DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a semitrailer filled with hogs tipped over on a northeast Des Moines interstate exit, forcing 10 of the injured animals to be euthanized. Lt. Rich Blaylock of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office says the truck was leaving Interstate 80 around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday when it tipped. The driver wasn’t injured.

Tom Colvin with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa says around 140 hogs had to be removed from the trailer, and 10 had to be euthanized. He also says it’s possible some hogs had died by the time veterinarians and volunteers arrived to get them out of the trailer.

A makeshift fence was used to guide the hogs into another trailer after they got out of the damaged trailer.

Eight Iowans, including a man who works in Atlantic, will be among the 200 craft trainees and apprentices from across the country traveling to Long Beach, California on March 18 – 20 to compete in the annual National Craft Championships competition, hosted by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). For competitors, the National Craft Championships allows them to demonstrate their superior skills, training and safe work practices all while representing their state on a national level. Five Iowa apprentices qualified for the national competition during ABC of Iowa’s state event this fall and three are sponsored and trained by Interstates Companies in Sioux Center, an ABC of Iowa member.

There are 15 competitions and 12 crafts. Each competition consists of a written exam and a practical performance test, testing apprentices’ skills during a six-hour project. Prizes are awarded to the top three finishers in each craft. Among the eight apprentices representing Iowa in California next week, is Michael Jensen from Camblin Mechanical, Inc. in Atlantic – for HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning).

Associated Builders and Contractors of Iowa is a non-profit construction trade association that boasts the largest construction apprenticeship-training program in the state. ABC members build commercial buildings, industrial plants, municipal and public works projects, roads and highways, homes and provide an array of construction services. For more information, visit www.abciowa.org.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will meet this (Wednesday) evening at 5:30, in the High School Media Center. Discussion items on their agenda include: the 2018-19 School Calendar, Driver’s Education Services, Summer 2018 Capital Projects/request for bids, and facility planning. With regard to the Calendar, a committee was formed and two calendars were provided to staff in each of the District’s buildings, for feedback. Given that the first allowable start date is Aug. 23rd, 2018, the final day for school using the current calendar would be the Friday before Memorial Day. School officials say 20 instructional hours were missed due the weather to date, with total being 1,073. This year, the district will add the 25th as a student day, and other small tweaks to the calendar to meet the requirement. Any additional weather delays will result in the make-up of additional instructional hours.

The 2018-19 School Calendar would be different from 2017-18, in that First Semester will have students in school on Dec. 21st. Last year, they did not have school on the Friday before break. The committee thought having Martin Luther King as a professional development day, was too close to the extended break. They agreed President’s Day would be a better time for Prof. Development. The calendar discussion will also include moving spring conferences to later in the school year, or make sure the P/T Conference is the only activity on two evenings. District staff were split 50-50 with regard to changing the week-long break to an extended break around the time of Easter. By doing that, officials say they were able to increase the number of instructional hours in the schedule to create more flexibility with the hours.

Action items this evening include approval of Resolutions pertaining to: the 2018-19 Budget Guarantee, in the amount of $217,766; 2018-19 Board-Approved PPEL in the amount of $152,452, or .33-cents per thousand dollars assessed valuation, and, a 2018-19 Fund Transfer of $8,000, from General to Activity, for Protective Equipment. The Board will also act on the resignation of Emma Bireline as Head Varsity Volleyball Coach, and approve a contract/Letter of Assignment with Kelly Simonton, District Maintenance.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City man has been imprisoned for possessing illegal drugs and child pornography. Federal prosecutors say 23-year-old Jose Ortega-Ramirez was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to 7½ years. He also must serve five years of supervised release after he leaves prison. He’d pleaded guilty on Nov. 1.

Police say they intercepted a package from Mexico containing nearly 291 grams (10.26 ounces) of cocaine addressed to Ortega-Ramirez’s apartment. Police executed a controlled delivery, then searched Ortega-Ramirez’s home and found the package. He also admitted to having images of a nude minor.

Authorities in Guthrie Center are investigating the cause of a fire late Monday night that destroyed a residence, there. According to Guthrie County Dispatch, the fire at 2041 190th Road began at around 6:30-p.m., Monday. The home is owned by Will and Jennifer Bates. Jennifer entered the structure after returning from a track and field meet. She quickly ran out of the home after seeing smoke and flames.

Officials say no one was injured. The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately clear.  Panora Volunteer Fire Department crews assisted Guthrie Center Fire, at the scene.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports 37-year old Robert Girard, of Lenox, was arrested Tuesday, in the 400 block E Ohio on March 13th. Girard was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, and was being held at the Taylor County Jail on $1,000 cash only bond.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports two people were arrested on drug charges overnight Tuesday into early this (Wednesday) morning. At around 10p.m. Tuesday, Deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office served an arrest warrant on 20 year old Max Allen Mitchell, of Farragut.

Deputies had been investigating Mitchell for illegal sales of narcotics. He was arrested at his home without incident and transported to the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center on warrants for delivery of LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, fentanyl, and xanax. Mitchell is currently being held on a $202,000.00 cash only bond.

And, at around 1-a.m. today (Wednesday),  Deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office served another arrest warrant on 19 year old Irineo Ramon Gonzalez, of Sidney. Deputies had been conducting an on-going investigation on Gonzalez, who was arrested on warrants and also found to be in possession of a controlled substance during the arrest.

Gonzalez was transported to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office for the warrants of Controlled substance violation, Using a minor in the Drug trade, and possession of a controlled substance. He was being held in the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center on a $61,000.00 cash only bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for causing recurring flooding that damaged farms and property in four Midwest states along the Missouri River. The ruling Tuesday in Washington says the government must compensate farmers, landowners and business owners for the flood damage in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. The damage has been estimated to exceed $300 million.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A legislative aide to the former Republican majority leader of the Iowa Senate is leaving his job, one day after his boss resigned for kissing a Statehouse lobbyist. Senior Senate Aide Ed Failor, who reported to Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, announced his resignation late Tuesday afternoon. Failor’s exit is effective immediately. Failor tells The Associated Press he didn’t want to be a “distraction” as Senate Republicans elect a new leader Wednesday to replace Dix.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A judge has ordered an Iowa youth basketball coach jailed on a federal child pornography charge until a detention hearing Thursday. Greg Stephen, until recently the co-director of the Iowa Barnstormers, was handcuffed and shackled during an initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon in Cedar Rapids. Stephen was arrested by the FBI earlier in the day. Investigators say he confessed to secretly recording three adolescent players disrobing.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A judge has denied the appeal for reinstatement of a former Polk County sheriff sergeant fired for insubordination and gender bias. The Des Moines Register reports says Polk County District Judge Paul Scott ruled Friday that former Sgt. Dan Charleston failed to show that a county commission wrongly affirmed Sheriff Bill McCarthy’s decision to fire Charleston last year. Charleston was accused of giving preferential treatment to male subordinates and of gender bias, and he was fired June 23.

Probation officers, assisted by Fremont County Sheriff’s Deputies, searched a residence in Sidney Tuesday, and discovered several items of drug paraphernalia and suspected controlled substances. As a result, 29-year old James Hume, of Sidney, was arrested for Possession of Controlled Substance, (meth) 2nd offense, Possession of a Schedule IV controlled Substance 2nd Offense, Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Hume was being held at the Fremont County Jail on $5,300 bond. Other charges are pending.

James Hume