The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will hold a regular meeting tonight at the High School. During the 7:30-p.m. session in the Media Center, the Board will discuss possibly adding more staff for the 2013-2014 school year.   According to Superintendent Dr.  Michael Amstein, Washington Elementary Principal Stacey Hornung believes an additional first grade teacher and third grade teacher would be needed for the elementary school, due to the number of students coming into those classes next year.

Amstein said also, assistants may be needed for English Language Learners at the high school and Special Education department, along with a school nurse for the Level III program. The Board is expected to act tonight as well, on Volunteer coaches contracts, and any resignations to come before them.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board will act on approving the 2013-2014 School Lunch prices, Seasonal/Substitute teacher rates, and teacher recommendations for the 2013 Summer School. The Board will also receive an update on the Atlantic Middle School Construction project, from the district’s contracted architectural firm.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department reports the arrest early this (Monday) morning, of a Villisca man. 53-year old Kenneth Charles Richards was arrested on a charge of Child Endangerment, after deputies responded at around 12:20-a.m. to an incident in the 100 block of West 2nd Street, in Villisca.

Richards was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $5,000 bond.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new study says the death rates in small rural hospitals are worse than at most hospitals. The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association notes that the death rate in remote hospitals got worse between 2002 and 2010. The death rate at other hospitals improved over that same time period. Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Texas and Kansas are the states with the most critical-access hospitals.

Nebraska has 65 of the smaller, rural hospitals that qualify for special treatment from Medicare because they provide critical access to care. The study’s lead author, Doctor Karen Joynt, says it may be harder for rural hospitals to afford the latest technology and advancements that are helping other hospitals.