The Atlantic City Council will hold public hearings during their meeting Wednesday evening, with regard to the sale of two residential properties the City holds the titles to. The first pertains to 807 Elm Street. City Attorney Dave Wiederstein will recommend the Council approve sale of the property to Janet Jordan for the fair market price of $100, subject to her executing a demolition agreement that will require her to put up a bond, letter of credit or cash deposit to assure that the building is demolished in a timely manner.

The second property is at 203 Locust Street. Wiederstein advertised for sealed bids on the property at the Council’s direction during their last meeting because there was more than one person interested in it. The bid opening is scheduled to take place prior to the Council’s 5:30-p.m. session, Wednesday. The successful bidder will have to meet the same demolition and bond criteria as with the 807 Elm Street property. Following the public hearings on both properties, the Council will act on approving resolutions approving the disposal and/or sale of each respective property.

The Council is also expected to act on approving the 2014 Budget for Atlantic Municipal Utilities. City Administrator Doug Harris says the bottom line is that electric revenues and expenses are projected to increase 9.3-percent in 2014, with water revenues and expenses budgeted to increase 3.4-percent.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council is expected to act on: Authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with Snyder and Associates Engineers for design engineering services associated with the Highway 6/7th Street reconstruction project; Authorizing the Mayor to enter into a contract with Fox Engineering to conduct a Nutrient Reduction Study (at a cost of $15,000) for the City’s Wastewater Treament Plant; Approval of the sale of surplus police cruisers; And, authorize the Mayor to execute a Retainer Agreement for legal services for 2014 with David Wiederstein in the amount of $15,000, which is an annual increase of 2.5-percent. The rate had not been changed since 2008.

The Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency reports the Boil Water Order which had been in place for the City of Villisca following a water main break, has been lifted, effective today.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The man who leads special schools for deaf and blind students in Iowa has announced plans to retire.  Patrick Clancy, superintendent of the Iowa School for the Deaf and the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, has notified the Board of Regents of his plans to retire effective June 30. Clancy has led the school for the blind in Vinton since August 2008. In 2012, the regents put him in charge of both schools after superintendent Jeanne Prickett of the Council Bluffs-based school for the deaf left for a job in Florida.

The regents are expected to accept Clancy’s retirement during a telephone meeting Wednesday, and authorize a search for his replacement.  Former Regent Rose Vasquez, who left the board in 2011, is expected to lead the search committee.

Authorities found what is being called a “shocking amount of child pornography” during a search of a doctor’s home in southwest Iowa. Sixty-eight-year-old Dr. Dennis Jones, a pediatrician in Council Bluffs, is accused of sexually abusing a five-year-old girl. He’s scheduled to go on trial in January. Several searches of Dr. Jones’ home have been conducted since May and authorities say two computers and eight hard drives were seized.

The number of pornographic files allegedly found and their nature has not been released. Jones says he’s innocent. If convicted, he could face a 50-year prison sentence.

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say a man was arrested this (Tuesday) morning after authorities received a call about an allegedly intoxicated person at the Montgomery County Courthouse. Upon arrival and an investigation, deputies arrested 27-year old Joshua Trevor Hughes, of Red Oak, on a charge of Public Intoxication. He was taken into custody at around 9-a.m.

Hughes was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.