The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education, Wednesday night, approved several matters on their agenda, including a 2019-2020 contract for Superintendent Steve Barber. After previous discussions between the Board and Mr. Barber, it was decided there would be no change of language in his contract, and a 2% salary increase. Board member Dr. Keith Swanson indicated that was not sufficient.

Swanson said, “I think we’re being chintzy, ok? I sat with this Board and we approved a $5,000 raise to a person who had resigned. And this doesn’t come out near that, ok? And I think we have an excellent Superintendent and if we don’t pay him adequately, we aren’t going to keep an adequate Superintendent.” Barber has taken up many extra duties, including mowing for the District on the weekends. When it came time for a vote, Swanson paused, but then voted yes, along with the rest of the Board.

The Board also voted to approve a 2019-2020 Sharing Agreement with the CAM School District, with regard to the services of Atlantic’s Business Manager Sarah Sheeder. It will be the second year for the agreement, the costs of which are split 70-30 between the Districts.

In his report to the Board, Superintendent Barber said the District has received a Volkswagen Settlement Grant to replace two of the diesel buses with propane buses. Each grant is worth $28,150, for a total of $56,250. The District received $20,000 for their last bus purchase, and converting the two buses to propane from diesel will bring the propane-powered fleet from seven-to nine. He also reminded citizens that the Washington Parking lot and lane parking areas are closed until further notice, due to construction. Parking is available in the Middle School/Schuler parking lot, and surrounding street parking.

Cass County EMA Director Mike Kennon

The Atlantic School Board heard from Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon, Wednesday. He spoke with regard to working on an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). Kennon said he’s worked closely with Superintendent Barber to update Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) information, and there’s been a lot of things happening behind the scenes that are not widely known.

He said also, that “The expectations of people, when they talk about the school, they expect the school to be ‘Fort Knox’ for ‘bad people,’ they’re not going to get in. But the reality is really much different. The school is exposed to many threats, hazards and vulnerabilities. The purpose of the Atlantic Community School District [EOP] is to outline the responsibilities and duties of school employees, students, parents, and guardians, in an emergency.”

Kennon said “Development of this plan has been done in collaboration with community response partners, to ensure coordinated stakeholder participation in the best utilization of available resources. The planning effort,” he said, “along with training and exercises, empowers everyone involved in an emergency to act quickly and knowledgeably.” The plan is similar to one in use by Cass County, but on a smaller scale. It’s still an “all hazards” approach, covering a full spectrum of emergencies and disasters, not just an “Active shooter” scenario.

The Iowa Dept. of Transportation reports mobility between Omaha and Council Bluffs should be easier, now that when Interstate 29 between I-680 near Crescent and N. 25th Street in Council Bluffs and I-680 from I-29 to the Nebraska border has re-opened to traffic. The roads officially re-opened at around 3-p.m., Wednesday.

All lanes of I-29 are open, but traffic will not be allowed to continue north of I-680 on I-29.  For I-680, both westbound lanes are open, and one eastbound lane is available for traffic.

Those areas had been closed since late May due to flooding in the area for a second time this spring. Part of the repairs from earlier flooding included adding stabilizing elements to the ditches on I-680 to minimize future flood damage. Those elements have proven their worth in that there is minimal damage from this second round of flooding to the roadway/shoulder and slope areas where the repairs were completed.

Other segments of I-29, as well as U.S. 34, Iowa 2, Iowa 275 and Iowa 333 remain closed. Travelers should check 511ia.org, the Iowa 511 mobile apps or call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide) for up-to-date closure information on state-owned roadways across Iowa. Closures due to flooding can be viewed by turning on the incident layer on the online map and mobile app.

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer, Wednesday, said a man was arrested on numerous charges following a traffic stop that escalated into a pursuit, Tuesday night, with speeds of the suspect vehicle reaching over 100 mph at times. At around 11:18-p.m. Deputies from the Page County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by 26-year old Robert Castillo, of Bedford, for an equipment violation. The incident began near the intersection of P Avenue and 220th Street, about one-mile west of Clarinda.

The vehicle is owned by Damien & Joleen Most of Corning, IA.  Joleen Most was a passenger in the vehicle. As the Deputy initiated the traffic stop, the vehicle sped up and continued west on 220th. The vehicle went into a field of planted corn and made a wide “U” turn, causing approximately $1000.00 damage to the crops. The vehicle then re-entered 220th continuing west until O Avenue where it turned north. The car continued north on O Avenue to the intersection of 200th Street, where it turned east, with Deputies still in pursuit. Deputies continued to pursue the vehicle on gravel and dirt roads until a tire on the Pontiac had been lost due to the vehicle running over controlled tire deflation tools, otherwise known as Stop Sticks.

James R. Castillo

Deputies detained Most and arrested Castillo on a Page County District warrant for Probation Violation with a bond of $20,000. Additional charges resulting from the pursuit include: Criminal Mischief 3rd degree (aggravated misdemeanor); Possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) 3rd or subsequent offense (class D Felony); Reckless driving (simple misdemeanor); Possession of drug paraphernalia (simple misdemeanor); Eluding (class D Felony), and Driving while barred / habitual offender (aggravated misdemeanor).

Castillo was also being held on a Montgomery County Warrant for Probation violation. His combined bond on the charges and warrants is $50,000. Joleen Most was released from the scene and has no charges at this time as a result of the incident.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Clarinda Police Department Officers and Clarinda Police Department K-9 Raiko.

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines woman has won a $300,000 scratch ticket lottery prize The Iowa Lottery says Patricia Inman won the sixth of 10 top prizes available in the Iowa Lottery’s “Colossal Crossword” scratch game. She bought the winning ticket at a convenience store in Des Moines and claimed her prize on Monday at lottery headquarters in Clive. Colossal Crossword is a $30 scratch game that features overall odds of 1 in 2.29.

Since the lottery’s start in 1985, players have won more than $4.3 billion in prizes, and the lottery has raised more than $1.9 billion for a variety of state programs that help military veterans, schools, tourism and others.

(Radio Iowa) — The Republican state senator who is challenging Republican Congressman Steve King’s bid for reelection is giving up a powerful legislative chairmanship to devote more time to the primary race. Republican Randy Feenstra of Hull has been chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee since 2017. In a written statement, Feenstra cited the panel’s work since Republicans took control of the Senate three years ago — most notably the 2018 bill that cut state income taxes. Feenstra said he had “worked productively” with other Republicans in the statehouse. Feenstra has sought to contrast his legislative record with King’s.

In January, Republican leaders in the U.S. House removed King from congressional committees to signal the G-O-P “won’t tolerate” white supremacy. King has said his comments have been taken out of context and he’s been lobbying to be reassigned to House committees. ANNOUNCER OUT: King faces Feenstra and two other Republican challengers in next year’s primary in Iowa’s fourth congressional district. Yesterday, C-N-N and Bloomberg Politics reported King asked, but was not allowed to fly to Iowa with President Trump on Air Force One. Trump, while speaking at an Iowa G-O-P fundraiser last night, acknowledged several elected officials and party leaders in the audience — but didn’t mention King.

The Montgomery County Fair Queen, sponsored by the Montgomery County Fair Board, will be crowned on Tuesday, July 16, at 7:30 PM at the Fairgrounds Auditorium. To qualify, contestants must be at least 16 years of age and not more than 21 years of age on August 8, 2019 (the first day of the State Fair), have not been married, be enrolled in school (or be a high school graduate), and be an active member of at least one worthwhile organization in her community.

The Montgomery County Fair Queen Contest Judging will be held on Sunday, July 7 at 4 PM in the Conference Center on the Lower Level of the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak. The judging will begin with the introduction of the sponsors and candidates with light refreshments being served, followed by individual interviews.

If you are interested in running for this honor, stop by the Extension Office at 400 Bridge Street for the application form, or you can also download the information at www.extension.iastate.edu/montgomery . Please be sure to access all information if you do so online, including the information letter, rules, and entry form. Applications are due at the Extension Office by noon on Wednesday, July 3rd.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines woman accused of binding her children’s hands and feet to keep them under control has been sentenced to two years of probation. Court records show that 38-year-old Jessica Henderson also was fined $625 during her sentencing last week. She had entered Alford pleas to three counts of child endangerment. In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a likely conviction had the case gone to trial.

School officials contacted police in August about a photograph taken in March 2018 that showed the children tied up on a floor. Henderson has said a friend bound the children when she was in another room. Authorities haven’t said who took the photograph. Police say the children, ages 9, 5 and 4, were taken to a hospital but hadn’t suffered significant injuries.