(Villisca, Iowa) – An accident this (Tuesday) morning, in Villisca, caused about $15,000 damage to the Villisca Post Office. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, at around 8:14-a.m., a 2016 International box truck owned by Ryder Truck Rental, Inc., was entering the Post Office parking lot, when the box portion of the truck the struck a canopy attached to the west side of the building at 500 S. 3rd Avenue.

The truck, driven by 60-year-old Frederick L. Adams, of Greensboro, NC, sustained about $4,000 damage to the cargo box. No injuries were reported, and no citations were issued.

(Audubon, Iowa) – The Audubon School Board received some good news Monday night. Superintendent Eric Trager tells KJAN News, the Board was informed enrollment in the District is up.

Mr. Trager updated the Audubon School Board on the Building Project. He said at 1-p.m. Wednesday, they’ll open the bids received for the project.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa National Guard says around 65 airmen from the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City and the 132nd Wing in Des Moines have received orders for stateside deployment. Captain Kevin Waldron of the 185th says they will be part of Operation Allies to bring Americans and vulnerable Afghans back from Afghanistan.

Waldron says one of the things about being in the National Guard is you never know when and where you may go.

The Biden Administration wants to bring 97-thousand Afghan refugees into the country. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says it is important to help those who supported America during the war. But, he says there have to be conditions.

The Republican says those Afghans would be here legally based on their background.

Thirty of the airmen being deployed are from the 185th in Sioux City, and 35 are from the 132nd in Des Moines.

(Griswold, Iowa) – The Griswold School Board, Monday evening, approved the continuation of an Early Retirement Policy for one more year. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said their policy calls for the Board to review the status of the offering each year. This year, there is a slight change.

Applications for Early Retirement are due at the end of February, 2022. The District Policy says only five applications will be accepted, on a first-come-first served basis. The Griswold School Board received some good news Monday, with regard to the enrollment numbers.

At the beginning of their meeting, the Griswold School Board Monday held a closed session with regard to the potential hiring of a custodian and a slightly different compensation package than normal. Henrichs said the Board would typically just approve personnel matters in their Consent Agenda without discussion, but Henrichs said he wanted the Board to have all their questions answered before the individual was considered for employment.

In separate action, the Board approved a handful of resignations, new hires, and the termination of a contract.

Henrichs said also, there are 27 Ash trees in varying stages of decay. The Board approved a bid from a tree service to remove the trees and replace them next spring. The trees that are dying have been affected by the Emerald Ash Borer.

(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa wind turbine blade maker is closing in December, eliminating more than 700 jobs, at the same time the federal government is announcing plans to heavily invest in new off-shore wind farms. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’ll make the case to President Biden to consider manufacturing those blades for the massive new project at T-P-I Composites in Newton. “It’s hurting those families so we’re going to encourage the Biden Administration to build those in Iowa if the government’s got anything to do with it,” Grassley says, “because we’re the home of wind energy.” The administration announced a plan last week to build large-scale wind farms all along the East and West Coasts and in the Gulf of Mexico. Grassley says he’ll act as a sort of emissary to the White House on Newton’s behalf. “I would sure be glad to do that for any business that’s connected with wind energy,” Grassley says. “As the father of the Wind Energy Tax Credit, I want to keep it going.” T-P-I is

Jasper County’s largest employer and General Electric is T-P-I’s largest customer. G-E bought a Denmark-based wind turbine blade maker in 2017 and plans to get most of its blades from that company, a rival of T-P-I. The Newton company says it has -no- orders from G-E for 2022 and thus, will shut down by December 31st. Grassley also vows to approach the leaders of G-E, saying “it’s the least I can do,” to get that business shifted back to the Iowa.  “It can’t be because wages are cheaper in Denmark than they are in the United States because I think Europe is pretty competitive with the United States so I don’t know what the reason is,” Grassley says. “The only thing I can do is contact GE since that’s where the contract is, as far as I know.”

Appliance giant Maytag once employed three-thousand people in Newton but closed its factories and headquarters there in 2007. It was a “big boost” for the community, Grassley says, when T-P-I moved in, even taking over some of Maytag’s old buildings. “The loss of jobs in Newton, just like when Maytag closed down, is of great concern to me because those working families are going to be unemployed now,” Grassley says. “I bet some of them are probably people that used to be Maytag workers.”

One potential wrinkle, Grassley says those off-shore wind turbines are typically larger than even the massive blades that are used for land-based turbines, so it’s possible T-P-I would have to reconfigure its manufacturing process to accommodate orders for the new project. The U-S Secretary of the Interior says the agency plans to start leasing federal waters to wind power developers by 2025 all along most of the nation’s coastlines — from Maine to the Carolinas, in the Gulf of Mexico, and off California and Oregon.

(UPDATED) (Radio Iowa) – Authorities are investigating threatening messages directed at Iowa Democratic Party chairman Ross Wilburn after The Des Moines Register published an editorial from Wilburn that criticized former President Trump. Wilburn says he received two threatening voice mail messages and an email with racist language that referred to his editorial. Wilburn, who is black, says the first voice mail message referred to lynching.

“Unfortunately, these types of threats are not uncommon for myself or other people of color serving in public roles,” Wilburn says. Wilburn, the former mayor of Iowa City and a current state representative, says it seems as if over the past few years there’s been an increase in the intensity of comments meant to intimidate public officials.  “I don’t want to see it become the norm, but it’s trending that way,” Wilburn says, “so that makes me sad to see that happen.” Wilburn says he’s experienced a range of emotions, including anger and exhaustion, as well as a sense of numbness over these recent threats.

“More people need to come forward and say: ‘This is not o.k. This is not our community. We don’t want to see this,'” Wilburn says. Wilburn intends to press charges if investigators find those responsible. Wilburn says made his report to police, in part, to encourage other public officials — like school board members — who’ve been threatened with violence to do the same. “Look at what’s going on at some of the public meetings that are going on and ask yourself: ‘Is that o.k.?’ And I don’t think it is,” Wilburn says. “I’m encouraging other to step forward and say: ‘It’s not o.k.'”

Iowa Republican Party chairman Jeff Kaufmann says he strongly condemns the racist threats made toward Wilburn and he hopes those responsible are held accountable. Kaufmann says Iowans can have a spirited debate about issues and candidates without threats of violence. This spring, a permanent security fence was installed around the governor’s mansion in Des Moines after what the Iowa Department of Public Safety described as repeated threats against Governor Kim Reynolds. In September, the U-S Capitol Police reported threats against federal lawmakers have doubled since last year.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Officials with the Glenwood Police Department, Tuesday (today), report two arrests. 51-year-old Steven Gilbert, of Pacific Junction, was arrested Tuesday morning for OWI/1st Offense. And, on Monday, 28-year-old Joshua Miller, of Omaha, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bond for both men was set at $1,000 each.

(Radio Iowa) – Authorities are investigating a three-vehicle accident that killed two men and injured a third person in northeast Iowa’s Buchanan County Monday afternoon. Officials say 40-year-old Nicolas Johnson of Oelwein and 70-year-old John Friend of Davenport died in the head-on crash on Iowa Highway 150 near Hazleton. The Iowa State Patrol says Johnson’s vehicle crossed the centerline and collided with Friend’s vehicle, killing the two drivers.

Another person was airlifted to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City to be treated for undisclosed injuries. Authorities say the third vehicle involved in the accident was hit by flying debris when the other vehicles slammed into each other. The crash happened around 3 PM.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A Corporate Loss Specialist for EMC Insurance, Tuesday morning, released information to the Atlantic School Board, with regard to the cost estimate to renovate the Atlantic Middle School. The building sustained roof and extensive interior damage during a fire that began on the roof on July 27th. The incident forced the District to close the building for the entire school year and relocated staff, students and the District Office to other sites in Atlantic.

(File photo) AMS damage during July 2021 fire

Scott Signor said during the meeting that cleaning and reconstruction costs will amount to between $5.5 and 6 million dollars. Atlantic Middle School Principal Josh Rasmussen surveyed the teaching staff, and 76-percent would like carpet replaced in the damaged classrooms, and 23.2 percent would like hardwood flooring. Repair of the roof will begin this week.
On the plus side of the disaster, officials with the Middle School Gymnasium will be available for basketball practices this winter.

Here’s a summary of current information with regard to the Middle School:

Flooring that needs to be replaced….
● Rooms 314, 315, and 316 were carpeted with a plywood base.
● Room 301 (small area of hardwood flooring), 101, and 110 are concrete floors with
carpet.
● Room 103 (band room) and connecting office were carpeted with hardwood under the
carpet. Also, terzo was covered with carpet.
● The Media center, Central office, and Middle School office all have hardwood floors with
carpet covering.
● All other destroyed floors were hardwood.
● Four classrooms, one gym, and two office floors were not damaged.
Wood flooring
● If decided fast would be available.
● Wood of the width in our building is unavailable – placement wood would be a little wider.
Carpet
● Would replace it with carpet squares.
● Interior Touch indicated a turnaround time of three and six weeks.
Other items to consider.
● Add drop down ceilings to all classrooms.
● Change the Central office to a classroom. Central office staff would remain at their
current location.
● Possible LED …To be determined (TBD)
● Possible Security entrance (TBD)