WALNUT, Iowa (AP) – The City of Walnut will take possession of a historic school building that will become vacant because the school district is dissolving. The Daily Nonpareil reports the City Council voted 4 to 1 to acquire the Walnut Community School building. The district, which is merging with the Avoca-based AHST district July 1, will give the school to the city. The three-story school dates to 1910 and has several additions.

Walnut City Clerk Terri Able says the council has asked the school district to demolish one of the additions, built in the 1950s. Able says the city will decide later what to do with the building. District officials opted to merge with the nearby district because of a steep drop in enrollment.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, will discuss, but are not expected to act on, procedures for taxpayer protests of assessments made by the County Assessor’s Office. The discussion is with regard to the Cass County Board of Review, a 5-member Board that reviews all assessments, and is appointed by the Conference Board. The meeting takes place in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the courthouse, beginning at 8:30-a.m., Wednesday.

The Supervisors will also act on passing a Resolution waiving the right to appeal an Iowa DNR construction issuance permit for Southwest Iowa Egg. They’ll also act on approving plans for bridge replacement projects, one on Yankton Road, the other on 740th Street.

And, the Supervisors will act on approving a FY 2017 Bargaining Unit agreement for Sheriff’s Deputies, Jailers and Sheriff’s Office Assistants.

Employers in Iowa are scrambling for more information on a new federal rule change on overtime pay. The U-S Department of Labor has raised the threshold on who’s eligible from around 23-thousand to more than 47-thousand dollars a year. Rob Green, executive director of the National Council of Chain Restaurants, expects a lot of legal challenges in Iowa and elsewhere. “We’re going to fight this,” Green say. “The regulation was just issued and we’re going to be going to lawmakers in Congress and telling the story of how it impacts Millennials. It impacts non-profit organizations, it impacts retail establishments, it impacts universities.”

Green says employers in Iowa are looking at ways to manage the new ruling, like limiting hours or raising salaries to just over the threshold. He says others workers could see pay cuts to offset the mandatory overtime. Green says, “If you’re working 50 hours as a manager, your employers can basically say, ‘Can’t afford that overtime, we’re going to bump you down to 40,’ and you’re going to be off the clock and it’s going to affect customer service.” Green calls the rule change a disaster.

He says, “What does that do for flexibility in the workplace, for career advancement, for an opportunity to move up the career ladder and to really get the experience you need to survive in this 21st century economy?” Under the change, the threshold was raised from $23,660 a year to $47,476. Starting December 1st, employees who earn that amount or less will be eligible for time-and-a-half pay for more than 40 hours a week.

(Radio Iowa)

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., and funeral announcements, w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Two members of a committee from the Griswold School District will meet with Lenox Community School District representatives this (Tuesday) evening in Lenox, with regard to Superintendent sharing. Earlier this month, both district’s Boards of Education met separately and agreed to continue to talks on the specifics and form of contract for Lenox Superintendent David Henrichs.

During their meeting at 5:30-p.m. in the Lenox School Board Office, Griswold School Board/Committee members Steve Baier and Rob Peterson will meet with their counterparts in Lenox to gather information and make a recommendation to the full board on sharing the services of Henrichs.

Officials say NO decision will be made.

A man involved in an accident  in Mills County was involved in a second crash moments after the first took place Sunday afternoon, near Underwood. Sheriff’s officials on Monday, said Keith Wilson, of Glenwood, faces an OWI charge following an investigation into the incident that began at around 2-p.m., when the 1998 Plymouth he was driving went out of control on northbound 230th Street.

The vehicle rolled into the west ditch near 56525 230th Street, landed on its wheels and broke an axle. Even so, Wilson managed to drive away from the scene. He lost control of the vehicle again next 56286 230th Street, where his vehicle hit a utility pole, snapping it in half, and causing the pole to land on the vehicles’ roof.

Wilson was able to exit his vehicle. He refused medical transport and was instead taken to the Mills County Jail for further OWI investigation.  Officials say he was later taken to a hospital in Council Bluffs to be checked for injuries.

In other news, Mills County Sheriff’s officials say 36-year old Scott Jay Reed, of Glenwood, was arrested last Thursday in Glenwood, for Disorderly Conduct. And, on Saturday, Caleb Stephen Coggins, of Glenwood, was arrested for Simple Assault. Bonds for both men were set at $300.

A man from Red Oak was arrested Monday afternoon, on a charge of Public Intoxication. Authorities say Red Oak Police observed 51-year old Larry Eugene Hall being helped-up by citizens in the vicinity of N. 2nd and E. Washington Streets, at around 3:20-p.m.  The officers then saw Hall fall down several times while trying to stand up.

As they spoke with the man, officers detected an odor of alcohol coming from him, and that he had blood shot, watery eyes. He admitted to having a few drinks, and that it was just catching up to him. Hall refused consent for a Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) and  was transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $300.

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County say a traffic stop at around 11:40-p.m., Monday, resulted in a brief pursuit. When Deputies tried to pull over a vehicle driven by Warren Logan Davis, of Lenox, Davis led them on a short chase on Sycamore Avenue near the intersection of Sycamore Avenue and 250th. Adams County Deputies managed to bring Davis to a stop by boxing him in. He was then was placed under arrest for Eluding.

Baxter

Davis

And, Adams County Deputies, Tuesday, arrested Joey Baxter, of Creston, in connection with an incident that occurred on February 18th. Baxter was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Marijuana.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A Carter Lake man accused of sexually assaulting minors has pleaded guilty in the case. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 42-year-old David Trejo pleaded guilty Monday to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of soliciting lascivious acts with a minor as part of a plea agreement.

According to court documents, Trejo said he believed one girl he met online was 19 and did not find out that she was 14 until after they had sex several times. Court documents say another girl involved in the case was under the age of 14. Trejo faces up to 15 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced July 11.