The Audubon and Griswold School Boards will hold their separate, monthly meetings, Monday evening. The Griswold School Board meeting begins at 5:30-p.m in the Conference Room. Their session is expected to cover the following action [A] or Informational [I] items:

• The 2nd reading of some 400- 500- 600 and 700-series Board Policies. [A]
• An update with regard to COVID-19. [I]
• Closing of the FY2020 Financial Books  [A]
• Consider acceptance of the 2019-20 Audit report [A]
• Consider approval of the District Developed Special Education Plan [A]
• Consider approval of the Early Graduation list. [A]
• And, the 1st reading of Board Policies, Series 403. [A]

The Audubon School Board meets 7-p.m. Monday in the High School Board Room. Action/possible action items on their agenda include, but are not limited to:

• The awarding of Asbestos Abatement bids
• Awarding of Building Project bids: General contractor; Electrical; Mechanical; Fire Suppression.
• Set the date and time for a Special Meeting to: Approve financing bids, & award bids for the Building Project.
• Approve request for SBRC for MSA Dropout Prevention
• Appointing a member to the Assessor Conference Board
• The 2nd reading of various Board Policies
• and any Personnel matters to come before the Board.

Afterward, Superintendent Eric Trager will present his monthly report to the Board, followed by the Transportation Report and Principal’s Reports.

FAIRFAX, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified the man who died in an eastern Iowa apartment fire. The Linn County Sheriff’s office said Sunday that Ronald Weston, 43, died Friday in the fire in Fairfax. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The fire was reported shortly after 10 p.m. Friday. Flames and smoke were coming out of the six-unit apartment building when firefighters arrived. Weston was found in an upstairs unit.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An outside audit found that a Des Moines library employee who died in April improperly charged more than $28,000 to a library credit card. The auditors the city hired found that Bekki Kirkland made 159 fraudulent transactions between 2016 and 2020. Roughly one-third of the improper purchases the former office manager made were to purchase prepaid VISA gift cards.

Library staff discovered several suspicious purchases on a credit card Kirkland was authorized to use shortly after her death. Library Director Sue Woody said in a statement that additional procedures have been put in place to protect library funds in the future.

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors will hold their regular monthly meeting via Zoom, Monday evening, beginning at 5:15.  On their agenda under Action Item/New Business, is the following:

• Information/discussion with regard to the Ice Skating Rink
• Water Recreation Equipment news
• Update on the trails around Atlantic
• Distribution of Parks and Rec brochures
• An update on the website
• And, information with regard to Pool Shade.

In the Director’s Report, Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen is expected to discuss:

• Ongoing tree pruning
• The “Turkey Hunt”
• Winter activities
• Applying for grants
• Donation links
• along with Entry signs, and the Park Shop.

Red Oak Police, Saturday, arrested 24-year old Brandon Joseph Floyd Light, of Red Oak. Light was taken into custody at around 5:20-p.m. in the 700 block of E. Washington Avenue, for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense, a Serious Misdemeanor. He was being held without bond, in the Montgomery County Jail.

FAIRFAX, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man has died in an Iowa apartment fire. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that the fire was reported just after 10 p.m. Friday in Fairfax. Smoke and flames were pouring from the apartment building when deputies and fire crews arrived. The release said the victim was found in an upstairs unit and pronounced dead. His name was not immediately released. The cause of the fire has not been determined. The State Fire Marshal’s Office is assisting in the investigation. The sheriff’s office says the Red Cross is helping displaced residents.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, Saturday, reported three arrests took place this past week. On Wednesday (Dec. 16th), 42-year old Shane Robert Seagler, of Massena, was arrested by Police in Adair, on charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance (2 counts: Marijuana & Methamphetamine); Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; and Theft in the 5th Degree. He was taken into custody after the Kum & Go in Adair reported a theft at around 6:50-a.m.

The clerk identified Seagler – whom she knew – and reported he allegedly stole a bottle of Black Velvet. Video surveillance backed-up her claim. Seagler initially left the store, but returned at around 2:20-p.m.  A van he was a passenger in was pulled over at 5th Street and I-80. The officer saw inside the vehicle, in plain view, the bottle of whiskey and an open can of beer. Other items, including a pipe, a glass pipe, butane torch used for smoking meth, a scale and a gum container contained meth and marijuana were found inside the van. The driver – Mathew Mitchel – was cited for open container, and released. Seagler admitted the drugs were his. He was cited and released from the scene.

Sheriff Vandewater says 20-year old Amber Mileena Parmenter, of Creston, was arrested Dec. 16th, for Driving While Barred. She was cited at the scene and released.  And, as we have previously reported, 43-year old Dixie Lou Hernandez, of Stuart, was arrested Dec. 16th by Stuart Police, on a Union County warrant for Violation of Probation. She was transferred to the custody of Union County Deputies.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines man has been sentenced to life in prison for beating his mother to death with a crowbar and then remaining with her body for five days before contacting authorities. The Des Moines Register reports that 33-year-old Christopher Thompson was sentenced Friday for first-degree murder in the March death of Paula Thompson.

Court documents show she had been trying to get her son to move out of her home and had confided to friends and on social media that she was frightened of him. Court records show Thompson has already asked the court to set aside his guilty verdict.

A recent break-in at a residence in Essex resulted in a foot pursuit, and the arrest of a man from Wisconsin. According to the Shenandoah Police Department, officers were dispatched to the 600 block of Nebraska Avenue, in Essex, following a report of a man who broke into a house and then fled on foot.

Officers located a man matching the suspect description and, after a brief foot pursuit, arrested 23-year-old Cody Gregory Tschida, of Prescott, WI., for Burglary in the 3rd degree, Serious Assault, and Public Intoxication.

Tschida was unable to post a $6,300 bond, and was transported to the Page County Jail.