***UPDATE 10/4/23: The appeal request has been withdrawn. Therefore, the Oct. 5 special meeting / hearing has been cancelled.***

(Griswold, Iowa) – The Griswold School District’s Board of Education will hold a special meeting Thursday evening in the Conference Room at 20 Madison Street, beginning at 6:30-p.m. According to the agenda, the meeting is being called to conduct a hearing on “Imposed disciplinary action of a patron,” and includes action on a motion to “Affirm or overturn [the] Administration’s Disciplinary Action imposed on a patron.”

Griswold School District Superintendent Dave Henrichs told KJAN News the incident sparking the disciplinary action occurred during a football game on Sept. 22nd.

Henrichs didn’t want to elaborate prior to the School Board’s meeting on what the patron allegedly did to warrant the disciplinary action, so as to not influence their discussion, but he did speak with regard to his decision to implement the punishment for it.

Henrichs didn’t wish to comment on whether or not the Board with affirm or overturn his decision.

He was asked if this was the first time such action against a patron has place against a Griswold School patron.

The public is welcome to attend Thursday evening’s meeting, since it is not a closed session. Looking ahead to the Board’s next – regular- meeting on Oct. 16th, Dave Henrichs said they should receive information on the Griswold School District’s certified enrollment numbers that will be submitted to the State.

(Creston, Iowa) – A Union County woman was arrested Monday evening. Creston Police report 42-year-old Megan Marie Brown, of Creston, was arrested in the 100 block of Manor Drive, at around 5:15-p.m.  Brown was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Persons Ineligible to Carry Dangerous Weapons, and Driving while Barred. She was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $3,300 cash or surety bond.

(Mt. Crescent, IA) – Pottawattamie County Conservation is developing plans for expanding four-season recreation opportunities at Mt. Crescent Ski Area near Crescent, and they want to hear from you! The hope is the Mount Crescent Ski Area will attract visitors from surrounding states all year long. There are open houses set to take place at Arrowhead Park’s Breezy Lodge this Friday, from 6-until 8-p.m., and on Saturday from 1-until 5-p.m., at the Mount Crescent Ski Lodge.

During the open houses, you’ll have an opportunity to learn more about development options at Mt. Crescent and share your ideas for what you’d like to see. Enjoy complimentary drinks and snacks while kicking back at a bonfire or joining us for guided hikes. Participants will be entered into fun raffles for ski packages leading into the 2023-2024 season.

The Mt. Crescent Ski Area is located 15mi northeast of Omaha, Nebraska in southwest Iowa’s Loess Hills.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue is scheduled to appear before the City Council during their meeting at 5:30-p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 4th). Chief Hogue will update the Council on his department’s plans to address junk vehicle violations. In other business, the Council will act on a Resolution “Approving the dedication of [the] Redwood Subdivision to the City of Atlantic.”

During their meeting in April, 2022, the Council approved the preliminary plat for the subdivision, with the final plat having been approved in June of 2022. Both plats created nine new lots for low-density residential, single-family homes, and extended a cul-de-sac (East 20th St.) with utility service and right-of-way (ROW), west of Redwood Drive. A stipulation of the preliminary plat states “The public infrastructure improvements (streets, sewer, storm water & water main) shall be dedicated to the City of Atlantic.” The Resolution will complete the transfer of the ROW and improvements within, to the City.

Other Council action is expected with regard to “Approving the Transfer of Funds for the First Quarter of Fiscal Year 2023-24,” which City Administrator John Lund says is a routine transfer of money for the City’s 63 separate funds, and is a critical component of making the City’s budget work effectively. It also reconciles accurate cost-accounting with the desire to create transparency on what is being spent in each line item in each fund. The transfers, Lund says, are always in accordance with State Law.

In the past, Lund notes, the City simply followed the budget on the transfers as sufficient documentation of activity, but the auditors are now requiring that a separate resolution be passed as the transfers occur.

The Atlantic City Council meeting takes place in their Chambers at City Hall.

DANBURY, Iowa (KCAU) — A state investigation has led to an arrest warrant being issued in Woodbury County. According to the Iowa State Auditor’s Office, more than $177,000 of improper disbursements were made by former Danbury City Clerk Stacy Rockdaschel, between March 1, 2020, and May 31, 2022. Following the release of State Auditor Rob Sand’s investigation, Woodbury County authorities issued an arrest warrant for Rockdaschel on charges of ongoing criminal conduct and first-degree theft.

Rochdaschel resigned from her position as city clerk on May 15, 2022. The auditor’s report outlines hundreds of improper disbursements for clothing and accessories, as well as thousands of dollars in improper charges involving PayPal, social media vendors, Venmo, and Amazon. Sand also identified $26,500 of estimated undeposited collections. The auditorsaid reform is needed in order to deter people from stealing from local governments.

Stacy-Rockdaschel-Booking-photo

Right now, there’s no mandatory minimum for officials who embezzle funds from city or county coffers. Additionally, Sand is recommending the city implement procedures to ensure the city’s internal controls are strengthened.

FORT DODGE, Iowa — Fort Dodge Police have released the name of the man who was shot and killed on Sunday. At around 8:42 p.m. officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 200 block of 3rd Ave. NW. When officers arrived on scene they discovered 44-year-old Jason A. Ruffridge unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite live-saving measures, Ruffridge died from his injuries at the scene.

No suspects or arrests have been made in the case. Fort Dodge Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact them at (515)573-7788 or contact Webster County Crime Stoppers at (515)573-1444 or online.

State Climatologist Justin Glisan says the month that just ended will be one of the warmer Septembers in the state weather book. “So we’re about 67 degrees as the average temperature for the state, and that’s almost four degrees above average,” Glisan says. “So looking at the preliminary record going back 151 years, looks like we’ll be in the top 20 warmest September’s on record.” Glisan says the final week of September really impacted the final number. “The last seven days we averaged almost 10 degrees above average,” he says. Glisan says September’s precipitation total didn’t do a lot to help pull the state out of the drought.

“We’re about one-point-four-two (1.42) inches below average on the precipitation side. Typically we’re about three and a half inches and we were about two inches over the last 30 days,” he says. Glisan says the short-term forecasts are signaling continued dry weather. “And then with that warmer temperature signal, a dry signal as well for the first half of the month. Looking at the overall climate prediction center outlooks, we see above average chances for warmer conditions for the entire month — but equal chances — we’re right in between wetter chances to our west and very dry conditions possible in the eastern part of the Corn Belt, right in the middle. So equal chances of above below or near average,” Glisan says.

He says that outlook is for the next seven to ten days.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A man arrested Monday afternoon in Red Oak faces charges that include Theft in the 5th Degree, 3rd Degree Harassment, Disorderly Conduct and Assault in Violation of [an] Individuals rights. Red Oak Police say 46-year-old Ronald Gordon Bingham, Jr., of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 3:36-p.m. in the 500 block of High Street. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 cash bond.

DES MOINES — U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) has announced his October mobile office hours across Iowa’s Third District to assist constituents who may not be able to travel to one of the Third District Congressional offices in Creston, Des Moines, and Ottumwa. Iowans will be able to attend these mobile office hours to get help from their Congressional office with Social Security, Medicare, passports, visas, veterans’ benefits, military records, tax returns, and other issues with federal government agencies.

“My top priority is providing excellent constituent services to Iowans,” said Rep. Nunn. “Our mobile office hours are an opportunity for Iowans to get help from their representative in their hometowns.”

The (area) schedule for October Mobile Office Hours is as follow:

Union County 
Afton City Hall 
115 East Kansas Street, Afton, IA 50836
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Guthrie County 
Bayard Public Library
315 Main Street, Bayard, IA 50029
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
 
Cass County 
Atlantic Public Library 
507 Poplar St, Atlantic, IA 50022
Thursday, October 12, 2023
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Montgomery County 
Stanton Community Center 
501 Elliot St, Stanton, IA 51573
Friday, October 13, 2023
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

(Radio Iowa) – Dry weather gave farmers almost a full week of field time and the latest corn and soybean harvest numbers show the result. The U-S-D-A report show 16 percent of corn was out of the fields by the end of last week. That is up nine percent from the previous week and the corn harvest is now four days ahead of last year and the five-year average. Corn condition improved slightly to 51 percent good to excellent.

The soybeans harvested more than doubled — hitting 24 percent — up from 11 percent the week before. Beans are right about on schedule, just one day ahead of last year, and equal to the average. Soybean condition improved two percentage points so 49 percent are rated in good to excellent condition.

Combine harvesting corn. (ISU Extension photo)