An Exira man has been arrested on Domestic Abuse and other charges after an incident Wednesday.  The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office arrested 57-year-old Charles Floyd Darrell for Domestic Abuse Assault 3rd, Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Normal Breathing, and False Report to Communications with Public Safety Entities.

The charges stem from an incident at Darrell’s residence in the 1400 block of 300th Street on Wednesday, October 7th.  He was taken to the Audubon County Jail and held on $5,000 bond.  A preliminary hearing was set for October 22nd at 9:30am.

A committee hoping to see a positive outcome for an $875,000 bond measure on November 3rd in Atlantic, is offering the public additional chances prior to the vote, to tour the second and third floors of the Atlantic City Hall. Funds from the bond, if approved, would be used for improvements, including making those floors handicapped accessible, and allowing for the space to be user friendly for private and public events.

The ReOpen 2nd Floor of City Hall Committee says an open house will be held Friday (Oct. 9th), at 4:30-p.m., after the Homecoming Parade, and on Saturday (Oct. 10th), from 4-until 6-p.m., before the Atlantic Fireman’s Parade. Two additional open houses will be held during Produce in the Park next Thursday (Oct. 15th, from 5:30-until 7:30-p.m., and on Saturday, Oct. 31st, from 2:30-to 4:30-p.m., and then again from 7:30-until 9-p.m. You’re invited to wear a costume during the Halloween Open House.

The events will give you a chance to tour of the second and third floors of City Hall that have, until just recently, been closed to the public for approximately 40 years.

Montgomery County Auditor/Election Commissioner Stephanie Burke reminds residents in her county that Absentee Ballots are available and absentee voting is underway, in advance of the Nov. 3rd City Elections.

Burke says 5-p.m. Friday, October 23rd is the deadline to pre-register to vote for the Regular City Election. That applies to registration in person (including registration at driver’s license stations or agencies) or by mail. After Friday, a person may register to vote at the Auditor’s Office and vote an absentee ballot. The process is the same as for registering to vote on Election Day and specific documentation must be provided. If possible, please register before Election Day.

Friday, October 30th at 5-p.m. is the deadline to request an Absentee Ballot be mailed to your for the Regular City Election. And, Tuesday, November 3rd, is Election Day. The polls will be open in Montgomery County from 7-a.m. until 8-p.m.

Polling Places include: Red Oak Gold Fair Building (Precinct 1), Red Oak Fire Station (Precinct 2), First Christian Church (Precinct 3), Elliott Community Building (Precinct 4), Grant Fire Station (Precinct 5), Stanton Fire Department (Precinct 6) and Villisca Community Building (Precinct 7)

Those requesting Absentee Ballots by mail should complete their requests as soon as possible and return them to the Auditor’s Office. The Montgomery County Auditor’s Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. If anyone has questions about voter registration, absentee ballots, or voting, call the Auditor’s Office at 712-623-5127 or visit www.montgomerycountyiowa.com

The Atlantic Police Department reports six people were arrested over the past week. 23-year old Ashly Rollins, of Atlantic, was arrested Wednesday on two charges of Possession of a Schedule 4 controlled substances (Prescription drugs), Unlawful Possession of a Prescription Drug, Operating under the influence, and Driving while license denied or revoked.

On Tuesday, officers with the A-PD arrested 34-year old Chad Ewing, of Atlantic, for Public Intoxication. And as we reported earlier, Harold Shoemaker, of Atlantic, was arrested Monday on a warrant for Failure to Appear in Court.

Last Friday, Atlantic Police arrested 33-year old Melanie Mullen, of Atlantic, for Theft in the 5th degree (for allegedly taking a bottle of alcohol), Theft in the 5th degree (gas drive-off related), and Driving Under Suspension. That same day, 26-year old Mykel Thoren, of Atlantic, was arrested for Burglary in the 3rd degree, and Theft in the 3rd and 5th degrees. The charges stem from a vehicle break-in incident, according to the Police department.

All suspects were booked into the Cass County Jail.

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors held a special meeting Wednesday evening to draft a 5-year plan for Parks and Recreation in the Community. Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring told KJAN News they plan to meet on Oct. 21st and narrow down their wish list and developing a time-line, prior to presenting it to the City Council at budget time.

The Board, according to Herring said its number one priority is the continued development of the Schildberg Recreation area, and the seeking out of grant funds from Vision Iowa and other sources, especially with regard to the campground area. That includes getting electricity and water hook-ups established. Other, continued improvements the Parks Board wants to see include those for Sunnyside Park. That means refurbishing the smaller shelters, add better lighting and new paint jobs.

They also looked at grants for adding a shelter on the west side of the Schildberg Rec Area, including electrical connections. Other, phased-in plans over the next five-years for the entire parks system, include the upgrading of playground equipment in all of the parks, making them handicapped accessible, and establishing a focus group to determine upgrades to the swimming pool.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports his officers arrested a woman on numerous charges this (Thursday) morning, following a traffic stop. 50-year old Dawn Charlene Beverlin, of Clarinda, was taken into custody a little after midnight. Beverlin faces charges that include: Suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and a controlled substance; Possession of a drug believed to be methamphetamine; Possession of drug paraphernalia; and, driving on a suspended license.

She was booked into the Page County Jail and held on $2,000 bond, pending an initial appearance before a magistrate.

It isn’t too late to order trees from the Atlantic Operation ReLeaf Residential Tree Distribution, but according to Iowa DNR Forestry Programs Coordinator Laura Wagner, species are beginning to sell out, and order forms must be mailed by the end of the day tomorrow (Friday, October 9th). Even if you don’t live in Cass County, you can pre-order trees from the distribution as long as you are an Alliant Energy customer. If you are not an Alliant Customer, then you may come to the event Saturday, October 17th from 9-until 11-a.m., at the Cass County Fairgrounds, to purchase them on a first-come, first-served basis.

There’s also a tree planting and care workshop that same day, beginning at 10-a.m. All the trees offered are native to Iowa and will thrive in Cass county and the surrounding area. The trees typically sell for $100 or more at a retail nursery, and are just $25 through Releaf.

Additional information is available at http://www.alliantenergy.com/CommunityInvolvement/CommunityOutreach/OperationReLeaf/index.htm, and details about the tree distribution are on  an order form available at http://www.alliantenergy.com/wcm/groups/wcm_internet/@int/documents/document/mdaw/mtc1/~edisp/175206.pdf. Just fill out the order form, print, and mail it in with a check to the address listed on the form. You should bring a truck, trailer, or van to pick up your trees, as they can be up to 9 feet tall.

A truck with a tank full of trout will start making the rounds to 17 ponds across the state Friday, including 1-p.m. at Big Lake, in Council Bluffs. Iowa Department of Natural Resources regional fisheries supervisor, Mike Steuck, says it’s the start of the annual program where they stock urban ponds with the trout. “At a minimum it’ll be 15-hundred fish, and it’ll be a combination of rainbow trout and brook trout. And they will all be about 10 to 12 inches or so,” Steuck says.

He says the trout are sort of a bait to get people to seek out more fishing. Steuck works out of northeast Iowa. He says you may’ve seen people fly fishing for trout in waders, but he says that’s not necessary and you can use regular fishing gear.

He says you can catch them with a hook and bobber just like you would bluegills. Steuck says anything flashy you can put on your line will attract the trout. Steuck says the lakes and ponds appear to be ready for the stocking. You need to have a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.

Children age 15 or younger can fish for trout with an adult who has a license. They are limited to one trout daily. The child can purchase a trout fee which will allow them to catch their own limit.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) reports more than three dozen Iowa water systems have been awarded Water Fluoridation Quality Awards from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among the utilities or communities receiving the award was: Atlantic Municipal Utilities; Harlan Municipal Utilities; the Bayard, Breda and Casey Water Supply services; and, the Logan and Onawa Municipal Water Plants.

Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in drinking water to a level effective for preventing tooth decay. The award recognizes those communities that achieved excellence in community water fluoridation by maintaining a consistent level of fluoride in drinking water throughout 2014.

For 2014, a total of 2,282 public water systems in 33 states received the awards, including 40 in Iowa.

The fluoridation status of Iowa communities may be found at https://nccd.cdc.gov/DOH_MWF/Default/Default.aspx.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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