(Atlantic, Iowa) – Two public hearings will kick-off a meeting of the Atlantic School Board, Wednesday evening. The hearings, followed by the regular school board meeting, begin at 5:30-p.m., and will be held in the Schuler Elementary School Media Center (The meeting will be streamed live at https://youtu.be/zsV817Nvmks). The first public hearing is with regard to the 2022-23 School Calendar. The second pertains to the High School south parking lot and driveway improvements.

During the Board’s regular session that follows, they will receive a Special Presentation from the Archery Club. Later on during the meeting, the Board will act on approving an Archery Club out-of-state trip to Salt Lake City, UT, for the National Archery Tournament. At the State Tournament, the Club finished as State Champions out of 28 teams and fourth out of 21 teams in 3D archery. In addition, Coach Roland was Coach of the Year in Iowa.

In other business, the Board will act on resignations, which include: Dave Erickson, Substitute Bus Driver; Rachael Maxwell and Emily Hanson, WA Food Service; and Janet Adams, HS Food Service. They will then turn to Contract Recommendations and act on approving:

• Rachel Tener, Internal Transfer from Special Ed to ESL Paraeducator
• Erica Vandevort, Preschool Para
• Kerri Denison, WA Para
• Marti Hobson, Volunteer Coach (Boys/Girls Golf)
• Josh Rasmussen, and Roger Warne, Vol. Coaches (Boys/Girls Track)
• James Northwick, Vol. Tennis Coach
• Cal Heuton, Vol. Boys Soccer Coach.

Action items include: approving the 2022-23 School Calendar; a Resolution approving the Plans, Specifications and Forms of Contract for the HS South Parking Lot, and a Resolution award the project contract to the low bidder, United Construction Services Corp, in the amount of $429,733 (paid for through the PPEL/SAVE funds).  The Atlantic School Board will also act on approving 2022-23 Contracts for: Non-Union Employee (Central Office, Technology, Directors) – a 3% salary increase amounting to $17,762 altogether; Social Workers $21,427 ($6,100 each) – a 14.91% total increase; Principals & School Business Official contracts (3% salary increase, for a total of $22,965); 2022-23 Medical Insurance Premium Increase (amounting to an estimated $35,000), and an AEA Purchasing Agreement.

The Board will act on passing resolutions: For the 2022-23 Board approved PPEL and General Fund to Activity Fund Transfer for Protective Equipment ($2,650 for helmet reconditioning, $6,110 for the purchase of new helmets/pads). For more details on the Board’s agenda, click HERE.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report a man from Cass County was arrested Monday morning on a Union County warrant. 33-year-old Steven Matthew Behlers, of Atlantic, was taken into custody at the Union County Law Enforcement Center in Creston, on a Probation Violation warrant for an original charge of Domestic Abuse Assault. Behlers was being held in the Union County Jail on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

And, a Creston resident reported Monday afternoon, that someone had entered their unlocked storage unit and taken all of the person’s property that was being stored there. The loss was estimated at $700.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says Deputies called at around 3:45-p.m. Monday to a residence in the 400 block of 5th Street, in Villisca, arrested a man on an assault charge. Authorities say 20-year-old Matthew Thomasen was arrested for Domestic Abuse/1st offense. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has passed a bill that would open many of the videos, tapes and other materials in the Iowa P-B-S archives for public use. Representative Megan Jones of Sioux Rapids says the bill is necessary because of a contract dispute between Iowa P-B-S management and former Iowa State wrestling coach Jim Gibbons over footage of a 1986 match. “Had adults come to the table, this wouldn’t have been brought forward by an Iowan who just wanted to share the story of Iowa,” Jones says. “…Had this all been worked out, I don’t think we would have seen this bill, but at the same time, I don’t think we wouldn’t have reached the potential of what Iowa PBS can offer Iowans.” The bill essentially designates Iowa P-B-S material that’s at least 10 years old as a public record that could be used for educational, historical or cultural purposes — and Jones says the videos couldn’t be used to make a profit.

“While they might just be videos of sporting events, they shouldn’t be treated any differently than any other record,” Jones says. “They shouldn’t be treated any different than any other record and the public deserves to show and to share those videos.” House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst of Windsor Heights worked at Iowa P-B-S for 14 years. “This is a sledgehammer when we needed a flyswatter,” Konfrst says. “If folks had come to the table and had a conversation, we wouldn’t be here today. This is too broad and it is too risky.” Konfrst says the bill will endanger future broadcasts of events like the All-State Music Festival because of copyright concerns, Konfrst and others also said it would open the state up to lawsuits. Jones says she doesn’t expect a flood of requests for Iowa P-B-S videos, but if that happens — that’s an important signal.

“In that we are spending so much time through Iowa Public Television fighting and bickering and negotiating out contracts and withholding these archives from people, we are spinning our wheels,” Jones says. The bill passed the House on a 54 to 39 vote. Senators have been developing a similar proposal.