The Atlantic City Council has what’s expected to be a longer than normal session scheduled for Wednesday evening. That’s because they have discussion on their agenda pertaining to several matters, the biggest of which is the preliminary Fiscal Year 2018 Budget. City Administrator John Lund says the proposed budget amounts to slightly more than $12.493-million, which is a decrease over the FY 2017 budget of 14.78%, or more than $1.847-million.

In his budget summary, Lund says “Overall, Atlantic is in a strong financial position.” He added that this year’s budget was more of a challenge, though, due to action by the State Legislature, which negatively impacted cities through Commercial/Industrial Property Tax Reform and the Multi-residential property classification. As a result, the City will see notable losses in collections from tax revenue, amounting to a combined $126,718 to the General, Employee Benefit and Debt Service Funds. To make up for those losses, Lund proposes a tax levy of $16.98 per $100,000 taxable property valuation, an increase of 1.48% over the last Fiscal Year.

On the bright side, the City’s Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Fund posted 2.33% growth in FY 2017 over 2016, and Lund predicts an even more robust growth in FY 2018. And, the City expects to resume minimal debt in FY 2018. In other business, the Atlantic City Council will discuss an easement between the City and the Whitney Group, which would allow for the installation of an electrical box  across the alley from the business. Since the City cannot grant an easement for free, according to State law, the fair market value of the easement would be $250.

The Council will also hear a presentation from SWIPCO’s John McCurdy, with regard to a Comprehensive City Plan, which is required by the State, and was last adopted in 2002. The process to undertake and devise a new or updated plan will take about nine months, at a cost to the City of $19,500, the funds for which will come from the LOST Progress Fund for FY 2018. They’ll also act on approving an updated retainer agreement with the Otto, Lorence and Wiederstein law firm, which mentions Mark Bosworth is the Primary Attorney, but the position of City Attorney is still managed by the firm. Compensation will increase from $20,000 to $24,000.

And, Mayor Dave Jones is expected to Swear-in Officer Spencer Walton as Sergeant, during Wednesday’s meeting. Walton is being promoted to fill a vacancy on the Atlantic Police force created by the resignation of Cody Eckles. Walton has been with the A-PD for nearly 9 years.

The man who being labeled as an American hero for stopping a flag-burning in Iowa City says he’s no hero. A video Cedar Rapids Fed Ex driver Mathew Uhrin stopping a group of protesters from burning American flags on the pedestrian mall in Iowa City says has gone viral. He tells K-C-R-G T-V in an interview that he was just acting on instinct. “I don’t feel like I deserve the praise I never wanted it, just it’s humbling you know it just it is,” Uhrin said.

Uhrin served in the Army for eight years and said as a veteran he felt he had to act to stop the flag from being burned. “It really hurts when you see it disgraced and I think that’s why everyone loves it the way that they do and that’s why I love it,” Uhrin said.

The video of him stopping the flag burning last Thursday has been shared thousands of times– and had nearly eight million views on social media. People across the country are now calling Matt an American hero– using the hashtag Fed Ex Guy (#FedExGuy) and posting memes. Matt’s favorite is one where he’s been photo-shopped into a Call of Duty video game poster. Though Matt stood up for the flag in this viral video– He says he isn’t a hero. That title should be reserved for those who died for their country.

“Each person has their own reason why they signed the dotted line and the ones whot are really the heroes are the ones that were injured, maimed, killed, or the ones that never got to see home again — they’re the heroes,” Uhrin said.

He told K-C-R-G his phone hasn’t stopped ringing from people all over the place wanting to thank him, but he wants to make sure people know he’s not asking for any donations. “I want people to realize I don’t have a Twitter I’m not going to be asking people for stuff, if you want to buy me a meal, If you want to buy me a beer if you want to send me gift cards or something I would rather you guys take that money and there’s a plethora list of veteran charities that are so in need of money,” Uhrin said.

Fedex announced in a tweet Saturday morning that Uhrin will be keeping his job at the company. He says he would do the same thing again “in a heartbeat.”

(KCRG via Radio Iowa)

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office says a Greenfield man was arrested Saturday night for knowingly passing a fake $20 bill to purchase two packs of cigarettes from the Greenfield Dollar General Store. 21-year old Zachary Trenton Holder was arrested for Forgery, a Class-D Felony. Holder was being held on $5,000 bond in the Adair County Jail.

And, a Greenfield man was arrested last Wednesday for Possession of Marijuana. 24-year old Joshua Awstin Curry was later released on his Own Recognizance, after marijuana was found on his person and in his bedroom.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office says 37-year old Jason Bruce King, of Stuart, was arrested Jan. 23rd on an Adair County warrant for Probation Violation. King was being held without bond in the Adair County Jail.  25-year old Shelby Lynn Weis, of Creston, was arrested in Bridgewater on Jan. 24th, for Driving Under Suspension. She was cited and then released from custody at the scene.

On Jan. 24th, 25-year old Zaneta Janen Taylor, of Des Moines, was arrested on Interstate 80 in Adair County following a traffic stop for speeding. An Iowa State Patrol Trooper noticed the smell of marijuana as he approached Taylor’s vehicle. After a search warrant was obtained, inside the vehicle, authorities found two plastic bags and a jar containing a green leafy substance. Taylor admitted the weed was hers. She was later released on $1,000 bond.

And, 44-year old Christopher Scott Partlow, of Menlo, was arrested Friday morning by the Iowa State Patrol, following a traffic stop on Highway 25 near 190th Street, in Adair County. Partlow was charged with Driving While License Revoked or OWI test failure. He was later released from the Adair County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Page County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted Clarinda Police, Saturday, in locating a man wanted in connection with an alleged incident of Domestic Abuse Assault in Clarinda. Deputies located 26-year old Justin Leo Powers, of rural Clarinda, at his residence and took him into custody. Powers was transported to the Page County Jail where he was held without bond on the Domestic Abuse Assault charge, pending appearance by a Magistrate.

Justin Leo Powers

A traffic stop early Sunday morning in Pottawattamie County resulted in the arrest of a Crawford County woman on drug and other charges. Sheriff’s officials say a Deputy on routine patrol noticed a vehicle with no license plate lamp traveling on Railroad Highway at around 2:10-a.m.  An investigation following the traffic stop resulted in 27-year old Karen Y. Melara, of Denison, being taken into custody for Driving While Barred, Possession of a Controlled Substance (4.1 grams of marijuana) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (a Meth pipe).

Also arrested Sunday, was 61-year old Douglas Edward Leaders, of Hancock. He was charged with OWI/2nd offense, 1st Degree Harassment and Simple Domestic Assault, following an incident involving his wife at around 4:10-a.m. at a home located in the 35-thousand block of Pinoak Road. The call was originally dispatched as an “Armed subject” call. Leaders was said to have suffered minor injuries during the incident.

And, a Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Deputy arrested 32-year old Cassandra Lynn Johannes, of Carson, Friday afternoon at Jennie Edmundson Hospital, in-part, for an incident that took place 11-a.m. Sunday, Jan. 22nd, at the Carson United Methodist Church.

Johannes was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation, and a charge of Harassment in the 3rd Degree, for the incident that occurred Jan. 22nd. She was being held at Jennie Ed for the Harassment charge resulting from a Welfare Check at the church.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says excessive speed was partially to blame for a non-injury accident late Friday night. 18-year old Kolten Phelps, of Creston, was traveling west on Four Mile Creek Drive at around 11:10-p.m., and failed to slow down for the posted sharp curve ahead in the road. Phelps told authorities when he swerved to miss a deer on the road, the 2007 Ford pickup he was driving left the road and ended up in the west ditch before hitting a tree and a fence. Damage from accident amounted to $10,500.

A traffic stop for speeding this (Monday) morning in Adams County resulted in a man from Villisca being arrested. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says 30-year old Justin Donscheski was pulled over for speeding at around 6:20-a.m. He was found to have had a barred Iowa driver’s license, and was taken into custody for Driving While Barred. His bond was set at $2,000.

(8-a.m. News)