Members of the Atlantic City Council have a full slate ahead for their meeting Wednesday evening at 5:30.  First-up, is action on an Order to Close the alley behind the Fireside Lounge on August 29th, from 8-a.m. until midnight, for a Street Dance. The event is nearly identical to one the Council approved last month. They’ll also act on a request from Atlas Cinemas on W. 5th Street, to place a Pepsi vending machine on the sidewalk, abutting their property. City Code allows for such requests provided goods do not extend over three feet from a building. Placement of the pop machine would still leave eight-feet of sidewalk space for foot traffic.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hold a Public Hearing on the sale of a vacated Linda Drive right-of-way, followed by action on a Resolution approving the disposal of the land to a nearby resident for just One-dollar. The Council will also discuss the partial vacating of a right-of-way between Hemlock and Sycamore Streets, south of E. 18th Street, and likely act to refer the matter to the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission.

In other action, the Atlantic City Council is expected to approve the third, and final readings of Ordinances pertaining to: Licensing of tree trimmers; Peddlers, Solicitors and Transient Merchants; Businesses or Individuals who wish to do business with or contract for, the City; and an Ordinance with regard to Truck and Large Vehicle parking. They will also hold the first reading of an Ordinance (#997), “Amending Provisions to Chapter 169,” with regard to persons residing on land in residential neighborhoods, when there is no proper home, and/or working plumbing, yet are still being occupied.

City Administrator John Lund says neighbors are “Fed up with seeing people occupying property in their neighborhood and living like it is a third world country.” The Ordinance, as it currently stands, has prevented Atlantic Police from removing those persons from the premises. The amended ordinance, developed by Code Enforcement Office Kris Erickson and Atlantic Police Chief Dave Erickson, would be broader than the current scope, and allow authorities to deal with such issues in the future. It’s likely the Council will approve the 1st reading, and waive the 2nd and 3rd readings, so that the Amended Ordinance may be in place and enacted upon, prior to this weekend. If all three readings are required, the earliest the ordinance would become effective is Sept. 4th.

The Council is also expected to set 5:30-p.m. Aug. 22nd, as the time and date for a Work Session on the “Standards, Building and Property Codes for Atlantic.” Representatives from SWIPCO and the City’s Code Enforcement Department, as well as others, will be on-hand to discuss property maintenance and conditions enforcement, and the proper tools with which to legally handle such issues as they pop-up. Persons planning on attend the session in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall, must wear a face mask, or they will be offered a disposable mask upon entry to the room. They meeting will also be televised. The public may contact City Hall or their elected representatives in advance of the meeting, to pose any questions or concerns.

Council Bluffs Police, Saturday night, arrested 25-year old Benjamin Merksick, of Council Bluffs, after they were called to a shots-fired incident, outside of a bar. Merksick faces charges that include Attempted Murder, Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon, and Going Armed with Intent. He was being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail.

Benjamin Merksick

Authorities say Officers were called to Sugars Lounge int the 2700 block of E. Kanesville Blvd. at around 11:23-p.m., Saturday, in reference to a male party shooting a gun in the parking lot. When officers arrived, they noticed that two patrons had the offender, Benjamin Merksick, on the ground. Officers were able to take Merksick into custody. After further investigation it was determined that Merksick had gotten into an argument inside the establishment and went outside to his vehicle to grab a rifle. Merksick then shot the rifle several times in the vicinity of many patrons. As Merksick was attempting to reload, two of the patrons were able to take Merksick to the ground before officers arrived. There were no injuries reported at the time of the incident.

If you have any information pertaining to the incident, please contact the Council Bluffs Police Crime Stoppers at 712-328-STOP. The incident is under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division.

Police in Red Oak, Saturday, arrested a man from Stuart on a Dept. of Corrections warrant for Violation of Parole. Authorities say 27-year old Jesse Patrick Beaman was taken into custody at around 7:30-p.m. in the 200 block of W. 3rd Street, in Red Oak. Beaman was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted in his arrest.

A Creston man seen walking in the 2000 block of Highway 34 in Montgomery County early this (Sunday) morning, was questioned and then taken into custody on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear on a charge of Assault on a person in a certain occupation. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports Anthony Wasson was arrested at around 4:30-a.m., and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on a $1,000 bond. Red Oak Police assisted Deputies in handling the arrest.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:15 a.m. CDT

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City police officers could be wearing body cameras by the end of the year. Police Chief Rex Mueller says the city council will be asked Monday to approve spending $260,000 for 120 body cameras. Mayor Bob Scott said he would be shocked if the proposal doesn’t pass unanimously. Mueller said after training, officers could be wearing the cameras late this year. Purchasing cameras is voluntary for Iowa law enforcement agencies, Sioux City has been considering them for several years but Mueller said the financing was never available because of other city priorities.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — One influential pork company has received the vast majority of payments from an Iowa program designed to support farmers who euthanized their hogs after the coronavirus devastated their industry. Newly released data shows that Christensen Farms has received $1.86 million from the Iowa Disposal Assistance Program. That’s 72% of the $2.6 million the program has paid to date. Christensen Farms is one of the nation’s largest family-owned pork producers, The Sleepy Eye, Minnesota-based company has received reimbursement payments for disposing of 46,599 euthanized hogs. The 15 other companies and farmers who have received payments reported euthanizing about 18,000 hogs combined.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A 37-year-old Waterloo man was sentenced to 15 years in prison on gun charges after he shot a man in 2019. Alberto Quinto-Pascual shot Alejandro Franco at a Waterloo apartment and Franco later died from his injuries. Quinto-Pascual was not charged with murder but was sentenced Friday in federal court on gun charges, in a move the increased his sentence. Quinto-Pascual is a citizen of Mexico, and will likely be deported following his prison time. Prosecutors said the two men met at a bar and then went to a house, where Quinto-Pascual shot Franco. Quinto-Pascual told police Franco shot himself.

UNDATED (AP) — Officials from states across the country who are hoping to expand broadband internet to underserved areas with federal money appropriated to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic are scrambling to finish the projects by the end of the year. To comply with the current CARES Act rules, states must have the broadband projects, which can typically take months if not years of planning and construction, up and running by Dec. 30. In Vermont, the Legislature cut back on what lawmakers would have liked to allocate from $100 million to less than $20 million because they didn’t believe they could have spent the larger amount on time, despite the need.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City police officers could be wearing body cameras by the end of the year. Police Chief Rex Mueller says the city council will be asked Monday to approve spending $260,000 for 120 body cameras. Mayor Bob Scott said he would be shocked if the proposal doesn’t pass unanimously. Mueller said after training, officers could be wearing the cameras late this year.

Purchasing cameras is voluntary for Iowa law enforcement agencies, Sioux City has been considering them for several years but Mueller said the financing was never available because of other city priorities.

Corning Fire and Rescue responded to an accident with injuries, early this (Saturday) morning, northeast of Corning. Officials reports crews were dispatched at around 12:48-a.m. to 2107 Corning Carl Road for a vehicle accident. Firefighters had to use the jaws of life to extricate one victim. One person was injured in the accident with unknown injuries.

Corning Ambulance and Adams County Sheriffs Department were also on scene.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 463 new coronavirus cases and 7 additional deaths today (Saturday). As of 10 a.m., IDPH reported 44,937 total positive cases in the state, 32,802 recoveries and 872 deaths. As of 10 a.m. Friday, IDPH had reported 44,474 positive cases and 865 deaths. Cass County reports two more positive COVID-19 cases for a total of 42, and the first death in the County.

A total of 480,425 Iowans have been tested for COVID-19. IDPH reported 4,804 Iowans tested the previous day, with a positivity rate of 8.2% . Health officials report 242 Iowans are currently hospitalized, up from 228 the previous day. There are 77 patients listed in intensive care, up from 71 the previous day. There are currently 35 patients on ventilators, up from 29 the previous day. There were 36 patients admitted in the last 24 hours, up from 31 the previous day.

Hospitals in western/southwest Iowa report: 14 people are hospitalized with COVID-19; eight are in an ICU; one person was recently admitted, and three people are on a ventilator. The IDPH Dashboard current County/Positive Case count/reported recoveries (   ), and the number of deaths to date (if any)  {    }:

• Cass: 42 [2 more than yesterday] (34) {1 death}
• Adair: 20 (16)
• Adams: 15 (10)
• Audubon: 28 [1 more than yesterday] (15) {1}
• Guthrie: 125 [1 more than Friday] (79) {5}
• Montgomery: 42 (29) {3}
• Pottawattamie: 1,171 (776) {21}
• Shelby: 156 [2 more than Friday] (131) {1 death}

There are currently COVID-19 outbreaks in 22 of Iowa’s long-term care facilities. IDPH reported 748 positive cases and 318 recoveries. There have been 470 deaths in Iowa’s long-term care facilities.

The Iowa Department of Public Health displays the latest coronavirus information in real time on this website

w/ Chris Parks

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The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office located a stolen vehicle near Sidney early Saturday morning and made an arrest. Deputies were advised at 12:58 a.m. of a report of a truck stolen out of Council Bluffs that was possibly in the Sidney area. Deputies located the vehicle on Highway 2 near 350th Avenue, east of Sidney.

After stopping the vehicle, the driver 57-year-old Ralph Peterson of Council Bluffs was arrested for Theft 1st Degree and Theft 5th Degree. He was taken into custody without incident and held in the Fremont County Jail on $10,000 bond.