The Atlantic Parks and Recreations Departments Board of Directors wants to get the ball rolling on hiring an assistant to Parks Director Roger Herring. Herring’s five-year contract with the City expires in May, 2016. In September, Herring asked the Board to start looking for someone to succeed him. He said the assistant would learn the Operations aspect of the department, which would allow Herring to work on other, important aspects of the job, such as grant-writing.

Herring said contrary to rumors, a candidate has not been singled-out for the position. He says while he has people in mind, “It’s not a done deal,” and the position is open to the public. The final say on hiring is with the Parks Board. There currently no timeline in-place for hiring the assistant, a fact Parks and Rec Board members Charlene Bean pointed out needs to be corrected quickly.

She said they need to have someone on board as soon as possible. Beane said “There are too many things that are pending…[several] projects that need a force behind them. Grants that need to be written. If we’ve got money to hire somebody, I think we ought to do it ASAP.” Herring said he can “Work with anything,” as far as a timeline is concerned. Board President Stuart Dusenberry said they should have someone in place by no later than the end of May, 2015, so that person can become familiarized with the busy summer activities and responsibilities.

If the Board chooses to have someone in the assistant director’s position by January 1st, they will have to amend their current budget, which Interim City Administrator John Lund said could be taken up during an upcoming City Council work session. Afterward, if the Council is comfortable with the numbers presented during the meeting, the Parks Board can assemble a job description and present before the Council during a regular meeting prior to the end of the year.

Lund said his “Gut reactions is ….the money will be there,” and based on the response of the Personnel and Finance Committee, thinks the chances are the Council will favor the idea to amend the budget and move forward.

A woman from Nebraska was arrested early this (Tuesday) morning on a drug charge, in Fremont County. The Sheriff’s Office says 51-year old Pamela Leners, of Omaha, was arrested in Sidney, following a narcotics investigation. Leners faces a Delivery of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine charge. She was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $50,000 bond.

A Red Oak woman was arrested Monday afternoon on a charge of Public Intoxication. Police in Red Oak say 44-year old Shelby Joann Olivares was taken into custody in the 500 block of East Market Street, at around 2-p.m. Her bond was set at $300.

AMES, Iowa (AP) – The new U.S. Highway 34 bridge connecting Nebraska and Iowa is scheduled to open after 3 p.m. Wednesday. Included in the project is about seven miles of new four-lane divided highway extending west of the U.S. 34/Interstate 29 interchange to U.S. Highway 75 between Plattsmouth and Bellevue, Nebraska.

The bridge is expected carry 2,000 cars a day.

The City of Atlantic’s Personnel and Finance Committee will meet Wednesday evening in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. According to the agenda, the Committee will “Review Contract and Options for Future City Attorney.” The meeting begins at 5:15-p.m.

Current City Attorney Dave Wiederstein is running for Cass County Attorney, having won the Republican Primary election in June. He also serves as the full-time City Attorney for the City of Audubon. Wiederstein replaced Lance Levis, the former Audubon City Attorney who quit the job in January when the council abruptly – and illegally – voted to fire its longtime city clerk.

Wiederstein said in an interview this past June, that he would be able to juggle the job of County Attorney and City Attorney in Audubon if he’s elected in November.

An Atlantic native who went on to become an orthodontist and long-time resident of Waterloo, has left a huge gift to the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa.

Dr. Ross Christensen

Dr. Ross Christensen, a community leader during his lifetime, along with his wife Patricia, extended their community leadership after their deaths through the establishment of the Ross D. Christensen Family Fund with the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa (CFNEIA). The more than $4 million gift is the largest in the history of CFNEIA, and increases the total asset size of CFNEIA to more than $85 million. Grants from the Ross D. Christensen Family Fund will support charitable causes in northeast Iowa that carry out the mission of CFNEIA.

Dr. Christensen passed away in November 2011, and Patricia, his wife of 49 years, passed away in April 2014. Their son, Dr. Greg Christensen, and daughter, Lisa Kempston, will serve as advisors for the donor-advised fund during their lifetimes. Over their 52 years in Waterloo, the Christensens carried out their belief that a person should give back to their community by volunteering with the Boys and Girls Club, Allen Hospital, Waterloo School Board, Wartburg College, University of Iowa, McElroy Trust, United Way, Silos and Smokestacks, Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanical Garden, CFNEIA and many other nonprofits and groups that work to improve their community.

Dr. Christensen was born in Atlantic, the son of European immigrants. He left Atlantic and received a BS and DDS from the University of Iowa, and then his masters in orthodontics in 1966, also from the University of Iowa. Dr. Christensen moved his family back to Iowa from the east coast in 1968.

Prominent party voices continue to stream into Iowa to campaign with the two major party candidates for Iowa’s U.S. Senate seat. First Lady Michelle Obama will headline a rally at the University of Iowa today with Democrat Bruce Braley. Last week Republican Joni Ernst’s campaign sent out video links of late-night comics who’ve made fun of the first lady for misstating Braley’s name seven times during an event at Drake University. Ernst herself brought it up with reporters on Monday.

“This is kind of her ‘Mulligan’ event, I think, to try and get things right after she messed up so badly the last time she was in town,” Ernst said. On Wednesday evening, Ernst will be on the University of Iowa campus for a rally with Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee will make stops in Sioux City and Council Bluffs today (Tuesday) with Ernst. During her solo stops, Ernst is stressing her work as a Republican state senator. The event in Council Bluffs takes place in Club Room at the Hy-Vee Store located at 2323 W. Broadway Street, beginning at 11:30-a.m.

Braley’s been traveling the state focusing attention on issues like retirement security. On Sunday during a rally in Des Moines, Braley got a big crowd reaction with this statement: “Unlike Joni Ernst, I will never ever vote to privatize your Social Security,” Braley said, to cheers. Ernst has said it might be an option for younger workers. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, a rising populist voice in the Democratic Party, campaigned alongside Braley on Sunday.

A dozen current members of the U.S. Senate have flown to Iowa this year to campaign on behalf of either Braley or Ernst and that pace will continue through Election Day.

(Radio Iowa)