The Decorah and North Winneshiek school districts in northeast Iowa will merge. Voters in both districts overwhelmingly approved the merger in a special election Tuesday. The two districts have been in a whole grade sharing agreement for grades nine through 12 since the 2001-2002 school year. Beginning this year, the sharing agreement was extended to include seventh and eighth grades as well. After the approval, plans are in place for the merger of the two districts to become official starting July 1st of 2019.

(Radio Iowa)

Voters across nine counties in northwest and north-central Iowa approved a 25-and-a-half million dollar bond issue Tuesday for improvements at Iowa Central Community College. It has campuses in Fort Dodge, Webster City and Storm Lake, with a career academy in Eagle Grove. Iowa Central president Dan Kinney says he’s thrilled. “I really have to thank the voters out there for their confidence in Iowa Central Community College and getting out the vote,” Kinney says. “It was a lot of hard work and I think we did a better job of getting out and selling it.”

Voters in December of 2016 narrowly defeated a $29.5 million bond issue for Iowa Central. This latest bond issue needed at least 60-percent approval to pass and got 67-point-5 percent. “A special shout-out has to go to our faculty and staff,” Kinney says. “They did a wonderful job of getting out there and helping us sell it and talk about it.” Projects that will be funded include a student center on the Fort Dodge campus, an industrial training facility in Storm Lake, upgrades to science facilities, a biofuels testing lab and safety improvements.

Kinney says, “We’re excited for a bright future for Iowa Central Community College and more importantly, a bright future for the service area that we serve as we move forward into the next 50 years.”  Enrollment for the three campuses is over 5,000 students.

(Radio Iowa)

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports the arrest on Tuesday, of 39-year old Joshua Robert Saunders, of Audubon.  Saunders was arrested and charged with Possession of Marijuana – 3rd or more offenses, Possession of Marijuana within 1000 feet of a school, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  He was transported to the Audubon County Jail and held on a $2000 bond.  The incident remains under investigation,  and further charges are pending.

And, on Monday, 24-year old Jordan Thomas Best, of Audubon, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for Failure to Appear.  Best appeared before a magistrate, pled guilty, and was released with a fine.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), approved an Ordinance with regard to the operation of All-Terrain Vehicles and Utility-Terrain Vehicles (ATV’s & UTV’s), on designated County roads. The Ordinance goes into effect as soon as it’s published in the local paper, which is expected to take place Thursday. During the meeting, the issue of turn signals resurfaced, with Supervisor Steve Green mentioning the constituents in his District still expressed concerns over safety. Green said they were worried hand signals wouldn’t be as effective than turn signals in determining the ATV/UTV operator’s intentions, and wouldn’t be seen until it was took late.

Dennis Murphy, with Nishna Valley Cycle, said turn signals could be added to the machines, but it was also pointed out the cost of the signals and installation could run anywhere from $200-to $300 or higher. After the hearing was closed, the Supervisors approved the Ordinance as drafted, and then discussed a little more the issue of turn signals. In the end though, they declined to include the devices in the Ordinance. Supervisor Steve Green then had only final comment for those in attendance, and anyone riding an ATV or UTV…He implored them to “Please be careful out there, guys.”

In other business, the Cass County Supervisors approved a partial project payment of $153,424 to Crow River Construction, for work completed on the gray water transmission line to the ethanol plant under construction. Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm said the line is nearly complete, with just a 100-foot section to be installed. That will be done when there’s warmer weather.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Mason City man has been sentenced to up to 50 years in prison after his conviction of killing a woman who was hit by a bullet he fired through his apartment door. A judge Tuesday sentenced 61-year-old Larry Whaley, who was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 19-year-old Samantha Teeter.

Whaley has said he fired into the door Dec. 2, 2016, because he believed two people he knew were breaking into his apartment, including one who Whaley said he felt threatened by the week before the shooting. Whaley said Teeter was not one of those two people and that her death was an accident.

State law requires Whaley to serve at least 35 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State lawyers representing Gov. Kim Reynolds say lawmakers lack the legal standing to bring a lawsuit challenging her use of a reserve fund to plug a budget hole. Assistant attorneys general defending Reynolds and Department of Management Director David Roederer asked a judge Monday to dismiss the lawsuit, which alleges the two illegally transferred $13 million from the State Economic Emergency Fund in September. A hearing is set for next month.

Democratic representatives contend in the lawsuit that the fund is intended to cover unexpected drops in revenue and that the legal conditions weren’t met for the Republican governor to use it. Reynolds’ lawyers argued that lawmakers lack standing because they haven’t demonstrated “a personal interest at stake or an injury that is more than abstract.”

Lawmakers’ attorney Gary Dickey says it’s disappointing that Reynolds would “attempt to hide behind procedural technicalities” after her office called the lawsuit politically motivated.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two accidents occurred during Monday’s snow storm (Other than the fatal accident covered by the Iowa State Patrol). At around 11:30-a.m., a single-vehicle accident occurred on westbound Interstate 80. Officials say a 2008 Toyota Highlander owned and driven by 49-year old Long Ngoc Nguyen, of Des Moines, was westbound on I-80 when the driver lost control of the vehicle on the snow, entering the north ditch and striking a tree. Nguyen was transported to CCMH via Medivac. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $8,000.

And, just before Noon, Monday, a two-vehicle accident happened on eastbound I-80. A 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by 22-year old Johnnie M. Wilson, of Omaha, was eastbound on I-80 when the driver braked for slowing traffic in front of him. A 2011 Chevy Impala owned and driven by 23-year old Charles Scott Rettey, of Des Moines, attempted to pass Wilson’s vehicle and came into contact with the rear driver’s side of Wilson’s vehicle. Both vehicles began to spin on the slick road and ended up in the median. No injuries were reported. Damage to Wilson’s vehicle is estimated at $4,500; damage to Rettey’s vehicle is estimated at $5,000.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on February 1st, of 34-year old Christopher Leon Bomer, of Atlantic, on a Felony charge of Possession of Marjiuana 3^rd or Subsequent Offense, and a serious misdemeanor OWI 1^st Offense charge. Bomer was taken to the Cass County Jail and was released later that day on $5,000 bond. On February 2nd, Deputies arrested 31-year old Ashley Chantelle Nicole Hetterich, of Denison, on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Hetterich was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held on $15,000 bond.

On February 6th, Cass County Deputies arrested 18-year old Colin Edward Peterson, of Atlantic, on an Atlantic Police Department Felony warrant for Theft 2^nd Degree. Peterson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond. That same day, 53-year old Randall Joe Conry, of Atlantic, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Conry was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $50,000 bond.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports a Page County Sheriff’s Deputy was injured during an assault at the jail, Tuesday. The Deputy suffered a fracture in the nasal cavity area of his face, and was treated at the Clarinda Regional Health Center’s Emergency Department. The Deputy was released from the hospital and has since returned to duty. The incident began a little after 1-a.m. Tuesday, when Clarinda Police Officers & Page County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to investigate an assault that had occurred at 506 E. Tarkio St.

After responding, officers and deputies arrested 26-year old Michael Ryan Weeden, of Clarinda for assault resulting in bodily injury to a seventeen-year-old male juvenile at the residence. The juvenile did not require medical treatment. While being booked into the Page County Jail, Weeden struck a Page County Sheriff’s Deputy in the face with a closed fist. Weeden has additionally been charged with assault on a peace officer resulting in bodily injury and resisting arrest resulting in bodily injury. Weeden is currently being held at the Page County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail.

Police reports concerning these incidents have been submitted to the offices of Page County Attorney Carl M. Sonksen for review regarding the filing of formal charges.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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