The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education, Monday night, approved the district’s 2015-16 school calendars. The move followed a public hearing during which no comments were received from the public for or against the proposal. Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein recommended the school day and testing calendar be approved, with classes beginning August 24th, in Atlantic.

New teachers will report on August 17th. All teachers and staff will report for duty on August 20th. The last day of school in 2016 will come on May 24th.  Amstein says the first semester will end before Christmas, with the second semester ending before Memorial Day. Spring Break for Atlantic students is being moved one-week later on the new calendar. Curriculum Director and Schuler Principal James Northwick says the break covers the Easter break, which also helps classes get out earlier.

And, the testing calendar which normally shows dates occurring during the winter norm for Iowa Assessments, indicates those tests will be given in late April 2016, because all school districts in Iowa starting next year, will be required to test in the spring to standardize the testing time frame.

Northwick pointed out also, that some changes had been made to teacher Professional Development days. School Board President Kristy Pellett asked Northwick to explain why the district started with “early outs” (early dismissal) the first three days of the year last fall. He said it allows the younger students more time to adjust to the routine by going half-days at the start, and it allows staff to get in more professional development time during the afternoons.

Amstein said in previous calendars, the staff has as much as five days prior to students’ arrival to prepare and receive professional development, but that’s been reduced over the years as much as possible to get students going, while at the same time still allowing for professional development.

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) – The National Transportation Safety Board has declined a request to reopen the investigation of the Iowa plane crash that killed musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. The Civil Aeronautics Board ruled in 1959 that the most likely cause of the crash near Clear Lake, was pilot error. Snow was listed as a secondary caused.

In a letter dated April 21, the agency said the evidence presented in a request from pilot L.J. Coon wasn’t sufficient to merit the reconsideration of the findings of the original investigation. Coon had contended that there were other issues involving weight and balance calculations, fuel-gauge readings and more that contributed to the crash.

Farm equipment dealer AgriVision Inc. of Glenwood, is cutting 28 people from its full-time workforce of 350 because of lagging sales triggered by the downturn in grain prices. The Omaha World-Herald says according to AgriVision CEO Jeremy Ostrander, the John Deere dealership also is offering early retirement plans to staff members over the next three or four months to reduce costs. Workers who lost their jobs — mostly in sales and support positions — are receiving severance pay and help finding new work.

AgriVision’s 13 locations in southern and south-central Iowa have customers in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. AgriVision was formed Jan. 1, 2014, by the merger of Barker Implement and A&M Green Power, which trace their history back more than 100 years. During the years of high farm income, grain prices and equipment sales, the company replaced two of its facilities and added on to others.

Ostrander said the company’s parts and service business “is still going strong” and is likely to expand as farmers repair and maintain equipment rather than buying new. He said farmers bought so much new equipment during the high-income years of 2010-13 that their equipment fleet is as new as it has ever been. Much of their old equipment has been exported to other nations.

Last fall, John Deere’s manufacturing plants laid off more than 1,000 employees, including some in Iowa.

Congressman Steve King has introduced legislation that seeks to forbid the federal courts from hearing same-sex marriage cases. “I wish our founding fathers might have named that Supreme Court something other than supreme,” King said. King plans to be at the Supreme Court today (Tuesday) as it hears arguments in a case that could make same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states.

“Now we have a Supreme Court that thinks, ‘Oh, it’s no problem. We can redefine marriage,'” King said. “We just do that because we’re the Supreme Court, after all.'” King cites the 1857 Dred Scott decision as evidence the nation’s highest court is sometimes wrong on social issues of the day. “It said that African Americans…could never be citizens of the United States — a Supreme Court decision,” King said. “They decided that congress could not ban slavery.”

King calls his bill the “Restrain the Judges on Marriage Act of 2015.” King also warns the federal courts were created by congress and they can be abolished by congress, too, with just the U.S. Supreme Court remaining. “Down to the Supreme Court that doesn’t have to be nine judges, seven judges, five judges or three,” King says. “It could be reduced to the chief justice of the supreme court at his own card table, with his own candle, working pro bono. That’s all it takes to have the minimum amount in the Constitution.”

King says the U.S. Supreme Court should not have the “final answer” on marriage and there is “no way” he is going to accept a decision that legalizes same-sex marriage in all 50 states. “Marriage is at stake and the arguments before this court may well determine the future of this country,” King says. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on the same-sex marriage case is likely to be released in June. Federal judges have thus far struck down same-sex marriage bans in 22 states. Same-sex marriage bans remain in effect in 13 other states.

Iowa is among the 15 states where same-sex marriage is legal either by a state court’s decision or because state legislators have enacted laws allowing it.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa man who pleaded guilty to robbing two Cedar Rapids banks four separate times has been sentenced to 31 years in federal prison. Twenty-nine-year-old Javon Dockery, of Cedar Rapids, was sentenced on four counts of bank robbery and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. As part of his plea, Dockery admitted to robbing a Cedar Rapids branch of U.S. Bank in April and June 2014. He also admitted to robbing a Cedar Rapids branch of Guaranty Bank twice in May.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The daughter of former NBA player Scottie Pippen has been arrested on allegations that she urinated in an Iowa City hotel lobby. The Iowa City Police Department says 20-year-old Sierra Pippen was arrested about 1:30 a.m. Sunday at the Sheraton Iowa City Hotel on a charge of public intoxication. A police complaint says an officer reported Pippen smelling of alcohol and having impaired speech and balance in a walkway near the hotel. She refused a preliminary alcohol screening. Pippen is an undergraduate student at the University of Iowa.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with a bank robbery. Twenty-two-year-old Jonathan Birdnecklace was sentenced after pleading guilty to second-degree robbery. He has been ordered to serve a minimum of seven years before he is eligible for parole and pay $200 in restitution to Great Southern Bank in Sioux City.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Mason City cement company has received several citations from a federal agency following safety inspections conducted in March. Lehigh Cement Company in Mason City was issued 24 citations for violations of the Mine Act, which prioritizes the health and safety of employees in coal or other mining industries. Lehigh Cement Company produces cement and construction materials in the U.S. and Canada.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State officials say the bird flu virus has been found in a large egg-laying flock in northwest Iowa, plus four more poultry farms. Initial tests indicated the presence of the H5N2 virus on an egg-laying farm with 3.7 million chickens in Sioux County. Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said Monday the virus will cost producers about a sixth of Iowa’s 60 million hens.

Northey says other probable cases have been identified at two farms in O’Brien County, one in Osceola County and another in Sioux County. More than 2 million chickens combined were on those farms.

If the final test results are confirmed, all of the birds will be killed to prevent spread of the disease.

Deputies with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by members of the U-S Marshals Service, officers with the 4th Judicial District Adult Probation and Iowa DCI, conducted a Sex Offender Registry Compliance Check last week in Pottawattamie County. During the event which took place April 20th and April 21st, a total of 216 Registered Sex Offenders were checked.

Further investigations into potential criminal charges for failing to update information and/or violations were found on five separate offenders. Of the five investigations, two are not considered criminal, however they will be referred to the Iowa Department of Human Services for follow up. Two arrests were also made.

Officials say 24-year old Andrew Lewis Mallory, and 46-year old Eric Bryan Stites, both of Council Bluffs, were arrested and charged with Failure to Comply with the Sex Offender Registry, after failing to appear for a quarterly verification of relevant information. For Stites, it was his second offense, which is a Class D Felony. A first offense, as in the case of Mallory, is considered an Aggravated Misdemeanor.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests. On Friday, 28-year old Andre Philip Sabatine, of Avoca, was arrested on a district court warrant for Probation Violation. Sabatine was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $5,000 bond.
And on Sunday, 44-year old David Joseph Freund, of Wiota, was arrested on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Freund was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on his own recognizance.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports six people have been arrested on separate charges.

Four arrests took place on Saturday: 27-year old Myles Dustin Longcar, of Malvern, was arrested at around 12:40-a.m., for Disorderly Conduct. Longcor was being held in the Mills County Jail on $300 bond; 33-year old Manuel David Fonseca, of Orlando, Fl, was arrested at around 5:30-a.m. Saturday, for OWI/1st offense. His bond was also set at $1,000; At around 1:20-p.m. Saturday, Mills County deputies arrested 39-year old Gabriel Aaron Dabney, of Pacific Junction, for Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts. His bond was set at $600. And, at around 7-p.m. Saturday, 36-year old Dayton Ernest Tuper, of Malvern, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. He was being held without bond, in the Mills County Jail.

On Friday, Mills County deputies arrested 55-year old Timothy Paul Eckley, of Pacific Junction, at around 2-a.m., for OWI/1st offense. His bond was set at $1,000. And on Thursday, 31-year old Herman Clarence Lewis, of Glenwood, was arrested at around 10:40-a.m. on a warrant for Conspiracy to Commit a Non-Forcible Felony, and Conspiracy to Commit a Non-Forcible Felony. Lewis was being held in the Mills County Jail on $5,000 bond.

(12-p.m. News)

The City of Atlantic’s Personnel and Finance Committee will meet Tuesday evening at City Hall, to discuss incentive options the City may offer to parties interested in acquiring the Whitney Inn at 222 Chestnut Street. According to real estate information, the property lists for $329,900.

The former Whitney Inn/Main Street Grill

The three-story, 84-year old, historic Victorian-era former Boss Hotel & Main Street Grill,  features nine completed apartments that serve as Inn rooms and monthly rentals on the second and third floors. There is also a large well-equipped kitchen and  dining area with a seating capacity of 225 on the main floor.

In other business, the Personnel & Finance Committee will discuss the job description for a Communications Director, review a TIF application from Boose Building Construction, L.C., for the Ash Street single-family housing development project. The Committee will also review a proposed Resolution on City cash reserves, debt use and limit.

The meeting begins at 5:30-p.m.