Cass County Emergency Management Director Mike Kennon stopped by the KJAN Studios at 6:30 this morning, to give us an update on flooding and road closures. Listen to the interview between KJAN News Director Ric Hanson and Kennon, here: (click on the left side of the audio bar to play)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Floodwaters have forced Iowa officials to close several highways on the west side of the state. Interstate 680 near Council Bluffs and a portion of Interstate 29 were reported closed early Thursday. The Iowa Transportation Department says a stretch of U.S. Highway 75 was covered by floodwater northeast of Sioux City, but a detour was operating.

An emergency shelter was opened in Council Bluffs because of flooding along Mosquito Creek, and sandbagging was underway in Avoca, where an emergency shelter was opened as the West Nishnabotna River continued to rise. Residents of Missouri Valley were asked to evacuate after levees were breached.

More than 1.55 inches of rain was reported in Sioux City, where Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew listed 16 spots where floodwaters covered roads. He told the Sioux City Journal , “There’s a big swath of water that’s got to go somewhere.”

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education, Wednesday evening, approved the previously report 2018-19 Calendar Make-Up Days. The District currently has 1,050.5 hours in the books, which is short of the 1,080 hours of the required instructional hours. Hours missed were the result of weather-related early dismissals, late starts and snow days. The Board approved adding an instructional day on Good Friday and adding three days to the end of the year: the Friday before Memorial weekend and the 28th and 29th. Administrators will look at scheduling days on Wednesdays in April to make up remaining necessary time.

The Board, as expected, set the public hearing date on the 2019-20 Certified Budget, as 5:30-p.m. April 10th, prior to the start of their regular board meeting. That same date will be used for a public hearing on the 2019-2020 School Year calendar. And, they approved several, previously mentioned resignations and Contract Recommendations.

Resignations include:

• Morgan Staashelm, HS Math Teacher
• Arnie Lamp, HS Day Custodian
• Michelle Huber, HS Guidance Counselor
• Oran Perkins, Asst. Boys Soccer Coach
• Jennifer Gaesser, HS Choir Director.

Contract Recommendations include:

• Taylor Williams, MS Girls Track Coach
• Tesia Cleaver, Special Ed Para Educator
• Sarah Eim, HS Guidance Counselor
• Dawn Russell, Asst. Head Cook at Schuler
• Laura Vogl, HS Math Teacher
• Rebecca Wallace, HS FCS (Food/Consumer Science)

The Board approved the termination of Kelly Simonton, providing him with a 14 day notice as required by his letter of assignment with the District. Simonton, a High School Custodian, was arrested March 1st on two counts of Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree. Other action includes:

• Approval of a Budget Guarantee in the amount of $56,679.
• Approval of a .33-cent per thousand dollar valuation PPEL, which will be reflected in the certified budget. Money will be used for maintenance, upkeep, transportation vehicles, and technology
• Approval of 2019-20 Fund Transfer (from General, to Activity, for Protective Equipment);
• and approval of Out-of-State overnight trips as follows – Drama Dept. trip to Lincoln, NE in June to attend the International Thespian Festival, and Boys & Girls High School Track – Trip to Northwest Missouri State in Maryville, MO., March 16th, to compete in the Indoor Track Meet.

(Radio Iowa) — The Republican-led Iowa Legislature has again endorsed a proposed gun rights amendment to Iowa’s constitution. Senator Brad Zaun, a Republican from Urbandale, says the amendment’s “strong language” is necessary. “In case of laws coming out of D.C. or in case of any court decisions that would weaken our Second Amendment rights,” Zaun said. Senator Tony Bisignano, a Democrat from Des Moines, was among those who suggested that if voters approve the amendment, it could lead to the repeal of current gun-related laws. “Just say it. You don’t want any laws when it comes to guns and arms and ammunition and restrictions,” Bisignano said. “You don’t even want training.”

Legislators had discussed this same proposal before and had hoped to place the issue before voters in 2020, but the Secretary of State failed to meet a publishing deadline last fall, so the process has been restarted. 2022 is the earliest Iowa voters could decide whether to add the amendment to the state constitution. Senator Zach Whiting, a Republican from Spirit Lake, noted a number of gun rights activists were at the capitol yesterday (Wednesday), lobbying for it. “This constitutional amendment, if adopted by the people, is the single most important thing that we can do for the Second Amendment in the state of Iowa,” Whiting said.

Senator Claire Celsi, a Democrat from Des Moines, was a “no” on the proposal. “I’m here representing one of the 90 percent of Americans who say they want universal background checks,” she said. “Those are the kind of laws that would keep guns out of the hands of those who have no business possessing a gun.” Celsi also went on Twitter to announce she had asked that security officers be dispatched to the balcony overlooking the senate. Celsi said supporters of the amendment sitting in the gallery were giving her “dirty looks” and she was “fully aware that most of them are carrying guns.” The Senate approved the gun-rights proposal early yesterday afternoon on a 33-to-16 vote. The HOUSE took up the issue, too, and passed it last night by a narrower, 53-to-46 margin.

(Radio Iowa) — With last spring’s flood still fresh in the memories of many Northwest Iowa residents, authorities are concerned over early flooding with the snow-melt and recent rains. Sioux County Emergency Management Director Nate Huizenga describes the current situation and what the county is doing to help. He says they flooding they have right now is flooding from water that can’t soak into the frozen ground.

Huizenga says he is offering pumps to cities that need them, but right now they are using their own pumps. River flooding is still a concern as area rivers are rising. Huizenga says it looks like the Floyd, Big Sioux and Rock rivers are going to at least hit moderate flood stage. “And I think two of them are going to go to major if the predictions hold true. The Big Sioux by Hawarden and the Floyd look like they are going to go to major flood stage,” he says. He says they rivers are expected to crest today (Thursday) or Friday. The Rock River in Rock Valley has seen recent major flooding, notably last spring, Huizenga says they’re prepared. “We’ve been doing some prep work the last couple of weeks, just making sure we had the materials needed if a larger sandbagging operation was needed,” Huizenga says.

Authorities are monitoring the entire area, and he cautions drivers. He says they are asking people to be really careful on the gravel roads as all the water and the frost coming out has made them really soft and they are tough to travel on.  Along the Big Sioux River in Hawarden, authorities are battling excessive water run-off as well. City Administrator, Mike De Bruin (Duh Broin) says the river crest isn’t the biggest concern at the moment “We just have so much groundwater from all the melting snow and in the yards. A lot of people are finding it seeping into their basements or filing their window wells and pouring into their basements,” De Bruins says. “So there’s a lot of people fighting the water.”

He says crews are doing their best to clear storm water outlets as well as helping residents when they see excess water on a yard that needs to drain. Sioux County Engineer, Doug Julius, is alerting motorists that some county gravel roads have washed out, so those driving need to be extra cautious and vigilant as they drive, especially as it gets dark.

Police in Red Oak arrested a man on an OWI/1st offense charge late Wednesday night. 34-year old Billy Lyn Leeper, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 11:50-p.m. and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $1,000.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports that at around 11:30-p.m. Wednesday, Deputies assisted a motorist who was parked along Sycamore Avenue near Highway 34. Upon further investigation, James Tiepelman, of Lenox, was placed under arrest for Operating While Intoxicated 1st Offense. Tiepelman registered a Preliminary Breath Test of .180. The owner of the car, Katie Sickels of Mount Ayr was cited for Minor in Possession of Alcohol 18-20 Years of Age.