(Radio Iowa) – The organization that presents Iowa superintendents and principals is recommending the 2024 Iowa legislature increase state funding for preschool programs for four year olds. The state currently finances 10 hours of preschool per student, per week. Lisa Remy, executive director of the School Administrators of Iowa, says expanded preschool funding and early literacy are tied together. “We really believe that to have students be able to read by third grade, it’s important to have full-day preschool programs funded fully,” Remy says.

Remy says preschool doesn’t replace kindergarten, but full-day preschool helps kids develop a good “word bank” by the time they enter kindergarten. “It’s still important for our preschool kiddos to have some play and how much they learn through play, but also that rich literacy environment,” Remy says, “so that they are prepared when they step into kindergarten.”

Estherville Lincoln Central superintendent Tara Paul says preschool is really important because there’s a ton of research showing a young child’s vocabulary is a predictor of how well they’ll be able to read. “A five year old going into kindergarten should have a 10,000 word vocabulary,” Paul says. “A majority of our students are coming with 3000 to 4000 words and so we want to make sure that we can build from that 3000 to 4000 at a preschool level to that 10,000 or as close to 10,000 as they enter kindergarten as possible.”

In November, Governor Kim Reynolds told reporters her 2024 legislative agenda will include a focus on early literacy efforts. The governor will present her priorities to lawmakers in the annual “Condition of the State” message on January 9th.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors’ regular weekly meeting takes place 9-a.m. Wednesday, at the Courthouse in Greenfield. The conference phone will still be used for those who cannot attend in person and can be accessed by using the following dial in information: in Number: (605) 313-6157 Access Code: 526272#.

Here’s their agenda for Tuesday:

9:00 a.m. Brenda Wallace, County Treasurer

• New Hire

Jayne Lents, Compensation Board

•  FY25 Compensation Board Recommendation

Ryan Berven, Assured Partners

• FY25 Insurance Rates & Plan Options

9:45 a.m. Nick Kauffman, County Engineer

• Sign Contract and Performance Bonds for N24 Prussia Culvert Project LFM-LRCBN24P—7X-01
• Report of Maintenance & Activities

Minutes

Claims

Taxable Mileage

Temporary Liquor License

Safety Committee Appointment

Stuart Meal Site Funding Request

FFA Safety Initiative Funding Request

Child Abuse Prevention Grant Draw Down

Beacon Site Add-ons

Mandy Berg, County Auditor

• FY24 Budget Amendment
• Set Public Hearing for Budget Amendment

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports the following individuals were arrested between November 27th and Dec. 18th:

• 11-27-2023 Joseph Michael Greiner – 33 – Glenwood, IA – Driving While Barred – Bond: $2,000.00 – Loc. of Arrest: I29 mm39 – Time of Arrest: 1733
• 11-28-2023 Jarod Dewaine Paul – 38 – Glenwood, IA – Warrant for Theft 3rd – Bond: $2,000.00 – Loc. of Arrest: Mills County Sheriff’s Office – Time of Arrest: 1430
• 11-30-2023 Laini Grace Richardson – 32 – Malvern, IA – Warrant for FTA re: Theft 5th – Bond: $300.00 – Loc. of Arrest: 11th St Malvern – Time of Arrest: 1244; John Leroy Adams – 42 – Council Bluffs, IA – Theft 2nd – Bond: $5,000.00 – Loc. of Arrest: Raleigh Rd Glenwood – Time of Arrest: 2056; Lee Alfred Miles – 47 – Tabor, IA – Theft 2nd – Bond: $5,000.00 – Loc. of Arrest: Raleigh Rd Glenwood – Time of Arrest: 2312.
• 12-01-2023 Jacorey Nathaniel Battles – 22 – Council Bluffs, IA – Warrant out of Council Bluffs, IA – No Bond – Loc. of Arrest: I29/Hwy 34 – Time of Arrest: 0141
• 12-04-2023 Catherine Janell Brown – 41 – Glenwood, IA – Violation Custodial Order – Bond: $1,000.00 – Loc. of Arrest: Sharp St – Time of Arrest: 1451
• 12-05-2023 Arrington Leondo Blackwell – 29 – Papillion, NE – Contempt/violation No Contact Order – Bond: $300.00 – Loc. of Arrest: 380th St/Hwy 34 – Time of Arrest: 1330
• 12-06-2023 Maxwell Lee Conoan – 42 – Omaha, NE – Warrant for Identity Theft, Fraud and Theft 2nd – Bond: $15,000.00 – Loc. of Arrest Douglas County NE – Time of Arrest: 1438; Ciera Nycole Ayala – 19 – Omaha, NE – Possession of Controlled Substance – Bond: $300.00 – Loc. of Arrest: Allis Rd – Time of Arrest: 1900
• 12-07-2023 Darnell Dawaun Thornton – 31 – Omaha, NE – Warrant for Violation of Probation – No Bond – Loc. of Arrest: Douglas County NE – Time of Arrest: 0001
• 12-09-2023 Alexander William McCall – 34 – Omaha, NE – OWI 1st – Bond: $1,000.00 – Loc. of Arrest: I29 – Time of Arrest: 0242; Andrew Jason McCord – 38 – Glenwood, IA – OWI 1st – Bond: $1,000.00 – Loc. of Arrest: 221st St/Ellington Ave – Time of Arrest: 0522
• 12-10-2023 Ashley Marie Hall – 42 – Red Oak, IA – Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and DUS – Bond: $2,600.00 – Loc. of Arrest: 330yh St/Hwy 34 – Time of Arrest: 1442
• 12-11-2023 Taylor Christian Shanks – 33 – Omaha, NE – Warrant for Theft 1st and OWI 1st – Bond: $11,000.00 – Loc. of Arrest: Pottawattamie County – Time of Arrest: 2130
• 12-12-2023 Laini Grace Richardson – 32 – Malvern, IA – Warrant for FTA – Bond: $300.00- Loc. of Arrest: 11th St Malvern – Time of Arrest: 1946
• 12-14-2023 Abbey Christine Bates – 28 – Omaha, NE – Warrant for Compulsory Education Violation 1st – Bond: $300.00 – Mills County Sheriff’s Office – Time of Arrest: 0824
• 12-17-2023 Keith Allen Fink – 39 – Council Bluffs, IA – Domestic Abuse Assault, 5cts of Child Endangerment and Criminal Mischief 4th – No Bond – Loc. of Arrest: Waubonsie Ave – Time of Arrest: 1004; Gene Edward Jerome – 61 – Glenwood, IA – Domestic Abuse Assault – No Bond – Loc. of Arrest: Garfield Ln Glenwood – Time of Arrest: 1836
• 12-18-2023 Caleb Michael Solari – 24 – Corning, IA – Warrant out of Union County – No Bond – Loc. of Arrest: Sharp St – Time of Arrest: 0951; Rebecca Ann Gorup – 47 – Bellevue, NE warrant for Violation of Probation – Bond: $1,000.00 – Loc. of Arrest: Douglas County – Time of Arrest: 1131; Robert Alan Mukka – 49 – Omaha, NE – Warrant for Violation of Probation – Bond: $2,000.00 – Loc. of Arrest: Jackson County, MO – Time of Arrest: 1925

Incidents:

• 11-27-2023 Konnie Brandon of Pacific Junction, IA reported a Theft 3rd – Loc. of Report: 195th St – Time of Report: 1531
• 11-27-2023 Vander Haags of Council Bluffs, IA reported a Theft 3rd – Loc. of Report: 189th St – Time of Report: 1456
• 12-08-2023 Kent Keller Glenwood, IA reported a Theft 1st – Loc. of Report: Dill Ln – Time of Report: 1248
• 12-16-2023 William Schaben of Glenwood, IA reported a Theft 4th – Loc. of Report: Brookside Cir – Time of Report: 1131

(Griswold, Iowa) – The Griswold School Board, Monday evening, approved the 2023-24 Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP). Superintendent Dave Henrichs explains every year the Board is required to review and approve the plan.

The Board also approved the concept of a High School Attendance Pilot Program for chronic absences, but held-off on approving it as written, as there was some wording they wanted to have cleared-up.

He said Mrs. Brady is looking at ways to provide options for kids to recover lost credit so they do not fall behind academically. In other business for the retiring Griswold School Board, they agreed to set 4:30-p.m. January 15th as the date and time for a facilities walk-through. The regular board meeting will follow at 5:30-p.m. The old Griswold School Board adjourned and the New Board was sworn-in, following a canvass of the Nov. 7th election results. There were three seats on the board up for election in November. Two board members ran unopposed for re-election,

The New Board then held a vote on Officers. They elected Scott Hansen as President and Don Smith was elected Vice President. The Board opted to keep their regular monthly meetings the same, that being the third Monday of the month at 5:30-p.m. They approved a Fire Monitoring Service Contract with Viking Protection Group at a cost of $600 per year, and the purchase of a Softball and Baseball Scoreboard. The Sports Boosters Club, have raised a little more than half of the funds needed to pay for the scoreboard.

And, Dave Henrichs says the Griswold School Board accepted three resignations during their meeting Monday night, and approved one new hire.

The Board also agreed to give an additional stipend to a fill-in FFA Sponsor.

Superintendent Henrichs said he hopes the kids and finish off the semester strong and come back after the holiday break rejuvenated excited to start another great semester next year.

(Des Moines, Iowa) –  Auditor of State Rob Sand today (Tuesday), released a report on a special investigation of the City of Yale for the period June 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023. The special investigation was requested by City officials as a result of concerns regarding certain financial transactions processed by the former City Clerk, Jill White.

Sand reported the special investigation identified $19,384.70 of improper disbursements and $644.52 of unsupported disbursements. The improper disbursements identified includes $7,753.29 of payment to Ms. White’s Capital One Credit card and Credit One Bank Credit card bills, $5,008.38 of excess checks issued to Ms. White, $2,525.15 of payroll related late fees and interest, $1,977.27 of personal purchases made with the City’s credit card, $724.49 of purchases at gas stations, and $1,396.12 of personal purchases made at Fareway and Hy-Vee.

The $644.52 of unsupported disbursements identified includes $500.00 of reimbursements issued to Ms. White, $119.52 of purchases made with the City’s credit cards to various vendors, and $25.00 for a purchase of a gift card. Because the credit card charges and payments were not supported by sufficient documentation to determine the items paid for, it was not possible to determine if payments were for City operations or personal in nature.

In addition, Sand reported City officials did not implement policies or procedures to address the recommendations included in a report released by Gronewold, Bell, Kyhnn, and Co., PC. In November 2021 for the period ending March 21, 2021. The report included recommendations to segregate duties, reconcile bank accounts, disbursements exceeding budgeted amounts, not maintaining a written investment policy or depository resolution, approval of all disbursements by council, and preparation of timesheets.

Sand recommended City officials implement procedures to ensure the City’s internal controls are strengthened, including properly segregating duties, performing independent reviews of bank reconciliations, and ensuring all disbursements are properly supported, approved, and paid in a timely manner.

Copies of this report have been filed with the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Guthrie County Attorney’s Office, and the Attorney General’s Office. A copy of the report is available for review on the Auditor of State’s website at Special Interest Reports.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston say a man was arrested early this (Tuesday) morning, on drug charges. 25-year-old Dylan James Lawrence, of Creston, was taken into custody at around 12:07-a.m., at the intersection of Lincoln and Prairie Streets. He was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Marijuana/2nd Offense. Dylan Lawrence was taken to the Union County Jail and held on a $1,300 cash or surety bond.

And a man residing in the 200 block of E. Mills Street, in Creston, reported to police Monday afternoon, that someone took his jacket on December 6th, while he was at the Laundromat washing clothes. The coat is described as black and gold with an Iowa Hawkeye symbol on the back. The loss was estimated at $75.

(Radio Iowa) – Federal and state health data show just 20 percent of Iowans have received the updated COVID-19 booster, and only 30 percent have gotten their annual flu shot. Madison VanGundy with the Polk County Health Department is urging people to get vaccinated ahead of the holidays. “It does take two full weeks to get that full immunity protection from vaccines, but you’re still going to help us you know, reduce the spread of respiratory viruses if you get vaccinated now,” she say.

The Centers for Disease Control reports the rate of COVID and flu hospitalizations have been increasing statewide. VanGundy says some people aren’t getting the shots due to time constraints and the minor side effects that can come from the vaccines. “To the mild side effects reasoning, we would say, you know, would you rather be out for 24 hours with some minor aches?,” she says. “Or would you rather be hit hard with the respiratory viruses and be out for one to two weeks.”

VanGundy says the number of residents in her county who are up to date on their respiratory virus shots is down significantly this year.

Webster City, Iowa (KCCI) — The Webster City High School is now looking for a new assistant principal. The board unanimously accepted Patrick Farley’s resignation Monday morning. It is effective immediately. It’s not clear what prompted his immediate resignation.

The district released a statement, Monday, saying:”During a board meeting on December 18, the Webster City Board of Education accepted the resignation of Webster City High School Assistant Principal Pat Farley. The resignation will take effect immediately. Because this is a personnel matter, we cannot share further details at this time. The district will now begin the process of finding the next assistant principal at WCHS. We will share more information on updates as we are able to do so. In the meantime, our focus will be on continuing to meet the needs of our students and families for the remainder of the school year.”