PRIMGHAR, Iowa (AP) – The death of a 14-year-old northwest Iowa student has prompted discussion by relatives, school officials and others about the bullying that is being blamed for his suicide. The family of Kenneth Weishuhn, of Primgahr, says he was harassed at school after he told people that he was gay. His mother, Jeannie Chambers, told the Sioux City Journal that he asked her not to talk to administrators.  Administrators and Chambers say they didn’t know about the barrage of hate that had been directed at Kenneth, who killed himself on Sunday.

There were threatening cellphone calls and voicemails and messages posted online. His 16-year-old sister, Kayla Weishuhn, says one student called her brother and left him death threats, saying that he didn’t deserve to live.

Avoca City Manager Clint Fichter has announced his intentions to run for the Republican Party’s nomination in the June 5^th Primary, for Iowa House District 22. District 22 includes most of rural Pottawattamie County and a part of Council Bluffs. Local supporters will be hosting a Neola Area Kick-Off Event at Sweet Gatherings in Neola (111 4^th Street) on Thursday, April 19^th from 5-7 pm.   

Fichter says as State Representative, he will “Be a voice for our individual liberty, fiscal conservatism, local control, commonsense regulatory reform, maintaining necessary infrastructure, and a world-class education system from Pre-K to college.” 

Fichter has been City Manager of Avoca since 2007. He earned his Masters degree in Public Administration at Iowa State University and studied law at Creighton University Law School.  Fichter also serves on the Executive Boards of both the Iowa League of Cities and the Southwest Iowa Planning Council. 

Fichter and his wife, Monica, live with their children in Avoca.

The Harlan City Council Tuesday evening held a public hearing on the issuance of General Obligation Bonds. Hearing no comments from the public, the Council acted on approving a resolution which instituted the proceedings necessary to take additional action for the issuance bonds, not to exceed $2.5 million. A second resolution was also approved, pertaining to the direct advertisement for sale of $2.455 million in G-O Bonds, and approval of electronic bidding procedures. 

In other business, the Harlan City Council passed a resolution approving a contract and bond with Story Construction Company, of Ames for the Rotating Biological Contactor Disk Replacement as it pertains to the wastewater treatment plant. 

And, a resolution was approved to which would allow the Harlan Police Department back into the Social Security system. Back in the 1980’s, the Harlan Police Department was removed from receiving social security because they were put on IPERS. City Administrator Terry Cox told the board he had several meetings with officials at IPERS and they have indicated there is a remote chance the Social Security Administration may allow the Harlan Police Department officers to opt back into the social security system by a referendum process.

The resolution was approved but Cox said there is no a guarantee the department will receive Social Security but gets the ball rolling. The State must approved the resolution as well.

(Courtesy Joel McCall/KNOD)

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (7.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (7.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A 26-year-old woman says she doesn’t remember anything that occurred immediately after a train rammed into her minivan at a crossing in the west-central Iowa city of Jefferson. Cori Hunsicker, of Jefferson, told Des Moines television station KCCI  that she tried to restart her minivan after it stalled on the tracks late Monday night. It soon was trapped by the crossing arms as the train approached. She says her instinct was to get her sleeping 5-year-old son from the back seat and run. She says she got out, grabbed her son, and then the train hit. She and her son were taken to a Des Moines hospital.  Hunsicker says her legs were injured. Her son Tyler is in serious condition, but she says she’s been he’ll be OK.

The City Council in Atlantic will hold a regularly scheduled meeting this evening at City Hall. During the 5:30-p.m. session, the council will receive a report from Nishna Valley Family YMCA Director Dan Haynes. They’ll also review quotes and consider awarding a contract for, remodeling of the Street Maintenance Building.

The Council on March 21st, authorized the placing of advertisements for bids, the opening for which was held April 11th. Five bidders received plans, but only one bidder, Les Beers, submitted a bid ($47,355), which was about $5,000 more than the engineer had estimated.

City Administrator Doug Harris and Street Department Superintendent Derald Andersen met with Engineer Tim Teig, from Snyder and Associates, and were reviewing the options for modifying plans for the project, in hopes of reducing the cost. Teig will review the bid before the Council this evening, and make any adjustments that are negotiated. Harris says funding for the project would come from2011 bond proceeds ($15,000), with the balance funded through the Road Use Tax Fund.

The Council will also act on a change order for the Portland Cement Concrete patching contract with Ten Point Construction, amounting to $75,937.  The change order reflects the addition of patch work on Lincoln Street to the contract. The project is expected to begin later this Spring.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet this morning at the courthouse, in Atlantic. During their 9-a.m. session, the Board will receive a Secondary Roads Dept. update from County Engineer Charles Marker, along with quarterly reports from the County Conservation and Veterans Affairs Departments, and a regularly scheduled report from Teresa Kanning, General Relief/Mental Health Coordinator.

In Adair County, the Board of Supervisors will meet at 9-a.m. also, in Greenfield. On their agenda for today is the opening of bids for Watershed repairs, a quarterly report from the Case Management Coordinator, and Monthly report from Central Point Coordinator (CPC) Lori Nosekabel. The Board will enter into a closed session at 10:15-a.m., per Iowa Code, to discuss with legal counsel matters presently in litigation, or where litigation is imminent.

Officials with Southwestern Community College in Creston say classes will resume there today (Wednesday), four days after an EF2 tornado damaged the campus and other parts of town. Terri Higgins, director of marketing and enrollment management, told the Des Moines Register, that the main road leading to the school had been closed and the school had been without power. Most of that road was opened at about 2 p.m. Tuesday, and power was restored Tuesday morning. Higgins said all classes will be held, but some locations have been moved because of the damage.

Three of the four dormitories on campus sustained damage during the storm, forcing 165 students to find accommodations elsewhere, such as a local motel, while others are staying with residents who volunteered to open up their homes. Damage to the college’s facilities were estimated to be in the millions of dollars, according to Higgins. Creston’s Fire Chief Todd Jackson told the Register all streets in the community would be reopened by this morning. Power was restored to most of the town by Tuesday afternoon.

Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, which lost its roof in the storm and sustained other structural damage, is still only able to treat minor injuries, but officials hope to expand coverage by a little later in the week. No deaths or life-threatening injuries were reported from the tornado, one of five in Iowa on Saturday, along with strong winds and thunderstorms in many other parts of the state.