Atlantic School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein said Wednesday, that due to the construction on Highway 6 and the increased traffic around the elementary schools, District officials are concerned about the K-thru 5th grade students walking to school. With that concern in mind, the district is temporarily providing pick-up and drop-off for kindergarten through fifth grade students.

Amstein says the school will utilize buses that are coming back into town from their country routes in the mornings, and will provide drop off service for students during the afternoon. The district will begin the pick-up and drop-off service on Monday, September 14th.

Pick-up times run from 7:25- to 7:35-a.m.; Drop-off times are 3:35- to 3:40-p.m.

Amstein says District Transportation Director Dave Eckles has mapped out five locations that are geographically situated to hopefully have the most impact. They are all located near an alley or empty lot, to minimize disturbance of property owners.

Pickup and drop-off locations include:

• North side of 5th St. between Mulberry and Pine
• West side of Linn St., between 4th and 5th Streets.
• West side of Cedar St. between 4th and 5th Streets.
• East side of Palm St., between 9th and 10th Streets
• South side of 8th St., between Locust and Cedar Streets.

Students should stay on the sidewalk and remain respectful of private property. Buses will not wait for late students. Rides are first come first serve. Students must obey all bus rules.

Officials with the Shenandoah Police Department, Wednesday, said a 14-year old male was arrested last Friday for allegedly shooting a handgun at Priest Park, in Shenandoah. The teen, who was not identified, was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs, where was held while awaiting a court appearance. The teen faces charges that include Assault with a dangerous weapon, Going Armed with Intent, Carrying a weapon without a permit, Reckless use of a firearm, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Fresh on the heels of Tuesday’s School Elections, Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman is reminding persons interested in running for the November 3rd City Elections, that nomination forms are still available from the County Auditor, your City Clerk, or online from the Iowa Secretary of State. This year, nomination papers for elected city office positions must be filed with the County Auditor, rather than with your city clerk. Nomination papers may be filed with the County Auditor through Sept. 17th.

The process for filing nomination petitions is available from the Iowa Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.iowa.gov. That same site, or your local city clerk, is the source for obtaining an original  nomination petition and candidate’s guide.

In Cass County, these offices will appear on the ballots for the respective cities:

Anita: Mayor (4-year term) – incumbent is Tim Miller; 2 At Large Council seats (4-year terms) – incumbents are Jeff Bohnsack and Thomas Harris.

Atlantic: (Council Wards & At Large are 4-year terms)…Council Ward 1 – incumbent, Chris Jimerson; Ward 3 – incumbent, Ashley K. Hayes; Ward 4 – incumbent, Linda Hartkopf; At Large – incumbent, Dana Halder; 1 seat on the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Board (6-year term begins Nov. 16th) – incumbent, Stuart Dusenberry.

Cumberland: Mayor (2-year term) – incumbent, Virginia Coughlin; 2 At Large Council seats (4-year terms) – Incumbents are Sandra Armstrong & Sandy Eversole; 1 At Large Council (to fill a 4-year vacancy term ending Jan. 2018) – Appointee, Scott Becker.

Griswold: Mayor (4-year term) – incumbent, Lee Wyman; 3 At Large Council seats (4-year terms) – Incumbents, Lisa Cook, Larry Mundorf, and Ryan Askeland.

Lewis: Mayor (4 year term) – incumbent, Don Cohrs; 3 At Large Council seats (4-year terms) – incumbents, Duane Scott Anderson, Ryan Archibald, and Bethany Nichols.

Marne: Mayor (2-year term) – incumbent, Randall Baxter; 5 At Large Council seats (2-year terms) – incumbents: Alan Cranston, Randy Fischer, Lori Holste, Randy Henningsen, and Angela Redler.

Massena: Mayor (2-year term) – incumbent, Linda Reineke; 3 At Large – incumbents are Adam McCunn, Micha Lee and Kevin McCunn.

Wiota: Mayor (2-year term) – incumbent, J. Ford Liullard; 2 Council At Large – incumbents, Erik Johnson and Jon Schwarte.

The Glenwood Police Department reports a Glenwood woman was arrested last Friday on OWI/2nd offense, and Child Endangerment, charges. 33-year old Kelly Roker was arrested after authorities investigated multiple calls about an impaired driver who was walking on the road in an allegedly impaired state, after the van she was driving struck a curb, shredding the tire. The vehicle also hit several mailboxes and a stop sign before coming to rest. The damage was estimated at $1,500 altogether.

When officers arrived, they found Roker’s children running around on the street as cars were approaching, and they were running through yards. One of her children put the van in gear while the officer was nearby, and began honking the horn.

A preliminary breath test showed no sign of alcohol in the woman’s system. Roker was overheard saying at the Mills County Jail, that she had taken “Too much Ambien,” and that her kids got the van’s sliding door open while she was speaking to a friend.

Tests were conducted for evidence of other forms of impairment. The results of those tests are not yet available.

Despite concerns by neighbors over noise and truck traffic, the Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, approved a recommendation by the County Zoning Commission, to rezone a parcel of land in rural Griswold from General Agricultural, to Light Industrial. Rich Hansen, Cass County Zoning Commissioner, explained the request to rezone the land was made by business owner Kyle Kirchhoff.

Kirchhoff started his business in 2011 in a machine shed on his property. Kirchhoff builds skid loader attachments, grain-hopper loaders for railroad cars, and other specialty items. He built a new addition to expand his business. One of the questions the Zoning Commission asked Kirchhoff, was with regard to traffic flow. Hansen said the gravel road he’s on is a Farm to Market road. Kirchhoff told the Commission trucks bring in one load of steel a week, and three or four partial loads leave the facility each week.

A neighbor to the west was concerned about noise, especially by a fork lift, which has a loud “back-up” alarm. Hansen says Kirchhoff assured the Board that and other such annoyances would be reduced by the move into the new building. A neighbor, who lives very close by, spoke up during the hearing, complaining about the machine and truck noise, along with truck traffic and blocking of the road. He suggested there be restrictions placed on the amount of traffic coming to and from the business.

The neighbor said the property should be termed “Heavy Industrial” instead of “Light Industrial,” because of the weight of equipment running on the road. Rich Hansen said since most of the business is inside the building, it qualifies as Light Industrial. The neighbor also suggested a noise reducing “buffer zone” be placed between the properties. There are a couple of grain bins between the buildings, according to Hansen, but no other buffers have been considered.

Officials with the Harlan Police Dept. said Wednesday, two people were arrested on separate charges, recently. On Thursday, September 3rd, 43-year old Pedro Duran, of Waterloo, was taken into custody when the police were notified that there may be a missing, runaway, or endangered juvenile in an 2006 Toyota. The vehicle was located, parked, in the 2200 block of Lincoln Avenue. Duran had exited the car prior to officers making contact with him. The possible missing/endangered juvenile was not in the vehicle. Duran was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with intoxication in public and was issued a citation for open container.

And on Saturday, Sept. 5th, 27-year old Charlie Hadfield, of Earling, was arrested in Harlan, following a traffic stop. Hadfield was charged with driving while suspended. He was cited for the offense, and released.

An accident in rural, northeastern Pottawattamie County Tuesday night, happened when the driver of a pickup apparently fell asleep as he was texting. The Pott. County Sheriff’s Dept. says 18-year old Zaine Klahn, of rural Avoca, was traveling west on Highway 83 at around 11-p.m., when his 2002 Chevy Avalanche left the road and rolled several times before coming to rest in the south ditch, upside down.

Klahn, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected during the crash and was found beneath the vehicle when deputies arrived. He was transported by Walnut Rescue to Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

The incident remains under investigation, and charges are possible.

A group of concerned citizens packed the Cass County Board of Supervisor’s Board Room Wednesday morning, to express their disappointment in the Board’s vote with regard to the re-appointment of Cass County Assessor Brenda Nelson. The Board was one of three governing agencies (The School Board and Mayors, being the others), to vote 2-1 against re-appointing Nelson as Cass County Assessor for a six-year term beginning January, 2016. The vote not to reappoint her was held during the Conference Board’s meeting last Thursday night.

Before opening up the public comment portion of the Board of Supervisor’s meeting, Board Chair Frank Waters…who is also chair of the Conference Board…announced he would not take comments with regard to the Assessor’s reappointment. That left the audience frustrated, but the discussion still turned toward the Assessor’s matter. One of those who spoke was Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones, who called for another meeting of the Conference Board because he wasn’t able to attend Thursday’s meeting. Waters told Jones in essence, he should have been there, and Supervisor Mark Wedemeyer agreed.

One of those in attendance was upset the Supervisors would not take comments on the Nelson matter, and questioned their reasoning. Waters explained they are two separate Boards. He said those comments can be taken at the next Conference Board meeting, which is typically held twice a year and has not yet been rescheduled.

Waters said the Conference Board can hold a special meeting before Nov. 1st, if there are enough written comments to the Board Chair (Waters) requesting the meeting. One of the comments from local realtor Melissa Ihnen, was with regard to the posting of notice about the Conference Board meeting, so members of the public can attend. Wedemeyer explained the notice is posted by Nelson in the entryway to the courthouse, but not made available to the local media unless it is specifically requested.

Afterward, each member of the local newspaper and radio stations, including KJAN, went on record and requested Conference Board Chair Water provide notification of those meetings. If and when another meeting of the Conference Board is scheduled in the near future, we will let you know, here on KJAN.