(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic met Wednesday evening. The session began with action on a Resolution approving the Final Plat for the Redwood Subdivision in the City of Atlantic, and the swearing-in/Promotion of Atlantic Police Officer Jimmy James to Sergeant. As we’ve mentioned, James has 16-years of law enforcement experience.

Mayor Grace Garrett congratulates Sgt. Jimmy James

The Council also recognized Mike Henningsen and Dr. Carol Trewet, for their 20-years of service on the Atlantic Airport Commission. Lori Reid, who, along with her husband Barry, manage the airport, thanked them for all they have done for the airport, the local pilots, and the

Lori Reid and Mike Henngingsen

Lori Reid and Dr. Carol Trewett

“transient pilots,” who have made brief stays in the community.  Henningsen said “When the FAA gives you 80-to 90-percent [the cost] of a project that’s been approved, you’re crazy not to go through with it, and you’ve all done that without any backlash over the years, so thank you.” He was referring the the runway and apron expansion, hanger and other essential functions at the airport the Council has backed over the years.

The Atlantic City Council approved a day long street closure for 4th Street, between Walnut and Chestnut, for SHIFT ATL’s Summer Soiree Summer fundraising event/dinner, set to take place July 16th. And, the approved a Wastewater Management Services Agreement with the City of Anita. Atlantic already has similar agreements in-place with Massena and Fontanelle.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council officially set the dates and hours for Fireworks, which are unchanged from last year. Fireworks are permitted in Atlantic on July 2nd, 3rd and 4th, from Noon until 11-p.m. each day. The law bans the discharge of fireworks within 300 feet of a hospital or long-term care facility. The ordinance also states no person under the age of 18 shall discharge DOT 1.4 class fireworks without adult supervision. Consumers must follow the directions on the package, and sky lanterns without a tether rope are strictly prohibited.

And Mayor Garrett put the community on-notice that a big event next week in Atlantic, will draw a large number of people from out of town to the area, beginning this weekend, and some slow moving equipment.

The tractors will depart the Cass County Fairgrounds in Atlantic early Monday-Tues-and Wednesday mornings, June 20-22, and have stops the first day at: the Cumberland Fire Department; Griswold High School; Muller Livestock, and then back to the Fairgrounds, that evening, for a total of 73.77 miles.
Tuesday’s schedule takes the tractors and their riders to: the Exira-EHK High School; Van Wall Implement in Avoca; and Dave’s Country Repair in Walnut before heading back to the Fairgrounds. Total mileage for day-two, is 69.5.
And, on the third and final day of the tractor ride, participants will depart the Fairgrounds in Atlantic and head to the CAM High School in Anita.

[COUNCIL BLUFFS] – Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Coordinator Doug Reed said Wednesday, “Emergency Management personnel began local preliminary damage assessments today, focusing on the areas with initial publicly reported damages from the overnight severe storm system. Currently there are no significant public infrastructure damages reported and only limited reports of residential & business damages. The heaviest damages observed today were in south central Pottawattamie County which resulted in a total loss of a business.

Additional damages were observed in eastern Pottawattamie County, including Carson, Macedonia, and rural areas eastward toward Cass County. Those damages primarily consisted of residential properties that were affected by falling limbs, trees, or high winds. Currently, (63) structures have been impacted by the severe weather event along with a few parks & recreation areas receiving some form of tree damage, debris, or other related minor damages.”

“The important numbers right now,” Reed said, “are that there have been zero injuries or fatalities related to this storm event and nearly all utility outages have been restored. This nighttime tornado scenario is one of the ones that scares me the most; nearly everyone is home, and nearly everyone is asleep.” Reed reminds everyone that you need to have multiple ways to receive warning alerts. “Have a weather radio, sign up for our free emergency and weather alerts, and leave those device’s volumes turned on during the night – there’s simply no other solution.”

Damage reports from the public will be accepted over the next couple of days as officials continue to assess the overall impact and potential need for assistance. To report your damages and receive updates related to this severe weather event go to the Emergency Management Agency website at https://pcema-ia.org. Your reports and pictures will be essential in assessing the overall impact to the  county.

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa -Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Wednesday (today), said that on June 14, 2022, at approximately 4:44 p.m., the West Burlington Police Department received reports of shots being fired at the West Burlington Municipal Pool, located at 602 West Burlington Avenue.  Upon arrival, law officers found Devontae Richardson, 28, bleeding from a single gunshot wound to the face.  Richardson was transported to the Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center.  Eventually, Richardson was airlifted to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where he currently remains in stable condition. No other injuries were reported related to the shooting.

Witnesses observed a vehicle flee the scene, which has been located by law enforcement and subsequently seized. Interviews continue to be conducted by the West Burlington Police Department, Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office and agents from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Law enforcement believes this is an isolated incident and that there is no threat to the general public. No additional information will be released until further notice.

Atlantic Fire, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies, Atlantic Police, Cass County EMS personnel stand in honor under Old Glory above I-80 westbound at Exit 57, north of Atlantic, while a procession of law enforcement escorts Fremont County Sheriff’s Deputy Austin Richardson from the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny, to a funeral home in Hamburg. The Deputy died Tuesday, June 14th, in a collision between the SUV he was driving, and a combine. The accident took place on a narrow two-lane highway in Fremont County.

(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents will meet Monday and consider an increase in tuition and fees at the three state universities. The Regents will hold the first reading of a proposal to raise tuition by four-point-two-five percent for in-state undergraduates. That translates to an increase of 355 dollars at the University of Iowa, 354 at Iowa State University, and 331 dollars at the University of Northern Iowa.

The Board says the increase is needed after they requested an additional 15 million dollars from the Iowa Legislature and lawmakers gave them a five-and-half million dollar increase for the next year. I-S-U is asking for the largest increase in mandatory fees at 145 dollars, the U-I requests 56 dollars, and U-N-I 27 dollars.

The proposed tuition increases come after the Board of Regents approved 50-thousand dollar salary increases for the presidents of the University of Iowa and Iowa State University. The Board of Regents also approved deferred compensation packages for I-S-U president Wendy Winterstein, U-I president Barbara Wilson and for U-N-I president Mark Nook, and Regents executive director Mark Braun.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s insurance commissioner says a cryptocurrency company will pay a 943-thousand dollar fine to the State of Iowa for selling unregistered securities and misrepresenting the level of risk associated with its product. BlockFi Lending has offered interest-bearing accounts to customers with cryptocurrency, promising to make variable interest payments each month. Two and a half years ago, BlockFi and its affiliates held about 267-thousand dollars worth of crypto from Iowans. By the end of 2021, that had ballooned to 14-point-six million. The company was accused of selling securities in Iowa without being registered as a broker-dealer or agent.

The Iowa Insurance Commissioner’s announcement is part of a joint investigation by a federal agency and state regulators. BlockFi has agreed to pay 50 million dollars to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Iowa’s insurance commission says the company is paying another 50 million dollars to 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

BlockFi agreed to the 100 million dollar settlement without admitting or denying the S-E-C’s allegations.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a man from Cass County (IA) was sentenced Tuesday, to serve seven-years in prison for the Receipt of Child Pornography. 34-year-old Aaron William Butcher must also serve a seven-year term of supervised release after the prison term and register as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system. Butcher was also ordered to pay $12,000 in restitution.

In February of 2021, a cybertip was sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding child pornography being uploaded to a Dropbox account. The email address was traced to Butcher and law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant for his Dropbox account and his residence in Atlantic, Iowa. Butcher’s electronic devices were forensically analyzed and contained images and videos of child pornography. Forensic examination also located numerous conversations between Butcher and individuals he believed to be teenagers. Butcher asked for images and videos of child pornography in exchange for money.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Internet Crimes Against Children Unit investigated the case, which was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – A man from Harrison County was sentenced to prison, Tuesday, on a Child Pornography charge. A judge ordered 47-year-old Curtis Lee Jensen, of Woodbine, to serve 12-years in prison, for Receipt of Child Pornography. He must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term and register as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system.

Authorities say in January of 2021, a cyber tip was sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding child pornography being uploaded to a KIK Messenger account. The email address was traced to Jensen and law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant for Jensen’s email and KIK account. The investigation revealed that Jensen received and distributed child pornography using his KIK account.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Internet Crimes Against Children Unit investigated the case, which was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood and resources about internet safety, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Auditor Stephanie Burke reports the County conducted a post- election audit today (June 15th), under the law designed to monitor and protect election processes. Burke said the audit was a perfect match to the results canvassed for the 2022 Primary Election.

The law requires the Secretary of State to call for a post-election audit in a randomly chosen precinct in each county. County Auditors supervise a hand count of votes in a given race on the ballots from that precinct. By random selection, Precinct 1 was audited. The polling place location for Precinct 1 is the Gold Fair Building. Burke said “We have high confidence in the security measures we take for elections, but the post-election audit is a good way to prove that the confidence is well-founded.”

Pictured: Left to Right
Will Lester, Chris Stephens, Connie Mccunn (Photo courtesy Auditor Stephanie Burke)

Questions about the post-election audit and other election matters may be directed to the Montgomery County Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127.