Atlantic, IA – The December session of Cass Health’s Healthy U lunch-and-learn series will feature cardiologist Dr. John Henry. The session will be held on Tuesday, December 5 at noon in Conference Room 2 at Cass Health.

Space is limited! A free boxed lunch is provided for all attendees, so reservations are required. Call 712-243-7479 to reserve your seat. For more information about Healthy U, visit casshealth.org/healthyu.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board will hold a regular, Annual meeting beginning at 5:30-p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29th, in the High School Media Center (On YouTube, HERE). On their agenda is the Final Meeting of the Retiring board, and Organizational Meeting of the New Board. Those respective agenda’s are as follows: (Updated agenda as of 3:34-p.m. 11/28)

Final Meeting of the Retiring Board
1. Call to Order, Board President
2. Roll Call, Board Secretary
3. Approve agenda
4. Welcome Visitors/Communication from the Public
5. Unfinished Business
a. Approval of November 8, 2023 Board Minutes
b. Highlights from Iowa School Board Convention
c. Presentation of IASB Award(s)
d. Resignations and/or Recommendations to Hire
i. Resignation: Kelli Evans, High School Nurse
ii. Resignation: Tori Brummer, Freshman Volleyball Coach
iii. Resignation: Megan Andersen, Kitchen Staff
iv. Recommendation to Hire: Kelli Evans, Director of Health Services
v. Recommendation to Hire: Megan Andersen, Media Center Para
e. Modification consideration for Early Retirement Plan for Certified Staff
f. Consideration of Early Retirement for Non-Certified Staff
g. Review 2022-2023 fiscal year
h. Review of Election Results, Abstract of Votes
i. Recognition to Jenny Williams and Nick Hunt
6. Adjournment of Retiring Board

Organizational Meeting of the New Board
Board Secretary as President pro tem will preside over meeting until new board president is elected
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Oath of Office to new Board Directors (Gini Jordan & Jodi Stowater-Goodrich)
4. Election of a President for the Board, Ask for nominations. Nominations do not need seconded
a. Administer Oath of Office to new Board President
5. Election of Vice President, President asks for nominations. Nominations do not need to be seconded
a. Oath of office to new Board Vice-President
6. Appoint Board Secretary and Treasurer
a. Oath of office to Board Secretary/Treasurer
7. Appoint Cass County Conference Board Representative
8. Determining dates, time and location for regular board meetings
9. Establish Official Publication
10. Designate Legal Counsel
11. Appoint signers for District checks
12. Resolution for District’s Depository Institution and maximum deposit amount
13. Adjournment of Organizational Meeting

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday) issued reports on recent accidents. Authorities say at around 6:10-p.m. Monday (Nov. 27), a 2017 Ford Explorer driven by 72-year-old Kenneth Alan Bahrke, of Panora, struck a deer on eastbound Highway 44, causing $2,500 damage. Bahrke was not hurt.

A single-vehicle rollover accident took place Nov. 25th, in Guthrie County. Officials say a 2008 Ford F250 pickup driven by 31-year-old Jared Kopaska, of Guthrie Center, was traveling north on Highway 44 at around 7:15-p.m., when the vehicle crossed a small bridge that was slick due to the weather conditions (It was snowing at the time). The pickup went out of control after crossing the bridge, and entered the east ditch where it ended-up on its side. Kopaska failed to notify law enforcement about the accident until the next day. The vehicle was discovered by a citizen, who notified law enforcement. While investigating the scene, law enforcement removed for safe keeping, firearms from the vehicle that had been left behind. The pickup sustained $5,000 damage. Kopaska was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.

On the 24th,a 2022 GMC pickup driven by 56-year-old Michael Schwabe, of Breda, struck a deer on Highway 4. The vehicle sustained $6,000 damage, but was able to be driven from the scene. On Nov. 23rd, a 2023 Nissan Frontier pickup driven by 52-year-old Jason Plumb, of Harlan, struck a deer on Justice Road in Guthrie County. Plumb wasn’t hurt, but his pickup sustained $2,000 damage.  The previous day (11/22), a 2020 GMC SUV driven by 32-year-old Kegan Schultz, of Panora, struck a deer on Highway 4 and 170th Street, causing $5,000 damage.

And, the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports that on Nov. 21st, a 2011 Chevy pickup driven by 53-year-old Jason Westfall, of Norwalk, was hit from behind by a 2001 Chevy truck driven by 17-year-old Carter Pugh, of Granger, at the intersection of Highway 4 and Chirma Road. The accident happened at around 8:43-a.m.  Authorities say Westfall was at or near a stop, and about to turn left, when his vehicle was rear-ended. Pugh was cited for Failure to Stop in a safe and sure distance. Damage from the collision amounted to $6,000.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department reports slightly less than a dozen arrests took place from Nov. 17th through the 26th.

• On Sunday (11/26), 25-year-old Joseph Atoliph, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication and Violation of a No Contact Order.
• On Nov. 23rd, Atlantic Police arrested 32-year-old Samantha Wehrli, of Atlantic, for Assault on Person in certain occupations.
• There were two arrests on the 20th: 19-year-old Ashton Knoke, of Oakland, was arrested in Atlantic for Domestic Abuse Assault. And, 18-year-old Tate Conyers, of Atlantic, was arrested on a warrant for Violation of Probation.
• 18-year-old Ryder Burk, of Atlantic, was arrested Nov. 18th for Domestic Abuse Assault.
• And, there were five people arrested in Atlantic on Nov. 17th:
  • 24-year-old Nicole Kinney, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication
  • 46-year-old Jeffrey Ponton, of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving while license is barred.
  • 43-year-old Michael Parrott, of Atlantic, was arrested Nov. 17th on an Audubon County warrant.
  • 44-year-old Casey Stahl, and 42-year-old Matthew Stahl, both of LaCygne, KS, were arrested in Atlantic. Casey Stahl was arrested on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Matthew Stahl was arrested on a warrant for Assault causing bodily injury.

(Creston, Iowa) – Authorities in Creston say no injuries were reported following a collision early today (Tuesday), at the intersection of Townline Road (Hwy 25) and Lincoln Street. The accident happened a little after 8-a.m., as a 2022 Ford F-250 operated by 47-year-old Charles Edmund Baker, of Norwalk, was stopped at the red lights. A 2003 Honda Accord driven by 18-year-old Ruby Esmeralda Torres, of Palmview, TX, an unlicensed driver, approached the intersection.

Police say Torres mistook the gas pedal for the brake pedal as she was slowing to a stop behind the pickup. Her car struck the pickup in the rear, causing a total of $3,500 damage. Torres was cited for failure to have a driver’s license.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Cass County met in a regular weekly session this (Tuesday) morning, at the courthouse in Atlantic. First-up, the Board received a presentation and $500 funding request from the Family Crisis Center’s Lindsay Wilson. She said their offices are in Council Bluffs. Wilson explained the services they provide to the County for victims of violent crimes, and the number of people served over the past year. She said the $500 was based on the services provided to each of the counties they serve. Her request was taken under advisement.

Supervisor Wendy Richter wanted to emphasis the funds are not for the Family Crisis Support Network, in Atlantic which she is a member of. The FCSN is a completely separate entity that serves victims of domestic violence. The Family Crisis Center is based in Sioux Center, and serves 12 area Counties in western Iowa. It serves victims of human trafficking, survivors of homicide and other violent crimes, provides housing and homeless services, and more.

The most recent addition to their programs includes Integrated Advocacy Services. The program offers support and advocacy in three separate medical clinics for 17 Iowa counties. Clients can seek support in ways that are discreet and confidential.

The Board then moved to approve the FY 2022-2023 Urban Renewal Report (as required under the Code of Iowa), and they acted to unanimously approve a Resolution “Allocating ARPA funds (in the amount of $47,932) to [the] Hitchcock House [near Lewis] for foundation repairs.” The funds are for completed repairs to the south wall of the historic building.

In other business, Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken provided the Board of Supervisors with a weekly update on Secondary Roads Department Maintenance and Activities. He said roads crews were out Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning clearing the roads following the recent snow storm.

He said also, Bridge #380 over by Anita is now open.

And, the Supervisors motioned to approve the appointment of Lorilyn Schules to the Cass County Board of Health, replacing Gary Dinkla. Her term is for three-yerars, beginning January 1, 2024.

(Radio Iowa) – Senator Chuck Grassley says if Republicans in the U.S. Senate stick together, they may be able to force Democrats to put immigration policy changes in an aid package for Israel and Ukraine. “Making it more certain who can qualify for asylee,” Grassley says, “the ‘return to Mexico’ issue that Trump put in place — in other words, stay in Mexico while you’re making application to see if you can enter the U.S. legally and maybe some interior enforcement.”

President Biden has proposed security funding for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan along with targeted funding to address U.S. border security, fentanyl smuggling and help U-S cities struggling to accommodate migrants. Grassley says a bipartisan group of senators are discussing the addition of immigration policy changes that also would address border security. “As long as 41 Republicans stick together to do something at the border and the (Biden) administration wants money for Isreal and Ukraine like a lot of senators do, including this one, we might force our hand to do something significant on border security,” Grassley says.

Earlier this month, the U.S. House passed a bill to provide over $14 billion in aid to Israel and cut funding to the IRS, but the U.S. Senate’s Democratic leader says senators will consider a bipartisan package that aligns with President Biden’s request.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County met this (Tuesday) morning. During their session, the Board heard a regularly scheduled report from County Engineer Karen Albert.

The Supervisors in Montgomery County also received an update from Courthouse Maintenance Director, Dan Wright. Prior to hearing from Wright, the Board discussed some issues with the courthouse generator that occurred during a weekly test.

In his report, Dan Wright addressed the issue that resulted in a power outage. He said the issue was with an automatic switchover device that’s supposed to kick-in when primary power is restored.

Wright said he doesn’t think the switch will need to be replaced.

In other business, the Board set the first of FY24-25 Budget Workshops for Tuesday, January 9th (at the end of their regular meeting) & January 10th at 9-a.m., in order to give the Department Heads more time to get their budget projections together.

The Board also opened sealed bids related to forfeited property for the Sheriff’s Department.

(Radio Iowa) – The largest movie theater chain in the world has closed its last location in the Des Moines metro that had 16 movie screens. A-M-C had already closed its cineplex at Southridge Mall in Des Moines and at a site in Urbandale that had nine screens. The website for A-M-C’s Johnston location says that site is permanently closed and the company’s nearest theater is in Kansas City. However A-M-C still operates theaters in Council Bluffs, Dubuque and Sioux City.

In a statement, an A-M-C spokesman said the company routinely reviews its theaters and makes decisions that are based on what will best strengthen A-M-C moving forward. The A-M-C movie theater chain has nine BILLION dollars in debt, but has avoided bankruptcy. It struck an exclusive deal with Taylor Swift to show her Eras Tour Concert Film in its U-S
theaters.

Des Moines, Iowa – U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) today (Tuesday), announced mobile office hours across our communities to assist constituents who may not be able to travel to one of the Third District Congressional offices in Creston, Des Moines, or Ottumwa. At these mobile office hours, Iowans will be able to get help with Social Security, Medicare, passports, visas, veterans’ benefits, military records, tax returns, and other issues with federal government agencies.

(File photo) Third district Congressman Zach Nunn (R-Bondurant) speaks Oct. 27, 2023, at a Des Moines, IA news conference. (RI photo)

“My top priority is providing exceptional services and support to Iowans,” said Rep. Nunn. “My hope is that these mobile office hours will ensure ease of access for all Iowans to receive assistance from our office regardless of where they live in any of the 21 counties that I have the honor of serving.”

Mobile office hours will begin Tuesday, December 5. (Locally) The schedule for December includes:

Adair County 
Stuart Public Library
111 Font Street
Stuart, IA 50250
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
12:00pm to 4:00pm

Page County 
Essex Public Library
508 Iowa Avenue
Essex, IA 51638
Thursday, December 7, 2023
10:00am to 1:00pm

Guthrie County 
Casey Public Library
604 McPherson Street
Casey, IA 50048
Friday, December 8, 2023
1:00pm to 4:00pm

Additional dates and locations will be announced in the future.