The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors, Monday, tabled further discussion and action on a proposal to make Sunnyside Park tobacco free.

Parks & Rec Board

The decision followed comments by several individuals in favor of the idea, and a nearly equal number of persons opposed to it. The Board will instead gather more, one-on-one input and take a close look at Iowa’s law on the Smoke Free Air Act, as suggested by Councilman Chris Jimerson, the Council’s liaison to the Board. They’ll take the matter up again during their next meeting on August 19th.

Among those who spoke in favor of the proposal, was Karla Akers, Tobacco Prevention  Coordinator for Cass County Public Health. Akers presented a petition with 109 signatures of mostly local residents who supported the proposal. Also speaking during the meeting was Atlantic resident Denise Coder, with Cass County Public Health, Atlantic resident Carol Schuler, and Kiwanis President Laura Bacon.  Schuler said during a recent weekend camping excursion with friends at the park, the atmosphere was nice, but she and some kids they spent a good deal of their time picking up litter. Schuler said they picked up upwards of 60 cigarette butts. She said having the tobacco free policy would help keep the park clean and serve as role model for children, in saying smoking is not good for you. Laura Bacon said the Kiwanis Club is also in favor of the proposal because of health concerns and keeping the park clean.

Dennis Byrne

Speaking out against the proposal, was Dennis Bryne, of Atlantic, who said he does not smoke, but feels making the park tobacco free would be infringing on the rights of those who do. Byrne said he agrees there are certain areas where smoking should be prohibited, such as the shelter house and other areas where people congregate, but not for the whole park.

David Anderson, of Atlantic, is a smoker who uses the park frequently, as well as his son, who along with his friends, plays frisbee golf there. He agreed there should be designated smoking areas, but they should not make the whole park tobacco free.

David Anderson

Atlantic resident and Cass County Board Chair Mark Wedemeyer told the Parks and Rec Board they would be overstepping there duties if they went to the extreme of making the park tobacco free.

He said as long as tobacco products are legal, it should be permitted in certain areas, and restricted in others, such as the skateboard park. He also questioned how such a policy would be enforced, and if there was to be any enforcement, it should have to do with littering, not using tobacco products per se.

Frank Saddlemire, of Atlantic, had no problem with establishing boundaries for smoking. He too, questioned how a whole park policy could be effectively regulated, when other offenses such as speeding and littering go unpunished. Nancy Gibson, of Atlantic, said she understands the rights of smokers, because she grew up with them in her home, but she said it’s important to impress upon young people the dangers of smoking and to protect them from it, even in an outdoor environment.

Karla Akers

Karla Akers said the idea for a tobacco free park came from middle school aged youth. She said they felt it should be tobacco free because of the amount of litter, second hand smoke, and the risk to the environment.

Councilman Chris Jimerson said there are already public areas in the park, where smoking is prohibited by law, such as in the bleachers at the ball diamonds, a concert at the bandshell, and other such sites where mass numbers of people congregate.

A Wisconsin man was injured when the vehicle he was driving went off the road and rolled into the ditch this (Monday) afternoon, in Cass County. The Iowa State Patrol says 29-year old Christopher Block, of Madison, WI, was wearing his seatbelt, and did not require transport to the hospital following the crash on Interstate 80, at around 12:25-p.m.

Officials say the 2003 Nissan Murano Block was driving was traveling west on I-80 near the Elk Horn exit, when Block fell asleep at the wheel. The SUV drifted toward the left shoulder, and when it hit the rumble strips, caused Block to wake up. He over-corrected, sending the vehicle off the road to the right. The SUV rolled into the north ditch facing south and came to rest on its right side.

The Atlantic Police Department report a local couple were arrested Friday on theft charges. Officials say 34-year old Jennifer Lower and 38-year old Russell Lower, both of Atlantic, were arrested on a Cass County Warrant charging them with Theft in the 5th degree.

On Saturday, officers with the A-PD arrested 36-year old Juan Diaz, of Winchester, CA, on a charge of Theft by Deception. And on Sunday, 24-year old John Chamberlin, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication.

Each of the suspects were transported to Cass County Jail and booked in. In other news, the A-PD says no injuries were reported following an accident this (Monday) morning. Officials say Derrick Wolfe, of Atlantic,  was traveling through Wal-Mart parking lot around 9-a.m., when his vehicle hit a pole. Damage to the pole was $250. Wolfe’s vehicle sustained an estimated $6,000 damage.

OTO, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say an Ida County man has drowned in an accident on the Little Sioux River near Oto in western Iowa.  Woodbury County Sheriff’s Maj. Greg Stallman says 23-year-old Derick Vielguth was with three friends when he slipped on a rock and fell into the swift-flowing river about 10:30 a.m. Sunday.  One of the friends jumped in to help but was unable to get him out of the river.  The man’s body was recovered a little before 2 p.m., about 30 yards from where he’d fallen in.