(Elk Horn, IA) – The Exira-EHK School Board, in a regular monthly session, Wednesday evening, set the dates and times for Public Hearings on the Property Tax Notice and FY27 Budget. According to the meeting minutes, the latter will take place at 6-p.m. on April 14th, followed by the Board’s regular meeting. The Property Tax Hearing was scheduled for 6:30-p.m. on March 24th, with the regular meeting to follow.

In other business, the Exira-EHK School Board approved:

• The FY27 School Calendar, as presented.
• Participation in the Storm Protection Fund for FY27.
• The 1st Reading of Policy Primer, Vol. 34 #2, and they reviewed the 400-through 403 Policies, followed by a waiving of the 2nd Reading.

Personnel matters included the hiring of:

• Courtney Peppers – JH Girls Track
• Kevin Brown – Head Track (Boys/Girls)
• Trey Petersen & Tyler Petersen – Co-Head Baseball Coaches
• Tom Petersen – Head Golf Coach (Boys/Girls).

Since a JV Boys Track fire was not available in time for the meeting, Wednesday, the matter was tabled until their meeting in March. The Exira-EHK School Board approved the Resignation of Kevin Petty – Elementary Custodian.

(Atlantic, IA) – During a Special Meeting of the five-member Cass County Board of Supervisors this (Thursday) morning, the Board approved the hiring of an Executive Assistant to the Board. Dorene Sothman will be paid $70,000 per year, effective Feb. 16, 2026. Sothman will be assigned specified duties, and other tasks as assigned.

The Board had previously discussed and then approved the creation of a new Executive Assistant position to support their operations.

(Clarinda, IA) – Page County Attorney, James L. Varley, reports the following activities in the Iowa District Court for Page County for the week of January 26, 2026. The Honorable Craig Dreismeier, District Court Judge of the Fourth Judicial District presided. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Cody Dean Nevada Carlson, age 34, Clarinda, Iowa, appeared pro se and pled guilty to Assault Causing Bodily Injury. The defendant was sentenced to 10 days in jail, fined $430 and ordered to pay restitution, court costs, surcharges and court-appointed attorney fees.

Joshua Edward Mastin, age 45, Johnson City, New York, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Person Ineligible to Carry Dangerous Weapons and Possession of Controlled Substance-Marijuana. The defendant was sentenced on the Person Ineligible to Carry Dangerous Weapons charge to 180 days in jail, with all but 40 days suspended and fined $430, suspended. The defendant was sentenced on Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana to a fine of $420. The defendant was placed on probation for one year and ordered to obtain a drug/alcohol evaluation and following any recommendations. Defendant was ordered to pay court costs, court-appointed attorney fees.

Bryson Sean McAlpin, age 31, Clarinda, Iowa, appeared by counsel and admitted to violating the terms and condition of his probation. The defendant was sentenced to one day in jail and shall continue on probation with expectation that he successfully complete the terms of probation until successfully discharged.

Jayden Anthony Morris, age 26, Clarinda, Iowa, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Operating While Under the Influence-1^st Offense. The defendant was sentenced to 2 days in jail and fined $1,250. Defendant shall successfully complete drinking driver’s school and obtain a drug/alcohol evaluation and follow through with any recommendations. Defendant was ordered to pay courts costs and court-appointed attorney fees.

Samuel Wade Walker, age 51, Clarinda, Iowa, appeared with counsel and admitted violating the terms and conditions of probation. The defendant’s probation was modified to require defendant to enter and successfully complete inpatient treatment and shall remain in jail until bed space is available.

Samantha Josephine Wheatley, age 38, Des Moines, Iowa, appeared with counsel and admitted violating the terms and conditions of probation. The defendant’s probation was revoked and the original sentence of 5 years in prison was imposed.

Anthony Curtis Webb, age 21, Clarinda, Iowa, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Attempted Burglary in the Third Degree. The defendant was granted a deferred judgment for one year and placed on probation for 12 months. As a condition of probation, the defendant must obtain a substance abuse evaluation. Defendant was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $430, courts costs and court-appointed attorney fees.

(Creston, IA) – The Creston Police Department reports two arrests took place, Wednesday. At around 11:50-a.m., 21-year-old Lucas Lynn Smith, of Creston, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st Degree. Smith was taken to Union County Jail and held without bond until seen by a Judge.

And, at around 3:20-p.m. Wednesday, Creston Police arrested 50-year-old David Allen Jones, of Lamoni. Jones was charged with Failure to Appear. He was taken to the Union County Jail and held on a $300 cash or surety bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Around 250 Iowa National Guard soldiers who have been deployed in the Middle East were welcomed home in ceremonies Wednesday in Sioux City and Des Moines. Fifty-nine of the soldiers from the Second Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division who were in Syria and Iraq landed in Sioux City. First Sergeant Cole Cooley from was Spencer was happy to finally be back in Iowa. “The trip back was a little bit hectic just because flights are always kind of on and off, which mixed in with our emotions, I would say, especially with the family,” he says. “Like even this morning, we were going to come home and then we weren’t for a little bit. So anticipation for families, it’s kind of surreal still. I think it takes a little bit to really set in that we’re actually home.”

Cooley serves with the 194th Field Artillery and was in Iraq since July. “We were at Al-Asad Air Base and we were actually responsible for closing down Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq. So it was really just cleaning up, making sure we got all the equipment out of there and then left it clean to hand over to the Iraqi Army,” Cooley says. Sergeant Cooley says it was emotional to get back after two Iowa Guard soldiers were killed in a terror attack in Syria. “Obviously December was a pretty sad month for us and I think when that happens it kind of makes it real for everybody, the risks and the dangers that we are and at points during our mission. But yeah, it’s definitely proud to take all of my soldiers home,” he says.

Cooley says he is looking forward to reconnecting with two members of his family he couldn’t talk to while he was overseas.”Dumb as it might sound to see my dogs, because I can’t talk to my dogs while we’re gone. Just emotions. I guess it’s hard to explain,” Cooley says.

Two other groups of soldiers returned to Des Moines. This is the first phase of the return of some 18-hundred soldiers who have been deployed.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Court of Appeals has denied Walmart’s effort to cut millions in property taxes for its store in Marshalltown. The Walmart store in Marshalltown sits on a nearly 25 acre site and the main store is around 214-thousand square feet with a six-thousand square foot garden center. The Marshall County Assessor appraised the store at 13-point-three million dollars ($13,323,780) in January of 2023. Walmart contested the property tax assessment, saying it should be eight-point-three million dollars ($8,332,680).

Walmart argued the county evaluation was not proper because it was based on the building being leased and not owner-occupied. The Court of Appeals ruled the methods the county expert used in the appraisal were more credible than Walmart’s appraiser.

(Radio Iowa) – The trade group that represents 400 Iowa trucking companies and suppliers is backing a bill that would require anyone seeking a commercial drivers license in Iowa to pass an English proficiency test. Blake Grolmus is with the Iowa Motor Truck Association.

“We’ve very unfortunately seen many recent and very public examples of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles driven by individuals who could not speak, read or understand the English language,” Grolmus said. Passing a test showing the ability to speak English and read road signs would be required for people renewing their commercial drivers license as well as those applying for a C-D-L for the first time.

The bill calls for a one-thousand dollar fine for truck drivers who aren’t proficient at English caught driving in Iowa — and even heftier fines for any trucking company caught employing a trucker driving through Iowa who cannot speak or read English. “Roadway safety and protecting the integrity of our workforce is a top priority of the Iowa Motor Truck Association,” Grolmus said, “and over the last three to five years we’ve unfortunately seen significant degradation of the professionalism and quality of the drivers that are on our roadways as well as the unvetted carriers who are employing these individuals.”

Federal law doesn’t require drivers to be fluent in English, but they must be able to communicate clearly and understand road signs. Last June, the Trump Administration issued guidelines that let law enforcement officers stop truckers from continuing their route if the driver is unable to answer questions posed in English, asking things like “What are you hauling? and “What is your destination?”

“Since then more than 12,000 drivers nationwide have been placed out of service, including 500 in the state of Iowa,” Grolmus said, “ninth most among the 50 states.” Grolmus says penalties are necessary because taking the driver out of the semi isn’t enough — because they can just wait until the officer leaves, get back in the semi and start driving.  “We feel this bill is necessary to start attacking the issue at its root — the chameleon carriers who have created and perpetuated this issue,” Grolmus said.

“By requiring verification of English language pruriency prior to the issuance of a CDL, we can stop these drivers from getting behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler in the first place and by giving our law enforcement partners the ability to levee significant fines and penalties against the carriers that employ these drivers, we can make a difference in getting these bad actors off of Iowa’s roads.”

The proposal has cleared initial review in the Senate and key lawmakers say they may recommend minor adjustments to the bill when the Senate Transportation Committee debates it next week.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that’s cleared a House committee would impose new sanctions for student-led protests and any educator who publicly celebrates assassinations or politically motivated violence — including the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk — would lose their state license. The legislation would require schools to have a make-up day for every day there’s a student-led protest in a school district.

Teachers or administrators who lead a school protest or give advice to students about protesting would lost their state license if the bill becomes law. The bill passed the House Education Committee last (Wednesday) night with the support of 14 Republicans, but none of them spoke in favor of the bill during the meeting. Representative Elinor Levin, a Democrat from Iowa City, was among the nine committee members who voted against it.

“This bill attempts to curtail First Amendment protected free speech,” Levin said. “While we all live in a time when political violence is real and is a serious concern, we cannot be the thought police here in the Iowa Legislature.” There was a subcommittee hearing earlier in the day on the original version of the bill, which just dealt with revoking educators’ licenses for making public comments celebrating politically motivated violence. Melissa Peterson of the Iowa State Education Association called revoking a teacher’s license blatantly unconstitutional.

“In 1987 the Supreme Court decided that a public employee could not be held liable for something that they did outside of the workspace,” Peterson said, “outside of their particular job.” The Iowa Association of School Boards also opposes the move. Melissa Johnson is a lobbyist for the association. “We think this is a violation of First Amendment rights,” she said. “Teachers or whoever should have the right to say what they want when they’re not at school.”

The bill mentions the killing of Charlie Kirk five times and the policy on revoking educators’ licenses to teach or be a school administrator would take effect on September 10th of last year. That’s the day Kirk was shot to death. Last fall several Iowa teachers were suspended or fired after complaints about comments they made on social media after Kirk’s death.

(Red Oak, IA) – Police in Red Oak report two women were arrested recently on separate Driving While Barred (DWB) – Aggravated Misdemeanor – charges. At around 5-p.m. Wednesday, Officers with the Red Oak P-D arrested 35-year-old Bailie Ann Preston, of Emerson, for DWB, and early today (Thursday), Red Oak Police arrested 31-year-old Paige Rae Wooley in the 1500 block of Highway 34, on the same charge.

Both women were transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where their bonds were set at $2,000 each.

(Atlantic, IA) – During a brief meeting of the Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education, the Board, Wednesday (Feb. 11th) voted to terminate the employment of now former High School Counselor Jesse McCann. Their action followed a motion by Board Member Chet Meneely, based on a recommendation by Superintendent Dr. Beth Johnsen.

Prior to their vote, the Atlantic School Board heard from Liam Spencer, a student at the Atlantic High School, an advocate for a recent student protest and representing some of the students with regard to the district’s handling of McCann’s employment earlier this month, and in months prior, when allegations began to surface concerning his alleged inappropriate behavior with students.

Spencer questioned the Board about their response to the situation, but he was reminded by Board President Josh McLaren the Public Comment portion of the meeting is not  an “interactive” time, meaning the Board would not respond, per Board policy, and only allow comments or questions to be heard.

Liam Spencer addresses the Atlantic School Board during their meeting 2-11-26 (YouTube image)

No charges have been filed against McCann, in connection with the allegations. More than 40 people attended the meeting, and at least 118 people watched the meeting via YouTube.

In other business, Board President McLaren announced a Special Election will be held with regard to the filling of the school board seat left vacant by the resignation last month of Laura McLean. During their Jan. 14th meeting, McLaren said the Board would publicize the vacancy and accept applications to fill the position, but he acknowledged if there were enough signatures on a petition to call for a special election, that would take place.

During tonight’s (Feb. 11th) meeting, McLaren acknowledged a petition with the required signatures was received, and he outlined the process the procedure would take to submit nominations for candidates seeking the Board seat.

Nominations are due-in by March 6th at the School District’s Business Office at the Achievement Center. The Special Election itself will be held March 31st.

And, the Atlantic School Board set their Work Session on March 25th as the date and time for Public Hearings on the 2026-2027 School Master Calendar, and FY 27 Budget.