The Atlantic School Board will leave it up to the Administrators for each of the District’s Schools to determine what their cell phone policies for students and teachers will be. Discussion on the subject lasted for about 15-minutes.

The decision not to have a “Blanket policy” for all the district’s buildings they said is really not necessary, for several reasons. Among them, each school in the district already has a handbook spelling out the policy for students, and how those policies will be enforced.

Schuler Principal James Northwick said “As we’re thinking about cell phone policies, and we have One-to-One computers, I question what a kid’s gonna do on a computer that they can’t do on a cell phone or vice-versa.” It was pointed out that those 1:1 laptops have the capability to send text messages to phones, and much more. Northwick said with regard to cell phones, if they take them away from students at the start of the school day, they might as well take away the laptops, too. That, he said, “Would be a huge step back.”

School Board President Josh McLaren, who is also a Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy, said policing cell phones would be as fruitless as stopping everyone who travels more than 55 miles per hour on Highway 6 between Atlantic and Wiota. McLaren said they don’t want to become “Cell phone cops.” He said a lot of the concerns from comments people have made on social media, is that cell phones should not be used in the classroom. That’s already a rule in the student handbook.

Board member Kristy Pellet, speaking with regard to students’ personal responsibility, said she’s concerned if the students’ phone is taken away for eight-hours per day, the first thing they’ll do when they get in their vehicles, is to be looking at and sending text messages, while they’re driving. “Allowing our administrators to set up a policy that works for their building, is what’s important,” she said. None of the high school teachers, she said have ever mentioned cell phones are a problem in the classroom. She said it needs to be made clear at the beginning of the school year, that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom, for anything other than teacher approved educational purposes.

Assistant High School Principal Matt Alexander backed-up that assertion, saying that that had gone from 127 student referrals to the High School principal’s official six-years ago, with regard to the use of electronic devices, to 38 students last year. Alexander said “We are improving. [But] Is there more room for improvement? Absolutely.”

School Board member Dr. Keith Swanson summed-up the opinion of the Board “I get the feeling the Board wants to leave this up to the administrators, for the administrators to make a rule for their school, to say what’s going on in their school, and then enforce it.”

Another “No Party” candidate has filed papers to run for the Cass County Board of Supervisors seat in District 5, meaning there’s now a three-way race for the position.

Deputy Cass County Auditor Sheri Karns said Wednesday evening, that J. Ford Lillard, of Wiota, will be on the ballot in November as a “No Party” candidate, hoping to win the seat currently held by Republican Frank Waters, of Cumberland.

Earlier this week, it was reported Randy J. Pollock, of Anita, had filed as a “No Party” candidate for the Supervisors seat.  Frank Waters, the incumbent is hoping to win re-election to his post on the Board.

An Irwin man was arrested Wednesday afternoon in connection with a fatal car versus motorcycle accident that occurred last month, in Shelby County. Sheriff’s officials in Shelby County say 41-year old David Michael Hirsh was taken into custody on charges of felony Vehicular Homicide, and Reckless Driving, a simple misdemeanor.

The charges are the result of an investigation into an accident that happened Sunday evening, July 9^th. Officials said 46-year old Cole Jon Andersen, of Irwin, died during the crash, when  the 2004 Yamaha motorcycle he was riding, was struck from behind by Hirsh’ 2017 Hyundai Elantra, as both vehicles were traveling south on Shelby County Road M-47, just south of 1700th Street.

Authorities say Hirsch may face additional charges, depending on test results being processed at the state Crime Lab.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says two people were arrested on drug charges early Tuesday morning. 44-year old Dustyn Russell Bond, of Malvern, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Theft in the 4th Degree. His bond was set at $2,300. And, 54-year old Deborah Lynn Drummy, of Glenwood, was arrested on two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs. Her bond was set at $8,000.

Also arrested Tuesday in Mills County, was 31-year old Michael Anthony Hollinger, of Council Bluffs, on a warrant for Probation Violation. His bond was set at $10,000, and 32-year old James Frederick McClellan, of Glenwood, for Trespassing. His bond was set at $300.

On Monday, Mills County Deputies arrested 38-year old Heather Marie Hatcher, of Glenwood, for Failure to Appear in court on a Probation Violation charge. Hatcher’s bond was set at $1,000.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), tabled action on amending or rescinding the County Information Technology Policy, after members of the public and Department Heads said they found the policy confusing. Until the policy is clarified and a new draft is created, Board Chair Gaylord Schelling said he would meet with the Department Heads individually to come up with the best way to incorporate the necessary changes in the wording of the policy, to make sure everyone clearly understands how it’s meant to be used.

One of those opposed to the County adopting the policy as written, was Arlene Drennan, with the Cass County Abstract Company. She thought the policy would make obtaining information from the Recorder’s Office, that’s necessary to her business, inaccessible. Shari Karns, Cass County Deputy Auditor, said the public computer used to access certain information in the Recorder’s or Treasure’s Office, would not be affected by the policy that is intended to protect the network from viruses or other types of unauthorized activities. The policy, as currently written, was adopted by the Board July 29^th.

In other business, the Board voted to terminate Audubon County’s Plan of Reimbursement to Cass County for services rendered to the Audubon County Attorney’s Office by Beverly Groves, who works for Cass County Attorney David Wiederstein. Groves had been providing services to the Audubon County Attorney’s Office while their regular attorney was away for medical reasons. The Board also approved an increase in compensation for Groves, to $48,000 from $45,000, commensurate with what she had been paid for the same services in Audubon County. The pay rate reset and termination agreement are retroactive to August 1^st.

The Board also denied a request to provide $5,000 per year for five-years, to an individual who wanted to provide dental care for underserved persons (Including Medicaid recipients and low income individuals) at a local dental office. The purpose of the request was to help the person pay back their hefty college loans. If the Board had approved the request, the State of Iowa would have chipped-in 25% and Delta Dental 50% of the funds to a maximum of $100,000, under the “Fulfilling Iowa’s Need for Dentists (or, FIND)” Project. The Board was uneasy with providing taxpayer dollars to help pay for an individual’s college expenses, and thought it would open the floodgates to other, similar requests.

It’s back-to-school season and Iowa parents have something new to worry about: super lice. Iowa is among the Midwestern states where the creepy-crawlers are being found. Jennifer Stiles, a disease prevention nurse at the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health in Mason City, says the lice have mutated and are tough to kill.

Stiles says, “These super lice are resistant to the typical medications that are used, the over-the-counter medications, that are used for lice.” Stiles says the most important thing for parents to do — whether it’s lice or super lice — is to comb the child’s hair daily with a lice comb and use over-the-counter treatments twice.

She says each lice kit has shampoo and a brush and a little comb in it, and combing the hair for 10-15 minutes every day to get those nits and any active bugs out is the most effective way of getting rid of lice. Stiles says if you spot your child itching his or her head a lot, that’s a big clue.

“Most of the time, you’ll see that they itch behind their ears or at the bottom of the neck,” Stiles says. “If the child’s complaining that they feel something crawling around their hair. Or if the child’s been exposed to somebody with head lice, they spent the night at someone’s house, it’s always a good idea just to make sure that you’re actively looking to make sure that child doesn’t develop lice.”

Stiles says if over-the-counter treatments don’t work, seek professional help.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak arrested three people this week in connection with stolen vehicles and alleged attempts at identity theft. Tuesday afternoon, a Pottawattamie County man was arrested for felony Possession of Stolen Property. 21-year old Timothy Allen Stubbs, of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody after officers investigated a citizen’s report of a van that had driven south along the four-wheeler off road trails in the vicinity of the West Coolbaugh Street boat ramp to the East Nishnabotna River.  The officer was told the van was parked in a wooded area of the river, and the driver took off on foot.

Officers approached the van and recognized it as having been reported stolen last Sunday. The van in question had Colorado license plates, while the vehicle reported stolen to police had Iowa plates. A check of the VIN confirmed the vehicle was reported stolen to Red Oak Police. With the assistance of Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies, Stubbs was located and taken into custody.

One day earlier (Monday), Red Oak Police were notified by authorities in Mills County, that a vehicle was recovered in Mills County that bore Iowa license plates assigned to the van reported stolen in Red Oak on Sunday. The vehicle they recovered had been stolen from a residence in rural Treynor. On Tuesday, Red Oak Police received word from a Pott. County Sheriff’s investigator, that the van discovered Tuesday had been in the Council Bluffs area and individuals who had occupied the vehicle, tried to open lines of credit in other persons’ names.

A search warrant was executed Tuesday by Red Oak Police and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies at a residence in the 300 block of 2nd Avenue in Red Oak, with regard to the recovery of the stolen van and incidents in Pott. County. As a result of the warrant, authorities arrested 28-year old Richard Dean Pierce III, and 30-year old Katie Marie Pierce. Richard Pierce III was charged with felony Possession of stolen property and Possession  of Drug Paraphernalia. Katie Pierce was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Late Tuesday night, Red Oak Police and deputies with the Montgomery and Mills County Sheriff’s Offices executed a search warrant at a residence in Mills County, with regard to the stolen vehicles and thefts. Additional arrests were made, but no further details were immediately available.

Red Oak Police want to thank the Montgomery, Mills County and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Offices as well as the Montgomery County K9 Unit, for their assistance in investigating the incidents.