(Atlantic,Iowa) – The Atlantic Park and Recreation Department Park Advisory Commission is set to meet Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 28th), at the Parks and Rec Office at 1200 Sunnyside Lane. During their 3:30-p.m. Session, the Commission is expected to elect a chairman and vice chairman.

They will also discuss old programs and new ideas. And, they’re expected to hear a presentation from Vicki Nordskog, with regard to Mollett Park.

The commission held its first meeting last month. Parks Coordinator Jeff Christensen said during the last meeting on January 24^th, that he envisioned the commission as one that would take community input and come up with ideas for the park to get a variety of opinions when it comes to programs and activities.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill under consideration in the Iowa House would lower the state tax rate for Iowa’s state-licensed casinos to be at or near the tax rate for casinos in Nebraska and Missouri. Illinois casinos have variable tax rates, based on the size of the market and the games offered. Mark Joyce is a lobbyist for the company that operates the Diamond Jo casinos in Northwood and Dubuque. Joyce says lowering taxes would be a welcome move. Lobbyist Doug Struyk represents the Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington, which he says is facing competition from new casinos in Illinois. Struyk also represents Caesars Entertainment which owns the Horseshoe and Harrah’s casinos in Council Bluffs that soon will be competing with a new casino in Omaha.

Gaming revenue for all three Council Bluffs casinos began to dip when the WarHorse Casino in Lincoln opened in September of 2022 and Harrah’s opened in Columbus, Nebraska in June of last year. Struyk says that has slowed the flow of gamblers from Nebraska into Iowa. Another WarHorse Casino is expected to open in Omaha by August of this year. Representative Jane Bloomingdale is sponsoring the bill to gradually lower Iowa’s casino taxes over a three year period. She’s from Northwood. The state-licensed Diamond Jo casino is nearby.

Bloomingdale’s bill has cleared a House subcommittee, but one member of the panel said she’s concerned cutting casino taxes will lower the amount of money deposited in the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund. Money from the fund is used on a variety of projects, from lake dredging to constructing or repairing state-owned buildings.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak, Monday, arrested 23-year-old Brandon Lane Good, of Red Oak. Officials say Good was taken into custody at around 6:40-p.m. in the 200 block of E. Hammond Street, on an active Pottawattamie County warrant for Failure To Appear on a Driving while license denied or revoked, charge. Good was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond, or until extradition to Pott. County.

Monona, Iowa – One person was injured during a collision Monday morning in northeastern Iowa’s Allamakee County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the crash happened just before 9-a.m. north of Monona, near the intersection of County Road X26 and Smithfield Drive.

Investigators say a 2007 Chevy Impala driven by 18-year-old Carter Mielke, of Monona, was traveling southbound when it crossed the centerline and struck a 2019 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 42-year-old Jeremy Geisler, of Waucoma, that was traveling northbound.

Mielke – who was wearing his seat belt – was injured in the collision. He was flown by helicopter to Gunderson Hospital. There is no word on his condition at this time.

REDFIELD, Iowa [WHO-TV] – Multiple Dallas County fire crews battled a fire in downtown Redfield on Monday afternoon that severely damaged a bar and restaurant. Crews from Dallas, Guthrie and Madison Counties were called to the Dexfield Diner & Pub around Noon on Monday. Initial reports were that flames were shooting from the windows of the two-story building. Thick smoke was still pouring from the building more than an hour after first reports. The restaurant was closed as owner, Steve Roberts, spent the morning cleaning and preparing his business for the week ahead when the fire started.

There are no reports of injuries at this time. As the business burned, Dallas County Conservation officials worked with community members to remove relics and pieces from the neighboring museum from the Civil War up through the Gulf War. Firefighters were able to prevent the blaze from spreading. The center portion of the building is a total loss, and the cause is unknown at this time.  (Photos from the Stuart Fire Dept. Facebook page)