The Atlantic City Council will hold public hearings during their meeting Wednesday evening, with regard to the sale of two residential properties the City holds the titles to. The first pertains to 807 Elm Street. City Attorney Dave Wiederstein will recommend the Council approve sale of the property to Janet Jordan for the fair market price of $100, subject to her executing a demolition agreement that will require her to put up a bond, letter of credit or cash deposit to assure that the building is demolished in a timely manner.

The second property is at 203 Locust Street. Wiederstein advertised for sealed bids on the property at the Council’s direction during their last meeting because there was more than one person interested in it. The bid opening is scheduled to take place prior to the Council’s 5:30-p.m. session, Wednesday. The successful bidder will have to meet the same demolition and bond criteria as with the 807 Elm Street property. Following the public hearings on both properties, the Council will act on approving resolutions approving the disposal and/or sale of each respective property.

The Council is also expected to act on approving the 2014 Budget for Atlantic Municipal Utilities. City Administrator Doug Harris says the bottom line is that electric revenues and expenses are projected to increase 9.3-percent in 2014, with water revenues and expenses budgeted to increase 3.4-percent.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council is expected to act on: Authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with Snyder and Associates Engineers for design engineering services associated with the Highway 6/7th Street reconstruction project; Authorizing the Mayor to enter into a contract with Fox Engineering to conduct a Nutrient Reduction Study (at a cost of $15,000) for the City’s Wastewater Treament Plant; Approval of the sale of surplus police cruisers; And, authorize the Mayor to execute a Retainer Agreement for legal services for 2014 with David Wiederstein in the amount of $15,000, which is an annual increase of 2.5-percent. The rate had not been changed since 2008.

The Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency reports the Boil Water Order which had been in place for the City of Villisca following a water main break, has been lifted, effective today.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The man who leads special schools for deaf and blind students in Iowa has announced plans to retire.  Patrick Clancy, superintendent of the Iowa School for the Deaf and the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, has notified the Board of Regents of his plans to retire effective June 30. Clancy has led the school for the blind in Vinton since August 2008. In 2012, the regents put him in charge of both schools after superintendent Jeanne Prickett of the Council Bluffs-based school for the deaf left for a job in Florida.

The regents are expected to accept Clancy’s retirement during a telephone meeting Wednesday, and authorize a search for his replacement.  Former Regent Rose Vasquez, who left the board in 2011, is expected to lead the search committee.

On the heels of news about two young boys who died after falling through the ice in a rural farm pond in Adams County over the weekend, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has issued some tips for those thinking about venturing out into area ponds and lakes…..

• There is no such thing as 100 percent safe ice.
• The Iowa Department of Natural Resources recommends a minimum of four inches of quality ice for fishing and at least five inches for snowmobiles and ATVs.
• Ice thickness is not uniform on any body of water.  Things like current and springs slow ice growth. Rocks, trees or docks that poke through the ice like will conduct heat and make the ice around it less stable.
• There could be pockets of thin ice or places where ice recently formed, so it would be wise to check ice thickness as you go out.
  • The insulating effect of snow slows down the freezing process.
  • Safety items in the bucket: Ice picks, about 50 feet of rope and a throwable floatation seat cushion for use in case of rescue.
  • Ice fishing is a social activity, don’t go out alone. If the worst should happen, someone would be there to call for help or to rescue.
  • Avoid off-colored snow or ice. It is usually a sign of weakness.
  • Trust your instincts. If it doesn’t look right, stay off.

Authorities found what is being called a “shocking amount of child pornography” during a search of a doctor’s home in southwest Iowa. Sixty-eight-year-old Dr. Dennis Jones, a pediatrician in Council Bluffs, is accused of sexually abusing a five-year-old girl. He’s scheduled to go on trial in January. Several searches of Dr. Jones’ home have been conducted since May and authorities say two computers and eight hard drives were seized.

The number of pornographic files allegedly found and their nature has not been released. Jones says he’s innocent. If convicted, he could face a 50-year prison sentence.

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say a man was arrested this (Tuesday) morning after authorities received a call about an allegedly intoxicated person at the Montgomery County Courthouse. Upon arrival and an investigation, deputies arrested 27-year old Joshua Trevor Hughes, of Red Oak, on a charge of Public Intoxication. He was taken into custody at around 9-a.m.

Hughes was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

Two public hearings will take place Wednesday morning in Greenfield, during a regular meeting of the Adair County Board of Supervisors. The hearings are with regard to the vacating of sections of Orange and Etna Avenues, and will be followed by action on resolutions approving the vacating of those roads.

The meeting begins at 9-a.m., in the Adair County Boardroom at the Courthouse, in Greenfield.

Authorities in Iowa have released additional information with regard to a State Trooper- involved shooting incident that took place Sunday morning, near Council Bluffs. Officials said Tuesday (Today), that 27 year-old Michael Lee, of Carter Lake, was shot while trying to elude Iowa State Patrol Trooper Tim Sieleman.  Trooper Sieleman was attempting to stop Lee for not having license plates on a Dodge Ram Pick-up.

Trooper Tim Sieleman

Michael Lee

Trooper Sieleman, a 16-year veteran of the patrol, has been placed on paid administrative leave for the duration of the investigation per departmental policy. Lee remains hospitalized recovering from his non-life threatening injuries.

Lee was eventually stopped by other troopers, after they successfully rammed the truck he was driving, on Veterans Memorial Highway in Council Bluffs.  Lee’s truck rolled across the median from the westbound lanes to the eastbound lanes, where he was taken in to custody and transported to UNMC hospital in Omaha, NE.

While investigating the incident, it was discovered that Lee had outstanding warrants and that the Dodge Ram Pick-up that he was driving was stolen.

The on-going investigation is being conducted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa State Patrol, the Council Bluffs Police Department, the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office and the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office.

A woman from New York was injured when the car she was driving went out of control and collided with a semi, in Audubon County. Sheriff’s officials say 25-year old Erin Elizabeth Lower, of Rochester, NY, was transported to the Audubon County Hospital by Exira Rescue, following the crash north of Exira at around 9-a.m., Monday.

Authorities say 31-year old Justin Kyle Wells, of Woodward, OK, was traveling north on Highway 71 in a 2005 Peterbilt semi,  as 2007 Toyota Camry driven by Lower, was traveling south. When the right front tire of Lower’s car slipped off onto the shoulder, Lower over-corrected, sending the vehicle across the centerline of the road, where it collided with the semi.

Following the collision, both vehicles came to rest in the south ditch. Wells wasn’t injured in the crash, but his semi sustained $10,000 damage. Damage to the Toyota was estimated at $12,000. Officials say Lower was charged with Failure to Maintain Control.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office has released details about an accident that occurred Sunday night. Officials say at around 8:18-p.m., the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a one-vehicle accident on Highway 92 west of Highway 71. A White Ford F350 pickup driven by 27-year old Tanner Paul Preston, of Atlantic, was eastbound on Highway 92 when Preston lost control of the truck, which rolled approximately six times, coming to rest in the north ditch.

The man was ejected from the vehicle and transported by Griswold Rescue to Cass County Memorial Hospital before being flown by helicopter to University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha. The vehicle is considered a total loss. The accident remains under investigation.