The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests, two of which occurred Saturday. At around midnight, authorities arrested 30-year-old Jacob Le Miller, of Harlan, on a Class-D felony charge of operating while intoxicated 3rd offense. The charges was the result of a traffic stop along Highway 44.   Miller was transported to the Shelby County Jail and held under bond and was then released the following morning after posting the required $5000 surety bond. And, at around 9-p.m. Saturday, Shelby County authorities were called to a disturbance at a residence along Highway 44. Further information revealed that a party involved had left the scene.  Authorities located the vehicle traveling on Highway 44 and performed a traffic stop and upon further investigation it was determined that 42-year-old Jennifer Marie Rowedder, of Harlan, was intoxicated and charged with operating while intoxicated 1st offense.  Rowedder was transported to the Shelby County Jail without incident and held under bond until being released by the magistrate the following morning on her own recognizance.

And, there were two separate arrests on April 19th. At around 9-p.m., deputies arrested 45-year-old Bruce Daniel Peters, from Walnut, following a traffic stop for speeding along Highway 59 in Shelby County.  Upon further investigation Peters was taken into custody for operating while intoxicated 1st offense, and he was cited for speeding.   Peters was transferred to the Shelby County Jail without incident and released later that night after posting the $1000 cash bond. Also arrested, following a traffic stop in Earling April 19th, was 25-year-old Brett Scott Wilke, from Irwin.  Wilke was stopped around 1-a.m. for speeding, and upon further investigation was placed under arrest for operating while intoxicated 1st offense. Wilke was transported to the Shelby County Jail without incident and held till the following morning after he was released on his own recognizance.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones will administer the Oath of Office to the City’s newest Police Officer, Wednesday. Officer Dustin Gelner began working with the Atlantic Police Department on April 24th. Originally from Vinton, Louisiana, Gelner met his wife Michelle, an Atlantic native, while serving in the armed forces for five-years. Michelle Gelner is a nurse at CCMH. Both moved to town and have found a home to raise their family. The couple has a two-and one-half year old son, and recently welcomed a daughter, who is now three months old. The event is part of the regular City Council meeting, which begins 5:30-p.m. at the Atlantic City Hall.

The Atlantic City Council will act on approving an application for the Ba-Da Ba-Da Bing Bang Rally set for May 18th. The rally of vintage military equipment has been a popular event over the past few years, and requires certain temporary road closures for a 3-p.m. “cruise” beginning and ending at the Armory (American Legion Memorial bldg.). The route follows Poplar Street south of 7th Street, then west to 10th, continuing onto Sunnyside Lane to 22nd Street all the way to Highway 71. A rest stop will be taken at Wal-Mart, before the military vehicles proceed to head back to the Armory using 14th, Plum Street; Roosevelt Drive; 11th Street; Linn Street; 10th Street; Chestnut Street; 7th Street; 3rd Street, and finally Poplar. There will be an Atlantic Police escort for the participants.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hold a Public Hearing on the sale of 602 Spruce Street, followed by a Resolution acting on the sale of the property. They will also act on approving a Resolution authorizing a Loan Agreement and the Issuance of Bonds for a General Obligation Solid Waste Management Note. City Administrator John Lund points out the City is a member of a 28-E organization that operates the Cass County Landfill. The City, he says, is required to support the Landfill financially, if the Landfill determines it is necessary. The Landfill has implemented a per-capita fee of $12 per residence ($85,344), payable in four equal installments over the course of the fiscal year. Since the City does not have the ability to foot that kind of financial obligation out of the General Fund over the long term. “Bonding for this type of debt is not logical,” he says. That leaves the City with one alternative: working with local banks for a paper debt and to make an immediate payment of the principal and any interest. Since it is still a debt, Public Hearings and the proper paperwork are required.

The Council will act on a Resolution approving the contract and bonds for the 2019 Palm Street improvement project, and a Resolution setting May 15th as the date for a Public Hearing on amending the FY 2019 Budget

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Officials in eastern Iowa and other states along the Mississippi River are preparing for record or near-record crests. The Rock Island gauge at Davenport showed the level Tuesday morning at a little more than a foot under the record crest of 22.6 feet set in July 1993. It’s expected to crest Wednesday evening a few inches short of the record.

The Muscatine gauge showed the river more than 3 feet below the July 1993 record of 25.6 feet. It’s expected to crest a little more than a foot under the record at Muscatine, where officials have placed new berms and are preparing to divert downtown traffic.

The National Weather Service says showers and thunderstorms are forecast through Wednesday afternoon, dropping enough rain to alter the predicted river crests.
The service also says storms and flash flooding are expected for portions of Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Officials with the Atlantic Police Department report 52-year old Richard Lewis, of Atlantic, was arrested Saturday for violation of a No Contact Order. Lewis was booked-into the Cass County Jail. And, no injuries were reported following an accident Saturday, in the 200 block of Chestnut Street.  A skid loader was hauling a large barrel from across the street at around 11:15-a.m. when it struck a legally parked vehicle owned by Harlan Sisco, of Atlantic. The driver of the skid loader was identified as Douglas Mitchell, of Atlantic. Damage from the mishap amounted to $2,000. No citations were issued.

(Radio Iowa) — Spring planting season is finally underway and state public safety officials are reminding motorists to check their speed as they approach over-sized farm equipment. Iowa Highway Patrol Sergeant Nate Ludwig says traditional cars and trucks are no match for agricultural machinery which often weighs several tons. He says trying to get around those big tractors pulling implements can be dangerous. “They think they start to make that pass and they do it before the yellow line they’re fine,” Ludwig says, “and then they meet a car at the top of a hill coming the other direction, which always results in a bad situation.”

Ludwig says he hopes drivers will resist the urge to pass lumbering farm equipment in no passing zones. He says not only is that a bad idea, it’s against the law. “If you can’t make a complete pass from start to finish before that solid yellow line, that’s illegal,” Ludwig says. “I don’t think people know that. They think maybe if they start to make that pass and they do it before the yellow line, they’re fine.”

Even if the farmer waves you around, Ludwig says it’s best to wait until you can actually see that it’s safe to pass. Planting season often runs around the clock and huge equipment is frequently moved between fields at night. Ludwig says farmers need to share responsibility by making sure it’s obvious when they’re going to turn or come to a sudden stop.

(Thanks to Pat Blank, Iowa Public Radio)

Police in Creston say there were four arrests, Monday. At around 8:30-p.m., 39-year old Jonathan Taylor, of Palmyra, was arrested for Public Intoxication. He was later released on $300 bond. A man and woman were arrested Monday afternoon, at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. 40-year old Shawn Farlow and 37-year old JoAnn Farlow, both of Creston, were arrested on Union County warrants for Theft in the 5th Degree. Both were later released on $300 bond, each. And, at around 11:35-a.m. Monday, 18-year old Blaine McIntosh, of Creston, was arrested on a Union County warrant for Dissemination and Exhibition of Obscene material. He was later released on a $1,000 bond.

Creston Police said also, a woman residing in the 400 block of N. Mulberry Street, reported that sometime between 12-a.m. Sunday and 8-a.m. Monday, someone shot the passenger window of her vehicle with a BB gun, while the vehicle was parked outside of the residence. The damage was estimated at $200.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — The development company behind an $8.6 million Charles City project has filed for bankruptcy protection. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy was filed last week by attorneys for McQuillen Place Co. LLC, listing more than $3.2 million in unsecured claims for the top 20 creditors. Project developer Charles Thomson has declined to comment about the filing, which effectively stopped foreclosure proceedings. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy allows the filer to restructure finances under bankruptcy court protection.

The project plans called for retail stores on the first floor, with 33 apartments on the second and third levels of the 50,000-square-foot complex.

(Radio Iowa) — The Board of Regents will hold a meeting today (Wednesday), to set the preliminary tuition rates for the three state schools. The Regents held off setting tuition at their meeting earlier this month so they would know how much money the Iowa Legislature was going to approve for the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. The board requested 18 million dollars — but the budget approved by lawmakers provides 12 million dollars.

Information from the board office proposes base undergraduate tuition increases of three-point-nine percent at the U-I and I-S-U, and no increase at U-N-I. There are some individual programs where the schools are proposing a slightly higher increase — for instance — the U-I is proposing an additional 200 dollar increase for students in the Business College and nursing.