A couple of public hearings will take place during the City Council meeting in Atlantic, Wednesday evening. The meeting begins at 5:30-p.m. The first hearing is with regard to the Plans, Specifications and Form of Contract for the Connector Trail and Pedestrian Bridge Project. The hearing, as required by State Law, allows public input on the project for which the City has agreed to contribute $50,000 from the Local Option Sales Tax (or, LOST) Progress Fund. City Administrator John Lund has indicated the fund has grown significantly over the past year, and uses for the fund are limited. And, since the trails system in Atlantic serve as a potential launch pad for a number of economic development opportunities, the LOST fund would be an appropriate use of the money, according to Lund.

The second public hearing is with regard to the Southeast Urban Renewal Plan Amendment, as it pertains to the Ash Street Housing Development project being proposed by Boose Building Construction. The estimated value created by the development, according to Lund, is Tax Increment Finacing (TIF) amounting to slightly more than $1.02-million. Boose has requested TIF from the City to support the project, which the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee has thoroughly reviewed and recommended for passage, by the Council. The site plan was approved by the Council during their meeting on April 15th.

Following both hearings, the Council will act on Resolutions approving both matters, along with a review of the bids for the Connector Trail Project and awarding of a contract for that project. They will also act on a Resolution authorizing an Internal Advance of Funds for the Urban Renewal Project, the TIF agreement for which amounts to $80,000. Lund says setting up an internal loan simplifies the process for all parties involved, and will be made out of the General Fund. It will be repaid through revenue from the TIF district over the agreed upon terms outlined in the development agreement.

In an update to our report at noon, Monday, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said today (Tuesday), a man from Pottawattamie County and a woman from Shelby County were arrested following a chase, crash, and one-mile perimeter search. The incident began at around 9:20-a.m., when authorities received a call about suspicious activity around a rural residents’ vehicle located off of 900th Street, between Oak and Orange Roads.

Brittni Finken

When deputies approached the scene, the suspects sped-off in a dark colored car in an easterly direction on 900th Street. With deputies in pursuit, the suspect’s vehicle turned north onto Quince Road and crossed Highway 44 at speeds of around 100-miles per hour. The suspect’s vehicle lost control at the T-intersection of Quince and Nishna Roads, and crashed into the north ditch before coming to rest on its top.

The male and female suspects took off on foot into a corn field and were located hours later in a culvert, thanks to the assistance of the Omaha Police Department’s helicopter, “Able 1,” and the Shelby County K-9 Unit. Both suspects were taken into custody and transported to the Shelby County Jail.

The suspects, 28-year old T-J Lebaugh, of Council Bluffs, and 25-year old Brittni Finken, of Harlan, face charges that include: Carrying a concealed weapon; Manner of conveyance of a fire arm; Possession of a Controlled Substance; and, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Lebaugh faces additional charges related to traffic violations. The pair were being held in the jail on $2,000 bond, each.

Assisting with the search for the suspects was officers with the Harlan Police Department, deputies with the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office, and Trooper with the Iowa State Patrol. Additional assistance was provided at the accident scene by the Harlan Fire Department and Medivac Ambulance.

(8-a.m. News)

Creston Police are investigating an incident of vandalism that was reported this (Tuesday) morning. Officials say a woman told police someone shot the windshield of her car with a BB gun twice, while the vehicle was parked behind the Elms Club, at 108 N. Elm, in Creston. The incident happened sometime between 10-p.m. Monday and 1:50-a.m. today (Tuesday). Damage was estimated at $300.