A Page County man was arrested Friday night on an assault charge, following an investigation into a domestic disturbance in Coin. Officials say 47-year old Carl Allen Race, of Coin, was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault, for allegedly assaulting his wife at Race’ residence in Coin. Race was brought to the Page County Jail, appeared before a magistrate and was being held on an undisclosed bond in the jail.

The Page County Sheriff’s Department reports a Shenandoah woman was cited following a single-vehicle accident over the weekend. 35-year old Shannon Buick was cited for leaving the scene of an accident and failure to maintain control, following an investigation into a crash that happened at around 2:50-a.m., Saturday.Officials say a 1996 Oldsmobile Aurora was found abandoned and on its side in the ditch off of Highway 48, south of Essex. The vehicle sustained $2,500 damage.

Note: The City Council meeting will be held at the Senior Citizen’s Center, NOT City Hall**

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, will receive information from Fire Chief Mark McNees, with regard to the adding of an “E-Notify” text message notification service for emergency responders, to the Cass County Communications Center. Cass County 911 Coordinator Rob Koppert has indicated that if the local fire departments want to add cell phone text notifications of emergency calls, that decision would have to be made by each City Council in the County.

City Administrator Doug Harris says there are some questions as to the relative effectiveness of the procedure, and cost. Harris says while the volunteer firefighters would like to be able to get emergency text messages on their cell phones, it may take as long as 10-minutes for them to receive it. In addition, Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green has indicated it would place an extra work load on dispatchers, and likely require more personnel at the Comm. Center. Harris is expected to recommend the Council refer the matter to the Community Protection Committee for review and recommendation.

In other business, the Council will receive an application request from local developer Don Sonntag, for a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) grant, in the amount of $250,000. The funds would be used to help him construct a 10 duplex condominium housing development known as Southern Height II. The 20 units would be available for sale or rent.

If the Council approves the TIF application, it would be the first under the City’s new policy governing both commercial/industrial and residential developments. Harris is expected to ask the Council to refer the application to the Community Development Committee for its review and recommendation, since the TIF Policy indicates the use of TIF incentives is a discretionary program, and not an entitlement.

There are still many steps the Council must take before any development takes place in the subdivision even if it approves the TIF application, including a public hearing on the City’s Southeast Urban Renewal Plan, discussions with the Atlantic Community School District and County, and other such procedures.

The Atlantic City Council meeting begins 5:30-p.m., Wednesday, at the Senior Citizen’s Center, next door to the Atlantic City Hall.

Authorities in Harlan say two people were injured following an accident on Sunday evening. The Harlan PD says 81-year old Dorothy Holloway, of Harlan, was traveling eastbound on Lincoln Avenue and failed to stop at the junction with 19th Street. Holloway’s 2010 Chevy pickup went through the intersection and hit a 2006 Dodge pickup driven by 81-year old Bernard Leinen, of Harlan, on the right side. The accident happened at around 5:10-p.m.

After the impact, Holloway’s pickup rolled over on its side and came to rest back on its wheels on the north east corner of the four way intersection. Leinen’s truck also came to rest in the northeast corner of the intersection. Both drivers were transported by private vehicle to Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan. An update on their condition is not available.

Damage from the crash amounted to $22,00 altogether.  Officials say Holloway was cited for failure to obey a stop sign.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

w/Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (8.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

w/Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The governor is proposing a bill that he says will help combat bullying in Iowa schools. Matt Carver of the School Administrators of Iowa worked on the legislation. “It would give more authority to school administrators as we’re facing issues with students while they’re bullying and harassing other students outside of school,” Carver says. The target is co-called “cyber-bullying” — the use of tweets, texts and Facebook posts to keep the bullying going outside of school hours.

“The problem has been really a loss of civility where we’ve students who are going well beyond speech that should be considered protected speech and they’re getting into things where just simply they’re just bullying other students or harassing other students,” Carver says, “so this legislation would provide some authority for administrators to take action whereas in the past they very likely did not have authority to take action regarding some of these things that are going on with the social media.”

Backers of the bill say it protects the First Amendment rights of students by making it clear the legislation does not apply to students who are expressing their political or religious views or comments on matters of legitimate public concern. However, the bill does shield school employees who decide not to act on cases of alleged cyber-bullying. “What we didn’t want to do is face a situation where school officials were concerned that they’re exposing themselves to liability and then, unintentionally, we might end up with a situation where they were going too far or being too aggressive in using their authority,” Carver says, “because we want to be very careful that we’re not infringing on the speech rights of students.”

Carver is legal services director for the School Administrators of Iowa. The Republican legislator who is chairman of the House Education Committee is the lead sponsor of this anti-bullying bill. The bill must clear his committee by week’s end to remain eligible for debate in the legislature.

(Radio Iowa)

The Winter Weather Advisory which was scheduled to have been in-place for Cass and some adjacent counties from Midnight Sunday until Noon today (Monday), has been cancelled.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

Deputies responding to a possible burglary Saturday morning in the Fremont County town of Imogene arrested four people including two minors, on drug and other charges. According to the Sheriff’s Department, the call about an incident at the Emerald Isle came in at around 11-a.m., Saturday. Following an investigation, a search was conducted at a home in the 200 block of North Market Street in Imogene.

18-year-old Thomas Jay Stogdill, of Shenandoah, was arrested on charges that include possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance/marijuana, and participating in a drug gathering. He was later released on $1,000 bond. 29-year-old Jacob Daniel Cox, of Imogene, was arrested on two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and participating in a drug gathering. Cox was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $1,000 bond.

A 17-year old was charged with possession of a controlled substance/marijuana, two counts of 4th degree theft, 3rd degree criminal mischief, possession of drug paraphernalia, 3rd degree burglary and participating in a drug gathering, while the another 17-year-old was charged with possession of a controlled substance/marijuana, 4th degree theft, 3rd degree criminal mischief, possession of drug paraphernalia, 3rd degree burglary, and participating in a drug gathering.

Assisting the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office in conducting the investigation and making the arrests, were officers with the Tabor Police Department.