The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors approved moving forward with plans for a single user, waterless pit, Americans With Disabilities Act (ACT) accessible restroom, on the west side of the Schildberg Recreation Area. Parks and Rec Director Seth Staashelm said he looked at two separate proposals, and recommended the board approve CXT “Gunnison” Model Concrete building that has the following features:

• Floorplan 6′ 6″ x 14′ 8″; • 1 toilet riser (ADA compliant); • ADA grab bars; • 1 waste clean out hatch and • 1 concrete waste vault (1,000 gallon capacity).

Gunnison-style restroom

The Gunnison design runs $18,170-dollars, which is under the $26,000 budget. Once it’s ordered, the restroom can be dropped-off anytime the site is prepared for delivery. The restroom will not be lit or have electrical and plumbing hookups, but Staashelm said there will lighting in the park itself to provide usable illumination.

Speaking of restrooms, Staashelm said restrooms at the other City Parks are closed for the season and winterized. The parks themselves are open for use, though. In other business, the Atlantic Parks and Rec Board approved a service agreement with Snyder Engineers and Associates for a $220-to $250,000 Bath House/Shelter project at the Schildberg Rec Area. It will include showers and restrooms for men and women, along with a possible concessions area and six picnic tables. Bids will likely be let over the Winter, with construction starting sometime early next Summer and completion by August or September.

And, Staashelm spoke to the Board about a Park Shelter Reservation Proposal. The proposal entails a reservation fee for three of the seven most popular shelters, including at Sunnyside Park: the Camblin Addition, Kiddie Korral and the East Shelter. Those three are also the largest shelters in the parks system. Staashelm recommends two time slots, one covering morning and lunch, the other covering dinner and night time slots, at $20 each. Full day use is $35. Reservations must be made 24-hours in advance. Payments can be made online, at a drop-box at the Parks and Rec Office, and possibly, at City Hall, although has not yet been officially approved.

You can make your reservations online at AtlanticIowa.com, and look for the Parks link.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Trump administration is doing its part to help Iowa congressman David Young hold onto his U.S. House seat. Last week President Donald Trump mocked Young’s 3rd district Democratic challenger Cindy Axne at a rally in Council Bluffs and praised the two-term Republican. On Monday, Young’s campaign announced Vice President Mike Pence will join the congressman for a rally Friday at a hotel near the Des Moines airport.

Polls indicate Young and Axne are in a close race in the 3rd district, which includes the Des Moines metro area as well as much of southwest Iowa. Axne is a businesswoman from West Des Moines. Before being elected to Congress, Young had worked as an aide to Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning and then Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley.

Democrat nominee for Governor in Iowa, Fred Hubbell, will be in Atlantic, Tuesday morning. Hubbell will visit the Cass County Democratic Party Headquarters (511 Chesnut St.), beginning at 10-a.m., where he will hold a Cass County “Meet and Greet.”

Hubbell, and his Democratic nominee running mate Rita Hart, are crossing the State rallying supporters to vote early for the team and their vision for Iowa. Following his visit to Atlantic, Hubbell will be in Council Bluffs at 3418 6th Avenue, beginning at 12:10-p.m. for an early vote event.

On Wednesday, Rita Hart will be in Denison at the UFCW Labor Hall (46 N. Main St.), beginning at 11-a.m. And later in Ida Grove. More information about their stand on the issues, etc. can be found at FredHubbell.com.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Department has released a report on numerous recent arrests. On Monday, 35-year old Ryan Mark Biensen, of Audubon, was arrested at around 12:50-pm., on an outstanding  warrant for Failure to Appear. He was being held in the Audubon County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

On Saturday, 42-year old Jamie Renea Clausen, of Audubon, was arrested at around 4:22-a.m. on an outstanding warrant for Violation of Probation. Clausen was being held in the Audubon County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

Last Friday, Audubon County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 19-year old Chandler Joel Behrens, of Audubon, after he turned himself-in on an outstanding warrant for Violation of Probation. Behrens was released later in the day on his own recognizance.

Last Wednesday, 31-year old Lisa Marie Hall, of Carroll, was arrested at around 2:20-a.m. for Driving under the Influence, Child Endangerment-Causing Bodily Injury, Child Endangerment, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The arrest stems from an investigation into a single vehicle accident at 120th & Oriole in Audubon County. Hall was later released on an $8,300 bond.

Arrested last Tuesday in Audubon County, was: 24-year old Kaz Ryan Cozad, of Audubon, and 37-year old Ian Lee Leib, of Kimballton. Leib was arrested on an outstanding warrant for Failure to Appear in court. He was being held in the Audubon County Jail on a $5,0000 bond. Cozad was charged with OWI-1st Offense, as the result of a traffic stop on 190th east of Audubon.  He was released the following day after an appearance before the magistrate.

On Oct. 4th, Audubon County Deputies arrested 43-year old Jay Joseph Ratigan, of Exira, on an outstanding warrant for a Violation of Probation. Ratigan eventually posted bond and was released. On Sept. 29th, 19-year old Christopher Michael Paulsen, of Exira, was charged with OWI-1st Offense and Speeding, following a traffic stop on 310th St., at around 3:20-a.m. Paulsen posted bond and was released. And, on Sept. 21st, 30-year old James Aaron Humlicek, of Exira, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for a Violation of Probation charge. He completed his time at the Audubon County Jail and was released on October 13th.

(Radio Iowa) — Sears filed for bankruptcy early this (Monday) morning and announced three more K-Mart stores in Iowa will be closing. The stores are located in Cherokee, Council Bluffs and Webster City. Nationwide, there will be 142 Sears and K-Mart stores closing due to the bankruptcy filing. Liquidation sales at the K-Mart stores in Cherokee, Council Bluffs and Webster City will begin in the next two weeks, with closures by the end of the year.

The company has been closing what it deems “unprofitable” stores. Since 2013, two-thirds of the Sears and K-Mart stores operating in the US have been closed. Sears was founded 131 years ago and became the country’s number one retailer. Competition, changing shopping habits and massive debts led to today’s (Monday’s) attempt to reorganize and stablize the company through Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) — Supporters of a right-wing group are asking a judge not to grant a “deluxe legal defense” for a Mexican national charged with killing an Iowa college student. More than 200 people have sent postcards to Judge Joel Yates protesting his decision to authorize $5,000 for an investigator to work with Cristhian Bahena Rivera’s defense.

The postcards are distributed by the Virginia-based Secure America Alliance. They ask Yates not to “award any more taxpayer money for a deluxe legal defense for an illegal alien.” Rivera is charged with killing 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts, who disappeared July 18 in Brooklyn. Rivera had worked for years at a dairy farm, and prosecutors say he was in the U.S. illegally.

Yates granted a routine request by Rivera’s defense last month to appoint a private investigator, writing that Rivera is indigent and the case “presents a need for an investigator.” He approved a $5,000 stipend, saying additional payments are subject to court approval.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County report two recent arrests. At around 2-a.m. Saturday, 24-year old Zachary John Malloy, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center for OWI/2nd offense, following an investigation into an accident that happened at around 1:12-a.m.  Authorities say Malloy was traveling east on 160th Street when he lost control of the 1980 Chevy pickup he was driving. The vehicle entered a yard at 1675 160th Street and struck a gas line, causing a rupture in the line. He was later released from custody on a $2,000 bond.

And, at around 6-p.m. Friday, 23-year old Cody Joseph Reighard, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County warrant for failure to appear in court on a charge of theft 3^rd degree, and failure to appear on 4 counts of burglary 3^rd degree, along with possession of controlled substance.  Reighard was being held in the Union County Jail on a $10,000 bond.