Classes begin Wednesday for students in the Atlantic Community School District, but for the 20 students who are enrolled through the Hospital Therapeutic School, classes won’t begin until Thursday. Atlantic Superintendent Dr. Mike Amstein said during Tuesday night’s meeting of the Board of Education, the delay is related to a recent Fire Marshal’s inspection and the filing of necessary paperwork to clear the way for the building to be occupied. The snafu also affects the EOC (Educational Opportunity Center), but not the students who attend it, because a contingency plan is in place.

Amstein says the multi-purpose room in the High School will be used as the EOC, but because of the specialization of the Hospital School, there is no space available. A room at the old Lincoln School, but Amstein says “It is not going to be appropriate for the needs of those kids.” Amstein says he plans to work closely with Design Alliance architect representative Jerry Purdy Wednesday morning, to see what needs to be done to get the situation resolved for the Hospital School.

Purdy says all the issues the Fire Marshal has concerns over, have been addressed, but the permit for occupancy still had not come through as of Tuesday evening. The District Fire Inspector will be on hand Thursday morning to make a final run through of the facility. Purdy says it’s not a matter of safety right now, just getting the paperwork cleared, which is probably the most frustrating aspect of the process.

The Atlantic City Council will take action on a trio of ordinances during their meeting Wednesday evening, at City Hall. The Council will hold the second reading of Ordinance #940, which serves to amend the ordinance, by adding a new chapter pertaining to “Illegal Dumping.” The first reading was held August 1^st. The Director of the Cass County Landfill has asked County and City officials to adopt the ordinance, so that there may be consistent rules and enforcement, throughout the County. The Ordinance would make it illegal to “dump garbage, litter, refuse, rubbish, rubble, solid waste or waste building materials in or on any private or public place within the City of Atlantic, except in authorized receptacles, or in a state licensed sanitary disposal facility.

The second ordinance (#941), amends the City’s Code of Ordinances, by adopting a section entitled “Private Wells.” It comes as a result of the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources modifying their rules, and pertains to the reclassification of the old street garage site and two other sites, from “Low” to “High” risks for contamination. The ordinance would prohibit water wells (except closed-loop systems), from within 1,000-feet of the sites at 1408 East 7^th Street, 100 west 2^nd Street, and 211 Commerce Street.

And, the Council will act on passing all three readings of an ordinance pertaining to No Parking zones on the east side of Linn Street, from 7^th-to 8^th Streets. It prohibits parking on the street from 7:45-a.m. to 3:15-p.m., while the school bus is loading and unloading preschool students. In a related matter, the Atlantic City Council will act on approving a request from Atlantic School District Transportation Director Dave Eckles, and Police Chief Steve Green, calling for the creation of a “School Bus Loading Zone,” on the east side of the old Lincoln School, as that building is being used for preschoolers who would normally attend the Washington School.

The Council is also scheduled to hear a report from Chief Green during their meeting, which begins at 5:30-p.m., Wednesday.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds say they will be holding 14 Education Town Hall meetings in the next few weeks. The meetings are a continuation of discussion on education reform polices and designed to obtain feedback from the public, in preparation for the 2013 legislative session.

In western Iowa, a Pottawattamie County Education Reform Town Hall meeting will take place 4-p.m. Sept. 13th, in the auditorium at the Abraham Lincoln High School (1205 Bonham Ave.).

Officials with Shelby County DevelopSource have announced three finalists for the 2012 Shelby County Business Plan Competition. The competition began in May and applicants had until July 20^th to submit an application. This was the 2^nd year the DevelopSource offered the business plan competition. Bob Broomfield, co-director of Shelby County DevelopSource says the businesses will compete on Thursday.  According to Broomfield “This Thursday at noon at the Therkildsen Center will be the 2^nd business plan competition. The presentations start at 1 o’clock.”

A panel of 4 judges will be on hand to judge the 3 business plans. The winning business will receive $30,000. Broomfield says “I See Products from Shelby will present and that’s a new manufacturing devices to assist ice cream shops. At 1:30pm Leah Marie Photography down on the square, a new business starting up will be presenting. And then at 2 o’clock Panama Diesel will present their plan to expand their retail parts operation.”

The winner will be announced after the judges deliberate. Shelby County DevelopSource is also looking to fill their position as director. Bob and M.J. Broomfield are stepping down as co-directors at the end of October. Broomfield says there has been interest in the job already.  Broomfield says “We are getting a few applicants already. It’s online and so forth. We are hoping to get somebody that is eager to take on the task.”

You can find more information online at www.developsource.com or contact the Shelby County DevelopSource at 712-755-3569.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

A company in western Iowa that makes corn-based products for cooking has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, citing high grain prices and transportation cost. Dave Hoffman of the Plymouth Oil Company says the board felt this was the best move to pay off their debts. He says they have put together a plan to make the company profitable and have changed the management. Hoffman says the problems are due in part to high grain prices, but more so due to the high cost of transportation. Hoffman says Plymouth Oil had hoped to obtain corn germ from their neighbors next door, Plymouth Energy, but those plans fell through. The company had to truck in the corn germ from Jefferson, Wisconsin to its plant near Merrill, which ended up being more expensive.

Hoffman says it is 380 miles or about 42-dollars a ton to truck in the material they need. “We makes it very tough for us to succeed,” Hoffman says. He says they are trying to get some new quotes from suppliers to cut the costs. Hoffman says the plan is to keep operating, and to keep paying bills. The plant started operations in February of 2010. It specializes in producing food grade products from corn, such as corn oil for cooking purposes. The plant employes 25 to 30 people.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have a light agenda for their meeting Wednesday morning, in Atlantic. The only action item on the agenda is establishing an hourly rate of pay and/or daily rate, for those township trustees who are engaged in official township business. That includes the rate of pay for when the trustees act as fence viewers. The Board of Supervisors meeting begins at 9-a.m.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports a Glenwood man was arrested this (Tuesday) morning, on a theft charge. 25-year old Miles Ryan Pein was taken into custody at around 8:20-a.m., for Theft in the 2nd degree. Pein was being held in the Mills County Jail on $5,000 bond.

Authorities also reported 38-year old Jason Gerriets, of Glenwood, was injured during a motorcycle accident Friday morning. Gerriets was traveling north on 221st Street at around 7-a.m., Friday, when he drove off the edge of the road as he was approaching a curve. His 2009 Kawasaki ended up in a ditch on its side. Gerriets was transported by Glenwood Rescue to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, for treatment of his injuries.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly session Wednesday morning, in their boardroom at the courthouse, in Greenfield. During the session, which begins at 9-a.m., the Board will discuss decorations on the square, with Carol Miller. They’ll also: Hear from V-A Administrator Rick Schaecher, with regard to a VA Commission appointment, and Mike Ladd, with regard to a courtyard use permit application; act on an agreement with the Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG), for the housing trust fund; and discuss and/or act on window contracts, a liquor license, and EMS Grant application, and a resolution pertaining to participation in the Mental Health Regionalization plan.

At 10-a.m., the Board will hear from County Engineer Nick Kaufmann, with regard to: A Mid-American Road Use agreement for the Morning Light Wind Farm; Valuation of Shared pick-up of Cass and Adair Counties; and a Collective Bargaining agreement, in addition to his regular maintenance and activities’ report.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Sheriff’s officials in Audubon County report one person was transported to the Audubon County Memorial Hospital following a crash Monday evening between a car and a semi at the intersection of Highway 71 and Littlefield Drive. 24-year old Brittney Ann Henriksen, of Audubon was taken to the hospital by Exira Fire and Rescue, after she ran a stop sign at the intersection at around 4:25-p.m., and hit the side of a trailer being pulled by a 2007 Kenworth semi. The driver of the semi, 38-year old Brent Curtis Madsen, of Elk Horn, was not injured. Damage from the crash amounted to $7,000. The accident remains under investigation.