A man from Kansas City, MO., was arrested early this (Tuesday) morning on drug charges, south of Stanton. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says 21-year old Mathew Curtis Leo Dinneen was arrested in the 2300 block of Avenue O, at around 6-a.m.  He faces charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Dinneen was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board met Monday evening and received updates on various projects and grant applications. During their meeting, the Board approved a contract with Snyder and Associates Engineers conceptual design and cost estimates, for improvements to the Schildberg Recreation Area. The information, when compiled, will be submitted to Vision Iowa along with other supporting documents, in an attempt to receive grant monies for the project. Snyders’ fee for the work amounts to $2,550, which can be paid for through the Local Option Sales Tax or available funds in the Schildberg Rec Area Fund.

Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring stressed the need for letters of support from the community and businesses for inclusion in the Vision Iowa grant application. He said some people, as evidenced by a letter written to the local paper, don’t understand the importance of the Schildberg Rec Area to the economic vitality of Atlantic. He said he intends to work harder to make it clear how important having the Rec Area is, not only to Atlantic, but to Cass County.

In other business, the Parks and Rec Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the City and Nishna Valley YMCA for a Pool Manager and Aquatics Director. The agreement also incorporates organized Pickleball, Adult Tennis, Horseshoes and Active Older Adults, activities, along with the advertising of those available activities. The agreement, which must also be approved by the YMCA Board, would cost the Department $11,329, or about $800 more than before.

And, Parks and Rec Assistant Director Seth Staashelm said the new online reservation system for park shelters in Atlantic is up and running. There are some tweaks they’d like to make to the system, but that would cost more than the original contract amount, so it’s something they could look at doing in the future.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Nebraska was arrested late Monday night on drug charges. 32-year old Daniel John McWilliams, of Omaha, was arrested at around 10:30-p.m. at the intersection of N. Broadway and W. Valley Streets, in Red Oak. McWilliams was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana,  and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

And, at around 4:40-p.m. Monday, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 48-year old Dennis R. Graham, of Stanton, for Domestic Abuse Assault. His arrest followed a call about an incident that allegedly occurred at a residence in the 500 block of Hilltop Avenue, in Stanton. Graham was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held without bond, pending an appearance before the Magistrate.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Three Urbandale police officers have been put on paid administrative leave following a weekend incident in which an officer shot and killed a man suspected of first firing a gun at officers. Officials with the Urbandale Police Department say Sgt. Jeff Casey and officers Anthony Brooks and Justice Weaver were involved with the incident and are on paid administrative leave. The shooting happened at a Holiday Inn lobby in Urbandale around 4 a.m. Saturday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has decided to continue a business specialty court that began hearing cases in 2013 as a pilot project. The business court accepts a broad range of complex commercial cases with $200,000 or more in dispute and is staffed by three judges with experience in handling business issues. An order says the business court pilot project, scheduled to end in May, will continue after receiving very positive reviews from attorneys involved in cases who wanted it to become a permanent part of the Iowa civil litigation system.

NORTH ENGLISH, Iowa (AP) — One man has been found dead in an eastern Iowa house fire. Officials with the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office say emergency crews responded to a house fire around 8:30 p.m. Sunday in North English. The homeowner, 25-year-old Austin Watson, was found dead inside the home once the fire was extinguished.

A Cedar Rapids home fire killed one man and sent a woman to the hospital. Officials with the fire department say a mobile home fire was reported around 7:30 a.m. Monday. Crews removed two homeowners from the structure. The fire department report says a medical examiner pronounced 72-year-old Ronald Jacobs dead at the scene and 72-year-old Karen Jacobs was taken to Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids. A hospital spokesman was uncertain of her condition and said she was transferred to another hospital for further care.

A pickup truck that was parked on the traveled portion of Interstate 80 in Adair County, was struck by a semi Monday night. The driver of the pickup, 59-year old Daniel Mark Ditmarson, of Tama, was flown from the scene by helicopter, to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. A report on his condition is not available.

The accident happened just before 9-p.m. on I-80 westbound, just west of the Menlo exit. The Iowa State Patrol says the 1992 Ford F-150 pickup was hit by a 2015 Freightliner semi, driven by 42-year old Jack Lee Good, Jr., of Westville, IL.

Following the crash, both vehicles ended-up in the north ditch, with dispatch reports indicating the semi was on its side. Neither Good, nor his passenger, were injured. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by Deputies with the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Stuart Police, and Stuart Rescue crews.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Bureau of Emergency and Trauma Services has cited an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider from Montgomery County, for failure to comply with the terms conditions of his suspension. In a letter dated February 3rd, Rebecca Curtiss, Bureau Chief with the IDPH/Bureau of Emergency and Trauma Services, says Adam Wainwright, of Villisca, was also given a warning that failure to comply with the terms of the department order may result in further disciplinary action.

On Nov. 4th, 2015, the IDPH suspended Wainwright’s EMS certification for the altering of two emergency lighting authorizations, one of which he provided to his employer, indicating that he was approved by the Department of Transportation to utilize emergency lighting on his personal vehicle. On Dec. 4th, 2015, the Department suspended Wainwright’s Emergency Medical Care Provider certification for a period of one month because he did not successfully complete two hours of continuing education in the area of ethics. Curtiss says Wainwright did not complete his required coursework on-time.

Wainwright can appeal the disciplinary action by submitting in writing a request for a hearing within 20 days of receipt of the Notice of Proposed Action.

After months of searching and the last few weeks interviewing candidates, the Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton School Board Monday night approved the offering a Superintendent contract to Trevor Miller, Elementary Principal with the Perry Community School District. Exira-EHK School Board President Kevin Petersen told KJAN News there were several good candidates for the position, but in the end, the Board, teachers and administration as well as the search committee, thought Miller was “The best fit for the community, the best fit for [the] school.”

Trevor Miller

Miller, who has previously worked for the Melcher-Dallas and Pleasantville School Districts, will succeed Exira-EHK Superintendent Dean Schnoes, who announced last fall he would be retiring at the end of the current school year. Miller will begin his duties at Exira-EHK July 1st.

In other business, the Exira-EHK School Board approved an early retirement request and resignation for Tony Petersen, Exira High School Social Studies teacher and Assistant Athletic Director for the Spartans.

In his letter to the Board, Petersen said in-part, “It’s hard to believe that 32 years have passed so quickly, but I believe the time is right for me to step down from my full-time duties. I want to thank our current as well as the past board for giving me the opportunity to work with students in this district, both in the classroom and on the field diamond and basketball court.” Petersen had his 500th career win as Exira-EHK baseball coach last summer.

Also, of note, the Exira-EHK District will have its last day of school June 2nd, to make up for lost snow days.

The Atlantic Police Department released details Monday on two recent arrests.

On Friday, February 12th Atlantic Police cited 39-year-old Tracey Bell of Atlantic for Disorderly Conduct.  She was given a date to appear in court and released.

On Sunday, February 14th Officers arrested 25-year-old Timothy Brown of Atlantic on two counts of Assault while Displaying a Dangerous Weapon and Carrying a Weapon.  He was taken into custody and transported to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

A recent traffic stop on Interstate 80 in Cass County resulted in at least one arrest and the recovery of 14 pounds of marijuana. Cass County Deputy Tyler Shiels and his K9 partner conducted the traffic stop. Additional information is expected from the Sheriff’s Office, later.

Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Monday) announced a series of STEM school visits across Iowa to discuss the importance of giving students a world-class education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Reynolds is co-chair of the Governor’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Council along with Dr. Chris Nelson, president and CEO of Kemin Industries. The STEM Council’s overarching goal is to increase STEM interest and achievement and to regain Iowa’s historic legacy as a leader in education and workforce development.

The tour will begin with stops in February and will continue through April. Locally, the schedule for the tour includes:

Friday, March 18, IKM-Manning School District: 1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. at the IKM-Manning High School, 209 10th St., Manning.