DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Election officials are seeking shelter in Pottawattamie County as a severe storm interrupts voting in quarter of the western Iowa county’s polling places.  Auditor Mary Jo Drake says at about 5 p.m. Tuesday, poll workers and voters in 10 of the county’s 40 precincts were forced to seek shelter in the buildings where voting was taking place.

Drake says several polling places were “right in the eye of the storm.” She says elections officials suspended voting but would return to normal after the storm passes.  No polling places had lost power, but Drake says, “It’s nasty here. It’s as black as the ace of spades.”

The Atlantic City Council is expected to act Wednesday, on approving the third and final reading of an Ordinance pertaining to “Flood Plain Regulations.” The second reading was held during the Council’s meeting on May 21st. City Administrator Doug Harris has said the State of Iowa has asked the City to adopt technical changes to its Flood Plain Regulations, in order to keep them compliant with FEMA requirements. The Council is expected to adopt the ordinance following the third reading.

In other business, the Council will hold a public hearing and the first reading of an Ordinance entitled “Airport Land Use & Height Overlay Zoning.” As a matter of record, any zoning changes require a public hearing plus three readings of the ordinance, and, since the Atlantic Municipal Airport is located outside the City limits, the Cass County Board of Supervisors will also need to act on adopting the ordinance, which is required by the F-A-A. The ordinance has already been reviewed and approved by the Airport Board.

And, the Atlantic City Council will act Wednesday on a motion to approve a request to close 6th Street between Chestnut — west to the alley between Chestnut and Poplar Streets – next to the City Park, for the “Produce in the Park” events. The closure would be in effect from 4-to 7-pm on Thursdays, beginning June 12th and continuing through October 30th. The request comes from Keith Leonard, on behalf of the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Atlantic City Council meeting begins at 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in their newly renovated chambers at City Hall.

Authorities in Pottawattamie County have issued an update on a fatal fire that occurred over the weekend east of Council Bluffs. Sheriff Jeff Danker says an autopsy conducted Sunday by the State Medical Examiner’s Office, identified the victim of the fire at 24684 Hackberry Road to be 101 year old Vivuan Swain.

The report shows Swain died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke and soot inhalation. The manner of death was deemed accidental. Two other persons escaped the home during the fire, that was reported just before 7-p.m., Saturday. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Firefighters from McClelland, Underwood, Treynor and Lewis Township all responded to the scene.

The Harlan Police Department reports a Harlan man was arrested Monday on an active Shelby County warrant. 30-year old Kieth Wyatt was also found to be in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Wyatt was transported to the Shelby County Jail. Also arrested Monday on an active Shelby County warrant, was 28-year old Charles Hayes, of Harlan. Hayes was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was booked in for violation of parole.

Harlan Police cited 27-year old Steven Riley, of Harlan, on Sunday, after his pit bull, “Two Face,” allegedly bit a neighbor. Riley was cited for failing to have a vicious dog registered, vicious dog allowed to run at large, failure to produce rabies vaccination records for a vicious dog, and failure to provide confinement of a vicious dog as outlined in the city ordinances.

On Saturday, officers with the Harlan P-D arrested 40-year old Curtis Boell and 40-year old Victoria Gonzales, both of Harlan. The pair were taken into custody after officers were called to a domestic disturbance. Gonzales was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with domestic abuse assault and Boell was later taken into custody and also transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was also charged with domestic abuse assault.

Two subjects were arrested Thursday in Harlan, following a traffic stop. 25-year old Andrew Nielsen, of Harlan, was taken into custody and transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, simple possession of a controlled substance, carrying weapons, possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful possession of prescription drugs (2 counts) and prohibited acts penalties. And, 26-year old Jackie Thielen, of Harlan, was cited for open container, passenger, and released.

And, an investigation into a shoplifting incident last Wednesday reported to the police by Casey’s General Store, resulted in charges against 38-year old Jason Potts, of Harlan. After the investigation, which included surveillance video from Casey’s, Potts was identified as the person who committed the theft. Potts was served with the complaint charging him with theft 5th at the Shelby County Jail where he was being held on other charges.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following an accident this (Tuesday) morning, in Massena. Authorities say deputies responded at around 8:30-a.m., to a report of an accident on Main Street in Massena. Farm equipment driven by 31-year old Justin Wayne Masker, of Atlantic, was northbound on Main Street in Massena when the equipment struck a parked 2012 Ford Edge owned by Alan Kent Hartman of Cumberland. Damage to Hartman’s vehicle is estimated at $10,000; damage to the farm equipment is estimated at $700.

Sheriff’s officials report also, the arrested on Monday of 33-year old Steven Robert Pedersen, of Atlantic. Pedersen was taken into custody on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for Delivery of a Controlled Substance. He was also charged with Assault on a Peace Officer following a traffic stop. Pedersen was brought to the Cass County Jail where he was being held on $50,000 bond.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce is alerting area businesses to stolen checks. Executive Director Rhonda Larsen says if area business owners or personnel see checks belonging to Robert A. Newman, of Omaha, NE (Wells Fargo Account #1160001783), they should call the Atlantic Police Department at 712-243-3512.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Gnats appear to be especially plentiful this spring in Iowa, annoying residents and potentially endangering some animals. Ken Holscher, an Iowa State University entomologist, tells the Iowa City Press-Citizen that gnats are usually common in spring along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, but they appear to be more plentiful in central parts of Iowa.

That seems clear to Sara Swanson, who farms near the southeast Iowa city of Riverside. Swanson says last week, gnats killed four turkeys she was raising. The tiny bugs plugged the birds’ nostrils and suffocated them.

Holscher says there is little people can do to ward off gnats, which are especially plentiful on sunny, calm days. He notes, though, that they should largely disappear within a couple weeks. Unfortunately, they’ll be replaced by mosquitoes.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report five people were arrested over the past week. On Friday, 22-year old Nile Johnathan Packett and 21-year old Lindsey Joanne Krause, both of Glenwood, as well as 46-year old Otoniel Castro, of Bellevue, NE, were arrested for Public Intoxication. Bond for all three was set at $300 each.

Last Thursday, Mills County deputies arrested 49-year old Kathy Faye Spring, of Silver City. Spring was wanted on a warrant for Failure to Appear on an original charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance. Her bond was set at $1,000. That same day, 25-year old Colton Lee Garvin, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear on original charges of Theft in the 2nd degree and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs. His bond was set at $10,000.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Des Moines – Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz is encouraging Iowans to vote early today, Tuesday, June 3, for the primary election due to warnings by the National Weather Service and Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management of possible severe weather in parts of Iowa later today.

“With the warnings of possible severe weather tonight, I encourage Iowans to vote early today if possible. Safety is the number one priority and county auditors are ready and prepared to take necessary precautions in case severe weather hits,” Schultz said.

In the event of a weather emergency, the first priority is to keep poll workers and voters at the polling place safe. Precinct election officials and voters should either seek shelter or evacuate the polling place as appropriate based on the conditions in their area. As soon as the threat is over, polling places that are temporarily evacuated or closed must be reopened as quickly as possible.

If a polling place loses power for an extended period of time and must be relocated, the Iowa Secretary of State’s office should be consulted and procedures in 721 Iowa Administrative Code 21.1(5) should be followed. Polling place hours may only be extended by federal or state courts for elections in which candidates for federal office appear on the ballot. Should a court extend the hours, provisional ballots will be cast by any person who votes after the regular 9 p.m. poll closing.