The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest of the same man three times in eight days this month. 30-year-old Justin Cooley of Atlantic was arrested on December 7th for Trespass 3rd and he was taken to the Cass County Jail and booked in. Cooley was again arrested on December 9th for Trespass 3rd, and again on December 14th for Trespass 1st. He was booked in to the Cass County Jail after each arrest.

Atlantic Police also report the arrest of 34-year-old Troy Mack of Audubon on December 17th on a Cass County Warrant for Violation of Probation. He was taken into custody and booked in to the Cass County Jail.

Sheriff’s officials in Taylor County report 28-year old Samantha Gile-Smith, of Creston, was arrested today (Tuesday), in the 200 block of East Ohio Street, in Lenox. Gile-Smith was wanted on an active Taylor County Warrant for failure to appear on original charges of Controlled Substance Violations. During the arrest she was found to have controlled substances and drug paraphernalia in her possession. Gile-Smith was subsequently charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana), Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

She was being held at the Taylor County Jail without bond, until seen by a Magistrate.

AMES – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Forestry Section’s Fire Program, in cooperation with US Forest Service, has awarded $234,459 in 50% cost-sharing grants to 100 of Iowa’s rural fire departments to aid in their efforts in protecting Iowan’s and their property from wildfires.  The grants offer valuable funding assistance for wildfire suppression equipment, personal protective equipment, and communications equipment.

In the KJAN listening area, the following Fire Departments were awarded funding…

Cass County: The Griswold Fire Department received $3,500

Crawford County: The Charter Oak Fire Department received $1,564; Dow City-Arion F.D., $1,782

Fremont County: Riverton Volunteer F.D, $3,160

Harrison County: Missouri Valley F.D., $3,500; Woodbine F.D, $2,387

Mills County: Glenwood F.D, $2,445; Henderson Community Fire Association, $3,289; Oak Township F.D, $3,484

Monona County: Onawa F.D, $1,283

Shelby County: Harlan F.D., $3,350; Irwin F.D, $1,189; Shelby Fire & Rescue, $3,500

Taylor County: Blockton F.D, $1,170

The Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) program is authorized by the 1990 Farm Bill to provide financial, technical, and other assistance through state forestry agencies to organize, equip, and train small, local fire departments in rural communities with populations under 10,000 to prevent and suppress rural fires. Work contributes to healthy forests, forest stewardship, and sustainable economic development. VFA dollars may be used to fund multi-community/fire department projects such as mutual-aid communications networks.

The DNR reminds all fire departments of the importance of submitting Wildland Fire Reports whenever they respond to a wildland fire or provide assistance to a prescribed or controlled wildland fire. Wildland Fire reporting forms are available at www.iowadnr.gov/fire. Departments actively returning these reports receive priority points when the VFA grant applications are scored.  These wildland fire reports are compiled locally and nationally and are reported to Congress.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office reports today (Tuesday), that they “Have been officially contacted and do declare that there will be an Atlantic School Special Election on April 2, 2019 with the following Public Measure A:
“Shall the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Community School District, in the Counties of Cass, Audubon and Pottawattamie, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue general obligation bonds in an amount not exceeding $9,500,000 for the purpose of furnishing, equipping, constructing, improving, repairing and renovating school buildings and improving the sites therefor at the school district’s existing school buildings located in Atlantic, Iowa, including without limitation: (a) renovating, equipping and improving the football field/track/stadium, team building, concession and related buildings/site improvements, (b) renovating, equipping and improving the softball/baseball fields and related buildings/site improvements, (c) constructing, relocating, equipping and improving tennis courts and related buildings/site improvements, and (d) improving and realigning a roadway for smoother access to the elementary school and connection to the middle school?”

Voting in the Auditor’s Office and through the mail will begin on March 4, 2019. You may request a ballot by mail using an absentee ballot request found on the auditor’s website. The announcement follows action last week by the Atlantic School Board to have the measure placed on the ballot in April.

(Radio Iowa) — The Department of Education has released the federal report on how Iowa’s 13-hundred public schools are performing. The Every Student Succeeds Act replaces the federal No Child Left Behind Act and grades schools based on their overall performance and also looks at the performance of subgroups of students — children from low-income homes for example. The performance is measured using student surveys on safety and the learning environment and gauges academic growth as well.

Thirty-four schools are identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement because their overall scores fall within the lowest five percent of Iowa schools receiving federal funding, or they are high schools with a graduation rate below 67 percent. There are 307 schools identified as Targeted Support and Improvement schools, after one or more of their student subgroups scored the lowest five percent of schools in the state. The schools listed in those two areas receive support from the state and area education agencies and will develop improvement plans. The schools can get rid of the designation after they are no longer performing within the lowest five percent of Iowa schools after three years.

Education Department director Ryan Wise says the new system focuses on helping schools find solutions that work — instead of punishing them when they don’t meet expectations.

In an update to our earlier reports, the Clarinda Police Department reports two male students from the Clarinda Academy who walked away from the facility early this (Tuesday) morning, were located by Academy Staff late this (Tuesday) morning, and apprehended without incident. The were found in the area of Highway 2 and O Avenue, or about two-miles west of Clarinda. The boys were reported to be missing a little after 3-a.m., and were found a little more than six-hours later.

The Clarinda Academy is a residential foster care facility that provides residential treatment to at-risk and delinquent male and female youth from several states.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests took place last week. 50-year old Jack Howard Davis, of Orient, was arrested Dec. 12th in Greenfield by Sheriff’s Deputies, following a traffic stop. Davis was charged with Driving While Barred, and two-counts Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. In his vehicle, deputies found one broken and one complete meth pipe, along with a marijuana pipe. Davis was released that same evening on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

And, on Dec. 13th, 40-year old Brandie Sue Whitney, of Creston, was arrested in Adair County following a traffic stop for speeding. Whitney was charged with Driving While Barred. She was released the following day on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

Police in Glenwood report the arrest early today (Tuesday), of a Pacific Junction man. 31-year old Nathan Blezek was taken into custody for OWI/3rd offense. His cash or surety bond was set at $5,000.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office has issued a report on a single-vehicle accident that took place late Saturday night about two-miles south of Shenandoah, in Fremont County. Authorities say 39-year old Melissa Marie Dinges, of Shenandoah, was driving a 2010 GMC SUV northbound on Highway 59 in the 2300 block, when her SUV struck a deer on the road. The impact caused the vehicles’ airbags to deploy. Dinges complained of pain, but refused transported to Shenandoah EMS. No citations were issued. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $4,000.