Local talent will take to the stage at the Elk’s Lodge in Atlantic Dec. 22^nd, for an evening of free, Big Band music and dancing. The 3rd annual Holiday Ball features “Popcorn Button, a 16-piece swing band performing a large range of hits from the big band era. The group will also perform a set of traditional holiday favorites re-arranged in the big band tradition. Popcorn Button includes student and alumni musicians from Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, Atlantic High School, and the Atlantic community.

And, Jake and Pam Auerbach will be back in action on the dance floor, helping anyone wanting to learn how to dance the waltz, swing, polka, and two-step. Dancers of any level of experience are welcome and encouraged to attend. The couple will be available throughout the evening to help any dancers get started while the music continues.

Even Santa Claus has taken time out of his busy schedule to make an appearance with Popcorn Button. An optional free will donation will be taken at the door to cover the band’s expenses, with all excess proceeds going to the Atlantic Food Pantry.

Once again, the Holiday Ball is a free public event. All ages and dancing abilities are invited and encouraged to attend from 7-10 PM Saturday, December 22nd at the Elks Lodge in Atlantic.  For more information, visit www.popcornbutton.org, or contact Curtis Ullerich at info@popcornbutton.org or 424-242-2878.

The Exira and Elk Horn Kimballton Boards of Education will hold a joint meeting this evening in Elk Horn, to discuss matters pertaining to reorganization of the districts. On the agenda for the 7-p.m. session in the Lunch Room at the High School in Elk Horn, is a presentation from Piper Jaffray’s Travis Squires, action on approval of a petition for Reorganization, and approval of joint committees, which includes: SIAC, Pre-School, District Leadership Team and Teacher Quality.

The Atlantic School Board Monday, heard a report from High School Assistant Prinicipal/Activities Director Josh Rasmussen, with regard to the condition of the district’s athletic facilities. Rasmussen showed the board pictures of conditions at the Trojan Bowl, Baseball Field, Softball Field, Middle School and Schuler Gyms, the Middle School practice field and wrestling/multi-purpose room.

Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein asked Rasmussen to take pictures of the areas district administrators and others have noticed are in need of repair or renovation. Rasmussen said at the Trojan Bowl, some of the issues brought up include: No restrooms for visitors except portable-style facilities, and the need to expand current restrooms; the need for a bigger concessions stand away from the exit and entrance; need for additional storage space, and no handicapped accessibility to the bleachers.

Rasmussen also talked about the baseball and softball fields. He said there is no ticket booth, the field is not level, there is no handicapped accessibility, which is something that must be addressed. Others concerns with both fields, include: No permanent bleachers; parking issues; drainage issues at the softball field; and safety improvements to the dugouts. As for the Middle School Gym, Rasmussen says the bleacher need to be replaced for safety reasons, new scoreboard are needed because the current boards are becoming obsolete, and the weightlifting area needs to be updated and equipment replaced.

New scoreboards are needed in the Schuler gym, along with new bleachers and an activity divider curtain. And, Rasmussen says in the Wrestling/Multi-Purpose room, there should be an enclosed breezeway connecting the room to the main building, an expansion of the multi-purpose room to include a locker room, and the addition of more storage space.

The school board agreed the next step would be to make “Requests for Proposals” (RFP’s), so experts can come in and offer an assessment of the situation, offer solutions to any problems with the athletic facilities, real or perceived, and what the costs might be.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Atlantic Police Department issued a statement this morning pertaining to an incident which occurred Monday night at the corner of 4th and Pine Streets. Police Chief Steve Green says officers responded to a reported assault at around 7:40-p.m.  The alleged victim was identified as a 27-year old Atlantic man, who was taken to the Cass County Memorial Hospital suffering from a single stab wound to his abdomen. The man, whose name was not released, was later transferred to Creighton Medical Center in Omaha, for additional treatment.

The incident is being investigated by the Atlantic P-D and agents with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Anyone with information about the incident, is being asked to contact the Atlantic Police Department.

Chief Green says this appears to be an isolated incident, and there is likely no danger to the general public. He declined to elaborate on why that is the case, and whether any suspects were being sought.

CORRECTIONVILLE, Iowa (AP) – A preliminary accident investigation report says a small plane hit some trees before fatally crashing short of a grass airstrip near Correctionville in northwest Iowa.  The National Transportation Safety Board says in the report issued Monday that despite the foggy conditions the evening of Dec. 1, the pilot told air traffic controllers that he had the airstrip in sight.

The crash killed two passengers, 53-year-old Lee Schroeder, of Oto, and 55-year-old James Smith, of Correctionville. The pilot, 70-year-old Gaylen Knaack, also of Correctionville, was taken for treatment of his burns to a hospital in Lincoln, Neb.

The NTSB says the Beech P35 had taken off from Correctionville that morning and flew to Grand Island, Neb., to pick up one of the passengers. It crashed when it returned to Correctionville.

The Atlantic School Board Monday night discussed, but took no action on the district’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget. Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein said looking at the current budget, an enrollment increase and factors affecting the budget such as debt service at the high school coming-off in May, and the cost for services at the Hospital School that are contracted out and not billable to Special Education, it becomes clear that the Board will need to look at sending those students to a facility outside of Atlantic, and what those costs would be.

He says revenues should continue to increase, based on enrollment. And, the district recently received an unexpected Title 6-B grant which they hadn’t been eligible for in the past. However due to the district’s Free and Reduced lunch rate, the district received $28,000 through the program. Amstein said a majority of the budget, 80-to 85-percent, will probably have to be used for salaries. One of the unknowns that will affect the final outcome of the budget, is allowable growth.  Amstein says he’s “Not an optimist,” in saying that the matter will be addressed early in the Iowa legislative session. He says the board may end up having to make their best guess at what the figure will be, and base their budget on that.”

Amstein says the unknowns are what will make this an “interesting budget year.” He says it will be interesting to learn what the allowable growth rate will be, and secondly, and what the “Repurposing Funds” segment of the budget might look like. In addition, it’s not clear what Governor Branstad’s Education Reform package might look like once it comes out of the legislature.

Amstein says he sees some scenarios that could play into the budgeting process that the board may be facing in the months to come:  Zero-percent Allowable Growth; two-percent allowable growth; or maybe even four-percent allowable growth. The percentage will determine how much the district receives from the State in revenue. A Special Education deficit will also affect the outcome of the budget. The General Fund, Amstein says, may take a big hit because of that, and affect the district’s solvency ratio.

The Board and administration, according to Amstein, will do what it can to remain as “Fiscally responsible” as possible, given the current unknowns in the budget.

At least one person was hospitalized following an alleged incident of serious assault in the vicinity of the mobile home park in Atlantic, Monday. According to Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green, the incident involving a knife happened at around 7:40-p.m., near 4th and Pine Streets. One person was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital. No other details are currently available.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press