The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, discussed at length, a proposed Resolution to approve a Revolving Forgivable Loan Program and Appropriation, for non-profit organizations looking to rehabilitation houses in the community. The Resolution had specifically mentioned SHIFT ATL, a non-profit organization looking to rehab a home at 608 Hazel Street, but Councilpersons Kathy Somers and Gerald Brink objected to the original wording in the Resolution, because it was directed at SHIFT ATl and not open to other non-profits that may chose to pursue a similar course of action (Housing rehab). Both said they were in favor of the project itself, just not the way the funds are being assigned.

Somers said she wanted to separate the revolving loan portion of the resolution and create a separate resolution for an agreement with SHIFT ATL. SHIFT ATL was specifically looking to receive $65,000 from Revolving Loan Fund, which they would be required to pay back within one-year, regardless of whether the house sells or not. The home in question has what most would call “Good bones” (a solid foundation), but requires a good amount of work inside, in order to make it livable.

After 35 minutes of discussion, the Resolution was amended to read “Establishing non-profit housing rehabilitation Revolving Loan Fund with a cap of $100,000. And establishing a partnership and making a budget appropriation. Alexsis Fleener, Vice-President of SHIFT ATL, said afterward, “We will be a good example and hope that other people start non-profits and come forward and rehab more houses.”

In other business, the Atlantic City Council approved Tree Trimmer licenses for Cook Sanitation and Top Hand Tree Service. The held and passed the First Reading of an Ordinance “Amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Atlantic, by amending Chapter 106 entitled “Collection of Solid Waste.” And the Council approved a change order in the amount of $1,600 for the Atlantic Golf and Country Club drainage project.

(Update 12/17 w/2nd suspect killed) – Council Bluffs Police, Wednesday evening, said a woman wanted in connection with a shooting incident November 26th near a convenience store/gas station. Authorities say 30-year old Megan Bressman was located and arrested on a Council Bluffs Police on a warrant for Accessory After the Fact, as well as valid warrants out of Nebraska.

Megan Bressman

Bressman was located in a residence in the west end of Council Bluffs. She was apprehended alone and without incident. Bressman was transported to Pottawattamie County Corrections.

The second suspect in the shooting, Benjamin Manley, was on the run for weeks. The U.S. Border Patrol says a man later the suspect was fatally shot after his vehicle went around an immigration checkpoint in southern New Mexico. They didn’t immediately know whether the man killed himself or was struck by Border Patrol agents’ gunfire when they returned his fire during a pursuit Wednesday. The incident began at a checkpoint on a highway near Las Cruces and ended west of Truth or Consequences. The Border Patrol said a female passenger in the car was taken into custody.

A local law enforcement source said Manley was the shooter, and U.S. Marshals confirmed they are no longer looking for Manley, although the Border Patrol have not officially identified the suspect involved in the shootout.

The incident they are suspected of involvement in, happened outside of the gas station/convenience store at 1305 N. 25th Street. An adult female returning from the store was fired upon by a subject believed to be Manley. She escaped, but her vehicle was struck by two rounds fired from the weapon.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Tyson Foods says it has fired seven top managers at its largest pork plant after an independent investigation into allegations that they bet on how many workers would test positive for the coronavirus. The company said the investigation led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder revealed troubling behavior that resulted in the firings at the plant in Waterloo, Iowa. Tyson Foods President and CEO Dean Banks says the “behavior exhibited by these individuals does not represent the Tyson core values, which is why we took immediate and appropriate action.” Banks traveled to the Waterloo plant on Wednesday to discuss the actions with employees.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A panel of experts that will help decide which groups get the coronavirus vaccine first in Iowa has been holding closed meetings, circumventing the state open meetings law. The Iowa Department of Public Health convened the Infectious Disease Advisory Council to develop recommendations on how to use the vaccine when supplies are limited in the coming weeks. The panel will recommend which groups of health care workers, essential workers and people at risk for severe COVID-19 illness should be considered higher priorities than others.

Department interim director Kelly Garcia says she does not believe the council is bound by the open meetings law. She says she wants the group to have a “free flow of conversation” outside public scrutiny.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Wednesday (today), announced some “Adjustments” to the current Public Health Emergency Proclamation, effective 12:01-a.m., Thursday, through January 8th.

There are some changes for sporting events, as well.

She said also, there are some slight changes planned for Test Iowa drive-thru locations, for the Christmas Holiday.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Insurance Division has revoked the insurance license of a Garnavillo woman. The Insurance Division says Brenda Murray misrepresented the benefits, terms, and disadvantages of certain insurance policies to elderly consumers. And she advised clients to make transactions that were not suitable for the elderly consumers and were not in line with their insurance and financial goals. The division says Murray also made misrepresentations to insurance carriers, including falsely identifying herself as the consumer. In addition to revoking her license — Murray was ordered to pay 18-thousand dollars in civil penalties.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A police chief is suing the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy for injuries he suffered from a 2018 carbon monoxide leak that exposed dozens of recruits to unsafe levels of the toxic gas. Justin Lyman, police chief in the northwestern Iowa town of Newell, was among dozens of trainees sleeping in a dormitory on the academy’s Johnston campus when its ventilation systems failed. In an amended petition filed this week, Lyman said he and his roommates woke up light-headed and one of them began having a seizure after the colorless, odorless gas spread. He and 70 others were treated at a hospital. The lawsuit alleges the academy was negligent and seeks compensation for his injuries.

The CAM School District’s Board of Education, Monday night, re-elected Gary Dinkla as Board President, and Chuck Kinzie as Vice President for another term (2020-21 School Year). Their action came during a regular meeting during which they also approved a School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) Request for a Modified Supplemental Amount ($20,640) for Open Enrollment Out, and an SBRC Request for Modified Supplement Amount ($160,906) for the At-Risk/Drop-Out Prevention Program.

Superintendent Paul Croghan told KJAN the CAM School Board voted to leave their meeting dates and times unchanged. They will continue to be held the second Monday of each month at 6:30-p.m. in the Superintendent’s Office. And Lindsey Jahde was reappointed as Board Secretary/Treasurer.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The city of Des Moines will limit outdoor gatherings on public property to 30 people during the holiday season to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Mayor Frank Cownie announced this week that the limits will be effective immediately. Events such as parades, festivals and rallies had been limited to 250 people since July. The emergency proclamation also limits recreation centers to operating at 50% capacity.

The mayor said in a news release this week that he hoped continued compliance with safety protocols, combined with the arrival of a vaccine, will allow the city to get back to normal routines soon.

(Radio Iowa) – A report finds tens of thousands of Iowans are drinking water every year that’s potentially contaminated with unsafe levels of lead. Michelle Scherer, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Iowa, says one in five Iowa newborns has elevated levels of lead in their blood. “There’s really no other compelling reason,” Scherer says. “We need to be able to rationalize why we need to be spending our time as researchers and environmental advocates, as well as spending resources here in Iowa, to look at this.”

Scherer and her team found that 65-thousand Iowans are potentially at risk from drinking water with lead above 15 parts per billion, the standard set by the E-P-A where action needs to be taken to fix the problem. Researchers say Iowa only requires a water fountain or faucet to be taken out of service if lead reaches 20 parts per billion. The University of Iowa Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination, or CHEEC (CHEEK), started testing school drinking water fountains and classroom faucets for lead in spring 2019. They got through all the fountains and faucets in eight schools and gave schools money to replace them. CHEEC director David Cwiertny says lead can come from a variety of sources like drinking water fountains, pipes and plumbing.

“So it can be a very challenging issue to fix because it can be highly localized,” Cwiertny says. “One tap in one classroom might be fine. One classroom over you might have unsafe lead levels.” CHEEC sampled nearly 140 fountains and faucets in three Keokuk elementary schools. Researchers found five water samples with lead above the federal government’s standard that requires action to be taken to fix the problem. Cwiertny says CHEEC planned to test two more Iowa schools, but paused because of the pandemic.

(By Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)