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Griswold & Audubon School Board meetings tonight (4/16)

News

April 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Griswold School Board is set to hold their regular monthly meeting 5:30-p.m. today (Monday), in the Central Office at the Middle School/High School Building. During the meeting, the Board will receive an update on the facilities projects from representatives with KPE Architects and/or Estes Construction. Afterward, they will discuss and possibly take action on Second Grade for 2018-19. They’re also expected to act on approving: the Technology Plan and Technology charge; rate of pay for activity drivers; 2018-19 sharing agreements with Riverside, CAM, and Atlantic, with regard to an Elementary Guidance position, Elementary Art Teacher, and Transportation Director/Industrial Tech Programs, respectively.

The Audubon School Board will meet beginning at 7-p.m. in the Board Room at the High School. Action items include: Approving a Negotiated Agreement with the Audubon Education Association; Boiler Room Roof project; Personnel matters, and possible action on an Administration Early Retirement Policy. At the end of regular business, the Board will hold an Exempt session of the purpose of discussing strategy pertaining to Collective Bargaining.

Posted in News |

1 person hospitalized after Des Moines apartment fire

News

April 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say one person was hospitalized after a fire that damaged an apartment building on the southwest side of Des Moines. Firetrucks were dispatched a little after 1 p.m. Sunday. Station KCCI reports that arriving firefighters saw smoke coming from the third floor of the Wakonda West Apartments and fire and smoke blowing out of the front of the building.

One person was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The person’s name hasn’t been released. The fire cause is being investigated.

Posted in News |

No plans now for new medical marijuana dispensaries

News

April 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

While the Iowa Department of Public Health put out a request for proposal last week for a second company to manufacture medical marijuana — there are no plans to add licenses for more dispensaries. D-P-H deputy director Sarah Reisetter says the law only allows five dispensary licenses.  “For us to be able to offer additional dispensary licenses, the legislature would need to change the statute,” Reisetter explains.

A Cedar Rapids city council member called for more licenses after the recent awarding of licenses Sioux City, Council Bluffs, Windsor Heights, Waterloo and Davenport. He says some Iowans will have to drive a long way to get to the dispensaries. Reisetter says the Health Department will keep an eye on the situation as the products start being distributed. “We will certainly collect information and we will collect feedback. We want to be a source of information for the people in the program,” Reisetter says. “Being the regulators and being the people who maintain the patient registry, we are a natural place to hear some of those concerns and questions that a patient may have.”

She says there is another way for people in the program to provide feedback. Reisetter says the medical cannabidial board is another way for people to give input on changes in the law as she says the board makes an annual report to the Iowa Legislature on January 1st of every year. She says they will keep the board up to day and she says the board has a public comment period at every meeting. Reisetter says they want to be sure they are hearing from those involved in the program. “Certainly we will provide feedback in terms of information that we are receiving, and our advisory board might decide to make a recommendation as well,” Reisetter says.

MedPharm Iowa is required to have the medical marijuana products available by December 1st of this year.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in News |

Skyscan Forecast & weather data for Atlantic: 4/16/18

Weather

April 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Today: P/cloudy to cldy this morning; P/Cldy this aft. High 43. NW @ 10-20mph.

Tonight: P/Cldy. Low 26. E @ 5-10.

Tomorrow: Mo. Cldy. High 53. SE @ 15-25.

Wednesday: Cldy w/a rain-snow mix in the morning. High 40.

Thursday: P/Cldy. High 54.

Sunday’s High in Atlantic was 31. Our Low was 21. We had intermittent snow flurries yesterday (Trace of precipitation). Last year on this date our High was 73 and the Low was 40. The record High in Atlantic on this date was 88 in 1898. The Record Low was 19, in 1988.

Posted in Weather |

2 arrests Sunday in Montgomery County

News

April 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two separate arrests took place, Sunday. At around 3:50-p.m., 19-year old Justice Guy Myers, of Villisca, was arrested in Villisca, on an Adams County Bench Warrant for Violation of Probation. Myers was turned over to Adams County authorities and was being held at the Adams County Jail on a $1,000 cash only bond. And, 43-year old Justin Wade Woods, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 8:20-p.m. Sunday, on a valid Pottawattamie County Bench Warrant for Violation of Probation. Woods was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $10,000 bond.

Posted in News |

Atlantic Parks & Rec Board to meeting Monday evening

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Board will meet this evening in the Council’s Chambers, at City Hall. Their meeting begins at 5:15-p.m., and includes updates from Parks and Rec Director Seth Staashelm, on the following projects:

  • Schildberg Development Project: A) West Shelter & B) East Playground.
  • Lake #2 Trail
  • Community Parks
  • Sunnyside Entrance Sign
  • IDAL’s (IA Dept. of Ag & Land Stewardship) Water Quality Initiative.

Later in the meeting, Staashelm will discuss Earth Day, the clean-up for which was moved from this past Saturday, to April 28th (due to the weather). He’ll also talk about “Love Atlantic, and the High School Service Learning Day on April 25th, along with a campground status report.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Vilsack comments on trade dispute with China

News

April 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack says the current U.S. Ag Secretary has authority to provide some short term financial support to farmers that Vilsack did not have during his eight years as the nation’s secretary of agriculture. If the trade dispute with China escalates, Vilsack says Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue has “unfettered access” to Commodity Credit Corporation resources.

(as said) “Which can be used in a very thoughtful and strategic way to provide some direct assistance for a period of time,” Vilsack says. “The reality is it’s a stop-gap measure. It’s not something you can necessarily do that is permanent and, frankly, most of the farmers I talk to would prefer not to have a support structure and system. They would prefer to have a free and open market opportunity.”

Vilsack is president and C-E-O of the U.S. Dairy Export Council and he’s been to China twice this year. Vilsack says the Chinese are “not fearful” about a trade war, although they hope to avoid it. And Vilsack says officials in other world capitals believe a trade war would put a damper on the world economy, which appears to be perking up a little bit.

(as said) “No question China has not played by the rules,” Vilsack says “The question is how we go about making sure that they change and I think one of the things the administration is now trying to do, that I think is a good thing, is that they’re trying to get allies in this effort.”

Vilsack says there are plenty of companies and farmers in other countries that have been damaged by China’s conduct.

(as said) “There’s no question that China has basically gamed the system, certainly as it relates to intellectual property,” Vilsack says. “But there are ways in which we could solicit the help of the E.U., Japan and others to put pressure on China to basically change their ways without damaging agriculture.”

Vilsack made his comments this weekend during an appearance on Iowa Public Television’s “Market to Market” program.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in News |

Expectations are high as Iowa State closes spring drills

Sports

April 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell says developing leadership between now and the start of next season will be crucial. The expectations for the Cyclones will be higher than they have been in many years coming off an 8-5 season and a win in the Liberty Bowl. ISU closed out spring drills on Saturday with a scrimmage.

Campbell says the time between now and the start of fall camp is crucial for individual improvement.

To take the next step as a program the offense must improve and Campbell says it starts with the offensive line.

Campbell says that unit did make progress.

(Learfield Sports)

Posted in Sports |

Weather wreaks havoc on Drake Relays qualifying

Sports

April 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Time is running out for the state’s high school track and field athletes as they try to find a window between snowstorms to post a qualifying mark for the Drake Relays. The deadline for qualifying is noon on Thursday.

That’s Relay’s Director Blake Boldon who says while the weather has made qualifying even more difficult he still expects some outstanding marks later this month.

Iowa native Karissa Schweizer is returning to the Drake Relays to chase the record in the 5,000 meter run. The five-time NCAA champion at Missouri is a native of Urbandale and was a standout at Dowling Catholic.

(Learfield Sports)

Posted in Sports |

Midwest/National Sports Headlines: 4/16/18

Sports

April 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

CINCINNATI (AP) — Carlos Martinez struck out a season-high 11 batters in seven shutout innings and Harrison Bader’s two-run home run helped the St. Louis Cardinals complete their first four-game sweep in Cincinnati since 1949 with a 3-2 win. The Reds are 2-13 for the first time since the 1931 Reds won two of their first 19 games.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels game with Japanese star Shohei Ohtani scheduled to pitch at Kansas City was postponed because of cold temperatures. The game will be made up on June 25 in Kansas City.

UNDATED (AP) — University of Oklahoma President David Boren is expected to make a full recovery after having a minor stroke minutes before the unveiling of a statue honoring former Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops on Saturday. The school sent the update in a statement on Sunday. It said Boren is expected to be released from the OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City in the coming days. The 76-year-old Boren was a U.S. senator and Oklahoma governor before becoming the university’s president in 1994.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — After 15 spring practices, Chris Ash is still searching for a quarterback at Rutgers and he doesn’t expect to name a starter until a couple of weeks before the season opens. It’s no different than what he said when camp opened, even though freshman Artur Sitkowski gave the Scarlet Knights’ third-year coach a lot to think about in the annual spring game on Saturday.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The most important guy on Florida’s sideline during the spring game wasn’t coach Dan Mullen or quarterback Feleipe Franks. It’s strength and conditioning coordinator Nick Savage. He’s more critical to the program’s planned turnaround than anyone on the field. Savage has been working behind the scenes to return the Gators to form and could be the key to making them function. The early results show what Florida had been doing wrong and what Savage is doing right.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina star A’ja Wilson is chronicling her path from the end of her college career to the start of her WNBA career, including getting drafted. She’s projected as the top pick to Las Vegas in Thursday’s draft. She’s in New York this week ahead of her likely selection, hanging at the WNBA offices and going through rookie orientation.

Posted in Sports |