Cass County Republican Party Chair David Wiederstein has announced delegates to the County Convention for Atlantic Wards 2 and 3 convened Monday night (Sept. 19^th), to select a Republican nominee to appear on the November 8^th Special Election ballot for the District 2 position on the Cass County Board of Supervisors. The seat was left vacant by the recent death of Supervisor Chuck Kinen. Nominated by convention was Atlantic resident Gaylord Schelling. Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reported late Tuesday afternoon, that Jeff J. Richter had also been nominated by petition, for the seat.

Sunderman said earlier this month, that while the County Republican and Democratic Conventions may select their own candidates for the seat, the nomination is also open to all interested persons who are residents of Cass County, who file a nomination petition by 5-p.m. Friday, September 23^rd.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Several area Boards of Education meetings were held Monday, and for many members of those boards, it was the first time they took their seats following the September 13^th elections. In the Atlantic Community School District, two new board members were sworn in, and a new Board President and Vice President were elected. Superintendent Dr. Mike Amstein said Glen Smith, who has a total of about nine-years of the board and was filling a vacancy position, retired from the board, along with Jon Martens, who served for the past seven-years. Amstein says Josh McLaren and Rodney Hartwig were sworn-in to replace Smith and Martens. Kristy Pellet was elected President of the School Board during Monday night’s session, while Denny Davis was elected Vice President.

Phil Hascall had served as President of the Board for the past five-years. The Elk Horn-Kimballton School District saw no change in leadership on its Board of Education, with Mark Smith being re-elected President and Kevin Peterson Vice President. EHK-Exira Superintendent Dean Schnoes said Joel Schulter was sworn-in as the board’s newest member. Schnoes said also, the Board discussed school lunch prices, which will be going up during the second semester, due to a new formula the district is required to use as part of the “Child Nutrition Act.”  He says the information was sent out in June, after the district has already established its prices for the year. The created a conflict, because the school lunch prices are different for both the EHK and Exira Districts.  Schnoes says the formula required them to change their prices. Letters will be going out to parents in both districts, explaining the reasons behind the change.

In other business, Schnoes said the EHK Board also approved a contract with Warren Watson, as the Junior High Boys Basketball Coach. At the Griswold School Board meeting, Monday, Mary Perdue, who served as Board President for the past 12-years, and three-year board member Angie Amos retired from the board. Scott Peterson from Elliott, and Doug Lembke, who lives near Griswold, were elected by the voters to succeed them. Superintendent Dana Kunze (coon-zee) said the new board elected Steve Baier  as President, and Tom Moore as Vice President.

Kunze said with the Revenue Purpose Statement being approved by the voters last Tuesday, the district can move forward with plans for improvements to their facilities, including the engineering and financing aspects of those projects.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Rob Seivert  says a Memorial Fund has been established for the family of a Shelby firefighter who died in the line of duty Sunday night. 41-year old Mike Collins, from Minden, was struck and killed by a car while directing traffic at the scene of an accident in Interstate 80 eastbound just east of the Shelby exit, at around 7-p.m.,  Sunday. No charges have been filed, but an investigation into the accident continues.

Collins is survived by his longtime companion, Tanya Collins, and two daughters. Seivert says donations are being accepted at the Shelby County State Bank for the family of Michael Collins. Donations may be dropped off at the Shelby branch of the bank, or mailed to Shelby County State Bank, Shelby Branch, Post Office Box 279, 425 East Street, Shelby, Iowa, 51570.

A visitation for Mike Collins will be held from 4-to 8-pm Thursday, at the Hoy-Kilnoski Funeral Home in Council Bluffs, where a funeral service will be held at 11-a.m., Friday.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Police in Red Oak are investigating the theft of a large amount of copper piping from a business on West Bridge Street in Red Oak. The value of the copper was still being determined. The theft was reported Monday.

Anyone with information about the theft is being asked to contact Red Oak Police at 712-623-6500, or Montgomery County Crimestoppers, at 800-432-1001.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa businesses along the Missouri River are being asked to report flood damage as the state gathers more information to appeal a decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reject flood aid. FEMA notified the state in early August that activation of the Federal Individual Assistance Program was denied for five counties – Fremont, Harrison, Monona, Pottawattamie and Woodbury. The program helps individuals and businesses with grants and loans. FEMA earlier this month extended Iowa’s request for more time to appeal. The new deadline is Oct. 7. Iowa expects more and more damage will surface as the flood waters continue to fall.

(updated 9:55-a.m. Sept. 20th)

A recent settlement between the Atlantic Community School District and the parents of several girls who claimed to have been strip-searched in August 2009 over the matter of missing money, has not ended the district’s legal battles. An open-records case filed over the incident at the Atlantic High School has reached the Iowa Court of Appeals, with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) saying the case will be argued in court, this Thursday.

The ACLU has been trying to find out what discipline, if any, was imposed on former Assistant High School Principle Paul Croghan, and Guidance Counselor Heather Turpin. The ACLU lost its bid in district court to uncover that information, but later appealed. In August 2009, several girls were strip-searched in a locker room at the school after a classmate reported the theft of $100 from her purse. No money was found. Atlantic School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein  says the district’s case is being handled by its attorney, Brett Nietzche.  Amstein says Nietzche will argue on behalf of the district, that information regarding disciplinary action against school personnel is confidential, and should not have to be disclosed.

The district recently settled a lawsuit filed by families of three of the girls. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Amstein – who was not with the Atlantic Community School District when the incident took place – says with that portion of the legal matter concluded, they’re looking to move on to other issues.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The corn harvest in Iowa is under way with farmers focusing on getting storm damaged crops out of the fields first. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey released his weekly crop report Monday, saying this week’s sunshine will help dry the corn and let the harvest move forward. He says some scattered soybean fields have been harvested but the harvest is a week away for most soybean farmers. Sixty percent of the corn crop is mature, about one week behind last year but four days ahead of normal. Fifty-five percent of the corn crop is in good or excellent condition with just 16 percent being poor or very poor. Sixty-two percent of the soybean crop is in good or excellent condition with just 12 percent being poor or very poor.