(Radio Iowa) – A report presented to the state Transportation Commission today (Tuesday) shows an uptick in November in some types of rail traffic. The D-O-T’s Stuart Anderson says the numbers shows a lot of activity in consumer goods. “Very strong consumer spending and consumer demand has been reflected in a lot of activity at our ports, bringing in a lot of containers, and of course, that then corresponds to a lot of car loads following those intermodal containers on the rail system,” Anderson says. Anderson says the rail cargo increased dramatically. “Three of the top five weeks of all time were in November in hauling intermodal containers ,” he says, “so strong consumer demand and consumer spending. Year to date, that’s up just about eleven percent over last year.” While the amount of consumer goods increased, the rail numbers for manufacturing products didn’t match them.

“The hauling of industrial products on the rail system is flat, reflecting the continuing weak manufacturing sector,” Anderson says. Anderson says there is some better news for farmers in the rail numbers. “Grain shipments are up compared to 2023 of course, 2023 was a was a challenging year for grain exports and shipment on the rail system,” Anderson says. Anderson says there has been a lot of talk among the railroads about the potential impact on traffic from potential tariffs from the incoming Trump administration, and the D-O-T will monitor any changes.

(Radio Iowa) – The task force lawmakers created to suggest improvements in Iowa’s Area Education Agencies has decided it needs more information before issuing a report. The legislature made changes this year to the funding and structure of A-E-As, which provide special education and other services to Iowa schools. Adam Magliari, the superintendent of the Mediapolis school district, is on the task force that met for five hours yesterday (Monday).

“Great conversation, but it’s all qualitative,” he said. “We need some quantitative measures in here as well.”

The task force is requesting information about special ed funding, A-E-A staffing, and the impact of the new law. The panel plans to reconvene early next year.

(Radio Iowa) – Voting is underway today (Tuesday) in three special elections in Iowa.  In northeast Iowa, three candidates are vying for a vacancy on the Decorah City Council. In north central Iowa, a member of the Jewell City Council resigned several months ago and there is one candidate on today’s ballot seeking to replace him.

In Guthrie County, voters are choosing the trustees for Rural Improvement Zones around Diamondhead Lake near Dexter and Lake Panorama, which is on the north edge of Panora. Both are private lakes.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley sent an 11-page letter to F-B-I Director Christopher Wray on Monday, expressing a vote of “no confidence” in Wray’s ability to continue leading the bureau.  “I specifically left out the word resign,” Grassley says. “I think you can read that I’m very dissatisfied with him, and I think the writing’s on the wall of what he should do, and if he doesn’t do it, I think he’ll be fired by the new president.” Grassley also met Monday with Kash Patel, who President-elect Trump plans to nominate to become the new F-B-I director. Grassley says, “If the position becomes open — and it will — and Kash is formally nominated, you can expect I’ll hold a fair hearing for him in the Senate Judiciary Committee.”

Seven years ago, Wray was nominated for the post by then-President Trump and Grassley presided over the confirmation hearing, which resulted in Wray securing a ten-year term as the F-B-I’s director.  “In those seven years, Director Wray has broken the promises that he made during his nomination hearing and the pledges he made since he was nominated,” Grassley says. “The FBI needs transparency and everybody knows real reform so they can properly serve the American people.” Grassley says Wray has failed in the fundamental duties as director, singling out what he calls “an invasive and unwarranted FBI raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.” In the letter, Grassley tells Wray that his failures “are serious enough and their pattern widespread enough to have shattered my confidence in your leadership.”

Sen. Grassley with FBI Director nominee Kash Patel on Monday (Photo by Grassley’s office)

“We always ask the question, will you appear before Congress if we call you? Two weeks ago, he didn’t go to a House committee meeting, he refused to go,” Grassley says. “Not protecting whistle blowers, not responding to documents that we have requested.” After his meeting with Patel, Grassley released a statement saying, “As a former congressional investigator himself, Kash understands that cooperation with Congress is not optional and whistleblower protection is essential.”

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports a woman from Tabor was arrested Monday. 46-year-old Barbara Hall was arrested for OWI/1st offense. She was later released after posting a $1,000 bond.

(Anita, Iowa) – The CAM School Board held their regular monthly meeting Monday night, in Anita. Superintendent Paul Croghan says the Board elected Cara Murphy as President for the 2024-25 School Year. Former long-time Board President Todd Mckee had decided to step-down. And the board elected to retain Chuck Kinze as Vice-President.

No other administrative changes were made, with regard to the meeting time and dates (6:30-p.m. On the second Monday of the month in the High School Media Center) and other such matters.

Paul Croghan said the CAM School Board held discussions with regard to sharing agreements with the Nodaway Valley Community School District.

He said the Board approved a School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) request for a Modified Supplemental Amount of $33,450 for Open Enrollment Out.

The CAM School Board approved an Architectural Engineering Proposal from Alley Poyner Macchietto, but there was no proposal from Boyd Jones, so that matter was tabled.

Mr. Croghan wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with Cass Health in Atlantic, today (Tuesday), announced that Michelle Phippen, LPN is the newest recipient of The DAISY Award, which celebrates excellence in nursing. Phippen became an LPN in 2012 and began working at Cass Health in November 2023. She works at Atlantic Medical Center with Family Medicine Physician Dr. Adam Verhoef.  Phippen was nominated by her coworker Clara Hagedorn, LPN who wrote a detailed nomination about Phippen’s dedication to help a non-English speaking patient through the hardships of her pregnancy, including providing education and care related to gestational diabetes.

Hagedorn wrote, “Having gestational diabetes brings additional tests, closer monitoring, and often medication to manage. For the patient, continuous glucose monitoring was required to help Dr. Verhoef be able to best treat her diabetes, and this included a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) being placed every 10 days in office. She also had to be started on insulin, which would require injections twice a day, and non-stress tests (NST) twice a week … Michelle was always comforting to the patient and always assured she understood what she would be doing. Overall, while there were multiple hardships for this patient, both discussed and not discussed in this story, it did not prevent Michelle from providing exceptional care for the patient. It was truly humbling to work alongside Michelle in the clinic, seeing the amount of time, care, compassion, and heart she shared with the patient throughout her pregnancy, and will continue to postpartum. I know I am not the only one who has noticed her efforts, and I hope she knows how appreciated and admired they were!”

Phippen said, “I’m honored to have been nominated for the award, and it’s not something I ever thought I would be considered for. This particular patient that I got nominated for has just been through a lot of struggles, and if I can help in any way to ease any of those struggles, I would try.”

Michelle Phippen, LPN (Photo submitted by CCHS)

Nurses at Cass Health are honored twice annually with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.® The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate care nurses provide to patients and families every day. The DAISY Award committee at Cass Health thanks all nominators for their submissions. Each nurse who was nominated will be presented with a special pin and a copy of the nomination. The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing, and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org. An online nomination form is available at https://www.casshealth.org/daisy.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department says a woman reported Monday night, someone had stolen and Wii gaming device from her residence in the 200 block of N. Oak Street. The loss was estimated at $90. And, officials said Monday, no one was injured during an accident that took place last week at the intersection of Townline and Sycamore Streets. The police report said the accident happened at around 7:36-a.m. on Dec. 2nd, when a 2003 GMC pickup driven by a 15-year-old from Clearfield, was rear-ended a 2021 SUV driven by 60-year-old Kenneth Stuckey, of Creston.

Authorities say the SUV and pickup were traveling east on Townline Street, when the pickup slowed to stop in traffic for a school bus that was attempting to turn left into the Creston High School parking lot. Due to the snow covered road, the SUV was unable to stop in-time, and struck the pickup, causing a police estimated total of $4,500 damage. Both vehicles were able to be driven from the scene.

No citations were issued, however the police report said contributing factors in the collision included the SUV driving too fast for conditions, and following too closely.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board will hold back-to-back meetings Wednesday evening in the High School Media Center. The first meeting is actually a Work Session that begins at 5:30-p.m., and will cover a review of the Request for Quotes from architectural firms, with regard to district facilities.

The Board’s regular monthly meeting begins at 6:30-p.m., and includes action on several matters:

• The purchase of a lawn mower
• Starting a Robotics Club and a request for sponsorships
• Terminating an Open Enrollment Application due to attendance.
• Submitting a request to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) for a modified supplemental amount of $298,170 due to an increase in certified enrollment from the prior year, and
• An application to the SBRC for Limited English proficient instruction beyond 5-years, of a modified supplemental amount ($14,791) related to the ELL program for students who have exceeded five-years of weighting that are included in the Fall 2024 certified enrollment headcount.

The Atlantic School Board will also discuss and/or act on the resignations of: Matt Mullenix, Asst. FB Coach, and Bryce Casey, Junior High FB Coach (both for the Fall of 2025), and James Pobantz, PT Custodian & PT Nutrition staff. The Board is expected to discuss and/or act on the following recommendations to hire:

• Mallory Kirchhoff, Prom & Junior Class Sponsor
• Terry Hinzmann, HS Varsity Softball Coach (Summer 2025)
• Cory Bartz, MS Girls Basketball Coach
• A New Bus driver position
• New Sponsor Position(s): Robotics Club Sponsors, Stacey Schmidt & Andy Mitchell
• HS Special Education Paraeducator: Ashley Marxen
• Preschool Spec. Ed Paraprofessional: Alex Wilson.

(View the full agenda here: PUBLIC AGENDA 12112024 )