The City of Atlantic’s Community Protection Commission Tuesday, voted to forward their recommendation to the City Council, that the speed limit on a portion of 22nd Street, from Chestnut to Palm, be reduced from 45- to 35-miles per hour. The recommendation followed a lengthy discussion and review of data from Police Chief Steve Green and engineers hired to track information about the average speed along that stretch of road.

The Commission had received a petition from at least 16 residents in the area, where new residential developments have sprung up over the past few years, asking the Council to review the situation, but providing no specifics on what the problem actually is. That caused a bit of consternation among the Commission, as to what needs to be fixed.

Police Chief Steve Green said at Tuesday night’s meeting, that a recent check on traffic speeds along west 22^nd Street seemed to indicate there isn’t much of a problem He said out of 1,000 cars that traveled along the road, 101, or 10-percent, were traveling 10-miles per hour or more over the current, posted speed limit. Green says it could be looked at as an enforcement issue at this point in time. He said most of the time, the natural, hilly terrain and curves in the road tends to cause drivers to travel at or near the posted speed limit.

CPC Chair Steve Livengood said sending the recommendation to the full council would allow the process to begin for the public to have its say on whether there actually is a problem with speeding in the area, and how reducing the speed limit would affect those who travel through there, on a regular basis.  City Administrator Doug Harris agreed.

In June, the Atlantic City Council passed an amended ordinance pertaining to a reduction of the speed limit on East 22^nd Street from Highway 71 to Olive Street, from 45-to 35-miles per hour. The move followed discussions between the Community Protection Committee, Police Chief Steve Green, and residents in the area.  Earlier in the year, the Council voted down a proposal to reduce the speed limit on both the east and west section of 22nd Street, after receiving negative feedback from the public. Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones warned citizens in June, that speeding was still a problem on other portions of 22^nd Street,  and that the Police Department would be stepping-up patrols and issuing tickets for those who try to skirt the law.

357 AM CDT WED OCT 24 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS EXPANDED A DENSE FOG ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CDT THIS MORNING, TO INCLUDE CASS, ADAIR, ADAMS AND TAYLOR COUNTIES. VISIBILITIES OF LESS THAN ONE QUARTER OF A MILE IS EXPECTED. IMPROVEMENT IS EXPECTED BY MID MORNING AS DAYTIME HEATING INCREASES. TRAVEL WILL BE DIFFICULT DUE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY. PERSONS WILL NEED TO EXERCISE CAUTION AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH THEIR MORNING DESTINATION SAFELY.

The two incumbent congressman who’re facing off in this year’s election had their fifth “debate” last night (Tuesday), and it was contentious. Republican Tom Latham of Clive is seeking a ninth term in congress. Democrat Leonard Boswell of Des Moines is running for an eighth term. One tense exchange started with Latham saying: “It was my bill, Congressman Boswell.” Boswell replied: “I know.” Latham then said to Boswell: “You voted for it, you said…” At this point Boswell interjected: “Oh, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely.” Latham asked: “Can I be allowed to answer the question, if I may?” Boswell replied: “Well, I don’t want to interrupt you,” to which Latham said: “Well, you have.”

The debate was broadcast live last night (Tuesday) on WHO Radio and the moderator began by asking the candidates if they regret the tone of the campaign. Latham answered first. “Congressman Boswell starting running immediately very, very negative, personal ads against me, so you have to respond,” Latham said. “What I regret is the fact that we can’t talk about issues, only about personal attacks and I don’t think that’s constructive.” Boswell said he had to fire after being attacked by outside groups that support Latham.

“Last Christmas over a million dollars was spent — negative — against me before I did anything,” Boswell said. “…Starting in March, before we ever got started, it was getting up to maybe $2 million and so I thought: ‘Well, I have no choice. I’m going to have to fight back.'” About halfway through the debate, the two quarreled about tax policy. Latham favors extending the tax cuts passed during George W. Bush’s presidency to all wage-earners. Boswell would vote to have Americans who earn 250-thousand dollars a year pay the higher tax rates of the 1990s when Bill Clinton was president.

(Radio Iowa)

COUNTIES IN IOWA: POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE  330 AM CDT WED OCT 24 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS ISSUED A DENSE FOG ADVISORY, WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CDT THIS MORNING. GENERALLY VISIBILITIES WILL RANGE FROM A QUARTER TO A HALF MILE, BUT AT TIMES COULD BE DOWN TO A FEW HUNDRED FEET.

THE FOG WILL MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT. MOTORISTS SHOULD USE CAUTION AND USE LOWER SPEEDS. IN ADDITION THE FOG WILL MAKE PEDESTRIANS DIFFICULT TO SEE. IF DRIVING…SLOW DOWN… USE YOUR HEADLIGHTS…AND LEAVE PLENTY OF DISTANCE AHEAD OF YOU.

A DENSE FOG ADVISORY IS ALSO IN EFFECT UNTIL 9-A.M. WED., FOR CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON AND GUTHRIE COUNTIES. 

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

Officials with the Cass County Democratic Party have announced Senator Tom Harkin and Congressman Leonard Boswell will be campaigning in Atlantic next Tuesday, October 30th. Harkin and Boswell will meet with voters at the Cass County Democratic Party Election Headquarters at 511 Chestnut in Atlantic, starting at 10 AM.The public is invited to attend the program. Refreshments will be provided.

Congressman Boswell is running for re-election in Iowa’s new Third Congressional District which includes Cass County. Currently the Congressman who represents the Third District, Boswell is running against Tom Latham, who now represents Iowa’s Fourth District. Iowa lost a Congressional seat in the 2010 redistricting, setting up the campaign between the two incumbents. Latham is a nine-term Congressman while Boswell has been elected to eight terms. The race is one of the most closely watched Congressional races in the country.

Officials with PRIDE (the Progressive Rural Iowa Development Enterprise) based in Atlantic, have announced that two legislative coffees have been scheduled to take place in Cass County, in preparation for the 2013 session of the Iowa Legislature. PRIDE President Kenner Baxter says “These coffees are opportunities to have face-to-face dialogue with our Iowa legislators.” It’s the first time the coffees have been held in the fall.

Baxter says reasons for the early coffees include redistricting, which has added a new legislator to our area in Senator Hubert Houser from Carson, and because they “Want to meet before the session begins to express what’s important to our citizens ahead of convening in January to be proactive.” She says  “Our legislators always appreciate coming to Cass County because we have such terrific attendance. People here really want to have input into our state government, so they participate when the legislators make time to come to our towns.”

Legislative coffees will also be held while the legislature is in session. The schedule for those events will be released in December or January. The first Fall coffee is set for Saturday, October 27th, at the Cass County Museum in Griswold, beginning at 10 a.m. Baxter says Representative Jack Drake and Senator Hubert Houser have committed to attending. Representative Clel Baudler has been invited. The second coffee will be on Saturday, November 17th, at the Marne Community Center, beginning at 10 a.m. Senator Houser has tentatively agreed to be present. Representatives Drake and Baudler are invited, but as both have contested races, their presence depends on the outcome of the November 6th election.

P.R.I.D.E. is the economic development organization that works on behalf of the cities of Cumberland, Griswold, Lewis, and Marne for Cass County development, plus numerous individual members and businesses in Southwest Iowa. For additional information, or to join P.R.I.D.E., please contact Kenner Baxter, President, at kennermc@metc.net, or Clarke Gerlock, vice-president, at 712-774-5476.

Authorities in Fremont County say an arrest has been made in connection with two recent burglaries, and additional arrests are expected. The Sheriff’s Department said Tuesday, 21-year old Michael Lee Glenn, of Shenandoah was arrested Monday following the execution of search warrants at 306 West Washington Street in Randolph, and 1114 West Sheridan, in Shenandoah.

Officials say the search warrants and arrest stems from an investigation into burglaries to a residence and shop belonging to Raymond Welchans, and another burglary at a machinery building located at the Brad MacDonald residence, both in the Locust Grove Township.

(12:40-p.m. News)

No injuries were reported following a two-vehicle accident on Interstate 80 in Cass County this (Tuesday) morning. According to dispatch reports, a car and a semi collided at around 11:23-a.m. on I-80 eastbound, about three-miles west of the exit to Highway 148 (the 67-mile marker). Additional details are currently not available.