Sheriff’s officials in Taylor County report 28-year old Samantha Gile-Smith, of Creston, was arrested today (Tuesday), in the 200 block of East Ohio Street, in Lenox. Gile-Smith was wanted on an active Taylor County Warrant for failure to appear on original charges of Controlled Substance Violations. During the arrest she was found to have controlled substances and drug paraphernalia in her possession. Gile-Smith was subsequently charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana), Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

She was being held at the Taylor County Jail without bond, until seen by a Magistrate.

AMES – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Forestry Section’s Fire Program, in cooperation with US Forest Service, has awarded $234,459 in 50% cost-sharing grants to 100 of Iowa’s rural fire departments to aid in their efforts in protecting Iowan’s and their property from wildfires.  The grants offer valuable funding assistance for wildfire suppression equipment, personal protective equipment, and communications equipment.

In the KJAN listening area, the following Fire Departments were awarded funding…

Cass County: The Griswold Fire Department received $3,500

Crawford County: The Charter Oak Fire Department received $1,564; Dow City-Arion F.D., $1,782

Fremont County: Riverton Volunteer F.D, $3,160

Harrison County: Missouri Valley F.D., $3,500; Woodbine F.D, $2,387

Mills County: Glenwood F.D, $2,445; Henderson Community Fire Association, $3,289; Oak Township F.D, $3,484

Monona County: Onawa F.D, $1,283

Shelby County: Harlan F.D., $3,350; Irwin F.D, $1,189; Shelby Fire & Rescue, $3,500

Taylor County: Blockton F.D, $1,170

The Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) program is authorized by the 1990 Farm Bill to provide financial, technical, and other assistance through state forestry agencies to organize, equip, and train small, local fire departments in rural communities with populations under 10,000 to prevent and suppress rural fires. Work contributes to healthy forests, forest stewardship, and sustainable economic development. VFA dollars may be used to fund multi-community/fire department projects such as mutual-aid communications networks.

The DNR reminds all fire departments of the importance of submitting Wildland Fire Reports whenever they respond to a wildland fire or provide assistance to a prescribed or controlled wildland fire. Wildland Fire reporting forms are available at www.iowadnr.gov/fire. Departments actively returning these reports receive priority points when the VFA grant applications are scored.  These wildland fire reports are compiled locally and nationally and are reported to Congress.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office reports today (Tuesday), that they “Have been officially contacted and do declare that there will be an Atlantic School Special Election on April 2, 2019 with the following Public Measure A:
“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 and 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 therefor 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?”

Voting in the Auditor’s Office and through the mail will begin on March 4, 2019. You may request a ballot by mail using an absentee ballot request found on the auditor’s website. The announcement follows action last week by the Atlantic School Board to have the measure placed on the ballot in April.

(Radio Iowa) — The Department of Education has released the federal report on how Iowa’s 13-hundred public schools are performing. The Every Student Succeeds Act replaces the federal No Child Left Behind Act and grades schools based on their overall performance and also looks at the performance of subgroups of students — children from low-income homes for example. The performance is measured using student surveys on safety and the learning environment and gauges academic growth as well.

Thirty-four schools are identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement because their overall scores fall within the lowest five percent of Iowa schools receiving federal funding, or they are high schools with a graduation rate below 67 percent. There are 307 schools identified as Targeted Support and Improvement schools, after one or more of their student subgroups scored the lowest five percent of schools in the state. The schools listed in those two areas receive support from the state and area education agencies and will develop improvement plans. The schools can get rid of the designation after they are no longer performing within the lowest five percent of Iowa schools after three years.

Education Department director Ryan Wise says the new system focuses on helping schools find solutions that work — instead of punishing them when they don’t meet expectations.

In an update to our earlier reports, the Clarinda Police Department reports two male students from the Clarinda Academy who walked away from the facility early this (Tuesday) morning, were located by Academy Staff late this (Tuesday) morning, and apprehended without incident. The were found in the area of Highway 2 and O Avenue, or about two-miles west of Clarinda. The boys were reported to be missing a little after 3-a.m., and were found a little more than six-hours later.

The Clarinda Academy is a residential foster care facility that provides residential treatment to at-risk and delinquent male and female youth from several states.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests took place last week. 50-year old Jack Howard Davis, of Orient, was arrested Dec. 12th in Greenfield by Sheriff’s Deputies, following a traffic stop. Davis was charged with Driving While Barred, and two-counts Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. In his vehicle, deputies found one broken and one complete meth pipe, along with a marijuana pipe. Davis was released that same evening on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

And, on Dec. 13th, 40-year old Brandie Sue Whitney, of Creston, was arrested in Adair County following a traffic stop for speeding. Whitney was charged with Driving While Barred. She was released the following day on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

Police in Glenwood report the arrest early today (Tuesday), of a Pacific Junction man. 31-year old Nathan Blezek was taken into custody for OWI/3rd offense. His cash or surety bond was set at $5,000.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office has issued a report on a single-vehicle accident that took place late Saturday night about two-miles south of Shenandoah, in Fremont County. Authorities say 39-year old Melissa Marie Dinges, of Shenandoah, was driving a 2010 GMC SUV northbound on Highway 59 in the 2300 block, when her SUV struck a deer on the road. The impact caused the vehicles’ airbags to deploy. Dinges complained of pain, but refused transported to Shenandoah EMS. No citations were issued. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $4,000.

Due to some issues with students riding on Griswold Community School District buses, the Griswold School Board, Monday, opted to have ride-along bus monitors set in-place around the start of the new year. Superintendent Dave Henrichs told KJAN News there have recently been more than normal issues with discipline on the buses. The School Board gave administrators permission to place human bus monitors on three individuals on three separate buses to control unruly students. They are looking for people to fill the role, and have them ready to go by the first of the year.

Speaking of buses, Henrichs said a third bus will be added to transport students during the afternoon from Lewis Elementary to the High School for a rendezvous. The buses are currently very full. The third bus, which will be added following the first of the year, will hopefully reduce crowding on the buses. In other business, the Griswold School Board set the date/time for a joint meetings between the Board and Lewis City Council. The purpose is to hear proposals from persons interested in buying the Lewis facility. It will be held Jan. 16^th at 6:30-p.m., in the Griswold Middle School/High School Building. The goal is to select one of the proposals to move forward in the sale process.

A meeting will also be held between the Griswold School Board and Lenox School Board, to discuss the shared the position of Superintendent, which expires in June. The meeting will be held 6-p.m. Feb. 6^th at the Lenox High School, and is to discuss the potential extension of the current sharing agreement. The Griswold School Board, Monday, also agreed to purchase a van from Charles Gabus Ford, for $26,918. The Board sold a 2005 Ford Taurus to a private individual for $100, and received a $100 donation from the Tuesday Music Club. Those funds will help to pay for students in the 5^th Grade to attend a performance by a symphony.

The Audubon Community School District’s Board of Education, Monday night, tabled the hiring of a superintendent to succeed Brett Gibbs, who retires at the end of the current school year. Gibbs said the decision is not something the Board takes lightly. They’ll follow up on a couple of interviews Wednesday (12/19) and hope to make their decision sometime soon thereafter.”

There were originally 13 applicants for the Superintendent’s job in Audubon. Those were narrowed down to five finalists for interviews. They included: Eric Trager, Audubon 5th-12th grade Principal; Dennis McClain, current shared Superintendent/Elementary Principal for the Clay Center Everly Community Schools; Michael Still, Secondary Principal for the Lenox Community School District; Jeff Privia, Elementary Principal for the Underwood Community School District, and Cory Lahndorf, PK-12 Principal for the HLV Community School District, in Victor.

Once the final choice is made, Gibbs said they’ll hold a public meeting and vote. The Audubon School Board chose not to hire a search firm for the job of finding a Superintendent. Instead, they relied in-part on Gibbs’ experience in guiding them. In other business, the Audubon School Board approved three Early Retirement Applications: Randy Spies, Roxanne Hansen and Jo Littleton.

(9-a.m. News)