Audubon Community School District officials report the 29th annual Iowa Industrial Technology Exposition took place on Friday May 12th,  at SE Polk High School in Pleasant Hill. The event was sponsored by Southeast Polk Community School District, East Polk Rotary and the Iowa Department of Education. Entries were organized into seven classification areas, with 27 sub categories, each with 5 divisions based on age and experience.

Projects could receive ratings of 1st Place (blue ribbon), 2nd place (red ribbon) or 3rd place (white ribbon) for the division entered. Any project receiving a 1st place rating in any category is then judged again to determine Best in State (Gold, Silver, or Bronze). Audubon students competed against students from about 70 schools of all sizes across the state; bringing home three of twelve medals in the four divisions they took part in.

Audubon was represented by the work of 14 students, accompanied by their Industrial Arts teacher Steven Thoelke.

Audubon students receiving recognition were:

Timothy Bozzo, freshman, Division II (Grade 9, beginning level) received a blue ribbon (1st Place) and was further recognized when awarded the Silver medal (2nd Best in State) for his Shaker Bench.

Eric Hermansen, freshman, Division II (Grade 9, beginning level) received a blue ribbon (1st Place) and was further recognized when awarded the Silver medal (2nd Best in State) for his Backdoor Boot Bench.

Macy Debower, junior, Division IV (Grades 10-12, advanced level) received a blue ribbon (1st Place) and was further recognized when awarded the Gold medal (Best in State) for her Low-profile Platform Bed.

Tristan Schlichte, senior, Division IV (Grades 10-12, advanced level) received a blue ribbon (1st Place) for his Cherry Nightstand.

Isaiah Taylor, senior, Division IV (Grades 10-12, advanced level) received a blue ribbon (1st Place) for his Drop-leaf Coffee Table.

Dustin Andreasen, junior, Division III (Grades 10-12, beginning level) received a blue ribbon (1st Place) for his Craftsman Tile Top Table.

Lane Lawson, sophomore, Division III (Grades 10-12, beginning level) received a blue ribbon (1st Place) for his Backdoor Boot Bench.

Jarrett Meaike, junior, Division III (Grades 10-12, beginning level) received a red ribbon (2nd Place) for his Golf Ball display rack.

Tyler Riebhoff, junior, Division III (Grades 10-12, beginning level) received a blue ribbon (1st Place) for his Craftsman Tile Top Table.

Micky Williamson, senior, Division III (Grades 10-12, beginning level) received red ribbons (2nd Place) for his Mini Baseball Bat display rack and two full sized Baseball Bats turned on a lathe.

Noah Morgan, freshman, Division II (Grade 9, beginning level) received a blue ribbon (1st Place) for his Veneered Accent Table.

Luke Mosinski, freshman, Division II (Grade 9, beginning level) received a blue ribbon (1st Place) for his Veneered Accent Table.

Tanner Petersen, freshman, Division II (Grade 9, beginning level) received a blue ribbon (1st Place) for his Veneered Accent Table.

Syrus Stice, freshman, Division II (Grade 9, beginning level) received a blue ribbon (1st Place) for his Veneered Accent Table.

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) – Iowa school districts are struggling to meet the need for more English language teachers amid growing demand from students and stagnant state funding. The Des Moines Register  reports that enrollment in English language learner programs has grown five times in the last 25 years to more than 27,200 students in 2016. Forty-one percent of students in Storm Lake are still learning English.

State funding for ELL programs and services has nearly doubled over the last 10 years from $25.9 million in 2006 to $55.4 million in 2016. Still, Iowa educators say school districts need more state funding to cover additional years of ELL classes for students who have difficulty picking up English.

Recent efforts to continue increasing state funding haven’t gained traction, including legislation introduced this session that would’ve boosted per-student state funding from five to seven years.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of the county of possible scam involving driveway paving. On the Sheriff’s Office social media page, officials say it appears individuals are going door to door offering to lay driveway pavement (blacktop). During the incident reported to the Sheriff’s Office, the contractors offered  no quote for work prior to the job being completed, only a verbal rough estimate.

The business stated they would provide a quote, but homeowner came home to driveway project already completed. A bill was given to the property owner after the work was done, and the price was extremely higher than expected and instead of the blacktop pavement they used crushed millings. Asphalt millings are often considered recycled asphalt pavement – essentially, they’re former asphalt projects being crushed into gravel. Because no new materials are used in creation or needed to be transported, therefore cost is severely diminished.

The Sheriff’s Office says they would never hinder the sales of legitimate businesses, they also advised residents to always ask for price quote and/or contract prior to any agreements, and make sure the door-to-door contractor has a sales permit. Use your best judgement and the old saying; if it sounds to be good to be true then do more investigation into the business. If there is ever a doubt, please contact the Sheriff’s Office.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds says she’s decided whether she will appoint a lieutenant governor when she replaces Gov. Terry Branstad, but she won’t disclose those details yet. Reynolds told reporters Monday her transition team has a plan in place, but the public will need to wait until Branstad is confirmed as U.S. ambassador to China and resigns as governor.

Democratic Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller recently released an opinion that Reynolds will have the title and powers of governor, but not the authority to choose a new lieutenant governor. He cited wording in the Iowa Constitution and historical precedent.

Reynolds, Branstad and other top Republicans have criticized Miller’s opinion, with many calling it a political move. If Reynolds appoints a No. 2, she could face a legal challenge.

Governor Terry Branstad says he’s thrilled China has taken additional steps to lift its embargo against U.S. beef.  “Oh, it’s huge,” Branstad told reporters this morning. “This is something we’ve wanted for years and years and years.”

The embargo was imposed in 2003 after a Mad Cow case. China actually agreed to lift the ban last September, but it wasn’t until last week that the reopening was finalized. Branstad expects U.S. beef imports to hit China in mid-July. “So I intend to bring Iowa premium beef to China and I intend to serve it in the ambassador’s residence and in the embassy,” Branstad said during his weekly news conference, slapping his hand his lectern in celebration. “This is a big deal. This is a really big deal.”

Sometime this week, Branstad is likely to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as U.S. ambassador to China. In the past four years, Chinese per capita consumption of beef has grown 33 percent.

(Radio Iowa)

Afton Police Chief John Coulter reports a 17-year old, Kayden Witt,  from Creston, was referred to Juvenile Authorities, May 5th, on a charge of Willful Injury. The charge was the result of an incident that took place during an East Union School outing.

Coulter also reminds residents about a Publisher’s Clearing House phone call scam. The Chief says residents continue to receive calls from people claiming to be from the Marketing Company, and that the caller claims the resident has won a prize. They will also say PCH staff are waiting for the resident in another, nearby town to deliver their money.

Coulter warns “This is a scam, and people should hang-up and not provide any personal or financial information to the caller.”

A Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Deputy responding Saturday evening to a residence in Oakland to investigate a road rage incident at Highway 6 and 370th Street, arrested a man for Violation of an Order/Contempt of Court. 40-year old Timothy Lee Anderson, of Henderson, was arrested at around 8-p.m. and brought to the Pott. County Jail.

The Sheriff’s Office reports also, 25-year old Cory David Kuehl, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 4:30-a.m. Sunday, for Probation Violation. Kuehl was a passenger in a vehicle whose driver was arrested for OWI. And, 27-year old Stephanie Rae Tuttle, of Council Bluffs, was arrested early Sunday morning for OWI/1st offense after a deputy observed what was termed “Suspicious driving behavior.”

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports ballots for the June 27th, 2017 SPECIAL SCHOOL ELECTION for the Griswold Community School District public
measure, are now available at the Cass County Auditor’s office. If you are a resident of the Griswold Community School District and you will be unable to go to the voting center on June 27th, or you choose to vote early, you may vote by mail by sending a request for an absentee ballot to the Cass County Auditor’s office. As an option, you may stop and vote at the County Auditor’s office during office hours: 8 a.m. thru 4:30
p.m., Monday thru Friday.

PUBLIC MEASURE A on the ballot will ask the question: “Shall the Board of Directors of the Griswold Community School District in the Counties of Adams, Cass,
Montgomery, and Pottawattamie, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $9,900,000 to provide funds to remodel, repair, improve, furnish and equip the Middle School/High School facility; to build, furnish, and equip an elementary addition to that facility; and to improve the site?”

As we’ve mentioned, there are three voting centers plus the Absentee voting site, for the upcoming election:

• LEWIS VOTING CENTER, Voters residing in Griswold Director District 1, will vote at the LEWIS LIBRARY (412 West Main St).
• ELLIOTT VOTING CENTER: Voters residing in Griswold Director District 3 will vote at the ELLIOTT COMMUNITY BUILDING (403 Main St, Elliott).
• GRISWOLD VOTING CENTER: Voters residing in Griswold Director District 2 and 4 will vote at the GRISWOLD COMMUNITY BUILDING (601 2nd St, Griswold).
• The ABSENTEE VOTING CENTER is:
  AUDITOR’S OFFICE, CASS COUNTY COURTHOUSE, IN ATLANTIC.

Sheriff’s officials in Guthrie County report a residential fire early this (Monday) morning in Guthrie Center has resulted in critical injuries to at least one person. The blaze at 1005 Main Street was reported at around 12:27-a.m.

Firefighters from Guthrie Center were assisted at the scene by personnel with the Panora Fire Department, Panora Ambulance and Guthrie County Sheriff’s Department. The person who was injured was flown to a hospital in Nebraska.

The blaze remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. No other details are currently available.

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department say a truck driver from Canada was cited following a rollover accident at mile marker 5 of Interstate 80 westbound. The accident happened at around 4:15-a.m., when the driver dropped his cellphone, reached down to grab it and lost control of the semi.

The rig  flipped onto its side, blocking interstate traffic. I-80 Westbound was shut down and traffic was diverted until just before 6-a.m.  The 36-year old driver (Sentheepan Thirunavukkarasu), from Ontario, CN, suffered minor injuries but refused treatment. He was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.