Patrons of the Riverside Community School District have said No to the renewal of a 10-year PPEL (Physical Plant and Equipment Levy). Unofficial results from the Pottawattamie County Elections Office shows there were a total of 334 No votes (56.4%) to 258 Yes votes (43.6%). A 60% super majority was needed for the PPEL to pass. The votes are broken down as follows:

• Absentee: 8 Yes, 7 No
• Carson: 77 Yes, 63 No
• Macedonia: 36 Yes, 58 No
• Oakland: 137 Yes, 206 No

And, the voters elected Timothy Petersen to fill a vacancy on the Riverside School Board in District 5. There were two write-in absentee votes. Turnout for the election amounted to 21.3% of the 2,774 registered voters in the District.

If it had been renewed, the 10-year PPEL tax rate would have been $1.34/$1,000 taxable property valuation, and would have been used for critical updates such as replacing the HVAC units at the Elementary and Intermediate Schools. The district also wanted to update its bus fleet and technology.

COUNCIL BLUFFS – Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Director Doug Reed, Tuesday night, said the Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment Team comprised of officials with the Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency, Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency completed assessments of impacted properties throughout the county, Tuesday.

Pott. County EMA

Their assessments focused on a representative sampling of the damages to residential properties resulting from recent flooding. Reed said “We had approximately 260 properties we know had some level of damage based on our local preliminary damage assessments and reports provided by residents.”

He added, “We were able to work with our partners from Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management and FEMA today (Tuesday) validating that data by examining approximately 25-30 percent of our known damages.” Officials agree that based on the event and historical trends that there are likely many more properties with impacts that were not reported as of yet. Some properties in affected areas are still not accessible due to remaining floodwaters or dangerous road conditions.

State and federal officials will now examine all the data that has been collected and FEMA will then determine whether Pottawattamie County residents will be added to the existing Individual Assistance Program authorized by President Trump’s Major Disaster Declaration for the Midwestern flooding that has devastated the region. Local officials hope to have confirmation over the next couple of days.

Reed concluded with, “It’s important for everyone, even if minimally impacted, to always report their damages when requested by emergency management. Providing the entire scope of impact helps us paint the picture for officials in determining our inclusion into assistance programs. Individuals may not be in a position where they need assistance but your information is critical in getting that help to those that do.”

Voters in the Atlantic Community School District have approved by more than a Super Majority, a $9.5-million bond referendum for school improvements and safety upgrades. Unofficial results from the Cass County Auditor’s Office show there were 736 Yes votes (65.77%) and 383 No votes (34.23%).

Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns reports the results are not official until the Canvass of Election which is to be held April 8th in the Board of Supervisors Room.  She said also, that there were five ballots that have not been returned by mail.  In order for those ballots to be counted they must be postmarked prior to Election Day and received in the auditor’s office by noon on April 8th, 2019.  There were also no provisional ballots.

Atlantic School District Superintendent Steve Barber told KJAN News district officials are “pretty excited” by the results. He thanked the Facility Committee for their time and effort to work through the process, and everyone who voted in favor of the improvements to the school system and the community.

Barber said the next step, aside from the canvass April 8th, is to engage with the district’s bondsman and get the bonds purchased and move forward in working with the architects to complete the Washington Elementary parking lot this summer. From there, they’ll move on to the baseball/softball complex, the Trojan Bowl and the High School facility. Barber said more information about when those projects will get underway will be made known as soon as possible.

Superintendent Barber said also,”Obviously when you don’t have to raise taxes that’s always an easy one to do, but you know it’s been 23-years since we did a major project, and I think many of our community members recognize that we have some unsafe situations, we have some ADA non-compliance things going on, and this is just going to be great for our students, for our school and for our community.” He said they’re looking forward for the facilities to be “modernized and to show respect for our school system and our community

With passage of the measure, the indebtedness of the district will be in excess of 1.25-percent of the assessed valuation of taxable property in the School District.

The Resolution on the ballot asked: “Shall the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Community School District, in the Counties of Cass, Audubon and Pottawattamie, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness ans issue general obligation bonds in an amount not exceeding $9,500,000 for the purpose of furnishing, equipping, constructing, improving, repairing, and renovating school buildings and improving the sites thereof at the school district’s existing school buildings located in Atlantic, Iowa, including without limitation: (a) renovating, equipping and improving the football field/track/stadium, team building, concession and related buildings/site improvements, (b) renovating, equipping and improving the softball/baseball fields and related buildings/site improvements, (c) constructing, relocating, equipping and improving tennis courts and related buildings/site improvements, and (d) improving and realigning a roadway for smoother access to the elementary school and connection to the middle school?”

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office is reporting three arrests early this week. On Monday, 19-year old Jonathan Jo Arrick, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 7:35-p.m. in Glenwood, for Violation of a Protection Order and Driving Under Suspension. His bond was set at $300. And. 55-year old Scottie Alan Cetner, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 9-p.m. on Highway 34 in Mills County, for Harassment of a Public Official or Employee, two counts of Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs, Driving Under Suspension, and Interference with Official Acts. His bond was set at $3,000.

And, at around 3:35-a.m. Tuesday (4/2), 21-year old Marcus Allen Baumstarck, of Lincoln, NE., was arrested for OWI/1st offense and having no valid driver’s license. His bond was set at $1,000.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office K9 “Corty” is set to receive a bullet- and stab- protective vest, thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Corty’s vest is sponsored by a fundraiser hosted by Denalyn Allen of San Antonio, TX and will be embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of K9 Chucky”. Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks.

Deputy Braden Quist with K9 Corty

Sheriff Neil Gross says “K9 Corty was purchased through fundraising activities and donations in fall 2018 and is a Belgian Malinois. K9 Corty is currently assigned with Shelby County Deputy Braden Quist. They have completed all the state required training earlier this year and are currently hitting the streets throughout Shelby County. K9 Corty and Handler Braden Quist will benefit from the added protection provided by Vested Interest in K9’s Inc as K9 Corty is a dual-purpose dog.”

The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age. New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate.

The donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement K9 is $950.00. Each vest has a value between $1,744 – $2,283 and a five-year warranty, and an average weight of 4-5 lbs. There is an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States. For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org or mailed to P.O. Box 9 East Taunton, MA 02718.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c (3) charity located in East Taunton, MA whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. The non-profit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K9 officers. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provided over 3,300 protective vests, in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a value of $5.7 million dollars.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum said Tuesday (today), 22-year old Clay Thomas Paulson was sentenced in United States District Court in Council Bluffs, to 60 months (5-years) in prison for Possession of a Firearm while Trafficking Drugs. His sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.

On October 24, 2016, law enforcement responded to a report of a burglary at a home in Boone, Iowa, where 17 firearms had been stolen. Law enforcement were able to recover latent fingerprints from the burglary matching Paulson.

On November 7, 2016, during an investigation into a drug trafficking conspiracy, law enforcement discovered some of the stolen firearms from the burglarized home in Boone. Further investigation led to the information that the firearms had been traded by Paulson for methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Boone Police Department, Boone County Sheriff’s Office and Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The Iowa Department of Transportation has officially reopened I-29 between N. 25th Street in Council Bluffs and the I-680 interchange near Crescent. The road was declared open at 6 p.m. today (Tuesday).

In addition, I-680 from the Nebraska border to I-29 near Crescent is also open. Each roadway will have one lane open in each direction. Speeds on I-680 will be reduced to 55 mph. Old Mormon Bridge Road will also be opening with a 12 foot vehicle height restriction to provide access into Crescent, Iowa.

Those roadways, along with multiple other roads in the area, were closed the middle of March due to flooding along the Missouri River. Many roadways remain closed in the area due to the flood recovery process. Damage caused by floodwaters varies greatly across the area. The recovery process may take anywhere from a few days to several months. The Iowa DOT, as well as local jurisdictions, are working as diligently as possible to move through the recovery process to safely reopen roadways to the traveling public.