(Radio Iowa) – Non-profits are having the same struggles as for-profit companies when it comes to finding workers. Recruiters have filled just a quarter of the 50 AmeriCorps assignments in Iowa that are to start in early 2022. AmeriCorps members must be between the ages of 18 and 25 and they receive health care coverage, a monthly stipend and more than 63-hundred dollars to cover student loan debt or pay college tuition. Rachel Wagner of Conservative Corps for Minnesota and Iowa says the job market is really competitive right now.

“There are so many hiring signs out there,” Wagner says. “When the job market is better, I think people are less likely to do an AmeriCorps program because it’s more of a service thing.” Most of the job openings in Iowa are for work on conservation-related projects outdoors. Wagner says the crews will be based in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Cedar Falls, but may travel outside Iowa to work in some of the National Parks in the Midwest.

“This is a really great opportunity for a young person who, whether or not they want to get into natural resources work or environmental work, they really can network, build their resume and try something new for just a year or part of a year before starting on another career path,” she says. Student loan payments are put on hold while an AmeriCorps member is on assignment, too.

A recent survey by the National Council of Non-profits found 80 percent of the organizations were finding it difficult to hire workers.

DES MOINES – Today (Friday), Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced appointments to Iowa’s boards and commissions.  They included two residents from each of Cass, Carroll and Dallas Counties, and one each from Page & Union Counties.

The following (Area) appointments are subject to Senate confirmation:

Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology
Caitlin McKenney, Dallas County

Commission on Tobacco Use Prevention and Control
Chad Jensen, Carroll County

Iowa Workforce Development Board
Mary Landhuis, Page County
Alicia Stafford, Union County

The following appointments are not subject to Senate confirmation:

Council on Agricultural Education
Ben Booth, Carroll County

Southwest Regional STEM Advisory Board
Misty Gray, Cass County
Katherine Somers, Cass County

State Historical Records Advisory
Joseph (Andy) Swanson, Dallas

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Friday (today) said there were three arrests over the past week, and one accident. On Friday (Dec. 10th), 43-year-old Anthony Karns, of Wiota, was arrested on a warrant for violation of a protective order. Karns was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held, pending release by bond or on his own recognizance.

Wednesday (Dec. 8), Cass County Deputies arrested 67-year-old Terry Bahney, of Austin, TX, for OWI 1st Offense. Bahney was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and later released after posting bond. And, on Tuesday, Dec. 7th, deputies arrested 34-year-old Lisa Sivard, of Council Bluffs, on a warrant for controlled substance violations. Sivard was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and later released with time served.

Authorities said also, a non-injury accident took place December 5th, in Cass County. Deputies were notified at around 6:50-a.m. about the accident on Main Street / Highway 92, in Griswold. A 2019 Chevrolet Spark driven by Randall Myers, of Griswold, was traveling West on Main Street / Highway 92. When he leaned over to pick up something, his actions caused the vehicle to veer rightward. The car struck a legally parked 2009 Ford F150 owned by Ross Baier, of Atlantic.

Damage from the collision amounted to $12,000.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A recount of the November 30th run-off election for Mayor in the City of Atlantic, resulted in no change in the winner. The recount was requested by candidate Tim Teig, after election night results showed he lost by just four votes. A committee of three people gathered in the Cass County Board of Supervisor’s Board Room Friday morning. They included Bert Hoeck, representing candidate Tim Teig, Leanne Pellett, representing candidate Grace Garrett, and Tammy Wickman, who served a non-partisan role. Election night results had shown there were a total of 1,174 votes cast during the race, including two write-in votes for Kathy Somers.

Dorene South, Assistant to the Cass County Auditor, oversees the recount process.

All ballots were counted separately for each of three precincts: Absentee; Atlantic Wards 1,2,&3; and Atlantic Wards 4&5. The number of ballots matched the number counted electronically on November 30th. The committee then went through and separated in each precinct, the ballots for each candidate. Afterward, they went through a three-stage process for counting each ballot as a means of confirming the tallies.

In the end, there were no disputed ballots, and there no change in any of the total precinct numbers. The vote remains 588 for Garrett and 584 for Teig. Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns acknowledge the results are official, and Garrett is the winner. Karns said also, Precinct 3 (Atlantic Wards 4 & 5), was chosen by the Secretary of State’s Office to be audited, as part of the election validity process every county goes through. The State found no discrepancies during the audit.

The recount was overseen by Dorene South, Assistant to the Cass County Auditor. The recount lasted just under 2 ½ hours.