DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State Sen. Janet Petersen says she will not seek reelection as Senate minority leader. Peterson was the first woman to be elected to lead Senate Democrats when she won the post in 2017. She says Wednesday she was asked by several members of her caucus to continue on as leader but decided against it. Senate Democrats retained 18 seats in last week’s election, and Petersen won a third four-year term. Republicans hold large majorities in the state Senate and House. Senate Democrats will meet Sunday to select caucus leaders for the coming legislative session scheduled to begin Jan. 11.

Atlantic School District Superintendent Steve Barber, Wednesday evening, updated the School Board on the status of COVID-19 in the district.

For the most part, he said, they have been able to accomplish social distancing at the Middle School and High School, but after the mask mandate the Washington Building ran into some difficulties.

Steve Barber said while County’s COVID-19 has come down from more than 20% on Oct. 21^st to 17.8% Wednesday morning, the District, which is eligible to enact their Hybrid learning program, will not do so because attendance has not been a problem and because there is not widespread of the virus among the district’s buildings.

He said “I have no reason to believe that we need to change our model at this time.” In other news, Mr. Barber said last week, the District learned the Federal Food Program will be free for the remainder of the school year. Food Service Director Natalie Ritter will provide the Board with an update with regard to feeding the students, during their work session on Nov. 18^th.

And, the Superintendent said technology has been ordered to create an interactive experience for recorded and possibly live streamed School Board meetings.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education met Wednesday evening and held an election for new officers. They selected Jenny Williams as Board President and Laura McLean as Vice President. Sarah Sheeder was re-appointed as Board Treasurer and Secretary. The Board furthermore decided to continue holding their regular meetings on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 6-p.m., and their Work or Special Sessions on the 4th Wednesday, also at 6-p.m. Unless otherwise noted, the meetings will be held in the High School Media Center.

The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday approved the resignations of Olivia Newberg, Central Office Secretary; Beverly Jones and Christina Simonton, Paraeducators, and Kim Meurer, Food Service. They approved contract recommendations for: Pam Klar, Substitute Special Education Car Driver; Alyssa Dovenspike, Interim Assistant Girls Soccer Coach, and Shelly Schlake as Floating Substitute Teacher.

In other business, the Atlantic School board approved an overnight/out-of-state trip for the Spanish Club to Costa Rica in the Summer of 2022. The move allows the club to begin fundraising for the trip, which is similar to one they are taking in 2021 and was supposed to have taken place this past Summer. Atlantic Activities Director Andy Mitchell says by going again in 2022, they keep the rotation of every other year with the band trip.

Their final order of business was to approve the purchase of a Suburban from Deter Motor Company in the amount of $43,506. The purchase is part of the District’s Transportation Plan. School officials say with the purchase, there should be no need to add new vehicles to the fleet in FY22. During their meeting in December, the Atlantic School Board is expected to act on approving an Engineering Services Agreement with Snyder and Associates, with regard to the west High School Parking lot.

Snyder Engineer Dave Sturm said the current parking lot is starting to turn to the gravel in some areas and is displaying numerous cracks. The idea is grind the current surface off and use the rock in the pouring of seven-inch thick Portland Cement Concrete. A contractor from Anita is capable of crushing the pavement on-site, saving the district a good chunk of money, as opposed to hauling it off-site.

The result would be a wider entrance for the buses on the north end, 22 additional parking stalls with basically the same amount of pavement, and alleviating some of the congestion in the area where the east/west lots come together. The pavement should last some 40-to 50-years, according to Sturm. The Board also mentioned they would be interested in having work done on the sidewalks in front of the High School, as well. The project as presented, without the addition of the sidewalks, is estimated to cost $746,900.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Wednesday evening, said a Union County man stopped for speeding at around 3:30-p.m. Wednesday, was found to be intoxicated. 21-year old Lyndon Daniel Bright, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. He was being held in the Adams County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Dan Haynes, Director of the Nishna Valley YMCA in Atlantic, said Wednesday, “Due to the latest governor’s proclamation and the rising cases of covid 19 in our county the Nishna Valley Family YMCA Staff and Board of Directors has decided to postpone the “Community Discussion” on the future of “recreation and quality of life” in Atlantic and the surrounding area.”

The community meeting, which was announced November 2nd, was originally scheduled to take place Tuesday, November 17^th at 6:30pm at the Cass County Community Building. The YMCA will try to reschedule this meeting for some time in January contingent on the current conditions.

If you have any questions or concerns you can contact Dan at 712-243-3934 or email to dhaynes@nishnavalleyymca.com.

ONAWA, Iowa (AP) — A judge in western Iowa says he will announce a verdict Friday in the case of a man accused of killing his grandmother in 2018. Eliot Stowe is charged with first-degree murder for the beating death of 66-year-old Cheryl Stowe at her rural home in Castana in June 2018. The Sioux City Journal reports that Stowe waived his right to a jury trial, so a judge heard evidence during a four-day trial in August.

Cheryl Stowe’s body was found wrapped in a rug and duct tape at the edge of a cornfield near her home. Prosecutors say Eliot Stowe had beaten her with a baseball bat. Eliot Stowe’s defense team has argued he’s not guilty by reason of insanity.