(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday, will act on approving the appointments of three individuals to the City’s Library Board of Trustees. Their meeting at City Hall begins at 5:30-p.m.

Those nominated include: Kat (Katrina) Niemann; Dianna Blake, and David Schwab.  The Atlantic Public Library Board meets the second Monday of each month at 5:30-p.m.  Trustees are appointed to a six-year term by the Mayor. Terms end June 30th of the year listed by each member. Once the appointments are approved, each nominated member will be administered the Oath of Office by the Mayor.

Afterward, the Council will hold a public hearing on Amending the Fiscal Year 2024 City of Atlantic Budget, followed by action on passing a Resolution amending the same. The amendment was prepared by the City’s financial consultant from the Iowa League of Cities, Teresa Rotschafer. A copy of the budget amendment as proposed, was previously posted in a separate story on the KJAN.com News page.

In other business, the Council will act on passing a Resolution in “Support of a Partnership between the Atlantic School District and the City of Atlantic, for a School Resource Officer (SRO) Position.” The City’s Personnel and Finance Committee have unanimously recommended the Council move forward with the partnership, with the understanding that a 28E information sharing agreement with the School District must still be reached. City Administrator John Lund notes grants are currently being applied for by both entities, to help get the program up and running, with the intention being to open the position for hire later this Fall, and having someone in place when students return from the Christmas break.

And, the Council’s final order of business, Wednesday, is to act on approving an Order authorizing the closure of selected streets, No Parking requests, and Special Vehicle Permits (to be administered by Police Chief Devin Hogue) for the July 22nd-23rd overnight RAGBRAI® event in Atlantic. The affected streets would be closed from 6-a.m. to 2-a.m. Monday, July 22nd and Tuesday, July 23rd, or when vendor areas are cleared. The streets include:

• Chestnut: from the Courthouse Driveway access in the 700 block to 2nd Street (Used for stage/entertainment area, and vendors)
• 6th Street: from Locust to Walnut (Used for entry to the entertainment area, bike parking, and vendors).
• Poplar Street: from 7th to 5th (used for bike parking & portable bathrooms).
• 7th Street (Already approved by the Iowa DOT): from Poplar to Walnut Streets (used for entertainment area and crowd area while the bands are playing).
• 10th Street: At the intersection with 7th, for eastbound traffic (Only during peak times of riders getting to-and-from town).
• 14th Street: From Olive to Plum Street (On July 23rd, while the riders are leaving town.)

Temporary No Parking zones (Signs will be put in-place July 21st and removed after the riders leave town on the 23rd), will include the following:

• 10th Street, from 7th to Oliver (North side of the road)
• 6th Street, from Sunnyside Lane to Poplar St. (North side)
• Roosevelt Drive: from Olive to 14th St. (Both sides of the road)
• Palm Street: from 9th to 10 (west side)
• E. Mahogany at 9th Street (North & West sides)
• W. Mahogany at 10th Street (west side)
• Ed Podolak Drive: from Linn to Olive Streets (north side)
• Linn Street (from 10th to Ed Podolak Drive (west & east sides)
• 14th Street by the Heritage House (South side of the street)
• Olive Street/Roosevelt Drive: 100-feet north, on the east side, and,
• 10th/Olive: One-half block in all directions.

The City will be asking vendors, committees, and groups that feel the need to use a four-wheeler, ATV or golf cart (for used July 22nd or 23rd so as to have easier access to their working areas), to fill-out an application to do so. Those applications (approved by the Chief of Police or his designee, will be given a permit allowing those machines to be used, and must be posted on the “Special Event Vehicle” while in use.

The full City Council agenda is viewable here: City Council Agenda Packet 06-19-2024-compressed

DICKINSON COUNTY — Heavy rainfall and power outages in northwest Iowa led to multiple wastewater discharges in the Iowa Great Lakes area this (Monday) morning. The DNR Field Office in Spencer was notified early Monday morning of a wastewater bypass occurring at a lift station just south of Manhattan Point on the west side of West Lake Okoboji.

The Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District pumped down the lift station and hauled as much wastewater as possible to the treatment plant to minimize the bypass. Officials estimated that about 10 gallons per minute of untreated wastewater flowed into the lake. All drinking water systems and a nearby resort were notified, as well as residents in the vicinity of the bypass. Area officials report the discharge ended around noon.

At 9:30 a.m. the Field Office was notified of another bypass occurring at a lift station near Francis Sites on East Lake Okoboji. This bypass ceased around noon. The City of Spirit Lake is also bypassing their wastewater collection system to storm sewers and discharging to East Lake Okoboji. Pumps are running at two locations on the west side of upper East Okoboji to try and keep wastewater out of basements. Residents are being notified.

Heavy rainfall can overload wastewater collection systems, which are underground sewer pipes that carry sewage to a treatment plant. With sewage pipes overwhelmed, excess water has nowhere to go, and can back up into basements through floor drains.

Bypassing can lower the water level and alleviate pressure in the collection system, keeping sewage from backing up into basements, which could present health risks. DNR staff continue to monitor these situations and will provide assistance to impacted communities.  It is highly recommended people and pets avoid these areas and stay out of flooded and elevated waterways due to safety concerns.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Monday) announced her appointment of Donna Bothwell as a district judge in Judicial District 4.   

Bothwell, of Logan, Iowa, is a district associate judge in Judicial District 4. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado and law degree from Drake University.  
 
Bothwell fills a vacancy created following the retirement of the Hon. Jeffrey L. Larson. Judicial District 4 includes Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby counties.  

CARTER LAKE, IOWA – On Friday, June 14th, the Iowa DNR Field Office in Atlantic received a complaint alleging sewage flowing on the ground at Lakeside Estates Trailer Home Park in Carter Lake.

DNR staff started their investigation on Friday and continued it on Monday. On Friday, they observed wastewater overflowing from an open connection at a vacant lot. The sewage flowed onto the ground and concrete pathways throughout the trailer home park. On Monday, the DNR identified a blockage in the sewer line that caused the wastewater to back up through an open connection.

Lakeside Estates subcontractors cleared the blockage and are cleaning the sewage on the ground.

Authorities are advising people and pets to avoid wet areas in the gutters, street, and any standing or pooling water. Samples have been collected and will be submitted for laboratory testing.

DNR staff will monitor cleanup and containment. The DNR will consider appropriate enforcement action.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Auditor’s Office, Monday (today) said there will be a special election held on July 9^th 2024, for the West Central Valley Community School District. The election is to fill vacancies for two Board of Directors, one in District #6 and the other in District #7.

The official notice of election is shown below. Only residents within the WCV district will vote in this election, for that reason the electors residing within the school district, in precincts 1NW and 2NE, will vote at the Stuart Legion Hall at 323 SW 2^nd St. This polling location change for residents in 1NW is a temporary polling location change and only for this special election.

NOTICE TO THE ELECTORS OF THE WEST CENTRAL VALLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
A SPECIAL TO FILL VACANCY ELECTION WILL BE CONDUCTED ON JULY 9, 2024

Notice is hereby given to the registered and qualified electors of the WEST CENTRAL VALLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL
DISTRICT of Adair, Guthrie, and Dallas Counties, that a SPECIAL SCHOOL ELECTION will be held July 9, 2024.

NOTICE: Temporary Polling location change for Precinct 1NW
Polling location will change (for this election only) to:
The Stuart Legion Hall
323 SW 2nd St.
Stuart, IA 50250

NOTE: 1NW and 2NE precincts will utilize the same polling location
POLLING PLACE for all voters residing within the West Central Valley Community School District in ADAIR County is:
The Stuart Legion Hall (323 SW 2nd St, Stuart, IA)

POLLS OPEN at 7 A.M. and POLLS CLOSE at 8 P.M.

Pre-registered voters are required to provide an approved form of identification at the polling place before receiving and
casting a regular ballot. Voters who are not pre-registered – such as voters registering to vote on Election Day – and
voters changing precincts must also provide proof of residence. A voter who is unable to provide an approved form of
identification (or prove residence if required) may have voter’s identity/residence attested to by another registered
voter in the precinct, prove identity and residence using Election Day Registration documents, or cast a provisional ballot
and provide proof of identity/residence at the County Auditor’s office by July 15, 2024, at Noon.

Election Day Registrant attesters must provide an approved form of identification. For additional information about providing proof of identity and/or residence visit: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterinformation/voterIDfaq.html or phone 641-743-2546.

Voter pre-registration deadline is 5:00 P.M. on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at the Adair County Auditor’s office. Absentee ballots are available in the County Auditor’s office during regular business hours June 19, 2024 – July 8, 2024. The deadline to request a mailed absentee ballot is Tuesday, June 25, 2023, at 5 P.M.

Any voter who is physically unable to enter a polling place has the right to vote in the voter’s vehicle. The public test of Adair County’s voter equipment to be used in the July 9, 2024, Nodaway Valley CSD Special Election will commence at 10:00 a.m. on June 19, 2024, in the Adair County Courthouse and will continue until completed. The public is invited to attend.

For further information, please contact the county auditor’s office at the telephone or e-mail address listed below:

Telephone: 641-743-2546 E-mail: auditor@adaircountyiowa.org

West Central Valley Community School District Board of Directors to Fill Vacancy
WCV Board of Directors District #6 (TFV)
o Laura Weber
o Dustin Foster

WCV Board of Directors District #7 (TFV)
o Jeff Dudley

WRIGHT COUNTY, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, on behalf of the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, said that at approximately 9-a.m. Monday, June 17, 2024, the Wright County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible deceased person located at a rural Clarion residence.

Upon arrival, deputies located the bodies of a deceased male and female inside a residence. After further investigation, the incident is believed to be isolated and there is no threat to the public at this time.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was called to assist. An autopsy will be performed by the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner.  This is an ongoing investigation. No additional information will be released at this time.

(Radio Iowa) – Heavy rains and high winds hit parts of northwest Iowa this (Monday) morning. There was widespread tree damage in Estherville and a 60 mile per hour wind gust was reporting at the Estherville Airport around 3:30 a.m. A downed tree briefly blocked Highway 4 in Estherville, but crews quickly removed the tree and the road was open to traffic by 4:30.
Damage was also reported in Dickinson County. Emergency Management Director Mike Ehret says crop damage was reported around Milford and there are rising concerns about flooding due to the heavy rain.

Ehret says there’s minor flooding along the Little Sioux River, mainly affecting pastures. He says the water levels in the Iowa Great Lakes are very high, but it’s not quite yet at the point where boats are restricted to going no more than 5 miles an hour on the lakes.

State and federal officials have detected a case of bird flu in another herd of dairy cattle in Sioux County. Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson reports.

While avian influenza is fatal to birds and poultry, nearly all cattle who contract the virus recover.

Reminder: Tickets available for pre-sale through Friday, at garden locations on day of event.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Master Gardener group is excited to host walking tours of 4 private gardens in Atlantic on Sunday afternoon June 23. The garden walk will feature four unique garden spaces for participants to explore at their leisure and gain inspiration for their own gardens, while enjoying a variety of garden styles and designs. Gardens will be open for touring between 2-6 PM and may be visited in any order. Highlights from featured gardens included sun and shade gardens, custom garden décor, antique themed garden areas, unique seating areas and paths, pollinator gardens, perennial beds and more! Follow the Cass County Master Gardeners on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CassCoMG for sneak peeks of featured garden spaces leading up to the day of the tour.

The walk is coordinated by the Cass County Master Gardeners, but is open to everyone interested in gaining some gardening inspiration. Tickets for the walk are $10 each, with all proceeds going to support local Master Gardener projects and activities. Tickets are available now for purchase at the Cass County Extension office, and a registration form can also be printed at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass. Tickets should be presented at each location for admission.  A map of the tour locations and description of each garden is on each ticket purchased. Additional tickets may be purchased at any of the four locations on the day of the event. Tour locations will be shared online as the event date gets closer.

For more information about upcoming Master Gardener activities in Cass County, or to learn about becoming a Master Gardener, visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/master-gardener-program, call the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132, or email Cass County Extension Director and Master Gardener Coordinator Kate Olson at keolson@iastate.edu.  In addition, you are invited to follow the Cass County Master Gardeners at their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CassCoMG to keep up with local events and tips for gardening!

(Radio Iowa) – The state says swimming is not advised at Pine Lake State Park in Hardin County due to high E-coli levels, while two public beaches at Storm Lake in Buena Vista County also exceed the state’s advisory threshold for the bacteria. That makes a total of 12 state park beach advisories issued so far this year. Daniel Kendall, the Iowa D-N-R’s lake and beach monitoring coordinator, says people should enjoy Iowa’s lakes and rivers, but he strongly recommends wearing life jackets.

People most at risk of getting sick are children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with underlying medical conditions, like cancer and diabetes. During the summer months, Iowa D-N-R staff collect water samples each week at 40 beaches to monitor for harmful bacteria and blue-green algae toxins. The DNR Beach Monitoring Website and Hotline are updated on Fridays.