Officials with the Creston Police Department report a woman from central Iowa was arrested Wednesday, on drug charges. Authorities say 34-year-old Jacqueline Elaine Snyder, of Martensdale, was arrested in the 100 block of Manor Drive, on charges that include Failure to Affix Drug Stamp, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Controlled Substance – 3rd Offence, and Controlled Substance Violation. Snyder was taken to Union County Jail then transferred to Adams County Jail, where she was being held without bond, until seen by judge.

The 7:07-a.m. Newscast from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – Registration is now open for the Field To Fork Deer Hunting Program which takes Iowans with zero hunting skills and teaches them to use a compound bow to hunt and kill white-tailed deer. Jamie Cook, the program’s coordinator with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says students will also learn how to field dress the animal and cook venison. Cook notes, it takes a commitment. “The program does go on about six months,” Cook says. “What we’ve learned over time is, with hunting, being a pretty serious life skill, it takes a while to develop and in order to really get to the point where you enjoy it and you’re willing to build confidence, it does take that amount of time.”

For Iowans who want to tackle the challenge of bow hunting as a means of sourcing their own protein or red meat, Cook says the program provides the opportunity to learn what it takes to do it all yourself. “Beginning this summer, our participants will start shooting at a local archery range,” Cook says. “They’ll get some help from professional and hobby archers that can give them tips to increase their proficiency. During the summer we’ll also be sending them some books to read, some chapters, some weekly homework assignments.”

There will also be a series of videos to watch that focus on bow hunting skills and hunting deer in particular. As summer progresses, students will learn basic strategies for hunting deer including the proper equipment, where to hunt, safe shooting practices and tree stand placement. “As we get close to deer season in the fall, we’ll have a couple of workshop days or field days where they’ll come out and learn to do a blood trail, they’ll learn to shoot from a tree stand,” Cook says. “We’ll make sure their proficiency is good, and by that point we’ll also have a mentor available for them, and from there, they get to hunt on their own schedules.”

The course will be hosted in Adel, Altoona and Council Bluffs and is geared for participants 21 and older. The cost is $238.50 which includes tags, licenses, books and archery loaner equipment. The program is part of a national effort to recruit, retain and reactivate hunters due to the overall decline in hunting and outdoor recreation.

To register: https://forms.gle/ACJQwij96BdGnw4g8

(Radio Iowa) – The U.S. Post Office in downtown Clarinda now bears the name of a woman who’s been called the “mother of 4-H clubs.” Jessie Field Shambaugh was a school teacher in Page County when she formed the Boys Corn Club and the Girls Home Club in 1901. Seth Watkins is a farmer in the Clarinda area and Shambaugh’s youngest grandson.  “This honor is very special to our family, but it’s also for all of us. I mean, 4H touched the lives of so many people,” he said. “I guess I hope that when we go by and see our name on the building, it just reminds all of us to continue to make our best better and follow that motto. It’s just a good rule for life.”

Mark Talbott, district manager, for the Iowa-Nebraska-South Dakota region of the Postal Service, says Shambaugh left a lasting legacy for youth throughout the country. “In 1910, she designed a three-leaf clover pin with the letter H on each one of the leaves, representing Head, Hands and Heart. She added the fourth leaf for Home which later became known as Health,” he said. “The pin was used as an award medal for outstanding club work.”

Congresswoman Cindy Axne of West Des Moines was the lead sponsor of the bill that renamed the Clarinda Post Office in Shambaugh’s honor. Axne was a 4-Her.  “It was about being a part of your community, bringing something to your community that you could share together and teaching people new things and growing together and how I met a lot of my friends,” Axne says, “so it really means a lot to me.”

Axne was in 4th grade when her family moved to West Des Moines and her mother told Axne and her sisters they were going to start a 4-H club. “We just remember getting our girlfriends together and starting up this club and then learning stuff we thought was really pretty cool,” Axne says.

A dedication ceremony was held at the Clarinda post office earlier this week. Shambaugh died in Clarinda in 1971 at the age of 89.

The Atlantic Community School District will be working on getting back to normal, as much as possible, with regard to COVID-19. During Wednesday’s meeting of the School Board, Superintendent Steve Barber said the Health and Safety Committee met, “I think with the new standards from the Iowa Department of Public Health, in defining COVID as a child illness, early was a standard that we had to keep at the forefront in discussing all these modifications.”

That fact that we’ve been living with COVID for over a year, and “all of the sudden, now we’re going to treat it like something else,” according to Barber, “was big challenge.” The H&S team looked at ways to handle mitigation strategies as it it were for chicken pox, including “Would you do that, for this.” The answer, he said, “Would be no.”

He said it was their decision then, to go back to a normal way of doing school. “One piece of the mitigation strategies the committee felt very strongly in maintaining,” according the Mr. Barber, “was how we were disinfecting and using hygiene.”

His, and the H&S recommendations for the start of the 2021-22 School Year in August, are as follows:

• Classrooms will be back to normal, there’s no social distancing, no mask mandate, and the water fountains will be turned back on.
• There will be no remote learning, based upon the definition of COVID at this point in time. If there are students whose health prevents them from being in school for an extended period of time, the district would explore the available options. Barber thinks “There won’t be many students who fall into that category.” Atlantic does have the Home School Assistance Program, which is another option for parents to take advantage of.
• Visitors will be allowed back in the buildings
• No more travel restrictions, especially with some of the workshops returning to in-person.
• Trips and assemblies, a few of which were added in the fourth quarter, will be allowed again, with permission procedures resuming as normal.
• There will be no more screening in the buildings, including staff temperature checks. As was customary before COVID, staff and students who are genuinely sick, should stay home.
• If a child tests positive for COVID, the return to school process would be similar to what it is right now, per IDPH & CDC guidelines. It will be  the student and parents’ decision on whether or not to quarantine their student who comes in close contact with a positive case.
• The isolation room will be eliminated.
• and, cleaning processes will continue with regard to buses, the lunch room tables and kitchen. Teachers may wipe down desks at least once during the day if they choose, but it is not mandated.

Superintendent Barber said in conclusion, “We are excited to get back to normal. A lot of those different things have created a lot of grey hairs for some of us, and I know the teachers are excited about being able to do that, and do some of that moving, next week.”

The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday evening, approved three resignations (previously mentioned on our news). Superintendent Steve Barber said school policy requires the positions to be filled with a suitable replacement unless there are unusual circumstances. With regard to the resignations of Susan Wedemeyer, High School Art Teacher, Jeff Ebling, Middle School Social Studies Teacher and Head Boys Basketball Coach, and Erin Ebling, Middle School English Language Arts, Teacher and Student Council Sponsor, Barber said “We have advertised anticipated openings and received applicants for all but a Special Education” position.

And, while there hasn’t been time to determine their suitable replacements just yet, he still recommended approval. The Board also acted on approving contract recommendations for the following:

• Vanessa Perkins and Sarah Rose, Middle School Summer Teachers
• Minden Jones, Washington Secretary
• Susannah O’Dette, Washington Paraeducator,
• and Bryce Smith, Alternative Education Teacher.

The latter two were late additions to the agenda. The school board also reviewed a handful of upcoming dates. Mr. Barber said the last day of school is Friday May 28, with a 90-minute early dismissal. The end of year reception/employee recognition is scheduled for June 3rd, and 8:00 a.m., and the next regular Board meeting is June 9th, at 6:00 p.m.

A deadly crash in Pottawattamie County late Wednesday morning resulted in Interstate 80 blocked for several hours, and caused traffic to rerouted. According to the Iowa State Patrol, 35-year old Callie Rose Lisa Derfinlinger, of Johnston, died from her injuries after being transported by Avoca Rescue to Myrtue Memorial Hospital, in Harlan. Authorities say she was wearing her seat belt.

The accident happened at around 11:08-a.m. on I-80 westbound, near Shelby. The Patrol says a 2013 Ford F-150 driven by Derfinlinger, and a 2020 Peterbilt semi driven by 56-year-old Stanley Dean Rottinghaus, of Waterloo, were traveling westbound, and had just entered a 55-mph construction zone, when for reasons unknown, the pickup rear-ended the semi.

The accident remains under investigation.

There is a slight risk for severe storms overnight in southwest Iowa. The main threats will be from winds and hail. Locally heavy rainfall will also be possible.

There is a slight risk of severe storms is in south central and southeast Iowa on Thursday into Thursday night. A marginal risk exists to the north across much of central Iowa, except for northern Iowa. Main concerns are from wind and hail. A tornado is possible too.

The threat of locally heavy rain continues into Thursday as well. A few thunderstorms remain possible late Sunday into Tuesday in central and western Iowa. Severe weather appears unlikely at this time.

SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT… Spotter activation may be needed late tonight and Thursday.

FORT MADISON – A correctional officer was assaulted by an inmate at the Iowa State Penitentiary at approximately 8:15 a.m. this (Wednesday) morning.  According to the Iowa Dept. of Corrections, the officer was escorting an inmate to his cell when another inmate approached the officer and began assaulting him with closed-fist strikes to the officer’s face. Additional officers were in the area and immediately began using defensive techniques while restraining the attacking inmate.

The officer that was assaulted was taken via department vehicle to the local hospital for medical treatment for injuries suffered during the assault. The officer suffered a broken nose from the assault. The inmate has been evaluated by medical staff and found to have not suffered significant injuries.

The incident remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says a man who was hit and killed by a truck had already been in an accident. Deputies say the man identified as 36-year-old Joshua Haman of Pella walked out of the ditch and onto Highway 163 Tuesday around 10 a-m near Pleasant Hill. He was struck by a truck that carries a roll-off dumpster, and died at the scene.

The sheriff’s department says it is believed Haman was in a car that left the highway around five hours earlier and rolled over. Deputies could not find anyone after first discovering the wrecked car. It is not known if Haman was injured in the car rollover.