The number of students enrolling in the Atlantic Community School District continue to increase. That was the word Monday night from Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein, during his report to the school board. Amstein says the district “Is up about 30 students. That’s very good. We continue to be somewhat of an anomaly in southwest Iowa [because other districts are not picking up students like Atlantic is].”

He said as of Monday, there were 1,492 Kindergarten through 12th grade students in enrolled. The biggest increase is between the incoming Kindergarten Class and Senior Class. He said it marks the fourth consecutive year that the school district has shown an enrollment increase.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board Monday, approved a sharing agreement with the Harlan Community School District for a Curriculum Director. Amstein says Harlan wanted to share services with regard to their ESL – English as a Second Language – program, with the curriculum delivered under the guidance of Atlantic’s curriculum director.

Amstein said there are some operational sharing dollars available to Atlantic the agreement, which allows 100-percent for 5-years, as long as the agreement continues for that time frame. The agreement would allow Atlantic’s ESL Director to communicate via Skype with the Harlan District three Friday’s per month, and be on-site for a half day on Friday’s, once a month. It’s estimated 12 students in the Harlan District would be served by the arrangement, for a total of 28 between the districts.

And, the Atlantic School Board Monday, approved a School Resource Officer’s (SRO) Agreement for the 2013-2014 school year. The agreement is in-line with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Cass County County Sheriff’s Department, CAM, Griswold and Atlantic School Districts, as far as cost sharing is concerned.

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County report the arrest Monday evening of a woman who allegedly destroyed a television set. 18-year old Melody Marie Bentley, of Glenwood, was charged with Criminal Mischief in the 5th degree, for allegedly destroying a t-v belonging to Country Haven residential care facility, in Corning. Bentley was taken into custody at around 7:50-p.m. and brought to the Adams County Jail, where her bond was set at $300.

A teen charged with the murder of a 5-year old boy from Atlantic had his pre-trial hearing moved to another date. The hearing was to have been held on Monday for 17-year old Cody Metzker-Madsen, but the Daily NonPareil reports that’s been moved to 1:30-p.m., October 14th.  An arraignment for Metzker-Madsen will be held on Sept. 30th. He faces a charge of first-degree murder in the death of his foster brother, Dominic Elkins. Metzker-Madsen, will be charged as an adult,  according to Geoff Greenwood, a spokesman for the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. His trial is set to begin 9:30-a.m., Nov. 5th.

Late last month, Metzker-Madsen led his family to Elkins’ body, which was located at the bottom of a ravine in rural Harrison County.The teen remains in the Harrison County jail on $500,000 bond.

A new survey shows fewer Iowa businesses are planning to boost employment levels compared to three months ago. Karen Miller, a spokesperson for Manpower, says their latest Employment Outlook Survey indicates hiring should slow down between October and December. “We’re still looking at solid numbers though,” Miller says. “We’ve got 67-percent of employers looking to maintain their staffing levels and 21-percent looking to increase their staffing levels.”

Another 10-percent of the Iowa companies surveyed plan to trim their workforces over the next three months. That places the fourth-quarter Manpower Net Employment Outlook for Iowa at 11-percent. That compares to a 10-percent net outlook one year ago. “What’s unusual is the fourth quarter hiring outlook is really (down) compared to the third quarter, when we had a net outlook of 21-percent,” Miller says. Employer confidence has clearly taken a hit in recent months, according to Miller.

“At this point right now, I think it’s just kind of indicator as to what’s happening in the economy and understanding what might be happening with health care. We see a lot of employers being a bit more conservative in their approach and in their staffing plans,” Miller says. Nationally, 18-percent of the companies surveyed plan to add more workers in the fourth quarter, 8-percent expect to let staff go, and 72-percent plan to maintain current staffing levels.

The Manpower report claims the “best states for jobs” include Nebraska, Maryland, Idaho, Florida, Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowans statewide can get some help understanding the state’s new health insurance exchange. The Iowa Insurance Division says the federal government has approved an awareness campaign aimed at helping residents better understand the health insurance marketplace that is part of the federal overhaul. The division will help lead town hall presentations about the marketplace beginning this month. Open enrollment for the federal marketplace begins Oct. 1.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Cedar Rapids’ science museum has a new, permanent home after several years of a temporary setup following the 2008 flood. The Science Center that has for years been inside Lindale Mall will be closed for several days this week so staff can move equipment into a building on Council Street. The space once housed a grocery store and later office space for military contractor Rockwell Collins. Museum organizers hope to reopen sometime next week.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack says the U.S. Department of Transportation has approved nearly $420,000 to pay for a fence around the Ottumwa Regional Airport. Loebsack says the money will pay for a 26,000-foot wildlife perimeter fence that will prevent unauthorized entry onto the airport grounds in southeast Iowa. Ensuring wildlife are kept out of the airport should improve safety for planes landing and taking off.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A mobile home fire in Waterloo has killed two people. Capt. Ryan Mahood of the Waterloo Fire Rescue says the fire on the city’s south side was reported Monday afternoon. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that at least one neighbor tried to rescue one of the victims, but the flames and heat were too intense.