The Exira-EHK School Board, Monday evening, passed a mask/face covering mandate. Their action came at about the same time Governor Reynolds was enacting a statewide mask mandate. Superintendent Trevor Miller says the district’s mandate will be in-place longer than what the Governor imposed.

(The district mandate is in effect until Jan. 18^th)

Miller said their Elementary kids were doing a great job with wearing masks, but it was “Hit-and-miss” with the middle school/high school students.

In other business, the Exira-EHK Board re-elected their current President, Kevin Petersen, and Vice President, Tammy Fahn. They also approved the resignation of Rick Nielsen from Instrumental Music after more than 40 years in education.

Other resignations include Andrew Nulle (Assistant Volleyball) and Doug Newton (Junior High Football). Hires include Trent Megchelsen and Alex Hansen for Junior High boys basketball along with Andrea Nulle and Courtney Peppers for Junior High Girls Basketball.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday (Today) approved two Administrative Assistants for Cass County Attorney Vanessa Strazdas, and a Victim Advocate for her office. The appointments are allowed for County Officers who were elected on Nov. 3^rd. The assistants include current staffers Beverly Groves and Eva Jensen.  Maureen Doherty was approved a Victim Advocate. Doherty’s position is paid for through a grant.

And, the Board approved the abatement of taxes in the amount of $219, on a parcel owned by the City of Anita, at 630 Main Street.

(Radio Iowa) – Des Moines police leaders are considering adjustments to how officers use force and manage crowds after large demonstrations were held this summer protesting police violence and racial injustice. Police Chief Dana Wingert says the goal is to manage crowds while respecting free speech rights, but city council member Josh Mandelbaum says it should be more clear that police want to avoid making arrests.”To specifically say a goal of the policy is to minimize enforcement action,” Mandelbaum says, “and a goal or objective is to obtain voluntary compliance.”

Mandelbaum pushed the department to specifically rule out the use of “kettling,” where police block protesters into a confined area. Wingert says the policy states demonstrators should always have a way out, although it does not mention kettling by name. The department’s policy instructs officers to use force only when it’s “objectively reasonable” to bring a situation under control. Mandelbaum said the department should instruct officers to react differently to someone who’s not responding to their orders at all compared to someone resisting them verbally or violently. Chief Wingert said those situations are covered, even if they’re not spelled out. “The reasonableness standard applies to all force,” Wingert says. “You’d have a 100-page policy if you tried to break down every incident where someone could get arrested.”

Des Moines police policy does not allow the use of chokeholds and officers are required to intervene if they witness a colleague using unreasonable force.

(By Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – The recount of more than 400-thousand ballots cast in Iowa’s second congressional district race has begun. Democrat Rita Hart asked for the recount after preliminary results last week showed her trailing Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks by just 47 votes. There have already been recounts in two of the counties, after human error produced incorrect vote counts in Lucas and Jasper Counties from Election Night. Now, all 24 counties in the district will conduct recounts. The first is underway in Scott County.

The secretary of state certifies statewide election results on November 30th, so that’s the deadline for getting this recount completed. This second congressional district contest is the closest federal race in the country. Each of the 24 counties in the district will have a “Recount Board” that consists of one person picked by Hart’s campaign, one person picked by Miller-Meeks and a third member who’s acceptable to both campaigns. This three-person board does the recount — and decides whether it’s done by hand or whether the ballots are counted by machine.

The board is only tabulating the second district race and will NOT review ballots that local election officials disqualified previously, like provisional ballots cast by someone who never showed up to confirm they were an eligible voter.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the longest-serving Republican senator, says he is quarantining after being exposed to the coronavirus. Grassley is 87. He did not say how he was exposed. He said he would follow doctor’s orders and “immediately quarantine” and work virtually as he waits for results of a test. The Iowa Republican is the president pro tempore of the Senate, meaning he presides over the Senate in the absence of Vice President Mike Pence and is third in the line of presidential succession.

Members of the Audubon School District’s Board of Education met Monday evening. They held a work session prior to the regular meeting, and a Public Hearing on the proposed issuance of about $4.2-million in bonds. Superintendent Eric Trager said there were no members of the public present, and no written comments, so they walked through the process with the Board.

The next step is the bid day for the building project is on December 8th.

In other business, Eric Trager says the Audubon School Board re-elected Mark Nissen as Board President and Christy Konkler as Vice President. He said also, because students in the District are doing an excellent job of masking-up when asked, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, there’s no need for a mandate within the school district.

Officials with Connections Area Agency on Aging say there are in need of Secret Santa’s for their Secret Santa for Seniors program.  When the program was started last year, the goal was to reach socially isolated seniors that may not receive any holiday gifts. Little did they know how great the need would be in 2020.   This year is especially difficult for older friends and neighbors as the pandemic continues, and older adults try to avoid the coronavirus.  Social distancing and safety measures may limit contact with friends and family during the holidays, leaving many lonely and socially isolated. Connections officials say they need Secret Santa’s to help bring some holiday joy and make the 2020 Secret Santa for Seniors Program a success.

To keep our seniors and staff safe during the current pandemic, they are requesting gift cards (specified by each senior) to be purchased this year and dropped off or mailed to one of the Connections office locations by December 4th.  Additional gift cards are requested due to the number of requests that have been made to the program. To be matched with a local senior, please call or email Tasha Jones at: 800-432-9209 or tjones@connectionsaaa.org.

For more information about the Secret Santa for Seniors  program, please contact Connections Area Agency on Aging at 800.432.9209 or at www.connectionsaaa.org.

Connections Area Agency is one of six Area Agencies on Aging in Iowa, and part of a nationwide network. With a mission of enhancing the quality of life for elders in 20 counties through education, planning and coordination of services, Connections Area Agency on Aging is the premier agency for assisting elders, caregivers, and their families to access the information and services needed for independence and life transitions. Offices are located in Council Bluffs, Creston and Sioux City. For more information, contact Connections AAA at 800-432-9209 or at www.connectionsaaa.org