They’re popular, fun, useful and potentially dangerous, not to mention potentially intrusive on privacy, but drones are becoming a part of everyday life in America. The topic of an Unmanned Aircraft Policy (UAP) will be discussed during Wednesday evening’s meeting of the Atlantic School Board. The meeting begins at 5:30-p.m. in the High School Media Center.

The first reading of a policy to come before the Board states that “The use of possession of unmanned aircraft or aerial systems…which includes drones…is prohibited for any purpose by any person or entity anywhere on or directly above property or premises owned, maintained or used by the District for any purpose.”

The policy says “An exception may be granted in writing by the Superintendent [or their designee, in their] discretion, to law enforcement, public safety agencies, media, District personnel or other entities or individuals.”

In other business, the Atlantic School Board will act on approving: An Early Retirement Plan, which will not be offered again for another three-years, and, an exclusive Vendor Contract with the Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company (an 8-year contract which requires the Company to provide $12,000 in the first year, for a basketball scoreboard sponsorship. The total value of the partnership is estimated at $58,000.

The Board will also discuss and act on various contracts and/or Letters of Assignment, as well as approving the resignations for Stephanie Krengel (2nd-3rd grade Special Ed. Teacher), and Jenny Schinker (Food Service).

The Atlantic City Council will meet Wednesday evening at City Hall. During the session, which begins at 5:30, the Council will act on appointing Jennifer Miller to the Planning and Zoning Commission, and hear a presentation from local developer Don Sonntag, with regard to current and future housing trends, in Atlantic. They’ll also discuss and review a draft of the 5-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

A couple of weeks ago, the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee met and discussed some of the early issues and priorities for the CIP. City Administrator John Lund says the City has many needs and limited resources.  Wednesday’s meeting, will likely include Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm and Street Superintendent Derald Anderson, who will discuss the condition of the City’s roads, from an engineering and historical perspective.

The Council will review a list of proposed street projects and a survey, to determine where the priorities should be placed in the first CIP draft. There are 17 areas on the list, including (but not limited to): Police equipment/vehicles; Fire equipment/vehicles; Street equipment/vehicles; Wastewater equipment/vehicles; the Schildberg Rec Area; Library; Airport Expansion; Senior Center, and City Hall.

At the conclusion of regular business, there will be a brief, public forum.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hear from Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Director Ouida Hargens, Wednesday morning, with regard to Workforce Issues in Cass County. Also set to meet with the Board on the same topic, is a training coordinator from Iowa Western Community College. Together, they will discuss a vision to increase and sustain economic development by building a highly educated workforce that’s responsive to the needs of local businesses. The Board of Supervisor’s meeting begins 8:30-a.m. Wednesday, at the Cass County Courthouse.

In other business, the Board of Supervisors will discuss and possibly act on leasing a portion of the Walnut Street Annex to Adult Probation of the Fourth Judicial District, and, they’ll act on an abatement of taxes on property owned by the City of Atlantic. That includes Airport buildings and land, Washington Township, and a parcel near the Schildberg Rec Area.

They’re also expected to act on approving an amended 28-E Unified Law Enforcement Agreement by adding the City of Marne to other member communities that include Cumberland, Lewis, Massena and Wiota. The matter was tabled during last week’s meeting while a legal question was looked into.

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

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Republican Governor Terry Branstad is faulting President Obama for failing to outline a new approach to fighting terrorism. But Branstad himself is expressing opposition to one idea some of his fellow Republicans have proposed: allowing guns in schools. “That’s a very controversial issue and I’m not going to wade into it because it just divides the country,” Branstad says. “Instead, we need to focus on constructive things we can do that focuses on the real threat.”

Iowa schools are currently “gun-free” zones. Critics say that makes them a target for mass shootings.  “I’m a supporter of the Second Amendment, but I don’t want to try to divide people on an issue that people have real strong opinions on,” Branstad says. The governor says he is “satisfied” with the law as it currently stands. In 2013, Republicans in the the Iowa Senate tried to let teachers, administrators and other school staff who have a permit to carry a gun to be allowed to bring a gun to school.

Their proposal was not adopted in the Democratic-led Senate. That debate came in the wake of a mass shooting at a Connecticut school that killed 26. Last night, President Obama addressed the nation after a mass shooting at a government facility in California and Governor Branstad says Obama has made a “big mistake” by bringing up gun control rather than seeking to unite the country against a common enemy.

“I think people are concerned about the safety of our country and the threat we have from ISIS and this Islamic terrorism,” Branstad says. “We know that gun control is a very divisive issue and people have very different views on it.” Branstad made his comments to reporters after speaking to at an elementary school assembly in West Des Moines.

(Radio Iowa)

The area’s top news at 7:07-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a man who broke into a Des Moines home died of a stab wound. On Monday, following an autopsy, Polk County Medical Examiner Gregory Schmunk confirmed the cause of 31-year-old Travis Williams‘ death. Police say Williams, of Earlham, died early Saturday morning after an altercation with two people at the Des Moines home.

Investigators believe Williams broke into the home before the confrontation. The two people were identified as 19-year-old Ali Cano and his girlfriend, 18-year-old Whitney Campbell. The case is still being investigated. No arrests have been reported.

Veterans across western Iowa are invited to attend a town hall meeting later today (Tuesday) in Omaha. Veterans Administration spokesman Will Ackerman says the goal is to provide an opportunity for the V-A to get feedback from the people the agency is supposed to be serving. Ackerman says, “The VA secretary is emphasizing being open and transparent with our veterans and our stakeholders in the community about VA health care, benefits and services and answering any questions or concerns that they may have.” He says the town hall meeting will be a two-way discussion.

“The purpose of this is to share some updated information about benefits and services with our veterans,” Ackerman says, “and then the second and most important part is to gain open and honest feedback from veterans, family members and other beneficiaries.” The town hall meeting will be held at 5:30 P-M in the Education Conference Room at the V-A Medical Center at 4101 Woolworth Avenue in Omaha.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Extension Master Gardeners group is excited to announce that they will be offering a $500 scholarship to encourage local youth with an interest in horticulture to pursue it as a career. The purpose of this scholarship is to provide post-secondary tuition funds to Cass County youth who are studying, or intend to pursue a career in, a horticulture-related field.

This scholarship is available to students from Cass County who are currently enrolled in their second year or higher of a college or trade school, studying in a horticulture related field. Applications are due December 30 to the Cass County Extension Office. Selection will be made by a Cass County Master Gardeners committee, and winners will be notified in January. Scholarship checks will be written to the college or trade school in the student’s name following the first semester of the recipient’s sophomore (or subsequent) year.

The goal of the Master Gardener program is to support horticulture education and community service. To this end, scholarship winners will be selected based on their academic success, history of community service, and career goals after graduation. Quality and completeness of application will also be taken into consideration. Application forms and further details can be found on the Cass County Extension web site at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass. For more information, call the Cass County Extension office at 712-243-1132 or email Kate Olson, Master Gardener Coordinator, at keolson@iastate.edu.

A survey of Iowa employers released today (Tuesday) shows nearly a quarter of them expect to add workers in the first few months of 2016. Karen Miller is spokesperson for Manpower Group. “Twenty-four-percent of those employers we surveyed said they’re looking to increase staffing levels in the first quarter of the year,” Miller said. While that’s positive news for those Iowans seeking employment, many other Iowans could be losing their jobs, according to the new survey.

“Nine-percent (of the Iowa employers surveyed) said they’re looking to do some decreasing,” Miller said. Another 66-percent of the Iowa employers surveyed believe they’ll maintain their current staff levels between January and March. The Q-1 Manpower survey gives Iowa a “net employment outlook” of 15-percent. That’s down from 20-percent three months ago and 16-percent one year ago.

(Radio Iowa)