The Audubon School Board met Monday night during a regular session. Eric Trager, 5th-through 12th grade Principal, told KJAN News the Board approved a contract for a new Athletic Director. They approved Sean Birks, Head Football and Baseball Coach. Birks will succeed Randy Spies who’s been with the District for 33 years, and is retiring at the end of current school year. Trager said Spies has served as an outstanding teacher and Activities Director. Trager said also, the District is in the process of hiring its new Middle School/High School Principal.

The Board, he said, talked a little about that process during their meeting, Monday. He said they hope to have a finalist selected by the end of this month, with interviews scheduled early next month. Trager said “We might be a little aggressive here, but we’d like to have a contract to approve at the February Board meeting.” He said also, the Board set 7-p.m. Feb. 18th as the date and time for a sale of a small strip of District-owned land. An interested buyer would like to purchase the roughly 12-by-100 foot piece of land for a residential garage. A hearing on the 2019-2020 School Calendar will take place immediately thereafter.

The Audubon School Board also approved the extension of a “Memorandum of Understanding” with the Coon Rapids-Bayard School District, for another three-years. Trager said they had to re-do the MOU because of the change in Superintendent for the upcoming school year. Trager will step into that role effective July 1st, succeeding Brett Gibbs, who is retiring at the end of the current school year. And, Trager discussed with the Board possible calendar options for 2019-2020.

After the meeting, he learned there was a band trip next year, so there may end-up being a Spring Break, but it’s still too early to put anything in writing.

WAVERLY, Iowa (AP) — Backers have cleared a key fundraising hurdle for a project that would provide new fairgrounds and sports fields in a northeast Iowa community. Consultant Terry Hinrichs had vowed to raise $1 million by the end of 2018 for the Champions Ridge project in Waverly. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that he was still short of his goal on Dec. 31 but gained a pledge that put him over the top in time for Monday night’s City Council meeting. The council voted 5-2 to move forward with the project, which will be built on land the city owns.

Hinrichs hopes to break ground on the 142-acre project by spring. He’s putting together a funding package for excavation and infrastructure — another goal the council placed on the Champions Ridge board.

Two women from Atlantic were cited into court on Animal Neglect charges. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, two puppies, one of which was said to be a Labrador Retriever, were found in a snow-filled ditch near 750th and Hamburg Road (Southwest of Anita), on Jan. 12th. The animals were brought to the Cass County Animal Clinic for treatment. An investigation resulted in citations for 50-year old Bunny Manlove and her daughter, 28-year old Karen Hernandez, both of Atlantic. Both are scheduled to appear in court on January 31st.

A traffic stop early this (Wednesday) morning in Pottawattamie County resulted in the arrest of a Council Bluffs man. The Sheriff’s Office reports a deputy on patrol at around 3:55-a.m.  initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for failing to obey two stop signs at the intersection of Valley View Drive and College Road. The driver of the vehicle, identified as 63-year old Terry Hilt, of Council Bluffs, was found to have a valid warrant for violation of probation. After the warrant was confirmed, Hilt was placed under arrest and transported to Pott. County Corrections, where his bond was set at $2,000.

GUTHRIE CENTER – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (ISUEO) is hosting a new program for women beef cattle producers in February at the Guthrie County Extension Office in Guthrie Center. Boots in the Barn is a four-part series for women involved in cattle production. This program is designed to provide women with the latest-research based information pertaining to beef herd management including pasture, nutrition, health, calving, and financial management. The full scope of the program’s topics will be determined by the interests of the audience.

The main focus of the program is to provide an open atmosphere for women to come, learn, and ask questions of experts. The course is also designed to keep things hands-on and provide a small-group environment for participants to learn from their peers. Boots in the Barn will be held Feb. 5, 12, 19, and 26 from 6-8 p.m. with a light meal being served at 5:30 p.m. The program will be held at the Guthrie County Extension Office, 212 State St, in Guthrie Center. Speakers from ISUEO include Erika Lundy, beef field specialist, Aaron Saeugling, agronomy field specialist, and Tim Christensen, farm management specialist. Additional speakers include Dr. Courtney Blake, Anita Veterinary Clinic, Brandy Rudy, Exchange State Bank, and Clara Lauritsen, Lauritsen Cattle Company.

For more information on Boots in the Barn or to register before Jan. 30, contact Krista Downing at 641-747-2276 or kristad@iastate.edu. Registration is $25 for all four sessions, although participants are not required to attend all four sessions. The program is partially sponsored by Adair Feed & Grain. A brochure with registration and program details can be found at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/guthrie/news/boots-barn-guthrie-county.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — More wind-whipped snow is expected to hamper travel in eastern Iowa as Iowa and Nebraska residents dig out from a midwinter storm. The National Weather Service expects up to 3 inches of snow to fall in eastern Iowa today (Wednesday). Several school districts across both states canceled classes, including Des Moines Public Schools, while others planned late starts. Other districts decided to return to normal schedules after canceling Tuesday classes . Among them was the Omaha school district, although several suburban districts decided not to hold classes.

The weather service reports that as much as 8 inches fell over the past 24 hours in parts of southwest Nebraska and as much as 6 inches in portions of southwest Iowa. Iowa officials report that roads and highways remained covered with snow and ice in much of eastern and southwestern Iowa. Nebraska officials say most of eastern and central Nebraska’s highways are partially or completely covered.

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

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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) — A trial has been scheduled for an Iowa religious activist who’s accused of burning four LGBTQ children’s books he’d checked out of a local library. Sioux County District Court records show that 62-year-old Paul Dorr has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor criminal mischief. His nonjury trial is set to begin March 26. Dorr released a nearly 30-minute video on Facebook Live in which he denounced the Orange City library for having the LGBTQ books and threw them into a burning barrel. The video was made Oct. 19, the first day of the city’s gay pride festival.

Dorr had said he would not pay to replace the books, but hundreds of dollars’ worth of donations poured into the library in the aftermath of the video.

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education is set to meet this (Wednesday) evening at 5:30, in the High School Media Center. On the agenda for their Work Session, is discussion with regard to:

• The Character Committee
• A Facility Planning Update
• Negotiations – Meeting Dates for Initial Offers.

The Board will also receive updates on:

• Public Meetings with regard to Facility Planning: 1) Jan. 30th, 6-p.m., and 2) Feb. 6th at 6-p.m.  Both Public Meetings will be held in the High School Auditorium.
• Regular Board meeting – will take place Feb. 13th at 5:30-p.m. (High School Media Center)