Cultural organizations and arts projects in 15 Iowa communities received a boost today (Tuesday), with $124,727 awarded in Cultural Trust Stability and Art Project grants from the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Among the communities awarded grant funds was Council Bluffs and Greenfield.

The Greenfield, Adair County Historical Society, Inc. was awarded $2,500 for Strategic Planning, so that The Adair County Historical Society will train its staff and board in developing new strategic and fundraising plans.

And, the City of Council Bluffs received $10,000 for The Council Bluffs Guild of the Omaha Symphony’s “Mission Imagination in Space,” an interactive music education program that introduces area youth to the orchestra through an engaging concert experience.

Cultural Trust Stability grants help non-profit arts and cultural organizations achieve fiscal stability through strategic planning and management, while Art Project grants create vitality in the arts and support job creation, arts learning and rural arts access. Administered by the Iowa Arts Council, Cultural Trust Stability grants are funded through the Iowa Cultural Trust, and Art Project grants are funded through the Iowa Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Iowa Arts Council is a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.

More information is available at www.iowaculture.gov or by calling the Iowa Arts Council at 515-281-5111.

The Audubon School District’s Board of Education Monday night, decided to approve a revised Early Retirement incentive package to District staff. Superintendent Brett Gibbs said because of declining enrollment and the uncertain status of State Supplement Aid for the next two-years, they need to look for some savings in the Audubon School District.

They changed the early retirement policy from staff required to be 55-years old and 15-years of service with the District, to 55-years old and 12-years with the District. They also increased the amount of pay from $30,000 two years ago spread over two-years, to $40,000 in the same amount of time under the current proposal.

The offer will be limited to seven District employees, even though 14 will qualify. And, the Board made the statement that they do not intend to offer Early Retirement again for three-more years. Those persons who are qualified for the program will be notified after the first of the year to give them a chance to consult with IPERS personnel, a financial planner and the employees’ spouse to decide if that’s the course of action they want to pursue.

He said there’s a good side and bad side to offering Early Retirement. Financially, it makes sense in terms of savings, because your older, more experienced teachers are typically paid more. And it offers the chance to bring in younger, less experienced teachers at a reduced cost. The downside he say, is they’ll be losing older, more experienced teachers who know the students, understand the system and how to teach. Gibbs said they will be sorry to see them go and it’s a shame for those students who will miss out on the expert teachers’ knowledge and experience.

The CAM School District’s Board of Education, Monday evening, held discussion but took no action, on several matters before them. Superintendent Dr. Casey Berlau said Tim Teig, with Snyder and Associates Engineers presented mostly complete drawings on the new addition planned for the Massena Elementary Building. He said the project is “Coming along pretty well.”

The Board also heard a presentation from the Spanish Instructor Maribel Manjavacas, who is part of the State of Iowa’s Visiting Teacher’s Program.

And, they discussed Early Retirement.

(He said they discussed offering the same incentive as in the past few years, which is $1,000 if a prospective retiree lets the District know of their plans prior to February. Berlau said some schools use that in lieu of “Reduction in force” notices or reductions in staff, but he said CAM is not a situation where they’re looking to make any reductions.)

The Board will take action on an Early Retirement package or incentive program, during their meeting next month. So far, he says he knows of no one who has expressed an interest in Early Retirement. And, the CAM School Board discussed having a year around Greenhouse to supplement the existing, seasonal Greenhouse on the Massena School grounds. They’re still in the exploratory phase of that discussion.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa woman who played Mrs. Claus on yearly holiday rounds with her husband as Santa has been killed in a traffic accident on an icy road.
The Des Moines Register reports 79-year-old Joyce Daniels was killed and her husband, 79-year-old Jack Daniels, was injured in the Saturday morning accident.
The St. Charles couple was heading home after playing Santa and Mrs. Claus at a bank in the town of Winterset. Authorities say the vehicle hit ice on the road and rolled over once before landing upside-down in a ditch.

Jack’s brother, Larry Daniels, tells the newspaper Jack remains hospitalized with broken bones and other injuries. He says the couple had been playing the holiday roles for at least 15 years.

Police in Red Oak say a woman who held authorities at bay for about 90-minutes Monday afternoon was arrested on numerous charges. 50-year old Christine Courtney Ryan, of Red Oak, was taken into custody by the Red Oak K9 unit after officers broke down a door and entered a residence where she was holed-up with multiple weapons in a bedroom. Ryan was charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon, assault on a peace officer and/or health care worker, and interference with official acts.

The incident began when the Montgomery County’s Communication Center received a 911 call from 510 West Washington Avenue with regard to a domestic disturbance. A man said his significant other had fired a gun at him and chased him from the residence. Red Oak Police and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to scene, where  they met with the caller and established a perimeter around the residence. Authorities learned from the male subject that Ryan was inside the home, armed with several firearms and heavily intoxicated. Residents in the area were evacuated while authorities tried to negotiate with Ryan.

After she was apprehended, Ryan was transported to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital where she was treated for a bite from the K9. During treatment, Ryan allegedly assaulted three nurses by kicking them. She was subsequently transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where she was being held on $10,000 bond.

Assisting authorities at the scene was Red Oak Fire and Rescue, Montgomery County Emergency Management, Montgomery County Secondary Roads crews and Deputies with the Mills County Sheriff’s Office.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly meeting 8:30-a.m. Wednesday in their Board Room at the Cass County Courthouse. During the session, they’ll discuss a Contribution to Cass County Agricultural and Education Association, an Amendment of Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area plan by adding Elite Octane property to area, and act on a Resolution setting date for public hearing on urban renewal plan amendment, as well as approving Professional Services Agreements with regard to the Gray Water Transmission Project, and the Glacier Road, Buck Creek Road and Echo Road Paving Projects.

During a special meeting Monday morning, the Board approved a Resolution providing for the initial authorization of an Agreement for Private Development with Elite Octane. The Resolution states that the board has adopted an ordinance providing for the division of taxes levied on taxable property in the Urban Renewal Area. The portion of taxes may be irrevocably pledged by the County for the payment of the principal and interest on indebtedness incurred to finance or refinance in whole or in part projects in the Urban Renewal Area.

The County would agree to provide incremental tax payments to the Developer in a total amount not exceeding $8.5-million, and the installation of certain public infrastructure improvements. Additional action on setting up the Urban Renewal Area and TIF agreement will not take place until a meeting in February, 2017.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Iowa State Patrol, Monday afternoon, identified the victims of a fatal crash in eastern Iowa’s Jones County, as being from Monticello. The accident happened at around 2:10-p.m., Sunday. The dead and injured were all from the same family, who were in an SUV that  skidded through a stop sign and was struck by a semi.

Six-year old Donald Hunter and 8-year old Diamond Hunter died at the hospital. Injured in the crash was 13-year old Hope Hunter, 32-year old Brandon James Hunter, and 31-year old Molli J. Hunter, all of Monticello. The driver of the semi, 41-year old Ryan Daniel Powers, of Horicon, WI., was not hurt.

The Patrol says the 2016 Kenworth semi was traveling south on Highway 151. The 2007 Hyundai Veracruz driven by Brandon Hunter, was traveling east on 215^th Avenue, when it skidded on the slippery road and into the intersection with Highway 151, where the collision occurred.

The accident remains under investigation.

Two Adair County men were arrested early this (Tuesday) morning on drug charges, in Creston. Creston Police say 34-year old Jason Herbal and 23-year old Steven Patterson, Jr., both of Greenfield, were taken into custody at around 3:20-a.m. at 806 Laurel Street in Creston. Both men were charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, with Patterson’s charge being a 2nd offense. Herbal and Patterson, Jr. were being held in the Union County on $1,000 bond, each.

And, 35-year old Christopher Bell, of Creston, was arrested Monday evening in Creston. Bell was taken into custody at the Union County Law Enforcement Center for Theft in the 5th Degree. He was subsequently released on a Promise to Appear later, in court.

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

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