The Audubon County Engineer’s Office has been notified that the contractor for a bridge project on Lark Avenue will begin about one week ahead of schedule, due to the nice weather. The contractor is ahead of schedule on their other projects, therefore work on the bridge in the 1900 block of Lark Avenue in Audubon County, will begin next Monday, March 6^th.

Lark Avenue will be closing just south of Audubon County Road F-32 while contractors replace a bridge located in Leroy Township, section 24. Construction is expected to last about 65 working days.

Members of the Atlantic School Board will gather at the Middle School Library at Noon Friday, for a Special Meeting to approve the hiring of a new superintendent. Approval of the contract is the only action item on their agenda.

Earlier this week, the Board sat down with three finalists for the position: Steven Barber, Superintendent at George-Little Rock Community Schools in George, Iowa; Dr. Joe Potts, Ph.D, an Iowa native who resides in Kent, WA., and serves as High School Principal for the Kent Community School District; and Dan Dierks, who has served Superintendent for the Oelwein Community School District, since 2015.

The person selected will succeed Dr. Michael Amstein, who is retiring at the end of the current school year, after having worked for the District since 2010.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says three, non-injury accidents occurred during last Friday’s snow/ice event. Just before 8-p.m., a 2001 Dodge Ram pickup owned and driven by 45-year old Robert James Bagshaw, of Massena, was eastbound on Tucson Road when the vehicle went out of control on the icy roadway. It crossed into the north ditch and rolled onto its top, sustaining an estimated$5,000 damage.

At around 6:15-p.m. Friday, a 2004 Chevy Express van driven by 29-year old Devon Andrew Bretey, of Atlantic, was northbound on Highway 71 when the vehicle went out of control on the slick roadway, entered the west ditch and came to rest on its side. The damage was estimated at $4,000.

And, at around 2:15-p.m., Friday, a 2006 Dodge Ram pickup owned and driven by 38-year old Troy Niehaus, of Carroll, was northbound on 750^th Street when the vehicle went out of control on the icy road. It entered the west ditch and rolling onto its top, sustaining about $10,000 damage.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two people face drug charges following a recent investigation. On February 27th, Cass County Deputies arrested 18-year old Dominick Gene Gramkow, of Atlantic, on felony charges that include Distributing Drugs to Person Under 18 Years of age, Use of a Minor in a Drug Trade, Possession with Intent to Deliver/Marijuana, and Failure to Affix Drug Tax Stamp. Gramkow also faces a simple misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge. He was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $45,000 bond.

And, 17-year-old faces a felony, Possession with Intent to Deliver/Marijuana and Failure to Affix Drug Tax Stamp felony charges. The minor was taken to Juvenile Detention Center pending hearing.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports 46-year old Brian Donnell Taylor, of Des Moines, was arrested Wednesday evening at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. Taylor was taken into custody on a Union County warrant for probation violation.  He was being held in the Union County Jail without bond until being seen by a Judge.