The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday evening approved the FY2020-21 annual Certified Budget. Their action came after a Public Hearing, during which their were no written or spoken comments made. The Budget – which will be submitted to the State prior to April 15th – calls for a tax rate of $14.22 per thousand dollars of taxable assessed value, as compared to $14.72/$1,000, for the current school year (a reduction of 50-cents/$1,000).

In other action, the Board passed a Resolution Levying a tax for FY 2020-21 for the future optional redemption of General Obligation (G.O.) School Bonds, Series 2019. The amount of $195,000 will come from the Debt Service Fund. They also approved four Change Orders/Proposal Requests for the Athletic Facilities Project, and a Pandemic Pay Resolution that allows district employees will continue to receive regular and customary pay, through April 30th.

In their discussion items, the Atlantic School Board heard a District Athletic Facilities update from construction coordinator Bob Sweeney, Snyder and Associates Engineers Dave Sturm and FRK Architects’ Primary Tom Wollan. Sweeney told the Board “Construction continues to move forward at both the Trojan Bowl and the Baseball/Softball Complex. Crews have done a very nice job of rotating locations to avoid having too many people at any one site or location” (Per social distancing rules).

Sweeney said the Facilities Committee has raised a little more than half of the $600,000 needed to pay for the synthetic turf at the Trojan Bowl. Thanks to a $50,000 kick-starter donation from Rolling Hills Bank & Trust. A $100,000 matching grant donation challenge from the Atlantic Bottling Company was met and exceeded, with $135,000 donated. The match deadline was March 31st. Sweeney say the donations came from 80 individuals/businesses Current fundraising amounts to $326,000, with additional funds received Wednesday, not yet having officially been added to the total.

And, Superintendent Steve Barber said the District is on-track to engage in its voluntary Continuous Learning Plan, Monday, April 13th. The District’s website has a section specifically marked for COVID-19 learning on the front of its homepage. Inside the section, is a link to “Online Learning Opportunities and Resources.” There will also be Dept. Of Education and AEA resources. The website will be continuously updated throughout the closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, until, according to Barber, “We get to some normalcy down the road here.”

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The National Weather Service says flooding remains a concern in several states along the Missouri River, even though the weather has been kind so far this spring. The agency says the flood risk is high in eastern South Dakota, eastern North Dakota, eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, eastern Kansas and Missouri because the soil remains wet. However, a lack of rain and the warm temperatures this spring have allowed snow to melt gradually across the Plains without increasing the risk. Officials have trimmed their forecast for how much water will flow down the Missouri River in 2020, but it is still expected to be a wet year.

There has been a major component failure to the Clarinda Police Department & Clarinda City Hall administrative phone lines. Police: 712-542-2194. City Hall: 712-542-2136. The auto attendant & voice mail systems are not working. If you call you will get a ring tone. The IT provider is working on the problem. It is unknown how long it will take before the system will be restored.

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — Some workers at a large corn processing plant in eastern Iowa have been told to stay home after four of their colleagues have tested positive for coronavirus. Archer Daniels Midland spokeswoman Jackie Anderson said Wednesday that operations at the plant in Clinton are continuing but with staffing changes.

The company said that the four workers who have tested positive are in quarantine and recovering at home. In addition, ADM said that it has asked all colleagues who worked “in close proximity” to the infected individuals to self-quarantine at home. Anderson would not say how many workers are currently at home due to their exposure.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports that at around 4:50-a.m. April 3rd, deputies responded to a report of a single-vehicle accident on I-80 eastbound. Officials say a 2004 Chevy Trailblazer driven by 27-year old Robin Elizabeth Santee, of Audubon, was eastbound on I-80 when the vehicle lost control on icy roadway and spun into the cable barrier. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $5,000; damage to the cable barrier is estimated at $500.

(as previously reported on KJAN) A couple of hours later, deputies responded to a single-vehicle accident on Lansing Road. A 2005 Chevy Colorado owned and driven by 44-year old Jennifer Lea Brisky, of Cumberland, was westbound on Lansing Road when the vehicle lost control on the icy road, entering the north ditch and rolling onto its top. Brisky was transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital via Medivac. Vehicle is estimated to have $5,000 damage. No citations were issued.

(Edited by Cass County S/O, 4/9/20) On March 30, 2020, at 4:45 p.m., the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an accident involving two ATV’s on Golden Road. Chase Alan Vogl, 14, of Atlantic, was northbound on Golden Road on a 2000 Honda Rancher ATV when he made an abrupt U-turn southward, striking the front of a northbound 2002 Honda Foreman ATV ridden by Jacob Matthew Haupert, 15, of Atlantic, which was following close behind. A passenger on one of the ATV’s, Kyra Pearl Chase, 15, was transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital via Medivac. Damage to the Honda Foreman is estimated at $1,000; damage to the Honda Rancher is estimated at $500. No citations were issued.

The Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency reports today (Wednesday, April 8th) Pottawattamie County Public Health indicated another positive COVID-19 cases in Pottawattamie County. The total number of COVID-19 cases for Pottawattamie County is now twelve, three of which have recovered.

Pottawattamie County’s twelfth case is a female between 41-60 years old and a rural resident of Neola. She was tested on April 5 and is currently self-isolating. Pottawattamie County Public Health is conducting a contact tracing investigation and is in contact with the Iowa Department of Public Health.

The Health Department is emphasizing the importance of social distancing. Stay home as often as possible. The best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 is to stay home as much as possible. Only leave home for essential reasons. Do not visit big box stores except for essential grocery and pharmaceutical needs. If you must leave home, practice social distancing and stay at least six feet away from others. Implement excellent hygiene and disinfectant practices. Wash hands and disinfect frequently touched surfaces multiple times per day. Isolate if you are sick.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms or develop symptoms, (fever, cough, shortness of breath) contact your healthcare provider before going to the doctor’s office or an emergency room.

(Radio Iowa) — State officials report there now are nearly 200 cases of COVID-19 in Linn County and the latest death in the state is of an elderly Linn County resident over the age of 81. By Tuesday night, 122 patients were being treated at an Iowa hospital for COVID-19. That’s been a recent double-digit increase in the number of reported hospitalizations, but Sarah Reisetter of the Iowa Department of Public Health says that’s partly because of new reporting guidelines.

“Previously we had been asking public health agencies to follow up with patients to determine hospitalization status,” Reisetter says. “Over the course of the last weekend, we put out a mandatory reporting order and we’re asking hospitals to report that information to us directly.” Reisetter says that means the information is more up-to-date. Testing has identified a total of 11-hundred-45 positive cases of COVID-19 in Iowa.

STORM LAKE, Iowa (Sioux City Journal) — A 32-year-old Storm Lake man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually assaulting a young child. The Sioux City Journal reports that Nee Htoo was sentenced Wednesday in Beuna Vista County District Court after he entered an Alford plea last month to second-degree sexual abuse, lascivious acts with a child and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.

An Alford plea is one in which the defendant does not admit guilty, but acknowledges there is enough evidence to secure a conviction. Prosecutors say Htoo sexually abused a girl at least four times in 2016 and 2017, when she was 6 or 7 years old.

Montgomery County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Stephanie Burke is encouraging those wishing to vote in the June 2 Primary Election to vote absentee by mail due to the recent concerns with coronavirus and COVID-19.

“Iowa’s June 2 Primary Election will go forward as planned, but I am encouraging citizens to vote by mail. It is our continued effort to keep our Montgomery County community safe and healthy. One way we are doing that, is by mailing every registered voter in Montgomery County an absentee ballot request form.” Auditor Burke said. “The Auditor’s office is currently working on the mailing and registered voters in Montgomery County should be receiving them in the near future if they haven’t received them already.”

After the Auditor’s office receives the completed absentee request form, a ballot will be mailed when they are ready. “Once you receive your ballot, vote it, sign the postage paid return envelope, and stick it in the mail – you’re done. It really is that simple.” Burke explained. Voters are reminded that for the Primary Election, they must choose a political party on the request form in order to receive the correct ballot.

The Iowa Secretary of State recently announced that their office will also be mailing absentee request forms at the end of April. “Our office already made the decision to do a mass mailing and started the process before the Secretary of State made the announcement, so we are going to continue with the mailing as planned. Those of you that already returned a request form to the Auditor’s office for the Primary Election, you do not need to submit another.” Burke said. Absentee requests to vote by mail must be received in the Auditor’s Office by 5 p.m. on May 22.

“We want to bring the polls to you, please vote from the comfort of your own home. Be heard, but be safe.” For more information about the 2020 Primary Election or absentee voting, please call the Auditor’s office at 623-5127. You can also follow Montgomery County Auditor & Elections Facebook page and at www.montgomerycountyiowa.com.