. It crossed a road and caused damage to trees and later, two farmsteads. The winds were so powerful, they picked up several large feeding troughs and sent at least one hurtling one-quarter of a mile away. An abandoned outbuilding was damaged during the event, and a large tree was uprooted before it fell onto a mobile home, resulting in one injury.