CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say at least four occupants and one firefighter were injured in a fire at an apartment building in central Cedar Rapids. Firetrucks were dispatched to Hawthorne Hills Apartments around 8:30 a.m. Thursday with reports that several occupants were trapped on the second floor of a 16-unit building. Firefighters used ladders to reach the second floor, encountering flames and heavy smoke as they entered.

A city news release says firefighters carried one man out of the complex. Three other adults also were taken to hospitals. The release says one firefighter suffered a non-life-threatening injuring while battling the blaze. The fire cause is being investigated. The names of the injured haven’t been released.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police have charged a driver who investigators say may have caused another driver to swerve his car and plunge over a concrete wall to his death in a parking lot below. The Jan. 27 crash killed 32-year-old Grant Stokka and injured his 8-year-old son. Police say another vehicle entering traffic may have caused Stokka to abruptly change his direction of travel and go over the wall.
The charges announced Thursday indicate that investigators suspect 26-year-old Des Moines resident Tessa Mullen was driving the other vehicle.

She’s charged with failure to yield, reckless driving and with committing a driving violation that resulted in death.

DES MOINES, IOWA— Six FFA members from Atlantic FFA and other FFA members from across Iowa converged on the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines to build character and promote citizenship, volunteerism, and patriotism. Atlantic FFA members Tyler Comes, Katie York, Tate Den Beste, Craig Alan Becker, Hannah Carlson and Taylor McCreedy. Approximately 300 high school students wearing blue corduroy from 51 schools flooded the Iowa State Capitol Building in Des Moines on February 14th. The students visited with legislators, exhibited skills learned in the agriculture classroom and learned the importance of citizenship.

Legislative Symposium Tom Shipley

Legislative Symposium Tom Moore

Legislative Group

The event was part of the 34th Annual Iowa FFA Legislative Symposium and FFA Day at the Capitol. During the morning, FFA members heard from Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, about the importance of agriculture in Iowa and abroad. Kelsey Tyrrell of the World Food Prize addressed students about the future of Iowa agriculture and the importance of being involved with statewide issues. Later that day, FFA members also heard remarks from Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President, Craig Hill, about the importance young agriculturalists can play in the agriculture industry.

Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg presented the FFA Week Proclamation, declaring February 16-23, the week of President George Washington’s Birthday, FFA Week in Iowa. The proclamation signing took place during a special ceremony at the Embassy Suites downtown following legislative visits at the Iowa State Capitol Building. “I learned more about the agriculture laws that go through the house and the senate and the process behind it,” Senior Tyler Comes said.

The 34th Annual Iowa FFA Legislative Symposium and FFA Day at the Capitol was made possible with support from Iowa Farm Bureau Federation through the Iowa FFA Foundation.

On Wednesday, February 6th, 2019, 21 members of the Atlantic FFA chapter competed in the Sub District Career Development Events with three advancing to District FFA Convention. FFA member Carli Henderson competed in the Job Interview category placing 1st earning a Gold and advancing to Districts. Tyler Comes competed in Extemporaneous Speaking earning a Silver placing 3rd and advancing to Districts. Bryan York competed in the FFA Creed Speaking CDE placing 3rd earning a Gold and advancing to Districts. Katie York competed in the Public Speaking CDE placing 4th earning a Silver and will be the alternate to Districts. Tate Den Beste competed in Ag Broadcasting earning a Silver placed 5th.

Bryan York FFA Creed

Tate Den Beste Ag Broadcasting

Katie York Public Speaking

Tyler Comes Extempt

Carli Henderson Job Interview

The Conduct of meetings team of Garrett Reynolds, Alyssa Derby, Skyler Handlos, Aspen Niklasen, Drey Newell, Taylor McCreedy, and Hannah Carlson placed 5th earning a Silver. Craig Becker competed in the Ag Sales CDE placing 5th earning a Silver. In the Farm Business Management Test Atlantic FFA had 2 members compete, Nathan Behrends and Drey Newell. Behrends placed 1st and Newell was 2nd.

In the FFA Freshman Greenhand Quiz, Atlantic FFA had 9 members participate. Andrew Engler placed 1st overall, Bryan York placed 8th and Aspen Niklasen placed 9th. Cooper Jipsen, Drew Skartvedt, Logan Eilts, Malena Woodward, Torie Steinhoff and Wyatt Redinbaugh also competed in the test and all placed with a Gold or Silver rating.

FFA advisor Eric Miller commented, “I was proud of all the hard work each member put into preparing for their event.”

Atlantic FFA Director Eric Miller reports that on February 6th 2019, six members of the Atlantic FFA Chapter participated in a variety of events at the Southwest District FFA Review night at Boyer Valley High School. Tyler Comes and Nathan Behrends had their Iowa FFA Degrees reviewed by a team of FFA Advisors. In order to receive this prestigious awards, FFA members must complete all of the following: be an FFA member for two years, complete two years of high school, invested at least $1,500 in their SAE or 300 hours in excess to class time work or a combo of the two.  Recipients must have committed 25 years to community service, performed 10 procedures of parliamentary procedure, given a six-minute speech relating to agriculture, served as an officer or other satisfactory position held by chapter, and had a strong enough school record, as deemed by their superintendent or principal. Both Comes and Behrends applications passed and they will receive their Iowa FFA Degree during the final session at the Iowa FFA Leadership Conference at Ames in April.

Tyler Comes and Taylor McCreedy applied for FFA Proficiency awards this year. Tyler’s proficiency area of Beef Production – Entrepreneurship earned a Gold and advanced to State. Tyler has a cow calf operation that he began in 8th grade and has continued throughout high school. Taylor’s Equine Science – Entrepreneurship earned a Silver and also advanced to State. Taylor has taken her love of animals and turned her passion into an opportunity to work with others as she trainers horses. Proficiency Award nominees have excelled in their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) Programs. These awards encourage members to develop specialized skills that will apply toward a future career. The district winners will advance to the State FFA competition where they will compete against winners from the other FFA Districts in Iowa.

The last part of Review Night is the District FFA Officer Interviews. This year Atlantic FFA had 3 members apply for the 2019-20 District FFA Officer team. Juniors Adriana Mendez, Corri Pelzer, and Tate Den Beste began the night with an FFA knowledge test. After waiting in the holding room with other candidates from various schools. The candidates then had an individual interview with the seven member nominating committee. The committee asked each candidate a few questions. Then the candidates had a one on one interview with four members of the committee. Each one-on-one interview was only one minute, so the candidate had to think on their feet.

After all the candidates were done the committee met and selected the ballot for the 2019 District FFA Convention. Adriana Mendez was balloted for the District FFA Reporter and Corri Pelzer was balloted for the District Sentinel. Adriana and Corri will each give a speech and answer 2 questions in front of the District FFA Delegates on Saturday March 2nd in Glenwood.

Members of the Griswold and Lenox School Boards held a joint meeting Wednesday evening in Griswold, to discuss and act on a Superintendent Sharing Agreement for current Superintendent Dave Henrichs. Henrichs told KJAN News the Board voted to renew his contract. The contract is for another year. Henrichs said while they didn’t have the contract ready for him to sign Wednesday night, he will accept the offer for another year.

During a separate meeting, the Griswold School Board approved an Open Enrollment application for a student from Atlantic. The deadline for Open Enrollments has passed, but both the Atlantic and Griswold Boards agreed to accept the request.

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — A northwest Iowa man accused of insurance fraud has been given two years of probation. Plymouth County District Court records say 41-year-old Scott Leininger, of Le Mars, pleaded guilty to forgery after prosecutors dismissed the fraud charge. He also was sentenced Monday to five years in prison, suspended, and fined $750. The judge ordered that Leininger’s sentence be served at the same time as any punishment meted out to Leininger in a Clay County case. He’s pleaded not guilty there to a charge of ongoing criminal conduct and is scheduled to go on trial April 2.

Plymouth County authorities say Leininger submitted false paperwork to back his claim to Homesite Insurance for damage he said his disability equipment sustained during a lightning storm. Court documents say the company discovered the paperwork was bogus and didn’t pay the claim.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reminds patrons of the Atlantic Community School District, that a special public measure election will be held for the Atlantic Community School District for those voters in Cass, Audubon and Pottawattamie Counties. The election takes place April 2nd, with polls opening at Noon and closing at 8-p.m. on that date. Absentee voting for anyone who wishes to Vote Early, is permitted, beginning March 4th. Ballots may be requested now, but cannot be mailed until on or after March 4th. The last day to request a ballot to be mailed to you is Friday, March 22nd. Early voting is permitted at the Cass County Auditor’s Office during their regular business hours, from March 4th through 11-a.m. April 2nd.  There are only two polling places:

Voting Center 1 – Those voters living in Wards 1,4 and 5 in the City of Atlantic, will cast their ballot at the Heritage House, in Atlantic.

Voting Center 2 – Voters living in the remainder of the Atlantic Community School District (those residing in Audubon and Pottawattamie Counties; Bear Grove, Benton, Brighton, Cass, Franklin, Grove, Pymosa and Washington Townships in Cass County; The Cities of Marne, Wiota, and City of Atlantic Wards 2 and 3, will vote at the Atlantic Public Library.

The Special Election is with regard to a $9.2-million bond referendum that would pay for school building and site improvements. The Resolution to be voted on states: “Shall the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Community School District, in the Counties of Cass, Audubon and Pottawattamie, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness ans issue general obligation bonds in an amount not exceeding $9,500,000 for the purpose of furnishing, equipping, constructing, improving, repairing, and renovating school buildings and improving the sites thereof at the school district’s existing school buildings located in Atlantic, Iowa, including without limitation: (a) renovating, equipping and improving the football field/track/stadium, team building, concession and related buildings/site improvements, (b) renovating, equipping and improving  the softball/baseball fields and related buildings/site improvements, (c) constructing, relocating, equipping and improving tennis courts and related buildings/site improvements, and (d) improving and realigning a roadway for smoother access to the elementary school and connection to the middle school?”

If approved during the Special Election, the indebtedness of the district will be in excess of 1.25-percent of the assessed valuation of taxable property in the School District.

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

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Exira-EHK School District Superintendent Trevor Miller today (Thursday), announced the district’s plans for Snow Make-up Days. Miller says the latest schedule to make-up for missed class hours due to the weather, includes (The newest in bold):

• Thursday, March 7th – full day of school with no 12:30-p.m. release for Professional Development (PD)
• Tuesday, March 19th will be a Full Day of school.
• Thursday, April 4th will be a Full Day of School, with no 12:30-p.m. release for PD
• Monday, April 22nd is a Full Day of School snow make-up day.
• Thursday, May 2nd will be a Full Day of School snow make-up day, with no 12:30-p.m. release for PD
• May 23rd will now be a full day of school.
• May 24th will be the last day of school with a 1:30-p.m. dismissal.

Miller says if there are any additional days, the district will add them to the end of the year or adding length to the day. He adds “Hopefully, Spring is right around the corner.”