The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will meet in a regular session Wednesday (Aug. 10th) in the High School Media Center, beginning at 5:30-p.m., among the items on their agenda, is discussion (following the action items), with regard to the District’s cell phone policy.

During their meeting July 13th, the Board discussed the possibility of adopting a blanket cell phone policy, which would cover all the district’s schools, not just the High School, Schuler and Washington Schools. Those facilities ban cell phone usage during the school day, anywhere in the buildings. The Atlantic Middle School currently has a separate policy in place, according to School Board member Jenny Williams. She says the Middle School allows cell phones on a student’s person but  must be turned off.

Williams said she preferred to have a policy that is consistent across the board. She said once students walk into the district’s buildings, their cell phones should be kept in their backpacks and not be used until the end of the day. She cited studies tying high cell phone use during the school day as a factor in lowering students’ GPA’s. School Board member Dr. Keith Swanson pointed to an article in the Wall Street Journal, that said a Rutgers’s University Professor is banning cell phones and all electronic devices in his classrooms this fall. Swanson said the studies he’s read prove that “People who take notes physically have a much better memory than those who just type them into an electronic device.” He added “And we are no longer teaching kids to write.”

Other discussion during the meeting will focus on the District’s facilities, and IASB legislative priorities. Action items on the agenda include a Resolution directing the sale of $5.89-million in School Infrastructure Sales, Services and Use Tax Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2016. Action on the bond matter will be preceded by consideration of financing proposals opened and reviewed by Superintendent Mike Amstein, Board Secretary Mary Beth Fast and the Placement Agent.

Later, the Board will act on approving the resignations of Trace Petersen as Head Baseball Coach and Jared Merkel as Assistant Freshman Football Coach. Also, contracts or Letters of Assignment for: Terry Hinzman as Head 7th grade Boys Basketball Coach; Trace Petersen as Head 7th grade Girls Basketball Coach & 8th grade boys Track Coach; Gaylord Schelling as Asst. Junior Varsity Football Coach; Brandon Krause as Asst. Freshman Football Coach; Julia Gross as Asst. Cross-Country, Boys/Girls; Michelle McLaren as 8th grade Volleyball Coach, and Macie Silliman, as Head Middle School Cross Country Coach.

The Iowa DNR says Iowa hunters this fall will have access to hunt on more than 25,000 acres of private land on 132 sites around the state as part of a program that helps landowners improve habitat on portions of their land in exchange for allowing hunter access.

The Iowa Habitat and Access Program (IHAP) provide expertise and funding to landowners who are interested in improving wildlife habitat on their property. Landowner participation varies from three to 10 years depending upon the contracts.

“Hunters told us they felt access to private land was an important step to improving their hunting experience and to attracting new hunters to the outdoors. We were fortunate to have this opportunity to provide them with access to these areas through the IHAP,” said Kelly Smith, private lands program coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources who manages the IHAP.

Areas are posted with signs, are regularly patrolled by Iowa DNR conservation officers and will be treated like public hunting ground, with the noted exception that it is private property.

“Hunters should respect private property, stay on the land enrolled in the program and pick up after themselves,” Smith said. “This program is only available because landowners were willing to participate in it.”

Site maps are available at www.iowadnr.gov/ihap showing boundaries, which species would be most likely attracted to the habitat and the location of a checkout box where hunters are asked to leave their comments on the program. The checkout cards are used to evaluate the program to see if hunters are getting what they expected from the program.

Walk-in public hunting through IHAP is available between September 1 and May 31. The IHAP is supported with money from Federal Farm Bill and Habitat Stamp.

The Iowa DNR says a new license went on sale July 13th that allows anyone age 16 and older to bypass the hunter education requirement for purchasing a hunting license while they give hunting a try under the direct supervision of an experienced, licensed adult hunter.

“We want to reach out to our fellow Iowans who missed hunter education when they were 12 and are now in their 20s and 30s and are interested in trying dove hunting or small game hunting,” said Megan Wisecup, hunter education administrator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “If they like it, we can get them in the hunter education program and hopefully they become lifelong hunters.”

The apprentice hunting license includes the habitat fee and is available to residents for $30 and nonresidents for $123. There must be one licensed adult mentor hunter for each apprentice hunter. The apprentice hunting license may be purchased up to two times without having completed hunter education.

Resident apprentice licenses may be used to pursue small game and as the hunting license requirement for deer and turkey licenses and waterfowl stamps. A person hunting with an apprentice license must shoot and tag their own deer or turkey.

The nonresident apprentice hunting license is not allowed as a license for nonresidents to hunt deer or turkey. The apprentice program was approved by the Iowa legislature and signed by Governor Branstad during the 2015 session. More information is available online at www.iowadnr.gov/learntohunt.

Iowa’s corn and soybean crops continued to do well as the calendar turned to August. The latest U-S-D-A report shows 83 percent of the corn is rated in good to excellent condition. The report says 94 percent of the soybeans are blooming which is six days ahead of last year. Seventy-nine percent of soybeans were setting pods which is one week ahead of normal.

The majority of the soybean crop is also in good shape — with 82 percent rated good to excellent. The crops have plenty of moisture to draw on, with 83 percent of the topsoil moisture in the state rated adequate and five percent showing a surplus. The same levels were reported for subsoil moisture as well.

(Radio Iowa)

Cass County Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns today (Tuesday), released a list of persons who have filed nomination papers to run for County Offices during the November 8th General Election. The candidates whose names will appear on the ballot include:

• Steve Green, of Atlantic -Republican candidate for the Cass County Board of Supervisors in District 1. (Elect 1)
• Dana Kunze, of Griswold – Democrat candidate for the Cass County Board of Supervisors in District 4. Kunze will face a challenge from Republican Steve Baier, who’s also from Griswold. (Elect 1)
• Two candidates have filed to run for the Cass County Board of Supervisors in District 5: Republican Incumbent Frank Waters, of Cumberland, and No Party candidate Randy J. Pollock, of Anita. (Elect 1)
• Cass County incumbent Republican Auditor Dale Sunderman is currently unopposed in his bid for re-election, as is Cass County Republican incumbent Sheriff, Darby McLaren. (elect 1 for each position)
• And, two Republicans have filed papers to fun for the County Agricultural Extension Council incumbents Julie Aupperle, of Wiota, and Darrin Petty, of Atlantic. (4 seats are open on the Council)

Monday was the first day for candidates to file nomination papers with the Cass County Auditor’s Office. The last day to file, is Aug. 31^st. Nomination petitions and other election forms are available at the office of the Cass County Auditor, as well as from the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office at sos.iowa.gov.

(Update: The Board of Supervisors will meet in the basement meeting room at the Courthouse, as their Board Room on the Main floor will not be available, Wednesday)

The Cass County Board of Supervisors are set to act on a few resolutions and other matters to come before them, during their meeting Wednesday morning, in Atlantic. First up, the Board is expected to hear a request for the “Fulfilling Iowa’s Need for Dentists (FIND)” project, where up to $100,000 will be dedicated to dental education debt over a five-year period (25% from the community, 25% from the State of Iowa and 50% from Delta Dental.

The Supervisors will also act on a resolution abating taxes for a 1981 and 1974 mobile home (where it is impractical to collect the tax) and related Disabled Veteran Exemption. They’ll also act on a Resolution abating the tax for a parcel of land now owned by the City of Lewis, and an Order to Terminate Audubon County’s Plan of Reimbursement to Cass County, for Administrative Assistant Service rendered to the Audubon County Attorney’s Office, and then set the rate of compensation for an Administrative Assistant.

In other business, the Cass County Supervisors are expected to act on amending or rescinding the Cass County Information Technology Policy that was adopted July 29th, and act on approving the promotion of an employee to fill a Secondary Roads vacancy. Their meeting begins at 8:30-p.m. in the basement meeting room at the Courthouse, in Atlantic.

The Iowa Transportation Commission today (Tuesday), approved approximately $6.3 million for the fiscal year 2017 State Aviation Program, which includes several subprograms. Airport Development Projects funds approved include $133,650 for the resurfacing and overlay of Runway 17/35 at the Mount Ayr Municipal Airport, $174,675 for the removal of obstructions/Runway-Safety Area Grading at the Winterset Municipal Airport, and $7,000 for Hangar updates at the Denison Municipal Airport.

The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) will fund $4 million for aviation safety, planning, and airport development projects at 24 airports throughout Iowa. AIP programs are funded with revenue from aircraft registration fees and aviation fuel taxes. Aviation vertical infrastructure programs will provide $2.25 million for projects at nine general aviation airports and eight commercial service airports throughout Iowa.

Those programs provide funding for the maintenance and development of airport facilities, such as terminal buildings, maintenance facilities, and aviation hangars. Vertical infrastructure programs are funded from aircraft registration fees, aviation fuel taxes, and the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund (RIIF).

A collision Sunday afternoon in Mills County resulted in one person being transported to the hospital. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says 73-year old Marvin Powles, of Glenwood, was taken by Silver City Rescue to UNMC in Omaha, after the 2013 Buick he was driving was hit on the passenger side by a 2012 Honda. The driver of the Honda, 43-year old John Pakiz, of Omaha, was not hurt. Deputies cited him for Failure to Yield upon entering a through highway. The accident happened at around 2-p.m. Sunday, at the intersection of 221st Street and Barrus Road.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two recent arrests. Late Sunday evening, 43-year old Julia Dianne Crouse, of Hastings, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Driving Under Suspension. Crouse was taken into custody following a traffic stop on Highway 34, in Mills County. Her bond was set at $1,600.

The Sheriff’s Office said also, 41-year old Randy Leon Hopkin, of Clarinda, was arrested Friday evening for Criminal Mischief. Hopkins was arrested in Emerson and held in the Mills County Jail on a $300 bond.

(8-a.m. News)

Police in Creston arrested a man Monday night on drug and alcohol charges. 34-year old Joseph Christman, of Creston, was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Christman was brought to the Union County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond. And, Monday afternoon, Creston Police arrests 34-year old Raymond Davis, of Creston, on a warrant charging him with Failure to Serve his Jail Sentence. Davis was being held in the Union County Jail until the balance of his sentence is served.

(8-a.m. News)