The second of two public hearings and votes on a change to the Cass County Zoning Ordinance will be held Wednesday morning, in Atlantic. The action takes place during a regular meeting of the Cass County Board of Supervisors, and would allow an indoor shooting range and/or a gun sales and service shop to be located within the County. The amended ordinance was unanimously approved during the first reading held during the Supervisor’s meeting, last week. Kevin McCunn, of Massena says he plans to open an indoor shooting range and gun sales/service shop near Massena this Spring, if the ordinance is adopted.

In other business, the Board will act on approving four applications:  Two for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Multi-family Unit Production-New Construction Program, Round 5 grants; One for a CDBG Multi-family Unit Production- Round 5 grant; and one for a CDBG Multi-family Housing Application project Round 5 grant. The grants are being made available through 2008 Disaster Recovery Funding, and if approved, be administered through the Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO).

The Cass County Supervisors will also act on a Resolution to approve an application for establishment of an enterprise zone, and on appointing a member to the Cass County Local Food Policy Council. Their meeting begins at 9-a.m., Wednesday.

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The Harlan Community School District’s Board of Education offered a counter-proposal to the Harlan Education Association (HEA), Monday. The HEA made its initial proposal at a meeting with the school board two-weeks ago. During that meeting, the association had asked for a 5% wage increase and some policy changes, with regard to personal leave, the adding of duty free recesses for teachers at the Primary and Intermediate buildings to work with students, and early retirement.

During Monday’s meeting, Harlan Superintendent Justin Wagner made a few changes to the contract proposal, including one pertaining to realignment. Previously, the rule stated an employee would have first priority to a vacancy in the district. However, the new proposal says an employee may apply for the vacancy and be considered for the position before the district seeks an applicant from outside the bargaining unit.

Also in the realignment, the school district added, “After a teacher has been realigned at their request, the teacher will not be eligible for any other voluntary realignment until they have completed 3 full years in the new position.” And, with regard to compensation, the Harlan School board proposed a 2.05% increase for the teacher’s total package. The Education Association will have a chance to review the counter-proposal before further meetings will take place between the HEA and the school board. The subsequent meetings will take place in closed session.

And, as we reported Monday, Harlan Superintendent Secretary/Board of Education Secretary Terry Cox is retiring from her position. Cox has been the board secretary since 1999 and has been with the district a total of 32 years. She told the board she has seen many changes at the district over the years, but the goal has always been the same: To educate the kids.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Officials with the Atlantic Police Department report three people were arrested Monday. 26-year old Jeffery Knight, of Atlantic, was arrested for Domestic Assault, involving a female victim. 24-year old Johnny Kirchner, of Atlantic, was arrested for Harboring a 15-year old female Runaway, who was not from Atlantic,  and, 36-year old Mish Loghry, of Lewis, was arrested for Domestic Assault involving a female victim. All three were booked into the Cass County Jail and held, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (10.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

ONAWA, Iowa (AP) – A Sioux City man has been given 11 years in prison for vehicular homicide and driving while intoxicated.  The Sioux City Journal reports Lenley Schofield Jr. had pleaded guilty on Feb. 4th. His agreement with prosecutors included the 11-year prison term. He was sentenced on Monday.

Prosecutors say the 28-year-old Schofield was driving on Iowa Highway 141 near Mapleton in November 2011 when his car veered into an oncoming truck. His passenger, Robert Palmer, later died.  Schofield also must pay $150,000 restitution to Palmer’s estate.

Iowa Senator Charles Grassley will hold two out of 10 state-wide town hall meetings this week, in Greenfield and Guthrie Center, while the senate takes the week off. Grassley will travel to 16 counties to hold the meetings, which will also features a question-and-answer session with students at four high schools, employees at a manufacturing plant in central Iowa, and members of the Des Moines Rotary Club.

Residents will have a chance locally, to listen to what Iowa’s senior senator has to say, and make comments of their own, during an Adair County Town Hall meeting at the Adair County Health and Fitness Center (202 N. Townline Road), in Greenfield, from 6-to 7-pm Wednesday. Another, hour-long meeting will be held Thursday at the Guthrie County Courthouse in Guthrie Center, beginning at 7:45-a.m.  Afterward, Grassley will travel to the ADM High School in Adel, to hold a Q&A session with  students at the school, beginning at 9:45-a.m.

Senator Grassley has held at least one meeting with Iowans in each of the state’s 99 counties since 1980, when he was first elected to serve in the U-S Senate.

ONAWA, Iowa (AP) – A former fourth-grade teacher in western Iowa has been given a year of probation for drug possession.  The Sioux City Journal reports that 44-year-old Karen Bartelson, of Blencoe, had pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge. Court records say police found methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in her purse on July 21st.

District Judge Jeffrey Poulson deferred judgment on the charge. That means the charge will be removed from Bartelson’s record if she were to successfully complete probation.  Bartelson was a fourth-grade teacher at Central Elementary School in Onawa when she was arrested. She resigned before the school year started in August.

Officials with the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund have announced applications are currently being accepted for the 4th Annual Trevor Frederickson Memorial Scholarship.  Two $750 scholarships are available to those graduating from Atlantic High School in the spring of 2013.  Applicants must plan to attend a college or vocational school, show involvement in school and/or community activities, supply a copy of their college acceptance letter, provide two letters of reference along with their 7 semester transcripts, and maintain academic achievement of 2.5 or better.  The scholarships will be awarded at the Atlantic High School Class Night held in May. Applications may be obtained from the Atlantic High School guidance office at 1201 E. 14^th Street or the Atlantic High School website: www.atlantic.k12.ia.us.

Trevor Frederickson (Photo courtesy Melanie Petty, Trevor’s mother)

Trevor Frederickson graduated from Atlantic High School in 2006.  He went on to further his education at Southwestern Community College (SWCC) in Creston, where he studied automotive mechanics and played baseball for the Southwestern Spartans.  Because of his affiliation with SWCC, two additional $750 scholarships will be available for students planning on attending the school in the Fall of 2013.

Funds for the scholarships are raised at an annual golf tournament.  Plans are already in the works for the 5th Annual T-Fred Memorial Golf Tournament to be held on Saturday, August 10^th, 2013.  Organizers look forward to another successful tournament so they can continue to grant scholarships for many years to come.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A powerful winter storm system is heading for Nebraska and Iowa, promising a foot or more of snow and high winds.  The National Weather Service says in a winter storm watch that snow will begin falling in western Nebraska on Wednesday evening and then hamper morning traffic in Omaha and other cities as the system heads east.

Accumulations of more than a foot are possible east of a line from Hayes Center in southwest Nebraska north through Valentine in the north. In Iowa, up to a foot is expected in some spots west of Interstate 35.  The weather service says the heavy snow and 15-25 mph winds will make travel hazardous.