Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce have announced a new attraction will take to the sky at AtlanticFest during the early morning hours of Saturday, August 11th.  Weather permitting, the gas torch will fire and a colorful hot air balloon will anchor down to four full sized trucks and offer tethered rides to AtlanticFest attendees in promotion of Atlantic Fly Iowa scheduled for mid September.  The balloon will be prepped for take-off at 8 a.m. and rides will begin at 9 a.m. lasting until the winds and weather conditions become unfavorable. Rides are $10 each and minors will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Tethered balloon rides will also be available at the September 15th Air Show, as well as helicopter rides, many displays of rare and unique aircraft, and a large bomber.  For more information about AtlanticFest or Fly Iowa visit AtlanticIowa.com or call the Chamber at 712.243.3017

A campaign official has released additional information about President Barack Obama’s visit to Council Bluffs on Monday, August 13th. The campaign reports  the president will be in Bayliss Park in downtown Council Bluffs, with entry to the park allowed beginning at 9:15 a.m. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required for entrance.

One ticket per person will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets for the event will be available beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Organizing for America Council Bluffs office at 1851 Madison Ave., Suite 200, or the Organizing for America Omaha office at 347 N. 76th St. in Omaha.

Obama’s stop in Council Bluffs is part of a three-day campaign trip in Iowa, making his longest visit to a single state yet as he works to reach deeper into battleground states. It will be Obama’s fifth trip to Iowa this year and is similar to that of his 2008 Iowa caucus campaign. His Republican challenger in the November election, Mitt Romney was in Iowa this week.  Romney held a private fundraiser Tuesday night and a public event Wednesday morning at a Des Moines high school. It was Romney’s fourth visit to Iowa since clinching the GOP nomination.

Obama’s visit will begin Monday, and he’ll wend his way across the state with stops in smaller cities less often visited by presidents seeking re-election, campaign aides said. After Council Bluffs, he’ll go to Boone, then stop Tuesday in Marshalltown, Oskaloosa and Waterloo before closing the trip with events in Dubuque and Davenport on Wednesday. First lady Michelle Obama is expected to join the president for the Wednesday events.

Although a stop at the iconic Iowa State Fair in Des Moines is not on Obama’s preliminary schedule, the president often makes unannounced stops – and the fair will be entering its fifth day as Obama arrives.

A company clearing dead trees from a roadside ditch in Pottawattamie County is offering a $7,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person of persons responsible for the theft of two Caterpillar Skid Steer loaders, and the recovery of the machines.

A similar model Caterpillar Skid Steer machine to those stolen from Pottawattamie County.

Next Phase Environmental had been contracted by the State of Iowa to clear the dead trees from the roadside ditch along Interstate 29, north of Council Bluffs.

The Pott. County Sheriff’s Department says during the last week, two Caterpillar Skid Steers belonging to the company were stolen. They’re valued at about $150,000. Anyone with information is asked to call the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office at (712) 890-2200 or Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-7867.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three people were arrested Wednesday on unrelated charges. 18-year old Kameron Nicholas Burg, of Atlantic,  turned himself in on a Sheriff’s Office on a warrant for Interference with Official Acts. Burg was booked in to the Cass County Jail where he awaits hearing before the Magistrate.

Officers with the Atlantic Police Department arrested 32-year old John Oliver Knight,  of Atlantic, Wednesday, on Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrants for Driving While Barred, Driving Under Suspension, and No SR22 Insurance. Knight was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $2,650 bond.

And 20-year old Michael Andrew McConnell,  of Atlantic,  turned himself in to authorities, Wednesday. McConnell was wanted on a Sheriff’s Office warrant for Interference with Official Acts. He  was taken to the Cass County Jail where he is being held until hearing before the Magistrate.