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(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 12/9/21

News, Podcasts

December 9th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

More (broadcast) area & state news from Ric Hanson.

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District facilities update – Atlantic Public Schools

News, Sports

December 9th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday night heard an update on the District’s Athletic Facilities project. FRK Architects’ Principal/Owner Tom Wollan said some final project items are being wrapped-up, thanks to the mild weather.

Wollan acknowledged that’s it’s “Been a long haul,” though, and that “It’s been a struggle.” He said they appreciate the District’s patience, and indicated Wednesday night’s meeting marked a “milestone night,” with regard to the contractor’s four Certificates of “Substantial Completion,” of the projects.

“Substantial completion,” he said, means “That’s when the warranty will start on the project and all the items that have one-year warranties from the contractor…” Wollan said a key thing for the Board to be aware of, is that the District is still holding on to five-percent of the project construction costs, “for retainage.” That amounts to roughly $500,000, which will not be released to the contractors until the District is “comfortable and confident that all items are complete to your satisfaction.”

The contractor can and likely will apply for”partial retainage release,”so that those parties who completed their projects satisfactorily can be paid. Superintendent Steve Barber some of the things they are holding the contractor accountable for is some concrete work and issues associated with that. Wollan says that warranty periods for some of those items has passed, but since the issues were identified during the warranty period, the issues are considered to be “Punch-list” items that the contractor is responsible to have fixed before they are signed-off on.

Wollan said the Atlantic School District is not the only district in the state struggling to deal with the primary contractor for project satisfaction. Other district’s, he said, have similar issues. Despite the delays and issues with construction, Board member Nick Hunt said “We do have a final project that looks nice, and I think the community and everyone appreciates it.”

(Podcast) KJAN morning News, 12/9/2021

News, Podcasts

December 9th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Area and state broadcast news at 7:07-a.m., from Ric Hanson.

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Creston Police report, 12/9/21: Baby Jesus display stolen from a church

News

December 9th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Creston Police Department report 26-year-old Michael Skylar Ross, of Creston, was arrested at around 8-p.m. Wednesday, for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order. Ross was being held without bond in the Union County Jail, until seen by a judge.

And, a Creston man reported to police Wednesday afternoon, that someone stole a Baby Jesus display and power cord from the First Presbyterian Church, in Creston. The loss was estimated at $56.

Some Iowa hospitals struggle to find beds for COVID patients

News

December 9th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The latest Covid patient count in Iowa hospitals marks another record high for 2021. The 777 figure announced Wednesday is a seven percent increase since Dec. 1st. Theresa Brennan is the Chief Medical Officer at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. “We continue to struggle, as many hospitals in Iowa have continued to struggle, with making sure that we have beds for the patients that need them,” she says.

Brennan says the hospital continue to prepare for more Covid patients — including transfers from other hospitals — while employees are exhausted from the pandemic. “We’re working with the hospitals in Iowa to try to make sure that the sickest patients have the right bed to get the care that they need, but it is a struggle,” she says.

On Tuesday, the hospital on the University of Iowa campus had 40 adult Covid patients and three pediatric patients, under the age of 18, with the virus. Nearly 120 other patients with flu and Covid symptoms were screened by telephone or video conference Tuesday, according to the hospital’s website.

Senator says books with ‘garbage’ sexual content in some Iowa schools

News

December 9th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A key senator says he’ll propose charging educators with a felony if they provide obscene materials to students. Republican Senator Brad Zaun of Urbandale is chairman of the committee that would vote on the bill. Zaun says he’s concerned about two books in particular that central Iowa school boards have discussed banning. “It was brought to my attention by several parents, some of the garbage that is being taught to our kids,” Zaun says. “It is not appropriate.” Zaun says passages in the books describe unhealthy sexual situations. “All I want our schools to do is teach our kids to be successful when they get out of school, give them the tools that they need,” Zaun says, “and I think we need to put a stop to that garbage.”

Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls of Coralville says this debate makes Iowa less attractive to people who might move here for work. “Saying that we’re going to go after teachers and librarians is not going to make Iowa’s public education stronger,” Wahls says. Jennifer Konfrst of Windsor Heights, the Democratic Leader in the Iowa House, says book banning discussions aren’t helpful to companies trying to attract new workers. “Iowa’s brand gets damaged when stories are out there about things that fringe elements in the state are doing or proposing,” Konfrst says.

The legislators made their comments Wednesday morning, during a forum organized by the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

Teen charged in Fairfield teacher murder wants to be tried as a juvenile

News

December 9th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

KCCI in Des Moines reports one of the two teens charged with the murder of a Fairfield Spanish teacher has filed a motion to be tried as a juvenile. Willard Miller, 16, is facing first-degree murder charges as an adult in the death of Nohema Graber.

According to court documents, his lawyers said he’s too young and has no criminal history. A hearing on this request has not yet been set. Jeremy Goodale, 16, is also charged in the killing.

US Justice Department issues report on state institutions caring for intellectually disabled

News

December 9th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Federal investigators say the State of Iowa has failed to provide the most appropriate setting for intellectually disabled Iowans who are residents at state-run facilities in Glenwood and Woodward.

A report from the U.S. Department of Justice concludes Iowa’s system is heavily biased toward placing Iowans with profound intellectual disabilities in an institution. About 300 adults with intellectual disabilities and behavioral disorders are residents at the state Resource Centers in Glenwood and Woodward. The report finds that with the right services, nearly all of them could live in a community setting instead and the cost of that care would be less.

Iowa Department of Human Services director Kelly Garcia says Iowa has a long history of relying on institutional care and the findings are not a surprise. Garcia says her agency is working to build an array of services to help intellectually disabled Iowans live as independently as possible.

Iowa Farm Bureau elects Calhoun County farmer as its 14th president

Ag/Outdoor, News

December 9th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Farm Bureau has elected a northwest Iowa farmer and business owner as its next president. According to a news release from the organization, Brent Johnson raises corn, soybeans and cattle on a Calhoun County farm near Manson. He also operates a precision farming company that does soil sampling, deploys drones and offers data management. Johnson replaces 64-year-old Craig Hill of Ackworth who is retiring after a decade as the organization’s president. “I farm and enjoy the aspects of the farming operation,” Hill says. “I’m of that age where, you know, while I’m healthy and able, I want to do some things and we’re going to do those and we’ll see where it goes from there.”

Hill says soon after he became Iowa Farm Bureau president in 2012, he was part of a group that greeted Xi Jinping in Des Moines, just before Xi became president of China. “We knew the market demands of China. They’re a very large population and the growing need for food and it was an exciting opportunity to talk about trade and to hopefully prepare to be a large provider of their needs going forward,” Hill says, “so trade has been so important from the very beginning to me, the trade war that disrupted a bit of things a few years ago during my tenure, the challenges there.”

Hill says he’s proud the Farm Bureau was successful in scuttling rules that could have made more Iowa waterways subject to federal regulation. “Something that would have been very critical to this organization and to our farmers and we avoided that,” Hill says. Hill says the greatest frustration during the past decade has been the federal waivers that have exempted oil refineries from ethanol blending obligations.

“Just think how perverse this is,” Hill says. “We have an EPA that’s for clean air, right? And you have a product, a liquid fuel, that is the cleanest burning fuel that can be offered.” Johnson, Hill’s successor, was elected president yesterday (Wednesday) at the Iowa Farm Bureau’s annual meeting. Johnson was not available for media interviews after his election.

Atlantic School Board news from 12/8/21

News

December 8th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board held its annual re-organizational meeting Wednesday evening, which included the election of officers. The Board chose Jenny Williams to continue serving as President, and Laura McLean as Vice President. She succeeds Kristy Pellett in second seat. They also approved the re-appointment of Sarah Sheeder as Board Secretary/Treasurer. The newly re-organized Board voted to move the start time of their meetings on the second and fourth Wednesday’s of the month, from 6-p.m., to 5:30-p.m. Their meetings will normally be held in the High School Media Center. And, they approved an amendment to the 2021-22 School Calendar, and made Jan. 17, 2022 as a Professional Development Day.

In regular business, the Board voted to terminate Middle School Custodian/Groundskeeper Mark Weideman, “For Cause.” They voted to re-appoint Lynch-Dallas as Legal Counsel, and selected the Atlantic News Telegraph as the District’s official source for publication.

In his report to the Board, Superintendent Steve Barber provided an update on the status of the Middle School, which was damaged by a fire in July, 2021. Barber said he and administrators met Wednesday morning with floor specialist Steve Stalker, and, while they looked at all areas, the main focus was on the Middle School Gym floor, as part of a sanding and painting project. Barber said they were pleased to learn the thickness of the floor is sufficient, and that it currently has a water-based finish.

Mr. Stalker and Maintenance Director Russell Peck recommend that the oil base be reapplied after the floor is sanded, the provide a better appearance and less slippery surface. The downside is, that would put the gym out of commission for a much longer time. They are looking at completing the task right after the gymnasium is done being used for basketball. Additional review and discussion took place with regard to the high school floor, which was last sanded about 12-years ago. The current gym floor at the high school is 26-years old.

In addition to sanding the floor, Mr. Barber said if the board approves, they will be purchasing new motors for the bleachers. The middle school gym would be available while the high school gym is drying from sanding and application of the oil base. The District’s Insurance Company is working to obtain money towards the reconstruction costs, according to Steve Barber.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board approved resignations and contract recommendation (as mentioned in an earlier story this week), and the purchase of a 77 person propane-powered bus.