(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic School District Superintendent Dr. Beth Johnsen, Wednesday, discussed with the School Board, “Protective Procedures,” with regard to school safety, in light of the fatal shootings in the Perry Community School District in January. On January 23, district officials met with Law Enforcement, a representative of the Cass County Communications Center and others in the community, to ask and answer questions, with the ultimate goal of becoming better organized to react to potential threats school districts face.

Dr. Johnsen says involving students in the process of keeping the District’s buildings safe, is essential because of what they see happening, and what could be done prevent a potential incident from taking place.

Atlantic School Board President Kristy Pellett (Left), & Superintendent Johnsen.

She said Atlantic’s elementary school building Principals are involving parents in the process, and explaining the District’s A.L.I.C.E. (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate) training.

A District Safety Committee meeting is set to take place February 26^th, during which they expect to hear feedback from students and parent groups. In other business, Dr. Johnsen mentioned she and others will be flying to Phoenix, AZ next week, to attend a nationwide TLC (Teacher Leadership & Compensation) Summit.

She said “As administrators and as leaders of the district, we hope to pick up on good practices and then when we get back, its’ ‘what’s our next steps?’”

In other business, the Atlantic School Board, Wednesday night, reviewed and discussed a “Staff Culture Survey,” and Dr. Johnsen touched a bit on the Board’s 2023-24 Strategic Priorities.

(Radio Iowa) – A singer, composer, guitarist and humanitarian from the Middle Eastern nation of Jordan is showcasing her musical talents in southeast Iowa this week. Farah Siraj is making multiple appearances in Oskaloosa, including at the George Daily Auditorium where Allison McGuire is the community engagement and education director. McGuire says Siraj is being accompanied by musicians from all over the world, singing in Arabic, English and Spanish.

Oskaloosa is the current Iowa host of the Arts Midwest’s World Fest. McGuire says the program offers small Midwestern communities once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to learn about the world from musicians inside and outside the U-S.

In the past year and a half, World Fest has also brought in musicians from Finland, Alaska and Ghana, who’ve engaged thousands of Mahaska County residents, performing at schools, bookstores, coffee shops, and as the halftime show of college basketball games.

George Daily Auditorium – Home

(Radio Iowa) – A bill to set new state limits on the sale of hemp-infused pills, food and beverages is eligible for consideration in a House committee. The 2018 Farm Bill made it legal to grow hemp and a state law passed a year later allows the sale of non-intoxicating hemp products. The bill sets a significant penalty for selling hemp-infused products with high levels of T-H-C, the substance in marijuana that creates that high. Josie Wagler is legislative liaison for the Iowa Department of Public Safety, which proposed the bill.

“We’ve seen an emergence of high potency, high THC products hit the market,” Wagler says, “and, coupled with that, there are no age restrictions for purchasing these products.” The bill would make it illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to buy consumable hemp products in Iowa. Leslie Carpenter of Iowa Mental Health Advocates says research shows a higher incidence of psychotic disorders among teens who’ve consumed products with high levels of T-H-C.

“I fully support medical marijuana,” Carpenter says. “It’s the high potency THC products and that currently a child can walk into a store and purchase them that makes me very concerned.” Scott Booher, who operates Four Winds Farm and Apothecary in the Amana Colonies, says he makes non-psychoactive products and the bill lumps him in with bad actors.

“Some of these people who are creating high THC products need to be held accountable in a different way,” Booher said, “maybe not with people who have low THC products.” Rachel Gulick owns House of Glass in Des Moines which sells consumable hemp products. She says the bill is designed to favor the state-licensed businesses allowed to grow, manufacture and sell medical marijuana in Iowa.

“It seems to me that we are trying to monopolize the industry for a very specific, private interest,” she said. A hemp grower told legislators got state permission to produce hemp as a food ingredient on January 31st — and this bill attempts to ban it.

The Republican lawmakers who advanced the bill say intoxicating hemp products are being sold and served in Iowa and it’s time for legislators to act.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education met this (Wednesday) evening in the Atlantic High School Media Center. During their session, the Board approved the following resignations:

• Michelle Fritz, Middle School Teacher (effective at the end of the current school year)
• Sarah Rose, H.S. Counselor (effective at the end of the current school year)
• Maria Pearson, M.S. Librarian (effective at the end of the current school year), and
• Julie Van Maanen, Schuler Title 1 Teacher

And, Contract Recommendations and/or Letters of Assignment for:

• Volunteer Coaches for 2024 Spring Athletic Programs
• Caine Page, Substitute Van/Suburban Driver
• Lori Hayes, Schuler Sped Para, long-term sub (February-End of School year).

The Board agreed to move forward with the advertising of and the hiring for, a Director of Student Services. Superintendent Dr. Beth Johnsen said the position would cover several areas and programs.

The matter was tabled, though, because Board members said they wanted more information on the specifics of the position and vote on it as an action item during their Work Session on February 28th at the Achievement Center.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board approved: The second reading of certain Board Policies; A Change Order in the amount of $900 for the Storage Building project (Top soil to use as fill-dirt); and a pay application for the Storage Building. They also approved a Southwest Iowa Apex Consortium (SWIAC) 28-E (cost sharing) agreement. Dr. Johnsen said APEX is a behavior intervention/vocational program for students who may need that type of support. Currently, no Atlantic students are included in the program.

Early-on in their meeting the Board heard presentations from Transportation Director Steve Andersen, and iJag Instructor Guy Somers, along with iJAG program graduate Brianna Atkins.

(Radio Iowa) – Leaders of the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice are lobbying against bills Republicans have introduced in the Iowa legislature. Vanessa Marcano-Kelly led a rally at the Iowa Capitol today (Wednesday). “Every election year they attack immigrants and lean into misinformation and fear to try and mobilize their voters,” she said. One bill would require all Iowa companies to use the federal government’s E-Verify system to check whether employees are citizens or legal residents.

Another would block undocumented immigrants who’ve graduated from an Iowa high school from being eligible for in-state tuition at community colleges or the three state universities. Twenty-seven-year-old Cecilia Martinez says she’s lived in Iowa for 26 years, graduated from an Iowa high school and, with federal deferred action on her immigration status, she was able to graduate from a state university.

“Immigrants, refugees, whatever the status is, we do contribute to this state,” she said. “We continue to the economy. We contribute to our communities.” The group objects to a third bill that would make it a felony to use a vehicle, boat or plane in Iowa to hide an undocumented immigrant from authorities. Louis Gomez, who’s lived in Iowa since 2001, was an undocumented immigrant for the first 10 years he lived in the state.

“I am now a soccer coach at a local high school and my soccer team, 90% of them come from an immigrant family or are immigrants themselves,” he said. “…This bill would put me at risk of being charged with a Class B felony…for doing my job as a soccer coach and driving kids from practice back to school.”

Republicans who back the bills say if the federal government won’t enforce immigration laws, the state will — and the taxpayers of Iowa should not have their money going to people who are not here legally.

ATLANTIC, IA (February 8, 2024) – Produce in the Park’s Sweetheart Market 2024 is this Saturday, February 10, from 12 PM – 3 PM at the Nishna Valley Family YMCA. Local favorite food truck Zipp’s Pizza will be on site, and the YMCA will set up free bounce houses for the kids. Vendors at this year’s Sweetheart Market will include food vendors offering a variety of local
foods–from fresh produce and meat, to fresh breads and desserts–as well as craft vendors selling wood products, decorations such as handmade gnomes, crocheted items, jewelry, candles, and more.

Sweetheart Market Vendor list as of February 7:

• Bridgewater Farm
• Sugar Mama Cookie Co.
• Frosting, Inc.
• Brun Ko Farm
• Imagine Garden Gift
• Cakes, Cookies, and Confections
• The Kringle Man
• Creekside Crystal and Crafts
• Aubreys Bows
• Ter Bear Honey
• Solis Wolf Woodworking
• Gnome-atic Fanatics
• Neighborhood Bakehouse
• Shelbi Crochets
• Dragonfly Creations
• Threads by Callie
• Rustic Door Boutique
• ReMakes
• Providence Farm
• Flathers Tastefully Simple
• Twisted Sisters Boutique
• Smelly Farms
• Rising Traditions Bakery
• Juj’n Juj’n

Sweetheart Market 2024 is sponsored by Cass Health, Gregg Young of Atlantic, First Whitney Bank & Trust, Nishna Valley Family YMCA, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Atlantic. For the latest information on Sweetheart Market and all Produce in the Park markets, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/).

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna reports Montgomery County conducted a Special Election for the City of Coburg City Council TFV (To Fill a Vacancy) race, on Tuesday February 06, 2024, at Precinct 6 at the Stanton Community Center in Stanton, Iowa. (Unofficial Results shown below)

The Canvass of Votes will be conducted on Tuesday February 13, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. in the Supervisors meeting room in the basement at the Montgomery County Courthouse. A post-election audit of the special election was ordered by the Secretary Of State’s Office (standard procedure). By random selection, Precinct 6/City of Coburg will be the audited precinct. The polling place for Precinct 6 is the Stanton Community Building.

The Montgomery County Auditor’s Office will conduct the audit on Tue., Feb. 13th, beginning at 9-a.m. The audit will take place in the old Supervisor’s meeting room on the first floor of courthouse, in Red Oak. The proceedings are open to the public.