COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Enrollment at Iowa Western Community College has reached a new high. College officials say that 7,206 full- and part-time students are enrolled for 2011, a six-percent increase over the previous school year. President Dan Kinney says enrollment continues to grow because of the affordable tuition and agreements that allow students to finish their studies at four-year universities like Iowa, Northern Iowa and Buena Vista. Kinney also says the college in Council Bluffs is attracting younger students. The average age of students 15 years ago was 27. Now the average is under 21.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will meet Monday (9/19) at 7:30-p.m., in the High School Media Center. During their session, newly elected Board members Rod Hartwig and Josh McLaren will be sworn in, along with Phil Hascall and Denny Davis, who were re-elected to another term. The new board will act on electing a Board President and Vice President before moving on to other business.

Action items on their agenda include approval: of resignations; a 2011-2012 28-E agreement with the Cass County Memorial Hospital; the Certified Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Report; and, the first reading of Internet Use, Technology, and Laptop Computer policies.

The Board is also expected to discuss the recently released list of Districts In Need of Assistance and Schools in Need of Assistance, reports.

The Griswold Community School District’s Board of Education will meet Monday afternoon, in the Central Office Board Room. During their 5:30-p.m. session, newly elected board members Scott Peterson and Douglas Lembke, and returning, re-elected board members Scott Hansen and Clarion Campbell will be sworn-in. The new board will then decide on who will become the President and Vice President for the new term.

During the business portion of their meeting, the Griswold School Board will receive an update on district improvement projects, and later, information pertaining to the Annual Progress and Annual Yearly Progress, Reports.

Other administrative matters will be taken care of as well, including direction on how the board wishes to proceed with improvement projects, fresh on the heels of the voter approved Revenue Purpose Statement.

A pedestrian crossing Interstate-35 Southbound around the 93 mile marker was struck by a semi trailer at around 3:57pm Friday (9/16) afternoon. 

26-year-old Brandon Wayne Townsley of Des Moines was attempting to cross the interstate from the left with gas for his disabled vehicle when he was struck by a 2007 KW Semi Trailer driven by 57-year-old John William Hollinger of Clive.  A second pedestrian that was with Townsley remained on the left shoulder and did not attempt to cross. 

Townsley was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver Hollinger received only minor injuries and was not transported from the scene.

w/ Chris Parks

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A festival dedicated to a type of berry many Americans haven’t heard of is taking place this weekend in western Iowa. Saw Mill Hollow in Missouri Valley is believed to have the largest aronia berry crop in the country. Andrew Pittz says his father, Vaughn, first heard about aronia berries being used in a juice drink.  “We looked into it and it was a native North American plant that no one was growing,” Pittz said. “So, we took it upon ourselves to plant the first 207 cultivated aronia berry plants in the United States.” That was 1995. Today, the Pittz family manages 25 acres of aronia berries. The dark colored berry has long been popular in Russia and Poland. Pittz says sales are picking up in the U.S. among those searching for healthier food products.

He notes studies have shown the aronia berry contains two to four times the antioxidants of a blueberry. “And the blueberry is kind of the go to super fruit,” Pittz said. Aronia berries have a unique tart taste, lacking the sweetness of grapes and blueberries. Pittz admits aronia berries probably aren’t best in the raw.  “It might not be as good – eating it fresh – as a grape, blueberry or raspberry. But, because of its profile, it makes a great wine and it bakes really well. There are all kinds of things you can do with it,” Pittz said. The 4th Annual North American Aronia Berry Festival is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both today (Saturday) and Sunday.

learn more about the event at: www.sawmillhollow.com.

(Radio Iowa)

Council Bluffs Police were investigating a theft in progress at the Lake Manawa Wal-Mart location when the officer on scene made contact with a man named John Chestnut on Friday.  Chestnut fled the scene striking the Officer with his motor vehicle in the process.  Officers then engaged in a short chase that ended with an intervention technique and Chestnut was taken into custody.  He was charged with Attempted Murder, Aggravated Theft, and three counts of Child Endangerment.  The Officer was treated and released from a local hospital.  No further details are currently available and the incident is still under investigation.

FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — The chairman of Union Pacific says the railroad has begun a multi-year effort to double-track the route between Fremont, Neb., and Missouri Valley, Iowa, in order to move trains through the area more quickly. Union Pacific chairman Jim Young outlined the $300 million to $400 million project. Young noted there is a lot of single track in that stretch as well as two bridges, which cross the Elkhorn and Missouri rivers. Young says the railroad wants to reduce bottlenecks and prevent trains from waiting in the communities. Young, who spoke with Fremont business leaders on Thursday aboard a train car, says Union Pacific plans to spend $3.3 billion on capital projects throughout its system in the next year and hire 1,300 new employees.

Texas Governor Rick Perry was in Atlantic this (Friday) afternoon, speaking to a group of employees at the local Coca-Cola Bottling Plant. The Republican Presidential Candidate spoke about President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul plan, often referred to as “Obamacare,” his GOP rival Mitt Romney, Social Security, and the stay of execution for a man accused of murder in his state. Perry said

TX Governor Rick Perry

foremost on the minds of those he’s spoken with, is the creation of jobs. He says Mitt Romney’s “Romneycare” health plan is much like President Obama’s plan, and it will mean the loss of jobs if it’s not repealed. He says Romney’s plan cost his state 18,000 jobs and cost $8-billion dollars to implement. Perry said Obamacare would kill many more jobs and cost the taxpayers. He says Romney has to answer for his failed policy, and Obama will as well. Perry said he would make a promise to repeal Obamacare if he’s elected to office.

On the topic of Social Security, Perry said the program will be in-place for those on the program and those who have just entered into it. But he said the same thing will not be the case for those couples just starting out, who plan to have a family. He says they’ll be paying into a program that won’t be available. That’s why other options should be available. He says said he spoke with Wisconsin Republican Representative Paul Ryan about the issue, and praised him for admitting Social Security — which Perry called a “Ponzi” scheme — is broken, and for offering an alternative to Obama’s plan. He says young American’s shouldn’t be mislead into thinking Social Security will be around by the time they are ready to retire.

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, Thursday, announced the Guthrie County Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) Association has been approved for a $6.5-million loan through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service. The funding will build 2 miles of line, improve 399 miles of existing line and make $20,000 in Smart Grid investments to improve rural infrastructure.

Harkin says “Each dollar invested in rural development goes toward revitalizing communities and improving Iowa’s rural connectivity. These improvements help people all while creating jobs.”