Members of the Audubon School District’s Board of Education held an electronic meeting Monday night, during which they approved several action items on their agenda, including:

• SU “Breakdown” Insurance for FY21. The SU Insurance Company’s Equipment Maintenance Program help’s districts free up general fund dollars by allowing the district to pay for repairs of school equipment. In the Audubon School District, that amounts to $34,339 and is paid for through the Management Fund.
• The Board approved a bid from AE Dairy for milk. Superintendent Eric Trager said they have worked with AE Dairy for years.
• The Board also approved Student Fees for FY 21. Mr. Trager said: student lunches were raised by five-cents, and adult lunches by a dime (Mandatory); The Breakfast fee went up five-cents for both students and adults; The snack fee went up $10 to $60 per year. The rate has not been raised for several years. The value of the snacks amounts to $180 per year, which is offset by donations. All other student fees remain the same as 2019-20.
• The Audubon School Board tabled a decision on the sale of a home in Washington State. The condominium duplex was bequeathed to the District from the estate of Jeanette LaFoy, but the matter was put on hold, Trager said, because there was no money left to pay for attorney fees and related matters. The home was recently appraised for $205,000, and there was an interested buyer, but their initial offer was not acceptable. The District came back with $195,000, but Mr. Trager had not heard back as of Monday evening. If there’s no word by Tuesday, Trager said he would locate a local real estate agent, in hopes of listing it at $230,000 at the start.
• The Board approved Bonding Regulations in their Policy, and a Resolution Authorizing an Official Statement for the Bond Sale, in the amount of $1.110-million dollars. Mr. Trager said that figure is comprised of $7.5-million for the General Obligation Bonds and $1.61-million for the Series 2020 Refunding Bonds.
• And, the Audubon School Board approved the hiring of Andrew Renkin as Social Studies/At-Risk Teacher.

In his report to the Board, Superintendent Trager said the District’s Return to Learn plan, which is due July 1st, has three parts: Mandatory Remote Learning (what happens if school can’t be held?); A Hybrid plan (What happens if only half the students are allowed at any given time?); the third is a brick and mortar, back to normal plan ( What will be done to make sure everyone stays safe?). There is a team working on the plan in preparation for the deadline.

Trager said also, the District has received $68,483 from the CARES Act Fund, which he says they will hold in reserve for now, to pay for an extra week of school with regard to hourly staff, possibly pay for Summer School, and the unknowns impacts associated with COVID-19.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office released a report on arrests, Monday evening. Sheriff Jeff Vandewater said there were two arrests on Saturday: 29-year old Christopher Patrick Carr, of Davenport, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Failure to serve a jail sentence. Carr turned himself-in, served his required time, and was released the following night. Also arrested May 16th, was 25-year old Cody Alan Brommel, of Redfield, who was taken into custody by Stuart Police at around 2:50-a.m. for Felony Burglary in the 3rd Degree. His arrest followed an incident at a residence in Stuart earlier that same morning. Brommel was released later in the day on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

On May 13th, 36-year old Tim LeeRoy Wambold, Jr., of Fontanelle, was arrested by Adair County Deputies, for Violation of a No Contact Order. He was released the next day on his Own Recognizance. And, 26-year old Jeffrey Dwane Ott, of Greenfield, was arrested May 13th, on an Adair County warrant for Violation of Probation. Ott was released the following day on a $1,000 cash/surety bond.

Mills County Public Health officials, Monday, said there was one additional, positive case of COVID-19 confirmed in the county. Additional details on the age and location of the patient were not released. The additional positive case brings to 13 the total number of confirmed cases in Mills County.

Nine people have recovered from COVID-19 in the County. 341 have been tested.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests: 31-year old Anton Rynoldt Pfleger, of Omaha, was arrested on I-29, May 16th for Child Endangerment. His bond was set at $2,000. And, 35-year old Richard Sperry Germar, of Glenwood, was arrested May 18th, for Driving Under Suspension. Bond was set at $300.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has re-opened its lobby door for regular business to resume. Office hours of the office lobby are Monday – Friday 8AM – 4PM. Authorities ask that people who enter the office lobby practice social distancing skills. As always, an after-hours entrance is available, located on the west side of the building by the garage door for matters that can’t be handled by phone during business hours, or next business day.

Weapon permits are accepted during regular business office hours within the lobby. With regard to jail operations, officials say they will resume inmate visitation using the video visitation system: Only allow one person will be allowed to visit at a time, as the public video phones are closer than six-feet. You are asked to respect the policy and understand the new procedures at this time.

Officials with Harrison County Home and Public Health reported today (Monday), “We have confirmed that there is an 18th positive case in Harrison County. The individual is in isolation at home.”

More information is expected to be released soon.

The Iowa Department of Public Health and Taylor County Public Health, have identified one additional case of COVID-19 in the county. The person affected is between 18-and 40 years of age. The latest results brings the total number of case positives in Taylor County, to three.

Officials with Pottawattamie County Public Health (PCPH), Monday (Today), reported Nine new COVID-19 positive cases among residents of Council Bluffs. One person is 18-to 40 years of age, two are 41-to 60, six are 61-to 80 years old. They were tested between May 7th and 15th. As of today (Monday), 2,060 Pott. County residents have been tested for the virus, with 171 having tested positive.

Two persons who tested positive are hospitalized, 92 or self-isolating, and 74 have fully recovered. As previously mentioned, the vast majority of COVID-19 positive cases in Pottawattamie County have not required hospitalization, and have been able to fully recover at home. On May 18th, two additional cases were tracked via PCPH contact tracing investigations, bringing the current number of community spread cases down from 55 to 53.

For additional COVID-19 information, including case demographics filtered by county, go to https://coronavirus.iowa.gov/.

In honor of Memorial Day, Greenfield’s Ray “Bubba” Sorensen will repaint the 12-foot tall, approximately 60-ton boulder known as the “Freedom Rock,” to pay tribute to our military men and women. Sorensen started painting the original Freedom Rock® the first week of May and plans to be finished by Memorial Day 2020. The rock, located south of Interstate 80 in Adair County, just east of Highway 25, will feature the men of Iwo Jima “Raising of the Flag” on the front side.

Work in progress photos courtesy Maria Sorensen/Freedom Rock Communications Coordinator.

The Marine Corps has closed the investigation on who took part in the iconic Flag Raising. They determined one of the men was an Iowan, Harold Keller. The side of the rock flows from the front lines of yesterday into the front lines of today, with a military nurse wearing a mask, eclipsing the USNS Comfort, as it coasted into New York Harbor. The previously painted Vietnam Era Huey helicopter stays on the Rock again this year, as the paint that it is comprised of has been mixed with the ashes of our Vietnam Veterans since 2006.

Sorensen is not commissioned for his work on the original Freedom Rock® in Menlo, Iowa but works as an independent mural artist on the Iowa Freedom Rock® Tour. He is only able to complete about ten rocks
per year, due to scheduling and weather and is currently booked into the 2021 year. “I always say I have three goals with ‘The Freedom Rock® Tour’ and that is to honor America’s Veterans, promote Iowa tourism and provide for my family.” Sorensen said.

The Freedom Rock® Tour in Iowa will be concluding soon and the Sorensen’s are looking to form the Freedom Rock® Foundation, a nonprofit to care for and upkeep and create the Freedom Rocks® and
Veterans memorials across the state and country. For a list of complete counties booked for the Tour and locations of already existing Freedom Rocks®, please visit www.thefreedomrock.com.

Although it is Sorensen’s 22nd annual year of painting the original Freedom Rock®, this is Sorensen’s eighth year on the Freedom Rock® Tour across Iowa. This also marked the fourth year since Sorensen began the 50 State Freedom Rock® Tour with rocks already painted in Missouri and Wisconsin, Minnesota and Washington. Freedom Rocks® have been booked for the states of North Dakota and Nebraska
Sorensen plans to be at The Freedom Rock® over Memorial Day weekend, including Memorial Day to meet with visitors.

Calendars as well as other merchandise are also available to help offset costs for the project. Social distancing practices will be implemented.