The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education Thursday night approved by a vote of 4-to 1, moving ahead with plans for a $19.8-million dollar Capital Improvements project that would include new construction and additional renovations to current district facilities. Board member Dennis Davis provided the lone no vote. The action came after discussion which lasted for about 55-minutes. The matter is expected to come before the voters in the form of a bond referendum on April 1^st, 2014.

Concept 2

The Board had two concepts to choose from before making their final decision. The first would have cost a little more than $8-million. They chose the second, more costly option, based upon a recommendation from Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein, who said the proposal was based on input from faculty, staff, the administrators, school board discussions, and input from the community. 

He proposed four new classrooms on the northeast side of the Washington Elementary School, which will provide space for the two Pre-school classes currently in place at the Old Lincoln School building, as well as space for the Special Education classroom. The second part of the concept is the addition of a new Middle School building (for grades 7 and 8) next to the High School. Amstein thinks that will provide enough instructional space for both grades, and a greater opportunity for students to take exploratory classes and achieve high school credit in the 8^th grade, prior to attending high school.

The proposal also calls for the construction of eight new classrooms on the west side wings of the High School. Special Education classes would be housed in most of those classrooms, but some would serve as additional math and science space, and possibly a Career Tech Education classroom, as well as an expansion of the current art room. The concept also calls for the expansion and renovation of the Industrial Technology and Agricultural Education Lab. Plans also call for replacement of 18-year old heat pumps at the high school. Amstein says they typically have a service life of 15- to 18-years.

He says the plan would also require reconfiguration of the Schuler and Middle School buildings, but no new construction other than a possible renovation of the Level 3 Severe and Profound classroom at Schuler or the current Middle School. Amstein also recommended the Old Lincoln building house the Cass County Educational Opportunity Center (CCEOC), which was previously housed at that facility.

The earliest construction could begin if the project is approved by the voters on April 1^st, is in the Summer of 2015.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted six men from China on charges of conspiracy to steal trade secrets. The indictment, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Des Moines, was unsealed on Thursday. It alleges the men conspired to steal patented seed developed by DuPont Pioneer and Monsanto and ship it to China. The indictment follows last week’s announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas Klinefeldt that the FBI had uncovered seed thefts.

Indicted is Mo Hailong, international business director of the Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group. He is in federal custody. Also indicted is Li Shaoming, CEO of Beijing Kings Nower Seed, three of his employees, and Wang Hongwei, who is believed to live in Canada.

No attorneys had yet appeared on their behalf in court documents.

The Cass County Memorial Hospital Foundation recently kicked off its annual fundraising campaign.  Since 1968, the Cass County Memorial Hospital Foundation has supported the hospital by raising funds to provided equipment, services and education which might not be possible otherwise.  In 2013, the annual campaign raised funds to purchase equipment for the Outpatient Clinics, Rehabilitation Services, Cardiac Rehabilitation and Diabetes Center.  The 2014 campaign funded the development of the Healing Garden, located just outside the hospital cafeteria.

Dawn Marnin, CCMH Foundation Director, says “We truly appreciate the wonderful support our community has shown for our friends, family and neighbors over the years. Their support is what allows the Foundation to continue providing these important services and pieces of medical equipment, helping the hospital achieve its mission of being a center of healthcare excellence here in Southwest Iowa.

The 2014 CCMH Foundation Annual Campaign will focus on medical equipment to enhance care in the Emergency and Obstetrics Departments: 

·       A cardiac monitor for the Emergency Department that will be used to continuously monitor a patient’s cardiovascular system so that, at a moment’s notice, the medical team can respond to even the slightest change in readings.

·       Two fetal monitors for the Obstetrics Department to monitor a baby’s heartbeat during labor and delivery for early signs of distress.  This will allow staff to provide the best care possible for our newest patients.

Marnin says now is a great time to be thinking about a charitable gift to the Cass County Memorial Hospital Foundation.  A gift on or before December 31, 2013, can provide the donor with an itemized tax deduction.  There are many ways to make a year-end gift, and each gift makes a difference in the lives of friends and loved ones needing medical care.

For more information on how to make a charitable gift to the CCMH Foundation, contact Dawn at 712-243-7409.

(Press Release)

Does your child enjoy doing hands on activities, building things and discovering the how & why in an activity? STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) activities are just what you are looking for! Cass County Extension is partnering with the Nishna Valley YMCA to offer new STEM activities and programs for Cass County youth in the upcoming months.

Join Extension and YMCA officials on January 3rd from 9AM-3PM at the Nishna Valley YMCA for a day full of Hands on STEM. This STEM event is free for 3rd-8th graders, with lunch provided. Deadline for registration is to be turned into the Extension Office or the Y by December 30th. Registration forms are available at the Y, Extension Office or online at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass. There is a maximum of 50 participants.

The STEM activities do not end there; from January 14th through May 20th youth in grades 4-6 have the opportunity to participate in more STEM hands on activities through the whY Science afterschool program in the middle school science lab. Beth Irlbeck, Cass County Youth Coordinator, says “This year, we are very excited to offer “A World In Motion” STEM activities related to movement, gravity, and friction exploration from January 14th through March 11th. Following spring break, we will change topics and do activities related to ecosystems & the environment. Participants will design and build a live terrarium & ecosystem, then observe the environmental effects.”

Irlbeck says “We are continually increasing our STEM efforts because there is increased evidence of need and support for STEM. 4-H has done science and positive youth development programming for years and now we’ve teamed up with the Y who has also made its history supporting youth development.” These STEM activities promise lots of fun, hands-on science, opportunities to experiment and meet new friends.

Registration instructions are now available at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass. Pre-register by January 8th to attend the A World In Motion sessions.

(Press Release)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new survey of bankers suggests that the economy will grow at a healthy pace in rural parts of 10 Midwest and Western states in the months ahead. The monthly survey’s overall index rose to 56.1 in December from November’s more moderate 54.3. But any score above 50 suggests growth. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the region continues to benefit from the strength of agriculture and energy businesses. But declining crop prices and the lack of a farm bill are concerning.

The index is based on surveys of rural bankers in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. It ranges from 0 to 100, with 50 representing growth neutral. A score above 50 suggests growth in that factor in the months ahead.

The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest on Wednesday, of 18-year old Kody Hansen, of Atlantic. Hansen was brought to the Cass County Jail and charged with Public Intoxication.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested Wednesday. 27-year old Chastity Rae Anway, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear on Possession of a Controlled Substance and Unlawful Possession of a Prescription drug, charges. She was being held in the Mills County Jail on $5,000 bond. And, 25-year old Aaron Wade Opdyke, of Malvern, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance along with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Updyke was also wanted on a warrant out of Dickinson County, for Possession of a Controlled Substance. His bond on the combined offenses amounts to $2,800.

A freezing rain advisory is posted for a wide section of southern, central and eastern Iowa from 6 o’clock tonight (Thursday) through 6 o’clock tomorrow (Friday) morning. Forecasters say a coating of ice this evening will make roads very slick and travel treacherous in Adair, Adams, Guthrie, Dallas, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor & Union Counties in the KJAN listening area. Meteorologist Jim Lee, at the National Weather Service, says the approaching storm front will dump precipitation.

“In the areas where it forms as drizzle or light rain, it probably will freeze to the surface,” Lee says, “so we’ve issued a freezing weather advisory for about the southeastern half of the state.” While that storm should move out of the region tomorrow (Friday), Lee says another storm front is coming up behind it. “It looks like it’ll spread a pretty decent swath of snow somewhere across the Midwest and into the Ohio River valley,” Lee says. “Right now, the track of the storm isn’t very certain but it does look like parts of Iowa should see some snowfall out of that.”

In the more longer-range forecast, Lee says there are no indications there will be any foul weather early-to-mid-next week for the Christmas holiday.

(Radio Iowa)

w/ Ric Hanson

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Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources report the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has been positively identified in a residential tree in the city of Creston, in Union County. It’s the fifth location where the invasive beetle has been found in Iowa. EAB kills all ash tree species and is considered to be one of the most destructive tree pests ever seen in North America.

The current EAB infestation was found as a result of an arborist contacting state officials about a suspect ash tree. Investigation by the Iowa EAB Team members revealed characteristic galleries and D-shaped exit holes in dead branches, and a partial adult beetle was positively identified by federal identifiers.

EAB infestations had previously been discovered in Allamakee County in May 2010, Des Moines County in July 2013, Jefferson County in August 2013 and Cedar County in October 2013. A quarantine covering 25 counties in Eastern Iowa was issued on Nov. 1, 2013 intended to slow the accidental movement of EAB by humans.  An additional quarantine in response to this new confirmed infestation is being developed. A quarantine restricts movement of hardwood firewood, ash logs, wood chips and ash tree nursery stock out of the quarantined counties.

The Iowa EAB Team strongly cautions Iowans not to transport firewood across county or state lines, since the movement of firewood throughout Iowa or to other states poses the greatest threat to quickly spread EAB even further. Most EAB infestations in the United States have been started by people unknowingly moving infested firewood, nursery plants or sawmill logs. The adult beetle also can fly short distances, approximately 2 to 5 miles.

Ash is one of the most abundant native tree species in North America, and has been heavily planted as a landscape tree in yards and other urban areas. According to the USDA Forest Service, Iowa has an estimated 52 million rural ash trees and approximately 3.1 million more ash trees in urban areas. It is unknown how many public and residential ash trees are located in Creston.