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Atlantic School Board approves advertising for Girls Wrestling Coach; Sets Attendance Policy

News

August 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board held their regular monthly meeting Wednesday evening (Aug. 14).  During the meeting, the Board discussed and then approved an Attendance Policy that will be included in the 2024-25 Student Handbook. And, a Girls Wrestling Program. It’s estimated there could be as many as 12-17 participants in the program.

With regard to the Attendance Policy, the Iowa Legislature on May 9th, signed into law Senate File 2435 with an effective date of July 1, 2024.  SF2435 details public school attendance requirements. SF2435 requires specific school actions based on a student’s rate of non-exempt absences. Districts must adopt an attendance policy and, as necessary, collaborate with county attorneys, conduct school engagement meetings, and work with county truancy officers. Select exemptions are allowed at the student level.

Superintendent Dr. Beth Johnsen said Chronic Absenteeism is defined as 10-percent of the assigned school days.

Johnsen said District Administrators have established check-points for letting parents/guardians of students know when the days absent are starting to build-up.

Dr. Johnsen discussed also, the status of kindergarten enrollment.

Washington Elementary Principal Stacey Hornung mentioned the Kindergarten class continues to grow, even as the beginning of the school year is a little more than a week away. Following discussion, the Atlantic school board approved a recommendation by Dr. Johnson to hire an additional Kindergarten teacher, if one can be found this late in the Summer. Dr. Johnsen said the goal is to reduce the class sizes to 18- or-19 students.

The District she said, still has some other positions to fill.

The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday, voted to end the District’s sharing agreement with the S.W.A.T. girls wrestling team, and instead proceed with organizing the District’s own team. Dr. Johnsen says Activities Director Andy Mitchell has met with the Atlantic Girls Squad members and their parents several times.They also agreed to advertise for a Girls Wrestling Coach, the position for which is budgeted for during negotiations, according to Board Secretary Lisa Jones. Superintendent Beth Johnsen said the Lincoln School Gym will likely be used for practices.

The S.W.A.T. team in the past has included C.A.M. (The host district), along with Atlantic, Griswold, Nodaway Valley, and Southwest Valley. Southwest Valley opted out last season to form its own program, while Griswold left the team to share girl’s wrestling with Red Oak.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board approved the following resignations:

  • Mallory Kirchhoff, ISS Para
  • Sierra Parker, Preschool Para
  • Arla Clay, Nutrition Cook
  • Carmem Ligia Ferreira-Cohrs, Driver

And they approved these Contract Recommendations to Hire:

  • Laura Millar, 4th – 8th Grade Therapeutic Classroom Para
  • Lucas Mosier, High School Football Coach, Volunteer
  • Nathan Block, High School Assistant Football Coach
  • Naela Thornton, Middle School Assistant Volleyball Coach
  • Brooke Lamp, Middle School Assistant Volleyball Coach
  • Dillon Cox, High School Boys Assistant Wrestling Coach
  • Cody McCreedy, High School Boys Swimming Coach
  • Anna Pauley, National Honor Society Advisor
  • 24-25 Winter Sports Coaching Recommendation

The Board’s next meeting is a WORK SESSION on Aug. 28th at 5:30-p.m., in the Achievement Center. The next REGULAR meeting is Sept. 11th at 5:30-p.m., in the High School Media Center.

BECHT ON JOHNNY UNITAS GOLDEN ARM AWARD WATCH LIST

Sports

August 14th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State redshirt sophomore quarterback Rocco Becht has been named to the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Preseason Watch List as announced by The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, along with presenting sponsor A.O. Smith Corporation.

The award annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class.

Becht is coming off a stellar redshirt freshman campaign in which he was named the 2023 Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and a Second-Team Freshman All-American by The Athletic a year ago.

The Wesley Chapel, Florida, native completed 231 passes for 3,120 yards and 23 touchdowns, breaking the ISU freshman record in each category. He led the Cyclones to a 7-6 record, including 6-3 in Big 12 Conference play.

Tickets for the 2024 football season are on sale now with a slate that features Kansas State and a Homecoming showdown with Texas Tech as well as others. Fans can purchase season tickets for as low as $299, while mini-packs, single-game tickets and parking are also on sale.

The Cyclones open the season August 31 against 2023 FCS Playoff qualifier North Dakota.

McNamara Named to Johnny Unitas Watch List

Sports

August 14th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior quarterback Cade McNamara has been named to the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award preseason watch list. The award is presented annually to the top senior or upperclassman quarterback.

McNamara’s 2023 season as Iowa’s signal caller was cut short when he suffered a season-ending injury in the fifth game. Prior to his injury, he completed 46-of-90 passes for 505 yards and four touchdowns.

The award is named after quarterback Johnny Unitas, who was nicknamed “The Golden Arm” for his record-setting play for the Baltimore Colts in the NFL. Former Hawkeye Nate Stanley was a finalist for the award in 2019.

The 2024 award winner will be presented the Golden Arm Award trophy by The Johnny Unitas Educational Foundation President, John Unitas, Jr., as well as other notable attendees at the Golden Arm Award banquet and celebration in Baltimore, Maryland, on Dec. 6.

McNamara and the Hawkeyes open their season Aug. 31 against Illinois State. The sold-out game is set for an 11 a.m. (CT) kickoff at Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium.

HAWKEYES ON 2024 WATCH LISTS
* Sebastian Castro – Bronko Nagurski Trophy (D-POY) // Chuck Bednarik Award (D-POY) // Jim Thorpe Award (DB)
* Jay Higgins — Butkus Award (LB) // Bronko Nagurski Trophy (D-POY) // Chuck Bednarik Award (D-POY) // Wuerffel Award (community service)
* Nick Jackson — Butkus Award (LB) // Bronko Nagurski Trophy (D-POY) // Chuck Bednarik Award (D-POY)
* Leshon Williams — Doak Walker Award (RB)
* Logan Jones – Outland Trophy (OL) // Rimington Award (C)
* Drew Stevens – Lou Groza Award (PK)
* Luke Elkin — Mannelly Award (LS)
* Cade McNamara – Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (QB) // Comeback POY
* Luke Lachey – Mackey Award (TE) // Comeback POY

Iowa center Logan Jones previews the season

Sports

August 14th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Iowa center Logan Jones is poised for a big senior season. The former Lewis Central star was moved from defensive line to center in the spring of 2022 as the Hawkeyes needed a replacement for All-American Tyler Linderbaum. Success was not immediate, but Jones says the patience offensive line coach George Barnett displayed paid off. Jones was named a third team All-Big Ten selection in 2023.

Jones credits him teammates for helping the transition to offensive line.

Jones is part of an experienced offensive line that hopes to help the offense make progress this season. Jones says it is a unit with outstanding chemistry.

Barnett says Jones has become an outstanding communicator at center.

The Hawkeyes open August 31st by hosting Illinois State.

Iowa high schools adjust to changes in sports season

Sports

August 14th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Iowa high schools are adjusting to what will be a new sports schedule next school year. It was announced on Monday that the sports of girl’s tennis and boys golf will move from the spring season to the fall. Dike-New Hartford Activities Director Cody Eichmeier says the announcement came after months of speculation.

Eichmeir says the change will likely impact participation numbers in not only the affected sports but others as well.

Eichmeier says the biggest impact will be on the athletes currently competing at the high school level.

The changes take effect in the 2025-2026 school year.

Higgins Named Sporting News Preseason All-American

Sports

August 14th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa fifth-year senior Jay Higgins has been named a 2024 Sporting News Preseason All-American, the publication announced Wednesday.

The preseason honor is Higgins’ fourth. The Indianapolis native was also selected as a preseason first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation, Phil Steele and Athlon. Higgins was also named the Phil Steele Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Higgins earned All-America distinction from eight different outlets a season ago, including Sporting News. He was Iowa’s Roy Carver Most Valuable Player on defense for a unit that ranked fourth nationally, surrendering 14.8 points per game.

Higgins started all 14 games in 2023, leading the team with 171 tackles (79 solo, 92 assists). The figure tied an Iowa single season school record, led the Big Ten and ranked third nationally. He finished with 15+ tackles in three games and 10+ tackles in 10 contests.

Former Hawkeyes Cooper DeJean and Tory Taylor were Sporting News Preseason All-Americans a year ago.

The Hawkeyes open the 2024 season Aug. 31, hosting Illinois State at 11 a.m. (CT) inside Kinnick Stadium.

Nevada fire chief part of national effort to prevent deadly oxygen fires

News

August 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The fire chief of a central Iowa town hopes a solution is getting closer that would stop deadly fires involving people who use oxygen.

Nevada Fire Chief Ray Reynolds. (Nevada FD photo)

Nevada fire chief Ray Reynolds says he started pushing for thermal fuses on oxygen devices after oxygen fires there that killed two people and left two others badly burned.

“Kind of got looking at this, and when we did the math, we figured out that Medicare paid one-point-two million dollars to keep those two people alive, and they could have purchased 239,000 thermal fuses that would have wiped out about ten percent of our country’s oxygen fires,” he says.

Reynolds now leads the national Home Oxygen Therapy (H.O.T.) working group that’s trying to cut the number of oxygen fires. He says the thermal fuses are inexpensive and keep the oxygen from feeding the fire and making it worse. “We just think for $4.45 cents stopping the secondary fires of clothing, couches and you know, different fuel loads that are inside homes, it might give us an opportunity to avoid some of these disasters,” Reynolds says. Reynolds says a majority of oxygen fires are started by people who smoke while using oxygen, and there’s some who say installing the fuses just encourages smoking. But he says it’s not as simple as telling someone not to smoke.

“I tell anybody, if you think you and I are going to change any smoking behavior over a four-dollar engineered solution, we’re sadly mistaken because addiction and nicotine goes way beyond what we’re doing,” he says. Reynolds says he knows from experience that people would like to stop smoking after they get sick, but struggle with it. “I’ve had a lot of people that I’ve gone in their homes to put thermal fuses in, and they’re embarrassed. They’re embarrassed they smoke. There’s social stigma to smoking. We are seeing a 50 percent reduction in smoking, but yet the same number of fires, if not more. So that tells me that we’re smoking even more unsafe,” he says.

Reynolds says another issue is the oxygen machines are a certified medical device and it takes federal approval to add the thermal fuses. “One of the things we realize is that this is going to have to be a policy decision of our country. And so we’ve actually met with the senior administrators of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in April in Washington, D.C, and we presented a case on implementing mandatory thermal fuses for all people on oxygen,” he says. Reynolds says the meeting went well and their case is under consideration.

Reynolds says it could be a big change. “We think it’ll reduce our U.S. fire deaths by 15 percent. It’ll certainly save Medicare about $500 million that they’re currently spending on burn care,” Reynolds says. “And we’re seeing some state success. Iowa was the first state to reimburse thermal fuse installation on the Medicaid side, which is the state side of Medicare.”

The state of Washington also pays for the thermal fuses and the Department of Veterans Affairs requires their use. Reynolds says he is optimistic the issue will eventually be addressed on the federal level.

Gov. Reynolds announces relief to disaster-impacted homeowners with first awards through Disaster Recovery Housing Assistance Program

News

August 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(DES MOINES) – Governor Reynolds today (Wednesday) announced that conditional awards are beginning to be approved for disaster impacted Iowa homeowners through the state-funded Disaster Recovery Housing Assistance Program (DRHAP). The awards will allow homeowners to begin rebuilding or be reimbursed for eligible expenses incurred.
“Fast-tracking relief for disaster-impacted Iowans has been my priority, and I’m pleased to announce that funds have started being awarded to homeowners,” said Gov. Reynolds. “Those receiving conditional awards today, and in the days and weeks to come will be able to take another step towards recovery.”
The program addresses unmet housing recovery needs outside the scope of insurance coverage or FEMA Individual Assistance. Eligible homeowners can receive up to $50,000 for the repair or rehabilitation of their disaster-impacted home.
Applications are being reviewed as they are received and if deemed preliminarily eligible, are referred to a local administrative partner who will be the homeowner’s point of contact for inspections, feasibility for repair determination, scope of work and payment of eligible expenses. Applications are being accepted on an ongoing basis and will remain available until funds have been exhausted. Applications will be reviewed and approved on a first submitted, first ready to proceed basis.
Eligible homes must be located in a county approved for FEMA Individual Assistance following the three presidentially declared natural disasters this spring and summer. These counties currently include Adair, Adams, Buena Vista, Cedar, Cherokee, Clarke, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Harrison, Humboldt, Jasper, Lyon, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, Sioux, Story Union and Woodbury.
Before applying for the state Disaster Recovery Housing Assistance Program, homeowners must first be registered for FEMA Individual Assistance and have been awarded some form of FEMA Housing Assistance, which may include home repairs or temporary housing. Homeowners must also have filed a claim with their insurance company, if they have coverage for disaster-related damages, and have received final approval or denial of their claim. Repair work must be completed by contractors who are registered to work in the state of Iowa to be eligible for payment under the program. Homes located in the Special Flood Hazard Area (100-year floodplain) and rental properties are ineligible.
More information about the DRHAP program, including an eligibility precheck is available at iowafinance.com/DRHAP. For information on other disaster-related programs and resources, visit disasterRecovery.iowa.gov.
Iowans are encouraged to be on the alert for disaster scams. State of Iowa disaster recovery programs do not charge a one-time or monthly fee to apply for assistance. To report a disaster recovery scam, contact the Office of the Attorney General of Iowa’s Consumer Protection Division at 888-777-4590 or by visiting iowaattorneygeneral.gov.

Updated candidate filing for the General Election in Cass County (IA), & Public Measure info.

News

August 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns today (Wednesday), released an updated list of candidates who have filed to run for county offices in Cass County, as well as the Public Measures that will be on the ballot for all Cass County residents, and one Public Measure for patron of the CAM Community School District.

County Office candidates (I= Incumbent, R= Republican, D= Democrat)

Supervisor – District 1

Stephen S. Green (I); R – from Atlantic

Supervisor – District 4

Steve Baier (I); R – Griswold

Supervisor – District 5

Bernard Pettinger (I); R – Anita

Phyllis Stakey (D) – Massena

County Auditor

Kathy Somers (I); R – Atlantic

County Sheriff (vote for 1)

John Westering (R) – Atlantic

Non-Party Political Organization (NPPO)

Cass County Ag Extension Council (Vote for 4)

Marcy J. Dorsey (R) – Atlantic

Soil & Water Conservation District (Vote for 3)

Terry Langan (R) – Griswold

Hospital Board (Vote for 3)

Leanne Pellet (I) (R) – Atlantic

Linda L. Pelzer (I) (R) – Griswold

Ned Brown (I) (R) – Atlantic

Union Township Trustee

Delmar South (R) – Cumberland

PUBLIC MEASURE A: EMS FUNDING via Local Option Income Surtax & Assessed property valuation tax

Shall the Cass County Board of Supervisors, upon recommendation by the Cass County EMS Advisory Council, for the purpose of funding emergency medical services in Cass County, including, but not limited to, ambulance service, personnel, and equipment, be authorized, for a period of 15 years, to 1) levy and impose a local option income surtax of one percent upon the state individual income tax of each individual taxpaper who is a resident of Cass County on December 31 for each calendar year commencing with the calendar year 2025, and 2) levy and impose an ad valorem tax not exceeding seventy-five cents per one thousand dollars of assessed valuation on all taxable property within Cass County commencing with the levy of property taxes for collection in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026?

PUBLIC MEASURE B: CAM CSD General Obligation Bond issuance

Shall the Board of Directors of the CAM Community School District in the Counties of Adair, Adams, Audubon, and Cass, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $22,500,000 to provide funds to construct, furnish and equip a classroom addition to the High School building; to remodel, repair, improve, furnish and equip exterior and interior portions of the existing High School building, including mechanical, electrical, and fire systems improvements, secure entry improvements, and technology and security improvements; and improve the site?

Due to recent legislation and House File 718 public notice is required for any question of issuing bonds or other indebtedness.  The Cass County Auditor’s office will be sending out these notices on Public Measure B to all registered voters in the CAM School District.  The notice will have the full text of the public measure and will be sent out in October (10-20 days before the election).

Both Public Measures need 60% to pass.

U-I says Domestic Violence Intervention program will be ready in September

News

August 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The University of Iowa’s sexual assault support service will close in a month and a half and the Iowa City-based Domestic Violence Intervention Program says its new sexual assault support division be fully operational. The services changing hands caused an initial outcry as U-I Vice President of Student Life Sarah Hansen says news of the change was leaked before plans were ready to be announced.

“When that announcement came out, and like the telling of the staff, was not handled the way that we would have wanted that to happen,” she says. Hansen says details are nearing completion and D-V-I-P has secured federal victim services funding. She says the university plans to directly fund D-V-I-P at a similar level to what it gave to the original provider.

“From the University we’re funding two campus advocate positions. We’ve also, on campus added a prevention position to the sexual assault prevention team, so there’s three positions there now,” Hansen says.

The Rape Victim Advocacy Program’s final day of operation is September 30.