Republican Congressman Steve King says it appears Russian President Vladimir Putin has revived the Cold War.  “Putin has reconstructed the iron curtain and he’s in the process of reconstructing the old Soviet Union,” King says. “The first strong move was Georgia. We were weak then. We were offering Georgia NATO membership. Some of our European allies in NATO rejected that idea and shortly after that Putin moved into Georgia.” The Russians invaded Georgia in 2008. King says once the referendum was scheduled in Crimea earlier this month, the outcome was already determined.

“Who would go to the polls and vote to the contrary?” King asks. “They’d have to fear the retribution.” King says now is not the time to cut the U.S. military’s budget or reduce troop levels. “We’re back in the ‘Cold War’ and we need to start setting ourselves up in the Cold War posture militarily, diplomatically, economically. One of them would be to freeze those military cuts,” King says. “We just cannot be advertising to the world that we’re determined to be weak.”

In February the U.S. Defense Department proposed cutting the Army to its smallest size in 74 years, cancelling orders for a class of attack jets and reducing personnel costs to adjust to budget limits imposed by congress. Russia’s president has recognized Crimea as a “sovereign and independent country.” President Obama has imposed sanctions against several Russia and Ukrainian officials. The European Union has announced travel bans and the accounts 21 Russians have in European banks have been frozen.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors heard from Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring Monday evening, with regard to an engineer’s report on the condition of the Kiddie Korral Shelter at Sunnyside Park. Herring says the wooden shelter, which was built in the 1940’s is in dire need of repairs or, replacement, according to the engineer. Herring says it’ll take more than a coat of paint over the old, moldy wood, some of which has holes in it, to make the shelter ADA compliant and safe. The structure, he says, has major problems with its foundation. The stucco plaster corners are separating from the concrete slab, which has a major crack that’s a significant “trip hazard,” and runs at least half the distance of the shelter.

The crack cannot be fixed or caulked, according to Herring, and is a potential liability. And while the rafters and beams are solid, the roof decking is rotten and the shingles are at the end of their life expectancy. The engineer says the foundation has settled and at the two center posts on the southern side of the building are two-inches lower than the rest of the building. Removing and replacing the concrete slab would entail removal of the two-inch wall around the perimeter. He says to repair and replace the wall and foundation “Would not be cost effective.” The other issue Herring says, has to do with the building not being accessible to handicapped persons.

Herring presented a number of possible replacement structures that range in cost from $22,000 to $40,000. Those costs do not include the costs for the cement slab, labor, and other costs. The new structures, regardless of the materials they use, would be ADA compliant. Herring said the Kiddie Korral can be replaced with monies that are, and will be available, but it won’t be anytime soon.

Herring said he’s open to receiving donations for the shelter’s replacement, and if the donation is significant enough, the rights to name to building after an individual or group. And, as for the Camblin Shelter at Sunnyside, Herring said it is structurally sound, but could use a “facelift.” He mentioned also, that they are looking into refurbishing the other shelters in the park, as well.

The Griswold School District’s Board of Education, Monday, approved an application process for off-duty law enforcement officers to carry their service weapons on school property. Superintendent Dana Kunze told KJAN News the District’s SRO (School Resource Officer) requested the Board’s approval of the policy. Kunze said while there is “Some discrepancy here in the State as to whether they  [meaning the officers] have the authority to do it or not, but Iowa Code says they are not allowed to [do so] without a resolution from the Board.”

The Griswold School Board also approved a mowing bid from Bob’s Mowing (Bob Amos), of Griswold for mowing of the District’s properties. They also approved a $10 increase in the Driver’s Education fee for the summer. The program will run $260.

In other business, the Board passed the District’s Instructional Support Levy (ISL) after holding a public hearing on the matter earlier in the meeting. The ISL is voter approved for a period of 10-years.

They also accepted the Annual Audit Report.

w/ Ric Hanson

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A 24-year-old man accused of running over his girlfriend in a Sioux City shopping center parking lot has been given 10 years in prison. Authorities say Anthony Barton was convicted on assault and another charge after prosecutors dropped two other charges in a plea agreement. On Monday Barton was sentenced to consecutive five-year sentences.

Police say Barton used a stun gun several times on 22-year-old Karilynn Schroeder and ran over her as he drove off with her vehicle Dec. 19 at Lakeport Commons shopping center.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Senior Citizens in Atlantic and the surrounding area will have a place to partake in outdoor activities designed specifically for them, possibly as soon as this Summer, following action taken by the City’s Parks and Recreation Board, Monday evening. The Board approved the final site plan for the activities area, which will be located south of the new Parks Maintenance Building at Sunnyside Park.

Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring said there will be all sorts of activities geared toward Seniors and others, including an area specifically designed for horseshoe games. There will be four, regulation-size horseshoe pits. Work on the pits should be completed by July, according to Herring. Another, 70-by 120-foot flat, grassy area, can be used for other activities. Such as Badminten, Croquet, Bocce Ball and other family-type activities.

The area would be easy to get to via an existing access road, and would feature a parking lot made up of gravel asphalt millings. A gradual grade will make the play area handicapped accessible for wheelchairs, persons with walkers, etc. There will also be two picnic tables and a grill in the area, as well.

In other Parks and Rec Board business, the Board instructed Herring to move forward with a revised agreement between the City and YMCA, for the oversight of certain recreational programs they have managed in the past, including tennis, softball and the swim team, pending approval by YMCA Director Dan Haines. The City however plans on hiring its own manager for the swimming pool instead of going through the YMCA, which means the agreement currently in-place with the Y would be reduced nearly $5,000 from the current $10,130 year agreement.

The pool manager would work 36 hours per week and be paid $9.50 per hour, with the potential to earn $4,800 over the summer for 12 weeks, from May 21^st through August 17^th. The person selected would have to meet certain criteria, and understand that they would be responsible for many aspects of the municipal pool operations. He says one of their primary duties will be finding ways to increase attendance at the pool, through the use of theme days and making the pool a more fun place to be.

Herring said he already has several qualified candidates in mind for the position.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say a Nebraska man was arrested Monday afternoon on a Montgomery County warrant. Deputies in Page County arrested 21-year old Lars Alexander Barcel, of Columbus, NE, on a warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Barcel was turned over to authorities in Montgomery County, where he was being held on $1,000 bond.

Police in Glenwood arrested a Shenandoah High School student Saturday, for allegedly selling drugs during the state speech competition at Glenwood High School. The Daily NonPareil reports 18-year old Matthew Taylor Gray, of Shenandoah, was taken into custody just before 4-p.m.

Sgt. Pat Martin told the paper school officials had reported to police that Gray was attempting to sell prescription drugs. Gray was charged with three counts of unlawful possession of prescription drugs – all serious misdemeanors – and one count of prohibited acts, an aggravated misdemeanor. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum five years in prison, but Mills County Attorney Eric Hansen said since the incident occurred on school grounds, a conviction would add 100 hours of community service.