Officials with the U-S Environmental Protection Agency have sent out mailings to Atlantic residents, advising the EPA’s Region 7 Office in Lenexa, KS., will host a Public Availability Session Tuesday, Jan. 24th, from 6-until 7:30-p.m. at the Atlantic Municipal Utilities building. The session will provide updates on efforts to mitigate PCE contamination from a former dry cleaning business site near 7th and Plum Streets, and the PCE site on Chestnut Street.

The EPA says it has assessed the ability of the public to access site information through an internet-based repository, and has determined the local community has this ability. Additional site information is available online for anyone with an internet connection, as well as at the Atlantic Public Library, by internet connection.

You may visit the following website to learn more: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/pceformerdrycleaner

Questions or requests for site information may be submitted to:

Pamela Houston, Community Engagement Specialist, U.S. EPA Region 7, 11201 Renner Blvd., Lenexa, KS 66219; Or by calling toll-free, 1-800-223-0425. (You may also e-mail: houston.pamela@epa.gov)

Additional background information:

The former dry cleaning facility and IDOT laboratory facility no longer exist at the location (1205 E. 7th St). The EPA has said municipal drinking water wells have been impacted due to groundwater contamination associated with the former dry cleaner. The groundwater contaminants of concern were identified to be the following volatile organic compounds: tetrachloroethene (PCE) and its degradation products including tricholoroethene (TCE) and 1,2-dichloroethene (DCE). The site was proposed for the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 2015 and was officially listed on the NPL in April 2016.

EPA is planning to conduct in situ thermal remediation to treat PCE contamination at the source area. The thermal remediation is tentatively planned to begin in early 2017. EPA is also planning to install a groundwater extraction and treatment system which will prevent PCE contamination from impacting additional municipal wells. The groundwater extraction and treatment system construction is tentatively planned to begin mid-2017.

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports a pickup and snow plow reported stolen by the City of Shenandoah, was recovered Sunday night in the 1400 block of 220th Street, in Page County. The 1998 Chevy K35 pickup and snow plow were taken from a building in Shenandoah. The incident remains under investigation.

No injuries were reported after a pickup truck slid through an intersection east of College Springs, Friday afternoon and struck a school bus. The Page County Sheriff’s Office says 35-year old Haley Haynes, of Blanchard, was driving a 2000 Ford F-250 southbound on Q Avenue, when the vehicle began to slide. It continued through the intersection with 290th Street and struck an eastbound 2000 GMC South Page School bus driven by 69-year old James Falk, of Braddyville. The bus had a small number of students on-board, but again there were no injuries. Damage from the collision that happened at around 3:40-p.m. Friday, amounted to $9,000. Haynes was cited for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign.

And, a Coin resident reported Saturday morning, that someone had crashed a vehicle through his fence, in Coin. The vehicle continued back through the fence at a different location on the property before continuing onto 270th Street in the Coin City limits. The incident caused about $500 damage. The only description of the vehicle, was that it was teal in color. The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193.

(12-p.m. News)

State officials and volunteers say there’s been an “explosion” of human trafficking in Iowa. George Belitsos of the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking says the internet is “fueling the growth. “Today human trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the world,” Belitsos says, “and Iowa’s a literally at the crossroads for trafficking with Interstate 35 reaching US borders to our north and south and Interstate 80 reaching borders to the east and west.”

The illegal drug trade and human trafficking networks “overlap” according to Belitsos.
“However, you need to know this,” Belitsos says. “Traffickers are making more money from human trafficking than drug trafficking.” Belitsos recently retired from his job as the C-E-O of a non-profit child welfare agency and he describes ending human trafficking as his “new cause.”

“The undeniable truth is human trafficking occurs in Iowa and has been here for many years,” he says. The governor has declared January, 2017 as the first-ever “Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month” in Iowa. In the past five years, Governor Branstad and legislators have acted to strengthen penalties against those caught in the human trafficking trade.

Belitsos says there are now more resources to help those rescued recover. In addition, the state now has a coordinator working to help law enforcement recognize the signs that someone is being forced against their will to work in the sex trade. State officials also have just begun keeping statistics on the extent of the problem.

(Radio Iowa)

A Special Meeting has been scheduled for the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors. The Board will meet at Noon Tuesday in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. Action items or New Business includes those pertaining to Parks Capital Improvement Funds for matching funds towards the Schildberg Recreation Area, as needed for an Enhance Iowa CAT Grant application.

Last week, the Atlantic City Council agreed to commit $100,000 toward the project, and the Cass County Board of Supervisors $25,000, both as part of matching funds applied toward the grant application.

Parks and Rec Director Seth Staashelm will also provide the Board an update on the Sunnyside Ice Rink.

Police in Red Oak have arrested a man for having a revoked Nebraska Driver’s License. 28-year old Erik Gomez Gonzalez, of Red Oak, was taken into custody today (Monday) at around 8:50-a.m. in the 700 block of E. Skyline Dr., for Driving While Revoked/Habitual Offender. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $300.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous, recent arrests. Among them, was 30-year old Phillip Michael Houston, of Harlan, who was taken into custody after Shelby County authorities informed Pott. County that Houston had been arrested on a valid Pott. County warrants for Driving While Barred and OWI/1st Offense. Houston was booked into the Pott. County Jail. Sunday evening, 35-year old Raymond Andrew Kerns, of Quimby, was arrested for OWI/3rd or subsequent Offense, after an Iowa State Patrol Trooper pulled over Kerns’ vehicle. An investigation determined Kerns was under the influence of a Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulant. And, early Sunday morning, 42-year old James Victor Ayers, of Carson, was arrested for OWI/1st offense and cited for Driving While Suspended, after a Deputy observed Ayers’ vehicle swerving over the road.

Late Saturday night, 32-year old Cory Ross Smith, of Elliott, was arrested for OWI/1st Offense, Carrying a Concealed Weapon and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, after he was pulled over on Highway 92 at 510th Street, for not having a rear license plate light. The deputy noticed the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, and Smith handed over a marijuana pipe to the deputy. He also had a .22 caliber long rifle in the vehicle.

Saturday evening, 36-year old Ryan August Dunn, of Little Shute, WI., was arrested at a motel in Avoca, for Child Endangerment resulting in bodily injury and interference with official acts. Authorities say deputies responded to a disturbance at the motel at around 5-p.m., and determined Dunn had assaulted his 8-year old son, by grabbing him by the neck and pushing him to the ground. While deputies were questioning Dunn, he allegedly became irritated and aggressive towards law enforcement. Dunn pulled away from a Deputy while being escorted to the patrol vehicle and failed to obey several commands. He was finally ordered to the ground and placed under arrest.  Authorities says Dunn’s mother, 59-year old Roxanne Dunn, of Colorado Springs, CO., was arrested for Interference with Official Acts, after she failed to comply with Deputies’ instructions, was screaming and recording the incident on her cell phone.

Early Saturday morning, an Oakland teen was arrested for OWI/1st offense and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The unidentified teen was driving a 1999 Jeep Cherokee when he was pulled over at around midnight, for allegedly running a stop sign at the intersection of Oakland Avenue and Highway 59. Two marijuana pipes and a marijuana grinder were taken into evidence.

At around 4:30-p.m. Friday, 25-year old Gary Allen Schultz, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Domestic Assault with intent and/or use of a weapon, Interference with Official Acts, and Violation of a No Contact Order. Schultz was taken into custody following an assault on his girlfriend that allegedly occurred at a residence on McPherson Avenue, in Council Bluffs. No injuries were reported. A knife was seized as evidence in the case.

And, at around 4-p.m., Friday, 19-year old Ethan Ray Rankin, of Oakland, was arrested near his home following a traffic stop. Rankin was wanted on a warrant for misuse of identification to acquire alcohol.