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CAM School Board meeting set for Monday evening (2/10)

News

February 9th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The CAM School District’s Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting 6:30-p.m. Monday (Feb. 10th), in Anita, at the CAM High School Superintendent’s Office. Among the discussion and/or action items on their agenda, is:

  • A CAM Education Association (CAMEA) presentation of their opening proposal for negotiations.
  • An ICA (Iowa Connections Academy) Contract.
  • Discussion with regard to the FY 2020-21 School Calendar and Budget.
  • The Early Retirement Policy.
  • Consideration of the bid process for 2020 Summer Mowing.
  • Discussion with regard to the Facility Upgrade Process.
  • And Disposal of old football uniforms.

After the Board adjourns, they will move into a closed (exempt) session, for Strategy Negotiations.

Doubts persist for Dem voters about female nominee in 2020

News

February 9th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

PLYMOUTH, N.H. (AP) – In 2018, female candidates helped power the Democratic takeover of the U.S. House. But women in the Democratic Party seem only moderately enthusiastic about voting for a woman for president. AP VoteCast finds that women in Iowa were only slightly more likely than men to back a woman. And the survey shows that many women thought a female candidate would have a harder time beating President Donald Trump in November. The concern has been an added burden for the women seeking the Democratic nomination for president. The leading female candidate in the race, Elizabeth Warren, is trying to confront it in New Hampshire.

Iowa Democrats reviewing 5 percent of precincts

News

February 9th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Democratic Party is reviewing roughly 5 percent of the precincts in last Monday’s Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses, after issuing a deadline for campaigns to offer data demonstrating inconsistencies with the party’s results. In a statement Saturday, state party officials in their effort to clean up after Monday’s reporting breakdown said they were reviewing campaign data from 95 of the 1,765 precinct caucuses and would issue any corrections to the final results by this Monday (Feb. 10th). The party asked the campaigns to submit evidence of inconsistencies in the final results of the caucuses.

2 IA Legislators introduce False Allegations Protections Bill

News

February 9th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with Families United Action Network (FUAN) announced Saturday, that Iowa Representative Ako Abdul-Samad and Senator Mark Segebart introduced the FUAN False Allegations Protections Bill to Change the Child Protective Services (CPS) Tip Line from Anonymous to Confidential.

Officials say the purpose of the proposed change is to show connections to false allegations to the Iowa DHS Child Protective Services division in high conflict custodial divisions in order to hold those accountable of false reporting under Iowa Code, that cannot be accomplished under the current, anonymous call-in reporting system.

FUAN says “Currently, high conflict divorces frequently result in false reports made to DHS by or on behalf of one of the parties. Whether founded or unfounded, these reports often affect the accused party negatively in custody battles while the accuser benefits. DHS takes approximately 37-thousand calls a year about child abuse. Of that 37-thousand, about one-third of the reports are rejected right away because they don’t meet the agency’s criteria. On the other 25-thousand, when they send out an investigator, two-thirds turn out unfounded. This usually is the result of someone with a personal grudge trying to cause a problem.”

Jerry Foxhoven, former Director of the Iowa Dept. of Human Services (DHS) says “It is important to protect individuals reporting child abuse when they have a good faith belief that abuse has occurred. However, intentional false reports put children at risk by diverting resources that should be dedicated to protecting children who are truly at risk.”

The introduction of Senate File 2148 and reintroduction of House File 373 would seek to recommend a legislative study into Child Protective Services call-in reporting line. It would also recommend change to the Iowa Child Protective Services in-call reporting line from anonymous to confidential by adopting similar verbiage to Connecticut’s call-in reporting script.

Cass County Tourism Annual Meeting set for Tue., Feb. 11 2020

News

February 9th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The annual meeting of the Cass County Tourism Committee is set to take place 5:30-p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11th, in Atlantic. The event, to be held in the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce’ meeting room at the restored Rock Island Depot, is open to anyone with an interest in tourism in Cass County.

The Cass County Tourism Council’s purpose is to promote area attractions, and to continually develop and market the culture, history and economic well-being of Cass County, Iowa.  The 2018 Economic Impact Assessment of Travel in Iowa reports that domestic travelers generated a total of $517,500,000 in tax receipts in Iowa. Cass County’s piece of the pie came to $1.9 million in state tax receipts and $210,000 in local tax receipts. Domestic travel directly supports the payroll of food service, entertainment and recreation and lodging sectors.

Skyscan forecast for Atlantic & the area: Sunday, 2/9/2020

Weather

February 9th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Today: A slight chance of drizzle before 7am. Increasing clouds, with a temperature rising to near 35 by 10am, then falling to around 28 during the remainder of the day. Windy, with a south wind 10 to 15 mph becoming north northwest 16 to 21 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 16. Wind chill values as low as 10. North wind 10 to 15 mph becoming light northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.

Monday: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 36. Calm wind becoming southwest around 6 mph in the morning.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35.

Wednesday: A chance of rain and snow before 1pm, then a chance of rain between 1pm and 5pm, then a chance of rain and snow after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 39. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wind Advisory for parts of western Iowa today (Sunday)

Weather

February 9th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Area Counties: Monona-Harrison: A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY FROM 9-A.M. UNTIL 1-P.M.  Expect northwest winds 15 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.

Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.

Saturday’s area basketball scores (from 2/8/20)

Sports

February 9th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City 70, Kuemper Catholic, Carroll 27

Carroll 77, Greene County 9

Lewis Central 47, Norwalk 25

Red Oak 80, St. Albert, Council Bluffs 76, OT

Riverside, Oakland 39, Heartland Christian 36

BOYS BASKETBALL

Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City 53, Kuemper Catholic, Carroll 52

Carroll 81, Greene County 52

Riverside, Oakland 49, Heartland Christian 20

St. Albert, Council Bluffs 61, Red Oak 36

5 hurt in Taylor County rollover accident, Saturday night

News

February 9th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

A single-vehicle rollover accident Saturday night just west of Clearfield, in Taylor County, resulted in five people injured. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2007 Ford F-250 pickup driven by 44-year old Clayton Wayne Nelson, of Lenox, was traveling west on 170th Street, about one-quarter of a mile west of Yellowstone Avenue, when the pickup sustained a mechanical failure. The vehicle went out of control and entered the north ditch, where it rolled over and came to rest on its top. The accident happened at around 9:06-p.m. None of the five occupants were wearing seat belts.

Nelson and four passengers suffered injuries. Two occupants were ejected from the truck and one was pinned underneath the vehicle. Nelson was taken by Ringgold County EMS to the Ringgold County Hospital with undisclosed injuries. Two passengers: 33-year old Angela Jenkins, of Lenox, and 21-year old Zachary Marxen, of Corning, were flown to Des Moines area hospitals with undisclosed injuries. 19-year old Cedric Nelson, of Lenox, was taken to Greater Regional Medical Center for injuries, and 21-year old Brylee Van Gelder, of Lenox, was transported to Ringgold County Hospital for treatment. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office says a four-year old female suffered from minor bumps and bruises, and was transported by private vehicle to a hospital.

In addition to the aforementioned agencies, the Iowa State Patrol was assisted at the scene by Lenox Fire/EMS, and Bedford EMS.

SUV hits horse-drawn buggy in northern IA: 1 person injured

News

February 9th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

One person was injured during a collision between an SUV and a horse-drawn buggy Friday evening, northwest of Riceville, in northern Iowa’s Mitchell County. The Iowa State Patrol reports Christian Bontreger, of Riceville, was driving the buggy on Walnut Street near the intersection with 450th, when it was struck from behind by a southbound 1997 Jeep Cherokee. Following the collision, both vehicles landed in the ditch. The accident happened at around 6:12-p.m.

Bontreger was transported by ambulance to the Mayo Hospital. There was no report on his condition. The driver of the Jeep, 67-year old Ronald Mayer, of Riceville, was not injured. He was arrested for OWI.