Cooking healthy, family-friendly meals on a budget can be a challenge. From planning to shopping to finding the time to cook and eat as a family, there are always things that seem to get in the way. If you and your family are looking to have some fun while learning skills to make family meal planning and preparation easier- welcome to Food, Family and Fun!

Food, Family and Fun is a five session course, held once a month, where families will come together to have a little fun while learning how to cook and eat good food! Cass County ISU Extension and Boost 4 Families are excited to offer this program in two locations in Cass County beginning mid-February. On Mondays, starting February 15th, the class will meet once a month at the Anita High School through June. A second location, at the Atlantic High School, starts Tuesday February 16th. Both programs will utilize the Family and Consumer Science classrooms at the schools so participants can get hands-on practice in a kitchen environment. Open to any family interested in improving their skills in family meal-planning and preparation, this program is geared towards families with children aged 5-18.

At each monthly session, families will get together with class leaders to prepare healthy meals through hands-on cooking experience. Families will make TWO meals at each session- one to enjoy during the class, and a second meal to take home and freeze or eat later in the week. Families will also participate in activities on communication, teamwork, meal-planning, and health and nutrition.

Due to space restriction in the classrooms, these class sizes will be limited and may fill up quickly- register TODAY! A small fee of $40 per family, to help with food expenses, applies but can be paid in $10 installments at the first four classes. For a family of 5 this costs less than $1 per meal! In addition, families completing at least 4 of the 5 classes will receive a kitchen “supply kit” full of kitchen essentials to put those new skills to use at home. To allow planning for food and materials, registrations are requested by Friday, February 12th.

To register, or for more information on class content, dates, etc.- find a brochure and registration form on the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass, call the Cass County Extension office at 712-243-1132 or email xcass@iastate.edu.

(Press Release)

The Creston Police Department issued a very short report this (Thursday) morning. In it, authorities said 21-year old Kevin Harden, of Creston, was arrested today (Thursday) at around 3:30-a.m., for Driving While Suspended. Harden was later released from the Union County Jail on a $300 bond.

The Atlantic City Council Wednesday, set the date for a public hearing on a Resolution that would approve or deny the Voluntary Annexation of a property at 56988 635th Street (Outfitters Plus). The hearing will be held 5:30-p.m. March 2nd.

Mayor Dave Jones explained the hearing is merely a formality, as the infrastructure is for the Atlantic Wastewater Treatment Plant is already in place. Jones said Outfitters Plus/A-Plus Designs at 56988 635th Street hooked-up to the City’s sewer system after the businesses’ septic system failed, and they requested the annexation take place. If the change is approved, the City could collect the extra penny sales tax for both the land mentioned and any future, adjacent annexations in the same area. The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday also approved a Resolution accepting work for the 2015 Street Improvements to close-out the contract for all of the street projects completed over the summer, that were funded through 2015 Local Option Sales Tax revenue bonds. The final contract price was 1-million, 25-thousand 144-dollars and 69-cents. ($1,025,144.69).

In other business, City Administrator John Lund, with the Council’s approval, set the schedule for completing the Fiscal year 2017 budget. Budget proposals will be sent to members of the Council February 12th, and during the Council’s regular meeting February 17th, they’ll deal with any questions and hammer out the details in a related budget work session, before making any agreed upon changes to the budget.

If there are changes, a revised/summary proposed budget will be sent to the Council February 19th. A special Council meeting will take place Feb. 24th to form a consensus on the budget. On March 9th, a Special Council meeting will be held to approve the final budget, which is the last step in the process.

Mayor Jones also announced the Community Development Committee will be discussing during their next meeting, the enclosure of Bull Creek from 14th to 17th Streets, and from 9th Street to the VFW building. Jones, and Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm cited safety and erosion issues as reasons for wanting to enclose the creek in those areas. Of special concern, is the area near the Harl-Holt Park.

Councilperson Kathy Somers made it clear during the meeting she was opposed to the plan over concerns about the effect it would have on flooding in the neighborhoods nearby. The Community Development Committee will make its recommendation to the Council with regard to the project, at a later date.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old from Nebraska has been charged with motor vehicle homicide in connection with an Omaha crash that killed a Council Bluffs woman. Prosecutors say Eswin Mejia, of Omaha, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving early Sunday. Police say his pickup truck slammed into the back of 21-year-old Sarah Root‘s car. Root was taken to a hospital with critical injuries and later died.

After her death, prosecutors upgraded the charge against Mejia to motor vehicle homicide. Mejia was treated at the Nebraska Medical Center for a leg injury and then booked into the Douglas County Jail.