The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, adopted a revised Ordinance pertaining to Private Wells. The new ordinance says “No person shall install a private drinking or non-drinking water well within city limits, unless a determination has been made by the City Administrator that it is a “closed-loop system,” or that the well is located greater than 1,000-feet from where an area of contamination exists. The Iowa DNR has identified the City’s old street garage site at 211 Commerce, and sites at 1408 East 7th, and 100 West 2nd Street, as contaminated sites, under Iowa law.

The Council also set 5:30-p.m. October 3^rd, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall, as the time, date and place for a public hearing on the disposal of certain real estate at 400 Hickory Street. City Street Department Superintendent Derald Andersen provided the Council with an update on departmental activities and progress during the meeting.

Andersen said the street crews are still doing some asphalt patching, and will try to seal coat some of the roads next week. He says some of the roads haven’t been seal coated in nearly 10-years. City Administrator Doug Harris and Andersen agreed, that over one-third of the 55-miles worth of roads in the City have been repaired over the past 10-years or so, and the work continues, as part of the City’s Capital Improvements Plan. Andersen said also, it’s about that time of year to prepare the City’s Christmas lights for display.

He says crews will begin the process of preparing for the Grand Lighting ceremony that takes place in December, on October 1^st. Three men in bucket trucks will spend 27 days decorating the trees on Chestnut Street, weather permitting. That includes all the garlands and other decorations. In other news from the Council meeting, Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones set Wednesday, October 31^st from 5:30-to 7:30-p.m., as the date and times for Halloween Trick or Treating in Atlantic.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Cass County Democratic Party officially opened its Election Headquarters at 511 Chestnut Street in Atlantic, Tuesday, with 32 voters attending its Open House. Sherry Toelle, Cass County Democratic Party Chairperson, says former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge was the keynote speaker at the event, acting as a surrogate for President Obama as well as speaking from her twenty years of experience in the political arena. Toelle says Judge stated the Democrats running for Statehouse seats were some of the best candidates that she has seen in years.

She expressed the need for a large voter turnout this election as it is the most important election of this generation, citing controversial issues such as Medicare and Social Security stability, voter suppression issues across the nation, and health care coverage for all citizens. In addition, John Rose, candidate for Iowa House District #21, running against Jack Drake, spoke of his slate of issues, including education, educational funding, property tax reform, infrastructure, and Obamacare’s expansion of Medicaid funding for the states.Rose cited concerns that the current Governor has expressed negativity toward the Medicaid expansion, despite increased federal funding for the program.

The Cass County Democratic Party’s Headquarters is open 7 days a week.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports General Election ballots have been delivered to the Auditor’s office. Requests for Absentee ballots (those cast prior to ‘election day’ by mail or at Auditor’s office) may be sent or brought to the County Auditor’s office. First day to vote in the auditor’s office is Thursday, September 27th, 2012 and the last day to vote in the auditor’s office is Monday, November 5th, 2012. Absentee ballots may be requested by mail or may be voted at the Cass County Auditor’s Office during normal business hours. In addition to regular office hours, the office of Cass County Auditor will be open Saturday, October 27, 2012 from 8 AM thru 5 PM and Saturday, November 3, 2012 from 9 AM thru 5 PM.

Sunderman notes that this year, Cass County will have two Satellite Voting Stations, to provide in-person absentee voting at places other than the courthouse. At the satellite voting station you must mark the absentee ballot and leave it with the officials similar to the process used at the courthouse. You cannot take the ballot home with you. The two satellite stations, the two days, the two times and the ballots available will be: at The MASSENA PUBLIC LIBRARY on October 15th, 2012 from 2:00 p.m. thru 8:00 p.m., and ballots that will be available are those for Edna Township, Victoria Township, Massena Township, City of Massena, Union Township and the City of Cumberland; the other Satellite station is at the GRISWOLD COMMUNITY BUILDING,on October 17th, 2012 from 2:00 p.m. thru 8:00 p.m. and ballots that will be available, are those for Pleasant Township, Noble Township, City of Griswold, Bear Grove Township, Cass Township and the City of Lewis

In order to vote in Iowa a person must be registered in the person’s current county of residence, under the person’s present name, and at the person’s current address. Registration forms are available at the county auditor’s office, many State of Iowa service offices and on the Secretary of State’s web site: sos.state.ia.us The county election commissioner recommends that persons not currently registered or who have moved since last registering and are planning to vote in the November General Election pre-register in the office of the County Auditor as soon as possible. You may register or re-register and vote absentee on the same day.

You may also update your registration as you update your address for your driver’s license. Since your Iowa driver’s license is often used as official identification, it’s important that the data shown is accurate. Iowa law requires residents to notify the Department of Transportation within 30 days of an address change. The easiest method of changing your address is to visit an Iowa driver’s license station. In Cass County that station is in the Cass County Treasurer’s office.

For additional information, call the Cass County Auditor’s office at 712-243-4570.

Cass County Engineer Charles Marker says work on one bridge project in the northern part of the County is almost finished, while the bid letting for another project is slated to take place in December. Marker says work on a high overhead truss Bridge (#440) just west of the Buck Creek United Methodist Church, is almost finished.

Marker says emergency work on Bridge # 272, located about three-miles south of Wiota, was conducted, and the weight restriction set in-place earlier, has been removed. The bridge inspection crew had said the previously un-posted weight limit bridge needed to be reduced to an 8-ton limit, because a support pillar was rotted away at ground level. Marker says they utilized steel piling to replace the rotted 5-foot section, and they re-tensioned the I-beam overhead. The bridge is now open for the full legal load limit.

And, bid letting for Bridge #345 across the Nishnabotna River located near the old Research Farm southwest of Atlantic, is scheduled to take place on December 18^th. It will be up to the contractor to determine when they are to start on the project.  Marker says also, each instance of rain helps his Secondary Road crews make progress on eliminating some of the “wash board” conditions on County gravel roads, but because the roads dry out quickly, they are unable to work on section of the county until rain has fallen, and even then, only for a few days at a time, but they are making some progress.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Department reports an Arkansas man was arrested Tuesday afternoon on a warrant issued in connection with a bad check written to Audubon business in December, 2006. 53-year old Joseph Leo Collins, of Van Buren, AR, was charged with 5th degree theft. The sheriff’s department received assistance in conducting the arrest, from the Iowa State Patrol. Collins was held in the Audubon County Jail until appearing before the magistrate and pleading guilty to the crime. He was fined and later released.

The sheriff’s department said also, 52-year old Jeffrey Dennis Spencer, of Hamlin, was arrested Tuesday night at his residence, on an outstanding warrant charging Spencer with a Violation of his Probation. He was placed on probation in Oct. 2011, following a charge of 3rd offense Public Intoxication. Spencer has since allegedly violated the terms of his probation. He was being held in the Audubon County Jail on $3,000 bond.

This Saturday marks the first day of Fall, and Cass County General Relief Coordinator Teresa Kanning is warning persons who receive heating assistance (for electric, gas, propane or other heating sources), to make an effort to pay at least a portion of your bill from last year, or risk having your heat shut-off. Kanning says her office is starting to see clients come in with “Disconnect” notices, because they are behind on their utilities as they prepare to enter the LIHEAP, or Low Income Heat Assistance Program. She says the utilities are being adamant that clients be caught up in their bills before the October 1^st start of LIHEAP.

Several people she says, have told her they are 60 days behind on their heating bills. Before you can apply for LIHEAP,  Kanning says you need to have certain information available. LIHEAP starts taking applications on October 1^st at West Central Development. The program puts a moratorium on people have their utilities shut-off, from November 1^st through April 1^st, but if you didn’t make your payments last Winter, you’ll be shut-off.

She said they have some clients with bills from last Winter amounting to more than $1,000, but who haven’t made an effort to get caught up on those bills.  Kanning says she always tells her clients to make SOME payments all-year long, because LIHEAP doesn’t pay for the entire bill. It’s only an assistance program.

The Bureau of Energy Assistance administers the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The federally-funded block grant is designed to aid qualifying households in the payment of a portion of their residential heating costs for the winter heating season. The program’s energy crisis intervention components are designed to provide immediate response to alleviate potentially life-threatening situations, and the client education component of the program provides funds for activities that encourage regular utility payments, promote energy awareness and encourage reduction of energy use through energy efficiency, client education and weatherization. For more information about LIHEAP, contact West Central Development Corporation in Atlantic, at 712-243-5421. They are located at 304 Chestnut Street, and their office hours are Monday through Friday, from 9-am to 3-p.m. Other WCDC offices are located in Shenandoah, Council Bluffs, Sidney, Harlan, Red Oak, Logan, Malvern, Onawa and Denison. Or, go to this link to find the assistance office in your area: www.dcaa.iowa.gov/app_sites/liheap_map.html

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports they are currently seeking information on the whereabouts of a 1950’s model road grader and a 1956 John Deere Model 70 tractor. The implements were last seen on a farm in central Guthrie County…about two-years ago. If you have any information on the disappearance of the equipment, contact Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright at 641-747-2214.