Capitol view elementary has had a “continuous calendar” for about 7 years now, and school leaders say its working

“We keep data on everything we can and our data has been improving these past few years and one of the attributes we give that too is our year round calendar,” said Robert Burnett.

Some parents were hesitant, “When I heard it was a year round school I got nervous because I like my summer break,” said Brendetta Logan, a parent. Brendetta Logan has a first grader at Edmund Elementary, the latest school to consider an alternative calendar.

“It’s something we feel will be beneficial to our students. Over the course of 3 years we’ve seen a decrease in where our students leave before summer and where they’re coming back,” said David Perrigo, Principal, “It’s not abnormal to see our students slide one or two reading levels and sometimes more over the summer. We feel we are definitely playing catch-up getting kids back caught up.”

The new schedule will take effect next fall. The principal says a few teachers have decided to resign if the change goes through.

People in both Adel and Waukee are reporting incidents where kids were offered rides and even candy to get into unmarked vehicles.

Adel Police say Tuesday night a little after 5:00 a van approached an 11 year old at 14th and Grove Street, near the elementary school.

The couple inside asked if the boy needed a ride, when he said no, they offered up candy and the 11 year old ran home and told his mother.

She called police to get the description out to the public.

“The 11 year old reported that it was a gray mini-van with two individuals inside one male and one female and the female was reported to be possibly in her late teens,” says Adel Police Chief Jim McNeill.

The ADM school district sent a letter home to all parents.

It encourages them to talk to their kids about stranger danger-and to keep kids aware it can happen anywhere at any time.

“I’m surprised for a small community but you need to be expected things like that and help your kids to understand these things can happen and know what to do in the event things like that happen,” says parent Leanna Stine-Smith.

Adel police say they’re also stepping up patrols- having all officers keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.

“We take a lot of pride patrolling our school areas heavily, and when this type of activity comes up it puts a higher priority on things for us,” says Chief McNeil.

Waukee Police also had an incident happen.

They say Tuesday evening around 6:30 two fourth graders say a 4-door silver SUV was following them around.

They say the driver is an older, balding, white male.

In this case the driver didn’t say anything, just followed the two for several blocks.

You could say Joe Ayers is a bike doctor of sorts. He says, “I enjoy bringing the old bikes back to life.” The avid cyclist volunteers at the Des Moines Bicycle Collective.

The group refurbishes donated bikes that are given to people in need or sold at the shop on Grand Avenue downtown. Shop Manager Brad Overholser says, “We’re more like a community service for people who don’t want to spend $700 on a bike because they’re not sure they’re going to get into it.”

People donated 1,000 bikes to the group last year. Half were fixed up and sold. Four hundred were scrapped and things like aluminum and tires were recycled. Des Moines Bicycle Collective Chair Carl Voss says very little goes to the landfill. He says, “Repair beats recycling. A bike is one of the few things you can own and actually repair, or have someone else repair. If you take care of a bike, it will last for decades.”

The Greater Des Moines Partnership, Metro Waste Authority, and Centers for Sustainable Communities honored The Des Moines Bicycle Collective for its environmental impact at a luncheon Wednesday. The award is for keeping the bikes out of the landfill and promoting a pollution free way of getting around. Voss says, “It’s also about teaching people about being confident bike commuters, so they’re not driving their car.”

Voss says the group offers classes, community events and valet services at places like the Downtown Des Moines Farmers’ Market. He says, “We park a lot of bikes. For example, the first Saturday for the Farmers’ Market 338 people biked down to the Farmers’ Market.”

As for the volunteers, they can earn a bike through their work at the shop. Ayers says he does it for the fun. He says, “It’s a good time to see their excitement. They take it for a test drive and then come back, they really like that bike and that’s the bike for them.”

Bikes for sale start at $40. The Des Moines Bicycle Collective opened the shop on Grand Avenue in 2008. But, organizers say the need has grown. They’re looking for a bigger location in a bike friendly area.

Police security video shows the shooting occurred at 1:00 a.m. Sunday, April 29th.

Investigators say with that video and other security video from nearby business police have identified several suspects. They are still working to find the people they are calling persons of interest in the case and aren’t releasing their names publicly at this time.

Meanwhile, all the windows at the headquarters building have been replaced.

Equipment and building upgrades are being made including new carpeting at the library, so it was forced to relocate temporarily. The temporary location of the library is inside the lobby of the Ankeny Fire Department at 120 NW Ash Drive.

It will be open from May 11^th through May 28^th and services at the location include a limited selection of materials, holds pick-up, computers for public access and some programming.

Library hours are 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The library is closed on Sundays.

The bear was spotted just off of Main Street near Hovden Oil Bulk Plant. Employees were just locking up with the noticed the bear.

Statistics from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources show there have been less than 30 black bear sightings in Iowa since the 1960s.

The last bear spotted in Iowa was near Jesup in Buchanan County in June of 2010.

Image courtesy of Terry Hovden

The State Medical Examiner’s Office says Richard and Janet Sweet died of gunshot wounds.

Police say 17-year-old Isaiah Sweet killed his grandparents in their Manchester home over the weekend. He was arrested in Cedar Rapids Monday night.

He faces two first degree murder charges.

At his initial hearing Tuesday, a judge ruled Sweet will be tried as an adult due to the nature and seriousness of the charges.

The judge also set Isaiah Sweet’s bond at $1 million.

Court documents say Isaiah Sweet initially told friends he had drugged his grandparents.

Dr. Hansen, MD, Neurologist, Iowa Health Physicians & Clinics says, “As a neurologist, I couldn’t be more pleased that stroke incidence is decreasing.  It’s going down for many reasons.  Physicians are helping patients with lifestyle improvements and their medications to better manage chronic disease. Patients are doing great things on their own, such as eating better, getting regular exercise and quitting smoking.”

Depending on a person’s health, reducing blood pressure, using anticoagulants or statins and reducing cholesterol levels can help prevent or reduce strokes. A Mediterranean-style diet can help decrease stroke risk by more than half.

Dr. Hansen says, “I encourage people to follow current health guidelines for disease management, diet, nutrition and exercise, and stopping smoking – because these things really work!”

While the number of strokes is lower, the severity is not. There’s a continuing need for prevention and screenings to reduce the risk of stroke.

In a release, Des Moines police say Brandon Singleton was fired Wednesday morning. He is charged with hit and run, possession of marijuana, possession of meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Singleton was arrested April 24^th after his squad car hit another vehicle on East Ovid, but drove away. He later called for help to change a flat tire, but the damage to his vehicle wasn’t consistent with a flat tire. Meth and marijuana were also found in his squad car.

Des Moines police say his dismissal is because of violations of personnel and administrative rules. Several items are listed including: sleeping on duty, false reports, loss or replacement of handguns, and alcohol and drug abuse.

Singleton was hired by the department in July of 2007.

Eighteen-year-old Trisha Schneider was originally charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a fatal accident, and involuntary manslaughter in the death of 56-year-old Scott Henry. Tuesday in Chickasaw County court, Schneider pled guilty to vehicular homicide.

Henry had been walking his dog November 8th along a rural road near Fredericksburg when Schneider struck him. He and his dog were killed.

Henry’s wife, Karen, discovered his body.

Sentencing for Schneider has been set for June 5^th.

The leak was at 89 University, just west of the river bridge near Mercy Medical Center and the main Des Moines post office.

Police say the gas leak happened as crews were working on the sidewalk outside an abandoned building.

No word on what cut the gas line but a trenching machine was in front of the building where the leak happened.

The road is now open again.

Police say Kijua Beaudrie knew her husband was molesting their children but did nothing about it.

Beaudrie pleaded not guilty Tuesday. She’ll go to trial on July 16th.

Her husband, James Beaudrie, is still in the Polk County Jail. He is facing eight counts of sex abuse. Authorities say he molested three of his nine children.

He was scheduled to make a court appearance Thursday, but has waived the hearing. His arraignment is now set for June 7th.

The couple’s nine children are now living in protective custody.