The Exira-EHK School Board met Monday evening during a regular session. Superintendent Trevor Miller told KJAN News Tuesday, that the Board approved a contract with KPE Architects and Design. He said it’s the next step following the passage of a bond in September, to make sure all the designs and multiple bid packages are handled by one company, so those issues can be overseen by one firm.

He says they’re in the position now, of “Hurry up and wait” for the bidding and construction projects to begin. Miller said there’s a 45-day period for design, bids and financials. The plan moving forward is to have most the projects begin in the Spring or Summer, and have them completed before the start of the 2018-19 School Year.

He says he discussed with the Board what the savings to the district would be by sharing his duties with IKM-Manning. Miller is set to meet with IKM-Manning officials on Thursday to explain the savings to them, as well.

The Board also discussed a lighting upgrade for the Exira building, the Certified Annual Report and other required State reports. And, they approved a roofing proposal for repairs with R.L. Craft.

Authorities in northwest Iowa’s Plymouth County are investigating an accident that has left a pedestrian dead. The accident happened shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday near Hinton when a woman was walking along the side of a road and was struck by a passing pickup truck heading in the same direction. When emergency personnel arrived at the scene, the woman’s body was lying in a ditch. The driver of the pickup truck had remained at the scene. The woman was transported to a Le Mars hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The accident  is still under investigation by the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office. No names of the accident victims have been released at this time.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Creston say one person suffered possible/unknown injuries following a collision Tuesday afternoon, in Creston. Authorities say vehicles driven by 72-year old Lawrence Charles Shimono  and 71-year old Mary Elaine Brown, both of Creston, collided at the intersection of Howard and Cedar Streets in Creston, at around 12:15-p.m., Tuesday. The accident happened as Brown was traveling east in a 2007 Chevy HHR, and Shimono was traveling north on Cedar.

Shimono admitted to Police that he did not make a very good stop, and tried to get through the intersection before Brown’s vehicle would hit him. Brown, however, didn’t have time to stop and broad-sided Shimono’s 2004 Buick LeSabre. Shimono was cited for Failure to Obey a Stop sign. Brown complained of pain and was transported to her home by her daughter.

Damage from the collision amounted to $9,000.

A report about a suspicious vehicle in Adams County, Tuesday night, resulted in the arrest of two men on Burglary and other charges. Sheriff’s officials say David Robinette, of Clarinda, and Zachary Bond, of Shenandoah, were arrested after deputies responded to 2090 265th Street, and discovered a burglary was in progress. Robinette and Bond were found hiding in the home. Both men were charged with Burglary in the 3rd Degree, Possession of Burglary Tools, Interference with Official Acts, and Trespass.

Adams County Deputies were assisted at the scene by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department’s K9 Unit. The case remains under investigation.

Members of the Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will meet in a work session this (Wednesday) afternoon, in the High School Media Center.

During their meeting at 4:30-p.m., the Board will discuss Financial Health Indicators, an Instructional Support Levy, and upcoming dates for the IASB’s Annual Convention, and their next regular Board meeting set for Nov. 8th at 5:30-p.m.

No action is expected during the Work Session, only discussion.

Governor Kim Reynolds says next year she’ll ask legislators to set aside at least five-million dollars for new scholarships and grants to Iowans seeking a college degree or professional training beyond high school. These proposed “Last Dollar Scholarships” are among the recommendations from the 55-member “Future Ready” task force. Reynolds asked the group to address the state’s skilled worker shortage.

“This is the number one priority of our administration and you know it’s necessary,” Reynolds says. “It’s critical. As we travel the state and we talk about the need for a skilled workforce, that’s how we’re going to continue to grow the economy and provide opportunities for Iowans.”

Reynolds says she’s not ready to spell out the full details, but indicated she may redirect spending or redesign existing state programs to find more money for this initiative. The governor’s goal is to have at least 70 percent of the Iowa workforce gain qualifications beyond a high school diploma by the year 2025. Dan Houston, the C-E-O of Principal Financial, served as co-chair of the governor’s Future Ready task force. He says the plan will “march” Iowa down a path to a more skilled statewide workforce.

“Iowa doesn’t have a choice,” Houston said. “We’ve got to get 127,000 people prepared to do higher-skilled jobs in this state if it is desirable for us to be a state-of-choice for establishing businesses.”

The task force is calling on Iowa businesses to offer more internships and mentoring programs. The state’s K-through-12 schools are being encouraged to collaborate with businesses to give high school students more work-based experience.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

LA PORTE CITY, Iowa (AP) — A northeastern Iowa man injured last month when he lost control of his bicycle and crashed on a highway has died of his injuries. The Courier reported Tuesday that 52-year-old Jeffery “Touie” Lutgen died Sunday at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, where he had been since the crash. Investigators say Lutgen was riding shortly after 10 p.m. Sept. 30 when his bicycle wiped out in the area of Commercial Street and Highway 218, causing him to hit his head.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The electronic system for filing criminal and civil court records in Iowa is temporarily out of service statewide. Court system spokesman Steve Davis said the Electronic Data Management System had spotty availability Monday and went down statewide all day Tuesday. He says security patches that were installed Friday “caused or exacerbated system performance issues” and that hacking isn’t suspected.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa is on track to see a 10 percent decline of opioid sales for 2017 amid national concerns about the abuse of such prescriptions. The Des Moines Register reports that the executive director of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy relayed the information on Monday to a legislative committee studying opioid abuse. He says Iowa health care practitioners are trimming prescriptions of opioid painkillers and other addictive pills.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican senator from Iowa says he may try to block President Donald Trump’s nominees for key posts at the Environmental Protection Agency. Sen. Chuck Grassley wants the administration to back off a proposed reduction in the volume of biofuels blended into gasoline and diesel. Grassley says EPA’s plan would result in job losses in his home state. The EPA proposed new targets for biofuels after oil companies pushed to ease mandates for using ethanol from corn and soybeans.