Officials with Iowa Western Community College in Atlantic celebrated an open house today (Monday), for their new 4,000 square foot facilities’ renovation. A new Student Activities Center (SAC) will serve as “A point of connection” for IWCC students, a place for resources, a comfortable place to meet, to collaborate, attend a variety of club-related activities.

IWCC President Dr. Dan Kinney (Ric Hanson/photo)

Iowa Western President Dr. Dan Kinney attended the event. Iowa Western Atlantic Center Director Ann Pross said Dr. Kinney has been unwavering in his support of the local college. Kinney said the tremendous growth at the Atlantic Campus, especially with the Design Technology Program, would not have been possible without the community’s support.

Pross said the last time they had a ribbon cutting ceremony for expansion of the Atlantic Center of IWCC, was in the Winter of 2005.  She said growing student enrollment has allowed the college to continue the building and add several new programs. The Student Center she says, allows students to connect with each other.

IWCC Atlantic Center Dir. Ann Pross cuts the ribbon for the Student Center as Chamber Ambassadors, college officials and others look on. (Ric Hanson/photo)

The new SAC features a conference room, quiet study areas, a fireplace, beverage bar, computer stations and wi-fi access along with a new classroom. It also has office space. The Student Center is open until 9-p.m. most nights during the regular fall and spring semesters.

Once the open house concluded, Iowa Western’s Board of Directors went into their regular monthly meeting, which this month, was held the Atlantic Center.

(Corrects information provided by Sheriff’s Office)

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports an Anita man was arrested last week on a sex abuse charge. 47-year old Stacey John Pitsenbarger (who was listed as having residential records in Greenfield but most recently in Anita), was arrested last Wednesday afternoon on a charge of Sexual Abuse in the 3rd Degree. Pitsenbarger was later released on $10,000 bond.

Vandewater reports also, an Adair man – 21-year old Joshua Anthony Walker, was cited Saturday evening by Adair Police for Public Intoxication, Interference with official acts, disorderly conduct, and simple domestic abuse assault. The man was later released from custody on those citations.

Deputies in Adair County arrested 24-year old Zachary Daniel Ayres, of Des Moines, last Thursday. Ayers was taken into custody following a traffic stop on I-80. He faces charges that include Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug paraphernalia, Operating a motor vehicle without registration, failure to have a valid license, failure to provide proof of insurance. He was being held in the Adair County Jail on Bond, with a preliminary hearing set for August 6th.

(12:40-p.m News)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A former lottery security official has been found guilty of fraud for rigging a Hot Lotto game so he could win a $14 million jackpot. An Iowa jury on Monday convicted 52-year-old Eddie Tipton, of Norwalk. He faces up to five years in prison on each of the two counts when sentenced in September. Tipton’s lawyer says he’ll appeal.

Tipton denied being involved, saying he wasn’t even in Iowa on Dec. 23, 2010, when someone bought the winning ticket at a Des Moines area convenience store. His attorney says store surveillance video was too fuzzy to identify the buyer. Prosecutors argued Tipton had access to the room housing the computer that picked Hot Lotto numbers and lied about being out of state. Tipton was never awarded the money.

Democratic leaders say they’re “tired of the excuses” from Republican Governor Terry Branstad and his fellow Republicans in the legislature and they are calling for a special legislative session to “support local schools.” Senate President Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, blasted the Republican governor during a speech this weekend at an Iowa Democratic Party fundraiser.

“We worked overtime this session to make sure Iowa’s children have a quality education,” Jochum said. “…That, my friends, was vetoed by Governor Branstad, the man who claims to be the education governor. The emperor has no clothes.” Given the partisan make-up of the Iowa legislature, however, reconvening the House and Senate this summer is impossible without the support of Republicans — and Governor Branstad and the top Republican in the Iowa House both say Republicans don’t want one.

Jochum, the second-ranking Democrat in the Iowa Senate, was inducted into the Iowa Democratic Party’s “Hall of Fame” at its annual banquet Friday night in Cedar Rapids. “You know, Democrats, it’s time to take the gloves off,” Jochum said. “You know elections matter and you know every vote counts. One vote in the Democratic-controlled Senate stopped the House Republicans and Terry Branstad from abolishing early childhood education.”

Democrats hold 26-to-24 majority in the Iowa Senate. Jochum, Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal and House Democratic Leader Mark Smith published an opinion piece in The Des Moines Register this weekend, urging Iowans to ask their local senators and representatives “to support their local schools by joining the call for a special session to restore critical funding for Iowa schools.”

(Radio Iowa)