DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Former President George W. Bush is scheduled to visit Iowa this fall to serve as the featured speaker at a fundraiser for a Des Moines charity.

Bush will speak Oct. 14 at a dinner for Trailhead International Builders, a Christian nonprofit group based in Ankeny that raises money to build church and community centers in developing nations. The event will be held at the Iowa Events Center. Tickets go on sale June 30.

Bush, a Republican, was president from 2001 to 2009.

Representatives of 1st Whitney Bank and Trust are set to appear before the Atlantic City Council Wednesday evening to announce a proposal pertaining to the City’s 150th Anniversary in 2018. According to City Administrator John Lund, the proposal is for a permanent improvement, a gift to the community. No other details were released. The meeting gets underway at City Hall, beginning at 5:30-p.m.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hear from Nella Seivert, owner of Medivac, with regard to the services the EMS company provides to the City. And, Street Department Superintendent Derald Anderson will make a report on his department’s activities.

The Council is also expected to act on a Resolution setting the salaries of Appointed Officers and Employees of the City for Fiscal Year 2017-18 that begins July 1st. Those employees include the Police Dept. Confidential Secretary and Secretary Dispatcher, along with the Parks and Rec Dept. Tennis Coordinator.

And, City Clerk Barb Barrick will explain a new format for handling Financial Reports, which purportedly make it easier to understand how calculations are made across the rows, and showing the difference between the Clerks Report..which shows checks the City has written but not yet cashed…and, the Treasurer’s Report, which reflects the bank balances.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A third former Winnebago Tribal Council member has pleaded guilty to his role in stealing from the tribe’s casino in Iowa. The Sioux City (Iowa) Journal reports that Charles Aldrich entered the plea Monday in U.S. District Court in Omaha.

Aldrich is one of nine former council members accused of a conspiracy to siphon more than $327,000 from the WinneVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa. Lawrence Payer and Louis Houghton pleaded guilty last month to the same charge: theft from a gaming establishment on Indian lands. They await sentencing.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Formerly unmarked graves of Civil War veterans have received new white tombstones at an Iowa city’s cemetery. The Sioux City Journal reports that 20 men buried at Floyd Cemetery in Sioux City were recently identified after city staff did some research.

Tim Tushla is the city’s cemeteries supervisor. He says the new tombstones are good progress, but there are still empty spots in the cemetery which could be more unidentified soldiers. The installation of the new tombstones is part of a larger effort to improve the cemetery. Old trees have been removed, old concrete is being replaced, and older gravestones are being repaired.

The graves will be rededicated Saturday during a ceremony with members of Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War dressed in Civil War-era military attire.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Company officials say construction delays are pushing back the opening of a $300 million pork plant in Sioux City. The Sioux City Journal reports that the Seaboard Trump Foods plant was expected to begin production around July 31. But chief operating officer Mark Porter says more time’s needed to get equipment in place and finish the commissioning process before commercial processing can get underway.

Porter says the new potential startup dates under consideration are Aug. 25 and Sept. 4. The joint venture between Seaboard Foods and Triumph Foods will have the capacity to slaughter 21,000 hogs a day. The plant is expected to employ around 2,000 people by the time a second shift begins operation in May 2018.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has for the first time issued a statewide order prohibiting weapons in courthouses and other public areas used by the state court system. Chief Justice Mark Cady says in the order released Tuesday that it does not affect peace officers.

It does, however, ban other visitors from carrying weapons into courthouses. The order requires the chief judge in each judicial district to work with local officials to carry out the order in all 99 counties but does not specify how weapons would be detected.

Currently 72 counties prohibit weapons in courthouses but just nine have airport-like magnetometers at entrances. The court says 27 counties have no known courthouse weapons ban. Cady says current policies are inconsistent and must be corrected, “to uniformly protect all Iowans.”

Officials with the Cass County Health System (CCHS) in Atlantic said Tuesday, that the Diagnostic Imaging Department at CCHS recently held a Sports Drink Drive. Employees donated water, sports drinks, and cash towards the project. They donated 841 bottled drinks to the Atlantic, CAM, and Griswold High Schools for their summer athletes to use.

(In the photo below are some of the members of the Diagnostic Imaging team. Left to right: Jess Sandbothe, Mindi Macha, Carrie Schmitt, Jordan Keysor, Claudia Mullen, Brian Juhl, Stephanie Drees, Melanie Bishop, and Steph Drogo.)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s last health care insurer to sell policies to individuals statewide through the federal Affordable Care Act is seeking a 43.5 percent increase in premium rates for next year.

Minnesota-based Medica says the increase is necessary to remain in Iowa.

Company Vice President Geoff Bartsh said Monday that a number of risks remain with its decision to be the lone statewide provider. Medica will re-evaluate the decision in September before contracts to provide coverage in Iowa are signed.

The company insures about 12,500 Iowans through the Affordable Care Act exchange which offers subsidies for those meeting income guidelines and about 1,400 who buy their own insurance off the exchange.

Iowa is seeking a waiver that would allow it to repurpose federal subsidies to attract younger, healthier individuals into the market.

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Board met on Monday evening in the council chambers at City Hall and progress at the Shildberg Recreation Area was a big topic of discussion. Atlantic Parks and Recreation Director Seth Staashelm said work is going on this week to plant trees, install fire rings, and begin sewer line installation for the campground.

Some shoreline stabilization work is being done around lake 3 at Shildberg’s and long term plans are in mind to eventually connect the lake 2 trail to a full circle.

The board also discussed the Sunnyside Pool Renovation plans and Staashelm is encouraging the public to comment on the project so the plans can be shaped by the community.

Discussion also began on forming a committee to look into improving the little league complex into a larger sports complex that other sports can take advantage of.

A summer series of Movies in the Park also starts up this Friday with some added fun activities for the kids.

w/Chris Parks.

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