The Griswold and Elk Horn-Kimballton School District Boards of Education will hold their separate, regular monthly meetings, this evening (Monday). The Griswold School Board meeting begins at 5:45-p.m. in the Central Office Board Room at the Middle School/High School Building.

During the session a Public Hearing will be held with regard to the 2014-2015 School Calendar, including an Early Start Waiver and conversion to an hour-based calendar. Later on during the meeting, the Board will act on a Resolution pertaining to the School Calendar, along with taking action on: the Certified Negotiations settlement; Ethernet Lease Agreement; 2014-15 school lunch prices, adult and convenience fees, and, on community groups sending promotional fliers through the school.

In Elk Horn, the EHK School Board will act on resignations, including a pre-school aide and teacher, and on approving a Memorial Bench by the Senior Class. The meeting begins at 7-p.m. in the High School’s Family and Consumer Science Room.

DES MOINES, Iowa – This is National Stroke Awareness Month and Iowans are being reminded of the vital need for quick action with the onset of symptoms. A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted so damage mounts with each passing minute, says Kassie Wessing with the American Heart Association in Iowa.

“The quicker that you can get treatment and the quicker that you can call 911 and emergency responders know what’s happening with you, the better chance you have to survive and suffer minimal damage to your brain,” Wessing says. Wessing adds that symptoms of stroke can be easily remembered with the acronym “FAST,” which stands for Facial drooping, Arm weakness and Speech difficulty, along with Time.

While a stroke can happen to anyone, research shows the vast majority can be prevented and Wessing says there are a number of ways to reduce risk. “We kind of like to say what’s good for your heart is good for your brain. So, not smoking is a big one. Eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables and grains, and omega-3 fish oils. Definitely keeping active,” she explains.

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in Iowa. More info at www.strokeassociation.org.

(Iowa News Service)

Police in Red Oak report the arrest Sunday afternoon of a woman on an assault charge. Officers took 24-year old Chloe Marguerite Coburn, of Red Oak, into custody at a residence in the 100 block of Coolbaugh Street, at around 2:30-p.m.   Coburn was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault. She was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held without bond.

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County report the arrest Sunday night of a Red Oak man. 52-year old Rodney Lukehart was charged with OWI/1st Offense, after deputies in Adams County responded to a call about a vehicle stopped along the side of Highway 34, at around 7:25-p.m. Upon investigation, it was learned Lukehart was allegedly under the influence of alcohol. He was brought to the Adams County Jail and held on $1,000 bond pending an appearance before a magistrate.

Firefighters from Atlantic were called to the scene of a deck fire early Monday morning. The incident at 704 E. 14th Street was reported at around 12:10-a.m.  Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees said a resident of the home called the owner, who was putting the fire out when the first fire crews arrived. A neighbor alerted another apartment resident who called the incident in.

Atlantic Police were the first to arrive on the scene and extinguish the blaze, which did not spread to the attached house. McNees said the fire, which was caused by a discarded cigarette damaged two railings and carpeting on the deck, which was shared by two apartments. The damage was estimated at several hundred dollars.

(Updated 8:30-a.m.)

An organization that celebrates the first road across America has selected Denison as the site for its annual convention. The Omaha World-Herald reports some 250-to 350- people could visit Denison in June 2017, when the community hosts the National Lincoln Highway Convention. Deb Rothmeyer of Denison is the chairwoman of the national convention and current vice president of the Iowa Lincoln Highway Association. She will become the state association’s president in October.

The theme for the weeklong national conference in Denison will be “It’s a Wonderful Road,” playing off Denison’s theme, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” a reference to the movie starring Denison native Donna Reed.

The Lincoln Highway was the nation’s first transcontinental road for automobiles, stretching from New York City to San Francisco. It roughly follows the route of Highway 30. This year’s convention is being held June 17th through the 21st in Toole, UT. For more information, go to https://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has about 40 bills awaiting a decision, a hefty stack of policy and spending measures lawmakers sent him in a flurry as the Legislature adjourned earlier this month. He has about two more weeks to decide whether to sign bills, which include measures regulating the use of unmanned aerial drones, allowing some people with epilepsy to take a marijuana oil derivative, and ending dog racing at Council Bluffs but letting it continue in Dubuque.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa agreed to help conceal why at least 55 state workers had been fired by allowing them to voluntarily resign or retire. The Des Moines Register reports that in some cases the state even removed all evidence of past wrongdoing from personnel records. That means future employers might not know about an individual’s troubled past before considering hiring them.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An overnight fire caused roughly $30,000 damage to a well-known Iowa City restaurant. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports the fire that started in the basement of Hamburg Inn Number 2 was reported shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday.

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — Sam Hornish Jr. beat Ryan Blaney off a restart with 21 laps to go and hung on to win the NASCAR Nationwide Series race yesterday at Iowa Speedway. Pole-sitter Ryan Blaney was second, followed by Regan Smith, Chase Elliott and Elliott Sadler in the first stand-alone event of the season.

In an update to our earlier on-line story, the one person was flown by Life Net helicopter to a hospital in Omaha following a motorcycle accident on Interstate 80 Sunday morning, near Shelby. The Omaha World Herald reports the accident happened at around 10-a.m. near the 36.5-mile marker of I-80 eastbound.

According to dispatch reports, a motorcycle driven by a 60-year old man went out of control and crashed into the median. Traffic was backed-up in the eastbound lanes for about 2-miles, until around 11-a.m., because the helicopter landed at the scene on the interstate. The chopper took-off at around 10:47-a.m. enroute to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

The crash victims’ injuries were not believed to be life threatening. Additional information was not available early this (Sunday) afternoon.

Members of the CAM Board of Education will gather in the High School Media Center in Anita Monday evening, to resume discussions, and possibly act on approving, an agreement with the Nodaway Valley School District, for the sharing of a Superintendent. The meeting begins at 6:30.

Superintendent Steve Pelzer and School Board President Gary Dinkla and Board Member Chuck Kinzie met in April with Nodaway Valley School Board members to discuss a possible sharing arrangement.At that time, the CAM Board voted not to continue discussions with the Coon Rapids-Bayard School Board, with regard to a similar arrangement.

It was also announced in April, that Superintendent Pelzer had held conversations with Adair-Casey Superintendent Steve Smith about sharing possibilities.  The two boards will hold a joint meeting in June or July to discuss sharing opportunities. The  next regular meeting of the Adair-Casey School Board is May 21st, but Superintendent Sharing is not on their agenda.  Members of the Nodaway Valley School Board voted during their meeting on May 8th, to enter into an agreement to share a Superintendent with the CAM School District. Their next step was to form a committee to draft and agreement for presentation to the CAM School Board.

In other business, the CAM School Board, Monday, will discuss and/or act on: Any resignations; An agreement with Casey Computer Consulting; Open Enrollment Applications; An agreement with Iowa Western Community College; a Pre-School recommendations, and Air Conditioner bids for the Massena School.

The Board will then enter into an exempt/closed session for negotiations, before resuming discussion and/or action on Contracts and a Shared Superintendent’s position.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has about 40 bills awaiting a decision, a hefty stack of policy and spending measures lawmakers sent him in a flurry as the Legislature adjourned earlier this month.

He has about two more weeks to decide whether to sign bills, which include measures regulating the use of unmanned aerial drones, allowing some people with epilepsy to take a marijuana oil derivative, and ending dog racing at Council Bluffs but letting it continue in Dubuque. About 10 of the bills Branstad must consider are spending measures that make up large portions of the state’s $6.97 billion budget.

The governor has 30 days from adjournment to consider bills sent to him at the end of the session. Branstad has signed just over 100 bills into law.