(Radio Iowa) — The State Board of Education meeting Wednesday included a discussion about online teaching. Board member Mike May of Spirit Lake questioned how well teachers are prepared. “I think most people would agree that in March we weren’t prepared for what happened. For whatever reason, no one anticipated anything like this would happen. It’s reasonable to assume the department couldn’t have anticipated this would happen — no one could have,” May says. “We weren’t ready. And consequently, from March to June, very little learning took place.” May, who is a former teacher, questioned how the situation has changed since then. “How have we prepared teachers to be ready….teaching is an art — but how have we transitioned? What difference have we made in terms of their ability to deliver online?,” he asked”

The online learning was optional once the governor shut down the schools for the year in the midst of the pandemic. The Department of Education’s Amy Williamson says they were immediately working with teachers. “You know we made sure that we provided a substantial amount of resources to support teachers in that process — and that’s what lives in those return to learn modules, different training supports for offering a different kind of learning, and how to sort of even address public health circumstances,” Williamson says. Williamson is the Chief of the Bureau of School Improvement and says the situation now is very different. “Because it’s no longer voluntary — so it isn’t really an option anymore to not be successful. The professional development offered for teaching online through the A-E-A’s, some of the tools that we are providing will make teachers be better prepared for this as well,” according to Williamson.

May still has his doubts. “I’m skeptical that we are really prepared to be effective online teachers or instructors,” according to May. “And I think some of what you say is true. I think in some places we are — but I am not sure that that’s ubiquitous.” Williamson says teachers won’t stop learning. “I certainly think it’s going to be a process. It’s going to have to continue to get better as we go,” Williamson says. “But I think what you identified is that where can we make sure that if we feel our districts are falling short we can support them. To make sure that we are offering the resources to them so that they can get better — because that will be important.”

May reiterated that he was not trying to place blame on anyone for not being prepared for the big change in teaching methods. He says he is going on what he has heard from teachers and he could be behind in knowing how prepared schools are for a new era of teaching.

(Updated 9:17-a.m., 8/6) – Fort Dodge police said a man wanted on first-degree murder charges in the shooting death of his estranged wife was captured today (Thursday). Police said Justin Hurdel was captured after officers were called to the area of Quail Avenue/P59 and Nelson Avenue, an area just north of the junction of Highway 20 and County Road P59. According to police, a K-9 unit helped officers track Hurdel to a nearby shed, where he was taken into custody without incident.

Police said Hurdel was transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries sustained prior to his arrest. He will be charged with first-degree murder in the death of his estranged wife, 38-year-old Maggie Hurdel, who was found with a gunshot wound in the garage of a home in the 500 block of South 19th Street in Fort Dodge Wednesday. Neighbors said the couple lived in separate homes just two streets apart. One neighbor said they saw Justin Hurdel speed away after the shooting.

Police in Red Oak, Wednesday afternoon, were called to the Fareway Food Store in Red Oak, to review video for a theft that took place on July 30th. While reviewing the video, it was noticed that the suspect in the incident just happened to be in the store. 23-year old Amanda Kathleen Lunsford, of Red Oak, was placed under arrest for Theft in the 5th Degree, since the items she allegedly stole were valued at under $200. Lunsford was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 cash bond.

An assisted care facility in Oakland is dealing with more residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, and a total of four deaths. The first death at the Oakland Manor was reported in late July, along with 18 residents who had contracted COVID-19. KETV in Omaha says since then Pottawattamie County officials have confirmed 10 additional residents have required treatment for the virus, and three more have died. The County says the latest victim was a man aged 61-80, who died Sunday.

Pott. County Planning Director Matt Wyant says that at last check, seven residents have spent the required 10 days in isolation and are considered ‘recovering,’ but added they could still show symptoms for some time. Knowing the residents require round-the-clock care, Wyant says the county has offered support for laundry services, hotel rooms and additional nursing staff.

In providing that relief, Wyant said the county hopes Oakland Manor staff will continue self-monitoring and strongly recommends the same employees care for either healthy or recovering residents.

A man from Polk County died during an accident Wednesday afternoon, in Harrison County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, 56-year old Christopher J. Kubas, of Edwardsville, KS., was driving a 2006 Chevy Silverado pickup northbound on I-29 at around 2:20-p.m., when the vehicle lost a tire near mile marker 29, a few miles north of the Mondamin exit.

The tire went northbound through the median and struck 51-year old Homero T. Carrillo, of Des Moines, who was working on the southbound I-29 bridge, in the east lane. The road had been shut-down for the construction project. Carillo died at the scene shortly after he was struck by the tire.