SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The public has gotten a look at the new Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program in the Sioux City School District. The JROTC program was formally introduced Monday in a ceremony featuring some of the 150 students enrolled in it. The program is a partnership between the school district, the city and other organizations.

The school district announced in December that it was one of two districts picked nationwide by the Air Force to add the JROTC program for the 2015-16 school year. The Sioux City Journal reports the idea was pitched about four years ago to Superintendent Paul Gausman.

Lt. Col. Larry Brockshus says the curriculum consists of aerospace science, leadership, and wellness and physical fitness, and classes will rotate each year. Brockshus says the program is not a binding military commitment.

The Iowa Finance Authority is providing low-interest loans to help development of rental housing for communities with a growing workforce. I-F-A executive director, David Jamison, says the housing must be targeted towards low-to-moderate income renters. The Workforce Housing Loan Program is available to all cities in Iowa on a competitive basis, and part of the process depends on whether the housing provides a long term asset to a community.

“We look at the construction material, the type of constructions, trying to distinguish between essential amenities or luxury amenities obviously, quality construction, and that there’s quality in the energy efficiency,” Jamison says. The program gives special consideration to projects in cities with populations less than 50-thousand people as these communities often have fewer opportunities to apply for grants.

“It goes to their tax base, their access to different federal and state programs. The skills sets, for example a larger community might have someone who is very good at writing grant applications, whereas a smaller community the city clerk might have a full-time job somewhere else,” according to Jamison. The program has a total of five million dollars available and the maximum loan amount per project is the lesser of one million dollars or 50-thousand dollars for each assisted workforce housing rental unit. The loans have a one-percent interest rate and with a maximum term of twenty years.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting Wednesday evening at a different location. Normally, the Board meets in the Media Center at the High School, but on Wednesday, their 5:30-p.m. session will be held in the Media Center at Schuler Elementary.

During their meeting, the Board will hear from Derek Bair with regard to Construction Technology. They’ll also act on approving various contracts and/or Letters of Assignment for nine district personnel, including: Emma Walker – Assistant Varsity Girls Basketball Coach and Co-Freshman Volleyball Coach; Michelle McLaren, Co-Freshman Volleyball Coach, and six Food Service personnel, as well as an Amended Contract for Kelly Juhl.

The Board will also act on approving various District Policies, including one pertaining to credit cards, and, on approving the District’s Annual Report. The report from Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein, says “During the 2014-15 school year, the district saw increased student performance in reading, math and science on the Iowa Assessments, continued to increase the graduation rate while decreasing the district’s dropout rate, and high school students continued to score above the state average on the ACT.”

Amstein says also, “Over the past year and into next year, the district will continue to reduce costs associated with operating expense.” He went on to say “…funding from the state over the past six-years continues to be quite inadequate and as like other districts across the state, our school district has experienced some financial pains.” Amstein says “Over the past six-years, the district’s unspent budget [The maximum amount the state allows districts to spend on educating students] has been decreasing. At the end of the 2014-15 school year, the unspent budget authority still remains in the upper range that is recommended by the Iowa Association of School Boards.”

The district, according to Amstein, “Will continue to look for ways to protect the unspent budget and still provide the educational opportunities for our students to assist them in becoming the best and brightest in Iowa.”

A man who allegedly broke into a residence in Shenandoah and threatened the persons inside was arrested early this (Tuesday) morning after fleeing the home before officers arrived. Authorities say 27-year-old Ryan Johnson, of Shenandoah, faces 1st degree burglary and assault with a dangerous weapon charges, in connection with the incident that happened at around 12:45-a.m., at 201 North Broad Street.

Page County sheriff’s deputies located Johnson and brought him to Shenandoah, where he was being held without bond in the Page County Jail.

The Creston Police Dept. says a man from Afton was arrested Monday afternoon. 23-year old Taylor Ruble was taken into custody in the 200 block of Pine Street in Creston, on a Dept. of Corrections warrant for Violation of Parole. Ruble was being held without bond in the Union County Jail.