Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman and Sheriff Darby McLaren have filed papers to run for re-election in the June 5th, 2012 Primary. Sunderman and McLaren were the first two candidates to announce their intentions to run for County office, Monday, March 5th, which was also the first day persons were allowed to file. The final date for filing nomination papers is Wednesday, March 28th, 2012.

SAC CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man was electrocuted in a tree trimming accident in Sac County. The sheriff’s office says 63-year-old Edward Peters, of Lake View, died on Monday while working near Nemaha. Sheriff Ken McClure says Peters, who owned Peters Painting and Tree Trimming, was leaning on a boom truck, while a worker in a bucket on the truck was cutting branches. McClure says the 50-foot boom touched an overhead power line. Electricity traveled through the truck and Peters, who died at a hospital in Sac City. An autopsy is pending.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports a Coin man was arrested Thursday, on burglary and other charges. 45-year old Jeffrey Paul McCoy was taken into custody at around 2:20-p.m., following an investigation into an incident which occurred shortley after midnight, March 1st, at 2346 P Avenue in Page County. McCoy was charged with Burglary, Domestic Abuse Assault, and Assault. He was brought to the Page County Jail, posted bond, and was released pending additional court proceedings.

The Atlantic Police Department reports two arrests over the weekend. Authorities say on Saturday, 34-year old Arthur Davis was arrested for Interference with Official Acts. And, 42-year old Angela Cook was arrested for 1st Offense OWI. Davis and Cook are from Atlantic. Both were brought to the Cass County Jail and held pending a court appearance.

Last week’s killer tornadoes missed Iowa, but dozens of Iowans are responding to help residents in other states recover and rebuild. Volunteers from Iowa’s Red Cross chapters, from Sioux City to Des Moines to the Quad Cities, are loading up emergency response vehicles or hopping on planes. They’re heading for states as close as Illinois and as far away as North Carolina and Alabama. So far, the Red Cross has opened 25 shelters in 11 states after the tornadoes injured hundreds of people and killed at least 39. Iowa church groups are also responding. Volunteers from a West Des Moines church are in Harrisburg, Illinois, working to clear fallen trees with chainsaws. To donate, visit RedCross-dot-org.

(Matt Kelley/Radio Iowa)

Members of the City Council in Atlantic will act on adopting the Fiscal Year 2013 budget during their meeting Wednesday evening, at City Hall. A public hearing on the budget will precede a vote on approving a resolution adopting the budget. City Administrator Doug Harris says following the hearing, the Council can reduce, but not increase the Municipal Budget, which calls for expenditures of more than $13.6-million dollars. Harris says that’s a decrease of over $9.8-million (42%) from the current FY 2012 budget. If approved, the budget would result in a Total tax levy rate of $17.24 per thousand dollars valuation on regular property, or $3.00 per thousand, on Agricultural land. During the public hearing, any resident or taxpayer may present objections to, or arguments in favor of, any part of the proposed budget.  The meeting begins at 5:30-p.m., Wednesday.

Harris says the FY 2013 budgets for the City’s 15 Operating Funds total $10.1-million, which is an increase of nearly $1.1-million (12%) over the current year. He says the “Lion’s share” of the increase is due to the $725,000 increase in the Wastewater Fund, to pay for a portion of the news Wastewater Treatment Plant improvements being funded out of current revenues, and, the cost of principal payments to the State Revolving Loan (SRL) fund.

Other factors contributing to the large increase in the Operating Budget, include the use of some fund balances from the Storm Water Fund ($200,000) and the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Fund ($650,000), for one-time capital improvement projects. Those changes aside, Harris says the rest of the Operating Budgets are up 1.5%, or $107,000.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hold the second reading of an ordinance calling for the speed limit to be changed on 22nd Street, from Highway 71 to Olive Street, and from Chestnut Street to Highway 6. The ordinance states the speed limit on those sections of 22nd Street, will be reduced from 45-, to 35-miles per hour. Some councilpersons have already received feedback from the public in opposition of the change in the speed limit, which was reviewed last month by the Community Protection Committee. Councilman Steve Livengood will report on the CPC’s findings and recommendation, during Wednesday evening’s meeting.