The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested the past couple of days on separate warrants, while another person was arrested on an Assault charge. Early Wednesday afternoon, 35-year-old A-J Sydney Kercheval, of Omaha, was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear on an original, Possession of a Controlled Substance, charge. Bond was set at $2,000. This (Thursday) morning, 47-year-old Eva Marie Leon, of Bellevue, NE, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Bond was set at $5,000.

And, Wednesday afternoon, 22-year-old Dustin Lee Mitchell Mabbitt, of Malvern, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

(Radio Iowa) -A new national poll by Grinnell College finds teaching about racism is a big factor in the lack of trust in public schools. Poll Director Peter Hanson says the mistrust is large. “We asked our respondents whether or not they believe that public schools are on the right track or the wrong track in terms of what they are teaching in the classroom,” Hanson says, “and 64 percent of the people said that public schools are on the wrong track. And that included almost all Republicans — but even a plurality of Democrats.” He says they broke down the issues in three questions.

“Most Americans trust the choices that schools make about libraries –71 percent. Most Americans trust schools to make good decisions when a student is at risk of doing something violent — 69 percent. But only 49 percent trusted the ability of schools in terms of teaching about racism in the United States,” Peterson says. He says a further examination of the numbers reinforces the point. “Those who don’t trust schools teaching about racism were much more likely to say that schools were on the wrong track So, it really seems this continuing debate over how to teach racism in the classrooms is driving negative views about schools overall,” according to Peterson.

He says the concerns about the teaching of racism stand out again when they questioned if students should be taught to respect people of different races.”Sixty-nine percent of people said that that was essential — that they did want respect for people of different races to be taught in school,” he says. Peterson says this shows where the fault line is in how people think about how to teach about race in schools.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has unanimously approved a bill that defines elder abuse as a crime and sets up enhanced penalties for assaulting or defrauding an older Iowan. The bill applies to alleged crimes against dependent adults or individuals who are 60 or older. Republican Representative Dustin Hite from New Sharon, says “Many of us have dealt with these situations, whether it involves friends, family members, neighbors…and what this bill does is it provides additional protections for older Iowans.”

Hite, who is a lawyer, says he’s seen cases where someone has taken advantage of an older Iowan. “Whether it’s a family member, it’s a huckster or whether it’s somebody else that this person trusts, we see where they can take advantage of some of our most vulnerable Iowans,” Hite says.

The bill cleared the Iowa Senate last year. House members have made a small change to the legislation, to ensure family members or guardians don’t get charged for steps to protect an older Iowan by, for example, taking their car keys if they’re no longer a safe driver or telling a bank to stop allowing withdrawals on the person’s accounts. Representative Mary Wolfe, a Democrat from Clinton, voted for the bill, but she says there’s no evidence enhanced penalties would be a deterrent. “And personally, I don’t think that as soon as I turn 60, somehow a person who assaults me or steals from me should be more heavily sanctioned than someone who does it against someone who’s 59,” Wolfe says.

The bill has been a priority for A-A-R-P of Iowa. The group says because elder abuse has not been defined as a crime in Iowa, police and financial institutions have sometimes been unable to properly prosecute people who’ve taken advantage of an older Iowan or who’ve abused a dependent adult. House changes to the bill must be approved by the Senate before it could be signed into law by the governor.

(Audubon, Iowa) – The Audubon School Board, Monday evening, approved the District’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budget for certification to the State. Superintendent Eric Trager says the Budget requires a slight increase in the Property Tax Levy.

The levy will be $12.26/$1,000 assessed valuation. The Board also approved the Budget Guarantee Resolution, which acts as a financial security blanket in times of declining enrollment.

The Audubon School Board approved the 2022-23 School Calendar

The Board decided to stop buying new school buses, and opt instead for an off-lease, because, Trager says, new school buses age-out well before they are worn-out.

An HVAC Project for the Elementary School was approved during the Monday evening meeting. Mr. Trager reports they will be upgrading the control system, and add demand ventilation, which should quality the District for a MidAmerican Energy rebate for up to 50% of the cost. And, the Audubon School Board and Teachers Bargaining Unit negotiated a 3.27% increase for teachers, and the Board approved a dollar-an-hour raise for all non-certified staff.

Bonuses were given also, to Certified Staff that were not eligible for the Governor’s bonus (Such as some school Counselors, the School Nurse, and the Athletic Director – who is not in the classroom all the time). Trager says most of the District’s hiring is completed, with the exception of a Middle School Science Teacher, and and Elementary Special Education. If you or anyone you know is interested in those positions, please call Mr. Trager at the Audubon High School.

(Griswold, Iowa) – The Griswold School Board has approved the District’s 2022-23 Budget. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said the Board, Monday evening, approved a Tax Levy rate of $13.04/$1,000 assessed valuation. That’s the lowest it’s been, he said, since 2018, and keeps a promise they made to District patrons.

The Budget includes an advanced payment on General Obligation bonds, to help lower the amount of interest being paid.

Dave Henrichs said also, the Board approved contracts for district employees who had not otherwise tendered their resignation effective the end of the current school year. Beginning with the Certified Staff…

As far as Non-Certified Staff are concerned, current staff will get a $2-dollar an hour increase, with the starting wage at $14 per hour, which is an increase of $2.50.

In addition, the Board approve a Retention Bonus for all employees currently under contract and remaining under contract a pay period next year.

He said the Board was happy to be able to offer the Bonus, payable through the ESSER funds. Henrichs said also, Sharing Agreements with the Atlantic and Riverside School Districts for certain positions were renewed with no changes, but Driver’s Education fees, what students are charged and teachers are paid, are going up five-percent.

Griswold students will be charged $365, with non-Griswold students taking the course charged $470. Classroom instructors for Driver’s Ed will be paid $1,545 plus $33.50 per hour, Drive-Time. The Board approved the renewal of a mowing contract with Bob’s Mowing, but they tabled discussion and action on Baseball Field Maintenance bids, until they have more information.