A former West Harrison School District High School & Middle School Principal has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of Simple Assault, in connection with an alleged incident involving a female student in January. According to the Omaha World-Herald, Mike Loftin was arrested after he turned himself in to authorities. Loftin later posted a $300 bond and was ordered to appear in court April 27^th. If convicted, Loftin could be fined up to $625 and face up to 30-days in jail. He’s accused of pulling down the warm-up pants of a 15-year old girl on January 20^th, when the teen came out of a locker room, just before the teen and other students were to board a bus for a basketball game. Loftin was fired from his job at the end of January.

A reminder from KJAN and Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon: The 2012 Annual Cass County National Weather Service Storm Spotter Program training will be held Wednesday night, in Lewis. The free program is open to the general public, and is recommended for emergency responders. It takes place in the Lewis Fire Station, beginning at 7-p.m. Wed., March 14th.

Each year, meteorologists with the National Weather Service (NWS) travel to most of the 51 counties they serve to provide a comprehensive multi-media spotter training presentation. The classes are hosted by local emergency management officials, fire departments and a few amateur radio clubs. There are several opportunities for you to attend one of these classes free of charge. The classes typically last one-to two-hours.

The courses cover information about severe weather climatology, severe thunderstorm types, different weather threats and how to identify them, how to report severe weather, spotter safety and severe weather communications. For more information, contact Mike Kennon, at 712-254-1500.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports, at the close of business Monday, Frank Waters had filed papers for re-election to the Cass County Board of Supervisors, representing District 5. Waters joins Supervisor’s Chairman Duane McFadden, Auditor Dale Sunderman, and Sheriff Darby McClaren, on the list of candidates who have filed for re-election to their respective County Office. The last day to file election papers for the June 5th Primary, is March 28th.

A public hearing will be held this evening on the 2012-2013 Budget for the Atlantic Community School District. The hearing takes place during the Board’s regular meeting at 7:30-p.m., in the Media Center at the Atlantic High School. Action on approving the certified 2012-2013 budget will following later in the evening.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board will hear a mentoring report from Margo Magill, and a progress report on construction at the Middle School, from Jerry Purdy with Design Alliance. Action items (other than on the budget) include: approving bus bids; the awarding of a contract for banking services; approving Drivers Education fees for Summer 2012 & 2012-2013 school lunch prices; an adjustment to the 2011-12 District Calendar; and other matters.

Prior to concluding the meeting, the board will discuss Fall 2011 test data.

403 AM CDT TUE MAR 13 2012 …PATCHY DENSE FOG CONTINUES OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA…

FOG HAS DEVELOPED OVER MUCH OF THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. PATCHY DENSE FOG WITH VISIBILITY LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE AT TIMES HAS ALSO DEVELOPED GENERALLY BETWEEN THE HIGHWAY 18 AND INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDORS.

THE FOG IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE THROUGH 830 AM CDT AND MAY EXPAND SOMEWHAT ACROSS THE AREA PRIOR TO SUNRISE. PERSONS TRAVELING EARLY THIS MORNING SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR AREAS OF DENSE FOG AND VERY LOW VISIBILITY.

REMEMBER TO ALLOW YOURSELF EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION SAFELY. USE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND SLOW DOWN IN AREAS WHERE VISIBILITY IS EXCEPTIONALLY LOW. THE MORNING COMMUTE WILL GENERALLY TAKE LONGER AND EXTRA CAUTION IS ADVISED WHILE TRAVELING THIS TUESDAY MORNING.

CONDITIONS SHOULD BEGIN IMPROVING BETWEEN 800 AND 830 AM CDT THIS MORNING.

A growing number of Iowa business owners are confident about boosting their staffing levels in the coming months according to a new survey from Manpower, Incorporated. Karen Miller, Executive Vice-President at Manpower in Des Moines, says 22-percent of the Iowa employers surveyed plan to hire new employees in the second quarter of 2012. Four-percent plan decreases in staff levels, resulting in a “Net Employment Outlook” of 18-percent. “That’s significantly different than last year at this time – which was a 10-percent (outlook),” Miller said. The 18-percent Net Employment Outlook for Iowa remains much higher than the national figure of 10-percent.

“We seem to be in a bubble of prosperity here in the state of Iowa,” Miller said. “That’s good news for both employers and job seekers.” The top job prospects in Iowa, according to the survey, include positions in construction. Employers also plan to increase staffing levels in the areas of durable and non-durable goods manufacturing, transportation and utilities, wholesale and retail trade, and financial and business services. More than 18,000 employers are surveyed in the U.S. as part of the quarterly Manpower report. A new report on Iowa’s unemployment rate is due later this morning (Tuesday) from the Iowa Workforce Development agency.

(Pat Curtis/Radio Iowa)

340 AM CDT TUE MAR 13 2012

INCREASING WINDS AND NEAR RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL RESULT IN A HIGH TO VERY HIGH GRASSLAND FIRE INDEX THIS AFTERNOON OVER A PORTION OF THE WESTERN COUNTIES OF IOWA. THE AREA OF GREATEST CONCERN IS GENERALLY ALONG AND WEST OF A CORRIDOR FROM NEAR IOWA COUNTY HIGHWAY 4 WESTWARD. THE GREATEST DANGER WILL BE THIS AFTERNOON WHEN WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 30 MPH. EXTREME CAUTION IS ADVISED TODAY.

BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED IN THESE AREAS. SMALL FIRES MAY QUICKLY SPREAD INTO DRY GRASSES AND FIELDS…RESULTING IN LARGER AND UNCONTROLLED GRASS FIRES. THE DANGER IS NOT EXPECTED TO LOWER TO THE “MODERATE” FIRE RISK UNTIL LATE TONIGHT.

FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/product.php?site=DMX&product=RFD&issuedby=DMX

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The State Fire Marshall’s Office reports Madison County will be included in a ban on open burning, beginning 8-a.m Tuesday, March 13th. A request to institute the ban was requested by Madison County Sheriff Craig Busch, after consultation with various County Fire Chiefs. At this time, Madison County is the only county in western Iowa to placed under a ban on open burning.

The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) will hold two public information meetings this week regarding the update of Iowa’s state transportation plan. One of the meetings will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 15th, at the Iowa DOT District 4 Office, in Atlantic.

At the meeting, a presentation will be made at 5:15 p.m. Personnel will be available between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. to individually discuss the plan. The meeting rooms are accessible for persons with disabilities. To provide comments, or to request special accommodations at a meeting, please contact the Iowa DOT, Office of Systems Planning, 800 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa 50010, telephone 515-239-1520, email Iowa.Motion@dot.iowa.gov.

The Iowa DOT will be accepting public comment on the plan through March 30, 2012. To view information concerning the plan, go to the Iowa DOT’s website at http://www.iowadot.gov/iowainmotion/state.html.