The Harlan Community School District’s Board of Education, Friday, approved a resolution for the Vision Iowa Grant Program. The board approved the final motion pertaining to a $200,000 Vision Iowa Grant that was awarded to the school district in November. Superintendent Justin Wagner said the resolution was the final item necessary for them to obtain the grant.

“There were four items they (Vision Iowa) would like to have back from us. One of them was some tax information. The second was total completion of amount money raised, $1.528 million which has been done. Then there were two other things, a resolution from the city which was already passed and we have the minutes for. The last one is the resolution from the school board basically saying the school board is accepting the funds and will adhere to the grant agreement.”

The Board Friday also heard a presentation from FEH Engineering consultant Matt Basye, with regard to the Merrill Field Renovation project. Basye said there would fewer seats in the bleachers, but there is room for future expansion. “Basically what we started with was we knew the turf was going to be done, the track resurfacing was going to be done and we wanted to closely match the amount of seating you already have with the budget. What we got here shown is around 2,400 to 2,500 seats which is a few less than you have now. But we are also going to give you options to add seating later when it does fit with the budget.”

The reason for the possible reduction in seating is due to discussion about whether or not to remove some seats in front of the concession stand to open up the field more. The project is not complete as of yet because the numbers continue to fluctuate as well as the plans have not been finalized. No board action was taken to finalize the project. However, Basye says the plan is to move forward quickly.

“The kind of plan for getting the project going and under construction is that we are looking to have a public hearing on Monday, January 6^th, which is a board meeting for you (school board). January 20^th you would be back to adopt the plans and allow me to go out and get bids. Then we would have bids come back mid-February around that time and the contractors would start around the first part of March.”

Superintendent Wagner said a public hearing on the Merrill Field project will be held as part of the Board’s January 6^th meeting.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Following a coating of ice last week, a wide section of Iowa got more snow over the weekend, with southwest Iowa’s Taylor County reporting up to nine inches of snow. The storm front left behind bitter cold, with wind chills approaching 25 below zero. It also left a mess. It’s hard enough to negotiate slippery concrete but it’s even worse if you’re trying to carry a bulky package or two, according to Richard Watkins at the U-S Postal Service.  “This is our big time of year, of course, and we ask our carriers to be really careful in ice and snow, not only on the roads and streets but in delivering the mail to residential houses,” Watkins says.

Iowa residents play a key role in helping letter carriers to stay safe.  “We’ve asked our customers across the state to clear as much snow and ice as they safely can from around their walkways, their steps, their porches and, in particular, around their rural mailboxes,” Watkins says, “because we’re trying to get these Christmas packages to our customers in time for Christmas.”

He says the postal service is seeing a welcome boost in package volume during these final days of the year, an increase of 12-to-15-percent. “That’s certainly good news for the postal service, that we get this extra business, but this weather’s not doing anything to help us,” Watkins says. “That’s where our customers can come in and help get that mail and those packages delivered on time.”

If a snowplow has come along and piled snow along your roadside mailbox, he also asks that you clear a path so the mail truck can reach it.

(Radio Iowa)

Some Iowa families followed their traditions and picked out Christmas trees this past weekend, decking them out with shiny ornaments and colorful lights. Ron Humphrey, spokesman for the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office, says it’s vital to keep the tree well hydrated.  “A dry tree, a pine tree or an evergreen, have a lot of oils in them and as they dry out, they can catch fire and burn very quickly and very hot,” Humphrey says. “It’s important to keep them healthy and have plenty of water.”

The fire marshal’s website features a video that shows how quickly two separate trees can go up in flames, one that’s fresh, the other that’s dried out. While the tree may be beautiful and full of sentiment, he says it’s a wise move to plan to take it down later this week.  “Once Christmas is over, the best thing is to get rid of it as soon as possible, get it out of the home,” Humphrey says. “They will only last so long, even if you do keep it watered, they’re not going to stay fresh for very long.”

A few other suggestions: when stringing lights, make sure the cords aren’t frayed, also, never use lighted candles on or near a tree. Learn more about Christmas tree safety at the National Fire Protection Association website at www.nfpa.org

(Iowa News Service)

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The time for gift shopping is quickly coming to an end, but parents are reminded that it still pays to be cautious when buying toys, to avoid those that are dangerous or toxic. According to Shaina Shay, spokeswoman for the Public Interest Research Group, one main concern are those toys with high levels of lead.She cited “the Marvel Superhero Squad Soft Shield that contains 2,900 parts per million of lead, which violates the standard by 29 times. Also the Ninja Turtles pencil case.”

Shay also urged parents to stay away from toys that could present a choking hazard for young children, which – if you want to check on your own – is generally any product that would fit through a toilet paper roll. Another consideration in toy buying is, how loud is it? The maximum suggested noise for toys that are held within an inch of the ear is 65 decibels, but Shay said one they found goes well beyond that. “The Leapfrog Count and Chat Smartphone, which is clearly intended to be held up to the ear, exceeds not only the 65-decibel range but prolonged periods of 90 decibels.”

You can find this year’s entire “Trouble in Toyland” report online at the USPIRG website.

(Iowa News Service)

 Time is running out to find the perfect gift for everyone on the “nice” list this year, but experts say it’s critical to protect yourself and your purchases in the midst of the last-minute rush.According to Michelle Corey of the Better Business Bureau, the recent data breach that affected an estimated 40 million Target customers should serve as a wake-up call for shoppers everywhere.

“If you’re using your credit card or your debit card on a regular basis during the holiday shopping season, go online to your bank and check your checking account statements or your credit card statements to see if there are unauthorized charges,” she suggested. Corey also recommended that at least once per quarter consumers check their credit reports with one of the three credit-reporting agencies to see if any unauthorized accounts have been opened or there’s any suspicious activity. 

Corey said many people look at gift cards as an easy option in these final shopping days, but she offered caution there too, as some gift cards come with transaction fees, processing fees, inactivity fees, or other issues. “Millions of gift cards every year, they go unused because people either lose them, they’re stolen, they forget about them or they just don’t want to do business at the stores,” she said.

Target data breach information is at tgt.biz/JMn9Td.

(Iowa News Service)

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a Glenwood man was cited Sunday night for driving with a suspended license. Nicholas Allen Hall was stopped at the Highway’s 71 and 34 interchange for a traffic violation. Upon further investigation, it was determined Hall was operating a motor vehicle with a suspended driver’s license. Hall was cited for the offense and released on a citation, with instructions to appear in court at a later date.

Two Iowa deer hunters sustained non-life threatening injuries during the final weekend of the shotgun deer season. Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources officials say 50-year old Michael Otto, of Madrid, was treated after sustaining an injury to his elbow while deer hunting southwest of Madrid in Dallas County on Saturday. Otto was hit in the elbow by another hunter who was shooting at a running deer at approximately 11 a.m. Saturday. He was treated at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines.

21-year old Holden Hillegas, of Charles City, suffered a flesh wound to his upper back when he was struck by a deer slug fired from approximately 200 yards away by another hunter in his party shortly after 3 p.m. on Saturday while hunting near Floyd. He was treated at Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Travel conditions are likely to remain hazardous in Iowa through Monday morning as strong winds create snow drifts and glazed roads. The latest road conditions are available online at http://511ia.org or by calling 511 when in Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines police officer is facing sanctions after department officials determined that he acted improperly when he shot out a van tire during an October pursuit. Sergeant Jason Halifax tells the Register that Sergeant Greg Wessels’ actions violated the department’s policy on using deadly force. Wessels remains on duty. His commanders will decide what punishment to impose.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two deer hunters have been injured during the last weekend of shotgun season. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said yesterday that a Madrid man was shot in his elbow by a hunter who was shooting at a deer in Dallas County on Saturday. Fifty-year-old Michael Otto was treated at a Des Moines hospital. Twenty-one-year-old Holden Hillegas of Charles City also was accidentally shot Saturday near Floyd.

HONOLULU (AP) — Georges Niang scored 22 points and Number 17 Iowa State beat George Mason 79-67 yesterday in the first round of the Diamond Head Classic. The Cyclones had their second-lowest scoring game of the season but still managed to extend their winning streak.