(Red Oak, Iowa) – A Pottawattamie County man was arrested a little after 2-a.m. today (Tuesday), following a traffic stop in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, officers arrested 44-year-old Matt Len Staley, of Oakland, on a Felony charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (A simple misdemeanor). Staley was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 bond. Red Oak Police were assisted during the incident by the Mills County K9 “Judge,” and Mills County Sheriff’s Deputies.

(Radio Iowa) – Ten million Americans camped for the first time during the height of the pandemic according to Campgrounds America and — with the popularity of R-V campgrounds growing — a city in the one of Iowa’s tourism hot spots is reviewing its zoning rules for R-V parks. Okoboji City Administrator Michael Meyers says R-V camping is currently allowed in his city’s commercial district along the Highway 71 corridor.

“It just kind of came up here and we kind of started doing a hard look at our own zoning text and trying to figure out how we fit into that puzzle,” Meyers said. “I think the feel of the community is that we want to make that a conditional use moving forward.” Making property use conditional in a commercial zone gives Okoboji residents a chance to provide input.

“Our zoning districts are generally split into two different sections: permissible uses and conditional uses,” he said. “Conditional uses generally require much more approvals from the city including going through the Planning and Zoning Commission as well as going to the Board of Adjustment, notification of neighbors and just some heightened regulations around the specific use.”

Okoboji’s Planning and Zoning Commission will meet soon to consider these changes, which would ultimately have to be approved by Okoboi’s City Council. According to the R-V industry, more than 50 new campgrounds and R-V parks opened this summer in the United States.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board, Monday evening, discussed entry into Sunnyside Pool, in light of a staff shortage, and the possibility of increasing the Hotel/Motel Tax to pay for a Splash Pad and other, related matters. Parks Director Bryant Rasmussen appeared before the Board electronically, as he and two of his staff are out with COVID. Another staffer is out for a few more days with the virus. Rasmussen said some season pass holders to Sunnyside Pool have threatened to ask for reimbursement of their pass costs if they can’t get priority when there is limited admission to the pool when there are only one or two lifeguards on duty.

Bryant says the lifeguards are doing the best they can with the staff they have.

He says “Typically, pools lose money every single year. It’s a service we provide to the City of Atlantic.” Any money they do make is off gate fees and the concession stand. Rasmussen said “We’re doing our best to try and get as many patrons into [and out] of the pool as we possibly can, with respect to the amount of staff that we currently have there. Parks Board member John Krogman said understands the frustrations of season pass holders.

Krogman says “It’s an unfortunate situation given how staffing is at our pool and many other pools are around the State right now, but I don’t think we can limit [pool entry] or give preferential treatment just because you have a seasonal pass.” As it stands, there are four lifeguard available currently, three more are coming, and one more is coming in July. The issue is not just staffing the pool, it’s making sure the applicants pass the swimming test before they can be certified.

The staff they currently have, are working 40 or more hours per week.

In other Parks and Rec News, Board Chair Jolene Smith said she has been talking with Atlantic City Clerk Barb Barrick about getting more money to come into the pool, and increasing the amount of the hotel/motel tax from the current 4% to the maximum 7%, would be the best way to bring in more funds, especially when it comes to acquiring a splash pad, which surveys have indicated, is a desire of the people to have. The last time a measure to increase the hotel/motel tax went before the voters, was in November, 2017. The proposed three-percent increase failed by more than 53% of the vote. Smith said the Parks Department needs to do a better job of promoting what the funds would be used for.

If a proposed measure to increase the tax to 7%, it would come very close to paying for a splash pad project, Smith said. The Board agreed to continue with discussion during a work session.

(Avoca, Iowa) – A semi tractor-trailer rollover Monday afternoon, north of Avoca, has apparently resulted in only minor injuries. According to scanner traffic, the accident happened at around 4:48-p.m. near Avoca Regional Water, off Highway 59, north of Interstate 80 and Shelby County Road F-66.

Additional information is currently not available.

(Guthrie Center) – A teenager from Bayard was cited following a rollover accident at around 5:30-p.m. on June 15th. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says 14-year-old Taytum Odel Bates was traveling east on School Street in Guthrie Center. Where the road transitioned from paved to gravel, the 2006 Ford Ranger Bates was driving began operating in what authorities said was a “reckless fashion intentionally fishtailing on the gravel.”

The pickup fish-tailed for about 300 feet before the passenger side tires entered the south ditch. Bates over-corrected, causing the vehicle to skid across the road and enter the north ditch, where it overturned. Bates was not wearing his seat belt, and suffered suspected minor, non-incapacitating injuries. He was helped out of the truck by friends who had been following in a second vehicle.

The Sheriff’s Office says Bates was not part of the pickup owners’ family, and he was driving on a school permit. He was cited for Violation of the conditions of a minor’s school license, and Careless Driving. The pickup sustained $6,000 damage, and was a total loss.