DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Dozens and possibly hundreds of Iowa teachers are receiving notices they could lose their jobs in the next school year.  School districts are sending layoff notices because of a deadline requiring them to notify teachers by April 30 of possible job losses.  District officials say they hope they won’t have to follow through on the job cuts, but the inability of state lawmakers to approve a general school funding level forces them to guess on their budgets for the upcoming year.

Galen Howsare, of the Iowa Association of School Boards, says the group knows of at least 83 teachers who have been sent layoff notices, and the actually figure is likely 150 to 250. This year, school funding has been mired in discussions about Gov. Terry Branstad’s proposed education reforms.

The person suspected of stealing a car late Tuesday morning in Atlantic and leading authorities on a high speed chase faces multiple moving violations. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says a 54-year old male resident of the Willow Heights Residential Care Facility, was being held at the Behavioral Health Unit at the Cass County Memorial Hospital, but he was not placed under arrest. The man’s name cannot be released because of HIPPA rules.

Officials say he allegedly stole a 2002 Dodge Intrepid belonging to Jon and Darcy Schwanke, of Atlantic, while the couple was fixing a fence near Willow Heights. The incident began at around 11-a.m. Tuesday. A chase ensued, ending on Highway 71 near Newport Road, when the driver of the stolen vehicle lost control, and the car entered the east ditch. No injuries were reported. The driver was subsequently transported to CCMH for evaluation.

The man received six citations, including: Unsafe Passing; 2 counts of Failure to Obey Stop signs; Reckless Driving; Excessive Speed and Failure to Maintain Control. Additional charges are possible, pending completion of the investigation. Officials say the Schwanke vehicle sustained an estimated $2,600 damage, while a 2009 Dodge Charger driven by Cass County Chief Deputy Sheriff Jon Westering, sustained about $400 damage, when Westering attempted to stop the stolen car.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) joins national and local partners in recognizing May as Stroke Awareness Month. Approximately 60,000 Iowans were told by a doctor they had suffered a stroke in 2011, and while the death rate from stroke has been decreasing, stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in Iowa.

“The most recent data shows stroke causes 5 percent of all the deaths in Iowa – that’s about one stroke every six hours,” said IDPH Director, Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. “Recognizing the symptoms of a stroke and acting quickly to get medical attention can save a life and limit disabilities.”

The signs of stroke are sudden and happen without warning. IDPH recommends you act F.A.S.T. if you or someone with you has the following symptoms:

• Face – Ask the person to smile. Does one part of the face droop? Does the person report sudden numbness in the face?
• Arms – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? This is also true of legs. One leg may suddenly become weak or numb, or the person is unable to walk.
• Speech – Ask the person to speak. Is their speech slurred? Are they unable to speak? Can they correctly repeat a simple sentence? Do they respond to questions with answers that don’t make sense?
• Time – If the person shows any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately.
  

Additional signs of stroke include sudden confusion, sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden dizziness or loss of balance, and sudden severe headache with no known cause. If possible, remember when the individual last appeared normal and when the first stroke symptoms appeared. This is very important in determining the best treatment options and if certain medications can be used.

The IDPH Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention program has more information on stroke available at www.idph.state.ia.us/hpcdp/hdsp_home.asp.

(Press Release)

A public hearing will take place during a regular meeting of the Walnut City Council, Thursday, with regard to an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 budget. Following the hearing and discussion, the Council will vote on adopting a Resolution calling for a budget amendment. They’ll also vote on a Resolution on the issuance of $1.06-million in General Obligation (G.O.) Refunding Bonds, Series 2013, and the providing of a Debit Service Levy to pay for the bonds.

In other business, the Walnut City Council will discuss: a possible Streetscape Enhancement Project, and the Optimist’ Antique City Car Show. They will also review and update the City’s Infrastructure Needs Study and Strategic Plan.

The Walnut City Council meeting begins at 5-p.m., Thursday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Department of Education will establish a task force to review whether to adopt new science standards for students.  Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds announced the creation of the task force today (Wednesday). The group will review the Next Generation Science Standards, science learning goals for K-12 students developed in a multi-state process.  The task force will make a recommendation on whether those standards should be part of the Iowa Core curriculum.

Iowa was one of 26 states that worked to develop the science standards. The goal was to set standards that help prepare students for college or the workforce. The standards were released in April.