WELLMAN, Iowa (AP) — A superintendent who let a convicted sex offender volunteer at an eastern Iowa school district has been given another year on the job. The Mid-Prairie school board renewed Superintendent Mark Schneider’s contract Monday, saying he was not at fault for the lack of a district policy about volunteer suitability. Schneider had said he’d resign without a vote of confidence.
Volunteer Trent Yoder had pleaded guilty to exploiting a minor at an Anita school, by videotaping a high school athlete changing her clothes in 1998.

He was removed from the sex offender registry after 10 years. The district, which is based in Wellman, granted him special permission to volunteer, after receiving letters of support. Schneider has said he informed school principals that Yoder must be with another adult at all times.

A traffic stop at around 11:45-a.m. Monday in the area of Cottonwood and 235th Street in Pottawattamie County, resulted in the arrest of 24-year old Tyler Robert Warnke, of Council Bluffs. Warnke was pulled over after a deputy observed the man was not wearing his seat belt. A check of his ID revealed Warnke was Driving While Barred. He was arrested on the charge, and cited for no seat belts, and expired plates.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

• 4large potatoes
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt
• pepper &/or herbs to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Scrub and dry potatoes, leaving skin intact.  Melt the butter and mix with the olive oil.  Place 2 knives on each side of the potato so when you slice down the potato you don’t cut all the way through – make thin slices.  Place in a pan and drizzle each potato with 1/2 teaspoon of butter – bake 30-40 minutes.  Drizzle with remaining butter.  Then bake another 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with pepper and herbs of choice.

Some additional ingredients:  place thins slices of ham or bacon, cheese sauce, spring onion or Sirachi sauce.

Serve with lettuce salad.

Serves 4.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.1MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Stuart Police report that at around 1:30-a.m. today (Tuesday), Officers responded to the South Summit Apartment Complex, located in the 600 block of SW 7th St. in Stuart, for a reported shooting. Upon arrival Officers discovered a 17-year old male suffering from a non-life threatening gun shot wound to his leg. The juvenile male was transported by Stuart Rescue to Des Moines for treatment. It appears the shooting was accidental. Authorities say no names will be released due to the victims age.

A few thousand athletes with intellectual disabilities from across Iowa will be gathering in Ames this week for the 34th annual summer games of the Special Olympics. Games spokeswoman Stephanie Kocer says the opening ceremony will be held Thursday night at Hilton Coliseum. “We have just over 2,800 athletes this year and 2,000 volunteers and about 1,500 coaches that come,” Kocer says. “They’re all coming to Ames and the Iowa State campus.”

The competitions run through Saturday and are the highlight of the year for many hundreds of the participants. “It’s three days of a ton of different sporting events,” Kocer says. “We have six sports: swimming, athletics — which is track and field, bocce, cycling, soccer, tennis and developmental events.”  This year is a special one as the games are marking their 50th anniversary. “We’re doing a few different things to celebrate the 50th here in Iowa,” Kocer says, “and there’s also going to be a big 50th celebration in July in Chicago, which is where the first games were held.”

Special Olympics was started by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968. Today it is the largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

http://www.soiowa.org

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa has frozen pay increases for teachers and other staff members until January. The Des Moines Register reports that it’s not certain whether the freeze will be lifted then. University administrators blame the freeze on uncertainty about revenue there will be from tuition, fees and state allocations. In April the university announced a moratorium on building projects and a review of whether to close some centers.

University of Iowa Health Care employees will receive average salary hikes of 1 percent beginning July 1. Also, workers covered by bargaining agreements will receive their scheduled pay hikes. Coaches and sports staff are paid through the athletic department’s budget and won’t be affected by the freeze. The university has more than 18,000 employees.

Red Oak Police arrested four men Monday evening, after police investigated a report of an injured male who had been involved in an assault, in the 200 block of 1st Avenue. The men allegedly involved in the assault, were: 36-year old Charles Kent Woodward, Jr., 30-year old Zane Mikal Lamb; 35-year old David Allan Minard, all of Red Oak. They were charged with Disorderly Conduct and were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond, each. Cody Dean Johnson, of Corning, was charged with Disorderly Conduct, and was scheduled to be taken into custody for further evaluations. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted Red Oak Police during the incident investigation and arrests.

Two people from Union County were arrested at around 10-p.m. Monday, following a traffic stop on Highway 34 at Birch Avenue. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says Timothy Hansen, of Creston, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension, No Insurance, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession with the intent to deliver. And, Ronnee Abel, of Creston, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession with the Intent to Deliver. Both subjects were being held in the Adams County Jail.