OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A national conference in Omaha next month will help long-term care facilities plan for disasters.  The two-day conference will feature speakers from around the country who have been through disasters at nursing homes or rehabilitation facilities. And experts will offer advice on meeting Medicaid and Medicare requirements.

Residents of long-term care facilities are already often in poor health and may need special care after a disaster.  UNMC Dr. Philip Smith says planning and preparation are critical for these facilities. The conference will be held May 21-22 at the CenturyLink Center in downtown Omaha.

More details about the conference, which costs $195, are available online at www.preped.org.

Two teens from Villisca were charged in connection with alledged thefts from two local stores. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 14-year old’s Cordell Ryan Straw and Wyatt Dean Baldwin, both of Villisca, each face two counts of Theft of in the 5th Degree/Shoflifting, after they allegedly took items from the Villisca Foods and Casey’s General stores, in Villisca.

The incidents were investigated by authorities a little after 6-p.m., Wednesday. Straw and Baldwin were cited into Juvenile Court and released to the custody of their parents.

A Republican from southwest Iowa who has been a member of the Iowa Senate since 2011 is considering a bid for the U.S. Senate. Forty-two-year-old Joni Ernst of Red Oak also serves as a major in the Iowa National Guard. “Most of my adult life has been service-driven through the National Guard, the Reserves, public service,” Ernst says. “This is one way to take it a step further and try and be part of a solution to what I see as a problem right now in Washington, D.C.” Ernst says if she were a member of the U.S. Senate, tackling the federal deficit would be her top priority.

“We haven’t had a federal budget in four years now. That to me is a huge issue, so that’s number one,” Ernst says. “But with the budget concerns and our deficit, then it ties into national security which is something that I am very, very concerned about as a member of the military. My husband’s retired military. This is an issue we talk about daily.” Ernst and her husband have three daughters. Their youngest is 13 and will be entering high school next year.

“That’s something that my family and I discussed,” Ernst says. “My husband is a very good father/mother when I am away and I have a very tight-knit family also with a brother and sister that are close and a mother that just lives up the street. My father still lives in the area and all are very active with my family.” Ernst hopes to make a final decision about running for the U.S. Senate in 30 days.

“I really would like for Congressman King to make his decision because if he says he’s pursuing this, I will not be pursuing it,” she says. Republican Congressman Steve King has been considering a bid for the U.S. Senate since Democrat Tom Harkin announced in January that he would not seek reelection. Earlier this week King said he was “still on the bubble” about the race. Ernst served six years as the Montgomery County Auditor before running in a special election for the state senate seat Kim Reynolds gave up to become Iowa’s lieutenant governor. The district changed for the 2012 election. Between the two districts, Ernst has represented 10 different counties in southwest Iowa.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest this (Wednesday) afternoon of 18-year old Michael Otis Kleindienst of Coin. He was arrested on a Pottawattamie County Warrant for false reports with public safety entities and is being held on $5,000 bond.

Also arrested today (Wednesday) was 34-year old Amy Dawn Clemmons of Red Oak. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports that Clemmons was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct. No bond was set per the magistrate.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a burglary that resulted in the theft of guns and ammunition. The burglary took place at 2356 Vine Ave, northeast of Villisca, between the daytime hours of 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM on Tuesday. Two handguns and ammunition were taken from the property.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office also investigated an incident criminal mischief Tuesday, at 2076 J Ave in Red Oak. The incident is believed to have taken place on either April 15th or 16th at the residence and involves damage to a vehicle estimated at $350.

Anyone with information on either incident is urged to contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office or Montgomery County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-432-1001.

Members of the Elk Horn-Kimballton Board of Education held a special meeting Tuesday evening at the High School in Elk Horn. Exira-EHK Superintendent Dean Schnoes said their first order of business was to approve an appointment to fill a vacancy position on the School Board until the next election. Schnoes told KJAN News they needed to find someone to replace Mark Smith in District 1. They spoke with a couple of individuals when John Leader approached the board and expressed his interest in the interim position, as well as actually running for the position during an election year. The board approved Leader to fill the slot until the next election. And, since Smith was the School Board President, and Kevin Petersen took over as President when Smith left the District, the Board took action on electing a Vice President.

Schnoes said board member Tammy Fahn was elected as the Vice-President. The EHK School Board also approved a Resolution calling for a change in the way Board members are elected, from five Directors, to “At Large.” The voters will have the final say on the proposed change, along with a reorganization vote with the Exira Community School District. Schnoes said the Board Tuesday approved the setting of June 25^th as the date for a Special Election on reorganization.

He said the Exira School Board is expected to follow suit in approving the June 25^th date during a brief, special meeting, early next week. The meeting will most likely take place Monday morning, according to Schnoes.  In other business, the EHK Board approved a renewal of Driver’s Education contracts for four men from Atlantic, and the list of Senior’s set to graduate next month.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors spent a great deal of time Wednesday morning discussing space environmental concerns at the courthouse. The Board received the results of a courthouse space needs study from Al Povandra, with Carlson, West, and Povandra Architects.

Al Povandra (far right) discusses the Courthouse needs study with the Cass Co. Board of Supervisors. (Ric Hanson/photo)

The options include moving the Cass County Communications Center to the 3^rd floor of the courthouse, Expansion and Security upgrades for the County Attorney’s Offices on the 3^rd floor of the courthouse, and expanding the courthouse to the north, to make room for the Communications Center. An option discussed, but not included in the study, was to move the Comm Center off-site, to another location.

The Supervisors had also asked for an evaluation of the current Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. During his report, Povandra said the number one priority for the courthouse should be an updated/upgraded HVAC System. That’s because the current boiler system in nearly 80-years old, and creates uneven heating and cooling to the point where the third floor is so hot in the winter, the air conditioners are running.  Associated with the boiler system, is ACM, or Asbestos Containing Materials surrounding the pipes as insulation.  He says to improve that situation, there should be an investigation into what the scope of the necessary work to remove the insulation will be and the related cost, and then to remove it. The HVAC improvements can take place afterward.

Povandra said a new HVAC system would pay for itself within about eight-years in energy savings, whereas a geo-thermal system, would pay for itself in a much longer time frame. He said the courthouse is currently 50-to 60-percent energy efficient. Another matter of concern before any thought can be given to moving the Communications Center and addressing the space needs of the County Attorney’s Office, is the accessibility of public spaces, such as restrooms.  He says those spaces, especially on the third floor of the courthouse, would need to come into compliance with the American’s with Disabilities Act – or ADA – requirements.

Povandra said any changes to the courthouse would cost “Big Bucks,” and it’s something that is not easily done. It also requires officials to convince the public it needs to happen and why. Povandra said depending on the option selected, it would cost anywhere from $800,000 to as much as $3-million dollars to make the necessary improvements. Atlantic City Councilman Shaun Shouse, who is also on the Cass County Public Safety Commission, said the Commission wants more information from the Supervisors with regard to the total amount of space needed, before they make a recommendation on a cost effective solution to current and future problems facing the 9-1-1 Center and the Attorney’s Office. There may also be a meeting between the Council and Supervisors to discuss their mutual desire for space and how both entities can cooperate in a venture, if it is proposed.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A July trial has been scheduled for a former Sioux City high school band director accused of stealing school instruments.  Online court records say 39-year-old Kevin Massey, of Sergeant Bluff, will go on trial July 23. He’s pleaded not guilty to felony theft.  Massey has resigned from his job at North High School and has agreed to pay $5,000 in restitution to the school district.

School officials became aware of the matter after another teacher shopping for musical instruments online noticed some that looked familiar. Sioux City police say Massey took the instruments to cover gambling debts. Police have recovered more than five dozen instruments from three pawn shops.

A Shelby County woman was arrested Tuesday evening in Atlantic on a variety of drug-related charges. According to the Atlantic Police Department, 28-year old Tyanna Lungren, of Shelby, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of a Controlled Substance, as well as on a Cass County warrant for Delivery of a Controlled Substance. And, 24-year old Justin Cruz, of Bellevue, NE, was arrested Tuesday for Conspiracy to Deliver Meth and Delivery of Meth. Both suspects were booked into the Cass County Jail.