The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Board of Directors will meet Monday evening at City Hall. During their 5:15-p.m. session, the board will welcome newly elected board member Jolene Smith and congratulate Mary Strong on her election to a second term. They’ll also take action on electing officers for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 (2-year) terms.

Other business includes discussion and possible action on: Park restroom closures and Sunnyside Park gate closures for streets; use of recently announced the Cass County Community Foundation grant for equipment at the Sunnyside Pool; results of the Rotary Auction/Raffle and use of funds for the Phase 1 campground project at the Schildberg Recreation Area; and, consider a usage fee for shelters at Sunnyside Park.

Two businesses were awarded a total of $30,000 Friday in a competition sponsored by Shelby County Developsource. Iowa Agricultural Bio-Fibers, owned by Alan Chute, Don Cordes and John Schechinger, will receive $20,000 to assist in building expansion costs. And, Panama Diesel, owned by Josh and Theresa Kaufman, will receive $10,000, to purchase new diagnostic computer software.

A total of four businesses presented Friday, in the final round of the business plan competition sponsored by Shelby County DevelopSource.  The other businesses were Norsemen Brewing Company, and The Salon Suites. All of the finalists were selected from nine applicants.  The presentations were held at the Therkildsen Center before a panel of five judges and a nice contingent of interested observers.

Officials say there was a great deal of interest in the program and Shelby County DevelopSource expects to sponsor a second competition in 2012 in conjunction with their partners – City of Harlan, Harlan Industrial Foundation, Harlan Municipal Utilities, Shelby County Board of Supervisors, Bank of the West, Defiance State Bank, Farmers Trust and Savings Bank, Midstates Bank, Shelby County State Bank, Town & Country Credit Union, and United Bank of Iowa.

Police in the Taylor County community of Lenox reported Friday evening, a Creston man was arrested shortly after 1-a.m. Friday, on multiple charges stemming from his alleged Failure to Yield to an Emergency Vehicle. Officials say 24-year old Antonio Gutierres, of Creston, faces felony Forgery and Identity theft charges, along with citations for Failure to have a driver’s license, failure to have insurance, and eluding.

The events leading up to Gutierres’ arrest began when Lenox Police were notified of a medical call at Village Park Apartments at 12:55-a.m., Friday. While responding, the officer activated his emergency lights in an attempt to safely pass a car on County Road J-13. The car refused to yield to the police Vehicle. The ambulance arrived at the scene with adequate personnel.

The officer then determined he should attempt to stop the vehicle he had attempted to pass, to learn why the driver failed to yield. The vehicle was pursued for over 2 miles before finally pulling over. When the driver was questioned, he presented the officer with a Nebraska ID card identifying him as Raul Pena. The officer determined the ID card was a forgery and the driver placed under arrest.

During a search of the suspect, another ID card was found that identified him as Antonio Gutierres. The felony charges were leveled against Gutierres after he was brought to the Taylor County Jail, and following an investigation into the false ID’s. Gutierres was being held in the jail Friday evening. The vehicle was driving was impounded.

**Update at 9:30am  Phone issues have been fixed.”

w/ Chris Parks

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The Adams County Sheriff’s office reports the arrest of two men Friday night and Saturday morning in separate incidents.

21-year-old Travis Beaty of Prescott was pulled over on a routine traffic stop at approximately 7:53pm Friday(11/18)  evening.  He was then placed under arrest for driving while suspended and brought to the Adams County Jail where he was held with no bond set until he sees a magistrate.

Also early Saturday (11/19) morning 22-year-old Christopher Shockley of Creston was picked up by a Union County Sheriff’s Officer and brought to the Adams County Jail for a probation violation warrant.  He was also held without bond pending appearance with a magistrate.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa judge has ruled that prosecutors can move ahead with seven counts against an Omaha, Neb., man accused of raping and beating a Council Bluffs woman 10 years ago.  Judge Mark Eveloff rejected on Wednesday a motion by 51-year-old Mark Sands’ attorney to throw out six of seven counts against Sands. The defense attorney argued that the statute of limitations on those counts had run out. But prosecutors successfully argued that state law stops the statute of limitations clock for the time that a defendant lives outside the state. A national DNA database identified Sands, a registered sex offender, in the cold case. The charges against Sands range from kidnapping to burglary, assault and sexual abuse.

Area news with KJAN News Director Ric Hanson….

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A 2011 “Scrooge” candidate in Atlantic got a big boost in their votes Wednesday, and the Atlantic Food Pantry received a healthy donation of non-perishable food items, thanks to the family of Trevor Frederickson. The family visited their favorite “scrooge” candidate, Janet Cappel Wednesday evening, and dropped off 329 items for the food pantry. 

Frederickson Family donation for Atlantic Food Pantry

Scrooge candidates are raising funds and non-perishable items for the Atlantic Food Pantry through December 2^nd. The Scrooge who raises the most will get to serve as the “Grand Marshal” in the Lighted Christmas Parade on December 3rd, in downtown Atlantic.

Candidates for the 2011 “Scrooge” contest include: Aaron Siggins, with the Atlantic Hy-Vee store; Janet Cappel, from Cappel’s Ace Hardware; Nancy Fredrickson, with Geis Perry Jewelry; Brad Peerbolte, with Peerbolte Chiropractic; and, Karen Nelson, from the Handbag Ranch.

Each candidate will accept donations at their respective businesses. Many have special promotions in the works. One dollar or one non-perishable item equals a vote for the Scrooge candidate.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office this week, reported about 20 head of hogs were killed during a tractor-trailer rollover last Saturday evening (Nov. 12^th), near the intersection of Highway 25 and White Pole Road (Hwy. 6).  The accident happened at around 6-p.m., when a Freightliner semi registered to Christensen Farms, of Sleepy Eye, MN, went out of control and rolled onto its passenger side. The driver of the truck, Phillip Osborn, of Fairmont, MN, was not injured. 

Officials say the accident happened when Osborn reached for a piece of pizza. As he did so, the truck went off the road onto the unfinished shoulder. The wheels on the passenger side sunk nearly a foot into the shoulder. When Osborn attempted to get the vehicle back onto the paved road, the semi swerved back across both lanes of pavement and rolled onto the highway, sliding to a stop on its side, and blocking both lanes of traffic. 

Twenty hogs died in the crash, while the rest were deemed unsuitable for market. Damage to the Freightliner was estimated at $100,000. Osborn was cited for failure to maintain control of his vehicle.