(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Director the Atlantic Public Library, this (Wednesday) evening, informed the Atlantic City Council, about a national grant the library has received. Michelle Andersen said the grant is from the American Library Association (ALA), and is for small and rural libraries, to help them be more accessible. Atlantic’s Library received a grant last year, as well.

Atlantic was one of 310 libraries selected to participate in round two of the Libraries Transforming Communities initiative. Part of the conditions to receiving the grant, is to hold a Community Conversation about ways the library can better serve persons who may have trouble accessing services the library provides, either because they don’t understand technology, or they have learning issues.

Atlantic Public Library Director Michelle Andersen (8-7-24_)

Some of the ideas she suggested in order to get the grant, include beginning a “Next Chapter Book Club.”

Everyone is invited to visit the library to attend one of the conversations, which will be offered: Tuesday, Aug. 13^th at 2-p.m.; Wed., Aug. 14^th, at 10-a.m., and Thursday, Aug. 15^th, at Noon. If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, and cannot attend one of the three meetings, please call Michelle Andersen at 712-243-5466, or email atlanticpubliclibrary@gmail.com

Atlantic City Council meeting, 8-7-24

In other business, the City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday evening took action on approving an Order to close certain streets in Atlantic on Saturday, Aug. 10th, for AtlanticFest. The list of streets can be found in our story posted Monday night on the kjan.com News page (See the list below if you missed it). The streets will be closed from 5-a.m. until 6-p.m.

The Council also passed a Resolution “Setting the date for a Public Hearing on a proposed Ordinance vacating the 66-foot wide street Right-Of-Way (ROW),” beginning west of the ROW line of Laurel Street extended, then west to the east property line of the Iowa Interstate Railroad (a parcel approx. .7″ of an acre). The request (Which was previously heard during the Council’s meeting on May 1st), was from property owner Rob Stamp, who wants to have additional access to his property by means of cutting the curb on the vacated area, pouring a driveway, and maintaining it as another entrance.

The Council also held and passed the 3rd and final reading of an Ordinance that rezones the Camblin Hills Subdivision from R-2 (Low Density/Single Family) residential to R-4 (Multifamily) residential. The first reading was passed during the Council’s meeting on July 10th.

In other business, the Council acted on an Order approving a bid from Tim Beadle, for 411 Birch Street, in the amount of $5,350. The City’s Personnel and Finance Committee has endorsed his bid. City Councilperson Elaine Otte said Beadle intends to demolish the house currently on the property, and build a new, modern home. The final order of business is action on a proposal to move the Sept. 18th City Council meeting to Sept. 16th, due to the Annual Iowa League of Cities Conference.

Street closures for AtlanticFest:

• Chestnut Street (both lanes), from 6th to 7th St.
• Chestnut (both lanes), from 2nd to 6th.
• 6th Street (Both lanes) from Walnut to Chestnut.
• 6th Street (Both lanes) from Chestnut to Poplar.
• 5th Street from Chestnut to 1/2 block east of the alley before the Post Office.
• 5th Street from Chestnut to Poplar.
• 4th Street from Chestnut to 1/2 block east, right before the alley.
• 4th Street from Chestnut to Poplar.
• 3rd Street from Walnut to Poplar.

Walnut Street will remain open.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa investors are watching carefully as the global stock markets begin to rebound, following Monday’s sweeping selloff. Financial planner Jim Tausz of Clarion says things are beginning to move more positively for Iowans who follow the stock market, though there are still some looming clouds.

“I think we’re going to have a lot of volatility between now and maybe a month or two at the most,” Tausz says, “before we end up having Election Day.” While there are concerns, Tausz says the market’s shifting can also be seen as an opportunity, though he notes the tech sector has been dramatically impacted.

“What you’re seeing is the reaction that we’re getting to inflation and interest rates right now, and also the comments that are being made by each side, I’m talking about Democrats and Republicans right now, which are very contradictive of each other,” Tausz says, “and so I think people are getting just a little bit frustrated.”

Tausz says investors need to monitor their portfolios, though he says the Dow Jones was in positive territory at midday (Wednesday).

(Radio Iowa) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced it has so far approved $61 million in assistance for Iowans dealing with damage from this spring’s flooding, tornadoes and severe weather.

According to a news release from the agency, FEMA has approved assistance for more than 5000 Iowa households. That includes $56 million in Individual Assistance to cover home repairs and other expenses that are not covered by insurance. Renters and home owners in 28 Iowa counties that have been declared Presidential Disaster Areas are eligible to apply for FEMA’s Individual Assistance grants. The deadline for applications is Friday, August 23.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance program has paid over $5 million to Iowa policyholders.

(Radio Iowa) – First district Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Davenport says Democrats making abortion a key issue in their campaigns have nothing else to run on. “They have high gas prices, high food prices, high interest rates so young people can’t buy a house and don’t think they can get ahead in the United States,” Miller-Meeks said yesterday during a campaign stop in Mount Pleasant. “They have open borders with record amounts of fentanyl coming across the border.”

Christina Bohannan, the Democrat running against Miller-Meeks, has just released a campaign ad accusing Miller-Meeks of “pushing to ban all abortions nationwide with no exceptions for rape or incest.” On the campaign trail, Bohannan cites Miller-Meeks’ previous support of a constitutional amendment that says life begins “at fertilization,” which would ban all abortions. Miller-Meeks did not sign on as a co-sponsor of the proposal during the current two-year session of congress. “I am pro-life with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother,” Miller-Meeks said. “I’ve been very consistent on that.”

Last year, Miller-Meeks voted to set five-year-old prison sentences for health care providers who do not try to save the life of a baby that’s born alive during an attempted abortion. The bill was opposed by Democrats. “That is an extreme position such as North Korea and China have,” Miller-Meeks said. “That is not in keeping with the majority of Americans and the majority of Iowans.”

A 2003 federal law bans so-called “partial birth” abortions and it is considered murder to kill a baby that is born alive.

(Radio Iowa) – The attorneys general from Iowa, Nebraska and nine other states are asking the Environmental Protection Agency to make it clear there’s a national standard for labeling of Roundup and other weed killers that contain glyphosate. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird says a new E-P-A rule is needed because California has proposed cancer warnings on Roundup and other products that contain the world’s most commonly used herbicide. “If we don’t stop it now…the glyphosate situation — that is just the tip of the iceberg. There will be other things that states like California try to do to tell our farmers how to farm and that future will make it very hard for farmers to be able to grow their crops, which is what it’s all about,” Bird says. “Food does not come from a grocery store. It comes from a farm.”

The E-P-A has said glyphosate is not likely to cause cancer in humans and in November, a federal appeals court ruled in favor of Monsanto — the maker of Roundup — and said California did not have authority to require a cancer warning on Roundup’s label. Bird says it’s time for the E-P-A to set things straight.”Farmers have a lot to deal with…sometimes low crop prices, high input prices, natural disasters,” Bird says. “They shouldn’t have to worry about the types of things that are happening in other states on the coasts to figure out how they’re going to make their family farm work.”

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers says it’s about protecting the freedom to farm. “What we’re trying to do with our action today is to ensure access to this critical input,” Hilgers says, “…to give our farmers the option that they’ve had for decades to be able to use this technology to be able to manage their own crops and be able to help produce the that come out of Iowa and Nebraska.”

Kevin Ross, a farmer from Underwood who’s a former president of the National Corn Growers Association, joined the attorneys general at a news conference this (Wednesday) morning in Omaha. Ross told reporters there is no real substitute for glyphosate. “It’s been one of the most tested chemicals ever on the marketplace and it’s known to be safe and very effective,” Ross said, “so EPA — set the regulations, do your job in DC and let us farmers do our job on the ground here in the U.S.”

Monsanto’s attorneys have argued that a warning label on Roundup violates the company’s First Amendment right to be free from compelled speech that it disagrees with. This spring, the Iowa Senate passed a bill to block lawsuits against farm chemical companies based on how the products are labeled, but it stalled in the House. Similar bills were introduced in other states. Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, has settled about 100-thousand lawsuits and the company estimates there are more than 50-thousand pending.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors met Wednesday morning (Aug. 7), and approved certain Township Clerk wages. They acknowledged receipt of the Fiscal Year 24 Veteran’s Affairs Director and Commissioners report, and approved a Longevity Raise for Secondary Roads Dept. Employee Nathan Jensen. In his report to the Supervisors, Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman said bid letting will be held August 20^th on crack-sealing projects. He mentioned also a couple of posted bridge weight reductions will be in effect soon due to deteriorating bridge pilings.

The Board will act next week on a Resolution to update all the bridge weight postings. Kauffman said they will try to get replacements for both bridges within the next couple of years, because repairs are just too expensive. Other projects include those affecting the Henry Wallace Road, and a bridge deck pouring.

Kauffman said also, they will receive a check next week from FEMA on tornado damage clean-up (such as tree grinding, etc.), and the County’s insurance company has agreed to let the Secondary Roads Department replace some of the equipment that was destroyed. FEMA representatives are expected to be on-site Friday to take a look at the clean-up efforts and costs incurred so far.

That includes the cost of equipment and personnel labor-rate hours. Kauffman said he’s had a good working relationship with FEMA officials since the EF-4 tornado destroyed a good part of Greenfield and sections of the Adair County.

(Radio Iowa) – A northeast Iowa lake is seeing its first major renovation in about 70 years. Martens Lake has been a part of the Sweet Marsh Wildlife Management Area in Bremer County since the 1950s but has remained virtually untouched. That’s changing, as Iowa DNR wildlife biologist Dan Kirby says they’re widening the lake’s channels to improve boat access, and they’re making the channels deeper to improve habitat for fish and waterfowl. “This lake does have a history of having some invasive aquatic species,” Kirby says. “It should help us to have the ability to more easily manage a couple of those problems.”

The lake has battled watermilfoil and brittle naiad for the past several decades. Kirby says watermilfoil is particularly troublesome as it chokes out native aquatic plants and fish. “Because we have channels now, we should be able to draw that water down, confine the fish into a smaller area,” he says, “and deal with some of those aquatic plant issues we’ve been having in the past.”

The lake is about 30 miles north of Waterloo. The renovation is expected to be completed by September.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Police Department say six people were arrested between July 27th and August 1st.

On August 1st, Atlantic Police arrested: 19-year-old Ryder Burk, of Atlantic, for Burglary in the 3rd Degree, and Theft in the 1st Degree; and, 34-year-old Justin Hay, of Atlantic, was arrested for Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree.

On July 30th, 33-year-old Sean Chamberlin, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI (Operating While under the Influence). 32-year-old Gage Ray, of Atlantic, was arrested July 28th, for Domestic Abuse Assault, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and on two-counts of Assault while displaying a dangerous weapon.

And, on July 27th, Atlantic Police arrested 26-year-old Jeff Edgar and 37-year-old Rinanten Amo, both of Atlantic. They were charged with Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts. Amo was additionally charged with Disorderly Conduct.

Each of those individuals were taken into custody and transported to the Cass County Jail, where they were booked-in. The Jail Roster shows none of the aforementioned persons remained in jail as of August 7th.

The Police Department reports also, two women were cited into court on shoplifting charges. 62-year-old Julie Peck, of Walnut, was cited July 25th, and 43-year-old Stacie Hansen, of Atlantic, was cited August 5th. In addition, 44-year-old Dawn Theisen, of Atlantic, was cited for Child Endangerment.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken provided his regular report to the Board of Supervisors, Tuesday morning. That included an update on storm damage and related clean-up, RAGBRAI and upcoming projects.

Wolken reminded the Board about the Cass County Safety Action Plan workshop, which takes place August 27^th.

Once the County gets it’s Safety Action Plan put together, the County will be eligible for funding. Wolken said intersections and curves are some areas where he wants added safety measures installed that is provided by the funding.

Wolken says they’ll look at crash data to determine where additional illumination of intersections, sight-distance issues, and other measures would make it safer for drivers, but there’s not a whole lot of incidents in the county that are caused by those type of problems. “A lot of them are paved intersections with State roads, for some reasons.”

He said also, the Secondary Roads Department is looking at obtaining some additional equipment, such as boxes for trucks that are on-hand, and three pieces of equipment that are on-order.