Large dog area (Click on photos to enlarge)

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors, Monday, agreed to set Friday, July 31st as the date for the grand opening of the Buck Creek Dog Park, located on the northwest side of the Schildberg Recreation Area. Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring said fencing around the park is installed, and the Eagle Scout project for dog playground equipment is in-place.

Small dog area

Assistant Parks Director Seth Staashelm said the equipment, includes a tunnel on both sides (of the small and large dog areas) with scrap plastic by Plastics Professionals in Atlantic, and mulch, to prevent the growth of weeds. There’s weaving poles, an A-ramp for dogs to climb, hurdles for small and large dogs, among other things. Signs, both small and large have also arrived, stating the rules and regulations. Those are set to be installed, soon.

A pergola, or sun shade, will also be erected. The July 31st Grand Opening will be an all-day event, beginning with a ribbon cutting at 10-a.m. Other activities tentatively planned for the day may include dog vaccinations by area veterinarians, Animal Shelter staff on hand for dog registration tables set up for water bottle distribution to dog owners, and more.

The Parks Board reminds persons who use the Schildberg Rec Area, that dog droppings must be picked up by owners, even if the droppings are on the grass. The exception would be in tall grass areas. Bag stations are provided around the area for that purpose.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce will be holding the annual Road Race during
AtlanticFest Saturday, August 8th. The Road Race is available to all ages and offers a
2 and 5 mile run and a 2 mile walk. This year, the Road Race will offer a new route. The 5 mile run will include a loop around the Schildberg Recreation Area. Also, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce is also excited to announce Chip Timing in 2015.

Road Race Participants have been requesting chip timing for several years and
Chamber officials say they are excited to be able to offer it all the runners, along with a new route. The pre-registration deadline has been extended to Wednesday, July 22nd, 2015. All pre-registered runners and walkers will receive a high performance t- shirt and runners swag bag, including a water bottle.

You can register on-line at  www.atlanticiowa.com. For questions, please call the Atlantic Area Chamber at 712-243-3017.

The contractor for the Highway 6/7th Street construction project in Atlantic, is expected to begin paving work Tuesday, beginning at 6-a.m. Scott Suhr, IA Dept. of Transportation Planning Coordinator in Atlantic, said in his weekly update today (Monday), that as of July 10th, the contractor had worked a total of 22.5 working days out of 59 charged.

Work scheduled for this week include: Continue main line (North 25′-feet wide) Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) paving to Cherry Street; Subgrade preparation/Subdrain trenching and install/Modified Base/CD Baskets from Cherry to Plum; and Pouring the north side of the intersection atSpruce and Pine Street.

Work last week progressed until rain fell mid-week, causing a delay in the amount of work that could be accomplished, until the sub-grade work could dry out.

Police in Glenwood arrested a Montgomery County woman Saturday on drug and theft charges. 49-year old Stephanie Hightshoe, of Villisca, was charged with Theft in the 4th degree, and Possession of a Controlled Substance. She was also wanted on a Montgomery County warrant for Theft in the 5th degree. Her bond was set at $2,300 altogether.

Also arrested Saturday, was 34-year old John Adams, of Glenwood, who was charged with Driving Under suspension. His bond was set at $300 cash. Glenwood Police arrested two people on Sunday. 37-year old Steven Dimauro, of Gretna, NE., was arrested for OWI/1st offense, and Child Endangerment, his total bond set at $3000. 26-year old Seth Peters, of Glenwood, was arrested Sunday for Domestic
Abuse Assault, with bond set at $1,000.

Deputies in Cass County arrested an Anita man late Sunday night following a domestic disturbance in Anita. 25-year old Brandon Michael Luke was taken into custody at around 10:50-p.m. and charged with Arson 1st Degree (a Class-B Felony); Possession of Methamphetamine 3rd or Subsequent (a Class -D Felony); Child Endangerment (an Aggravated Misdemeanor); Domestic Abuse Assault (A Serious Misdemeanor); False Imprisonment (A Serious Misdemeanor); and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (A Simple misdemeanor). Luke was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $30,000 bond.

Also arrested Sunday, was 27-year old Michael Patrick McKibben, of Lewis, who was taken into on a Ringgold County warrant. McKibben was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day to Ringgold County.

And on July 16th, 22-year old Joseph Andrew Riesberg, of Audubon, was arrested in Cass County on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear to Serve Sentence. Riesberg was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains until the remainder of his sentence is served.

Officials with Iowa Western Community College in Atlantic celebrated an open house today (Monday), for their new 4,000 square foot facilities’ renovation. A new Student Activities Center (SAC) will serve as “A point of connection” for IWCC students, a place for resources, a comfortable place to meet, to collaborate, attend a variety of club-related activities.

IWCC President Dr. Dan Kinney (Ric Hanson/photo)

Iowa Western President Dr. Dan Kinney attended the event. Iowa Western Atlantic Center Director Ann Pross said Dr. Kinney has been unwavering in his support of the local college. Kinney said the tremendous growth at the Atlantic Campus, especially with the Design Technology Program, would not have been possible without the community’s support.

Pross said the last time they had a ribbon cutting ceremony for expansion of the Atlantic Center of IWCC, was in the Winter of 2005.  She said growing student enrollment has allowed the college to continue the building and add several new programs. The Student Center she says, allows students to connect with each other.

IWCC Atlantic Center Dir. Ann Pross cuts the ribbon for the Student Center as Chamber Ambassadors, college officials and others look on. (Ric Hanson/photo)

The new SAC features a conference room, quiet study areas, a fireplace, beverage bar, computer stations and wi-fi access along with a new classroom. It also has office space. The Student Center is open until 9-p.m. most nights during the regular fall and spring semesters.

Once the open house concluded, Iowa Western’s Board of Directors went into their regular monthly meeting, which this month, was held the Atlantic Center.

(Corrects information provided by Sheriff’s Office)

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports an Anita man was arrested last week on a sex abuse charge. 47-year old Stacey John Pitsenbarger (who was listed as having residential records in Greenfield but most recently in Anita), was arrested last Wednesday afternoon on a charge of Sexual Abuse in the 3rd Degree. Pitsenbarger was later released on $10,000 bond.

Vandewater reports also, an Adair man – 21-year old Joshua Anthony Walker, was cited Saturday evening by Adair Police for Public Intoxication, Interference with official acts, disorderly conduct, and simple domestic abuse assault. The man was later released from custody on those citations.

Deputies in Adair County arrested 24-year old Zachary Daniel Ayres, of Des Moines, last Thursday. Ayers was taken into custody following a traffic stop on I-80. He faces charges that include Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug paraphernalia, Operating a motor vehicle without registration, failure to have a valid license, failure to provide proof of insurance. He was being held in the Adair County Jail on Bond, with a preliminary hearing set for August 6th.

(12:40-p.m News)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A former lottery security official has been found guilty of fraud for rigging a Hot Lotto game so he could win a $14 million jackpot. An Iowa jury on Monday convicted 52-year-old Eddie Tipton, of Norwalk. He faces up to five years in prison on each of the two counts when sentenced in September. Tipton’s lawyer says he’ll appeal.

Tipton denied being involved, saying he wasn’t even in Iowa on Dec. 23, 2010, when someone bought the winning ticket at a Des Moines area convenience store. His attorney says store surveillance video was too fuzzy to identify the buyer. Prosecutors argued Tipton had access to the room housing the computer that picked Hot Lotto numbers and lied about being out of state. Tipton was never awarded the money.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says he’s not ready to declare the Midwest bird flu outbreak over. While no new cases of the H5N2 virus have been detected over for over a month, Vilsack told The Associated Press on Monday that the threat hasn’t passed. Vilsack said poultry producers have caught a break thanks to the summer weather because warmer temperatures tend to kill the virus.

But he also said his agency is aware of the need to be prepared in case the disease reappears this fall. He noted that USDA officials and poultry industry groups plan to meet in Iowa next week to discuss those plans. Bird flu has cost Midwest poultry producers about 48 million birds, mostly egg-laying chickens in in Iowa and turkeys in Minnesota.

Democratic leaders say they’re “tired of the excuses” from Republican Governor Terry Branstad and his fellow Republicans in the legislature and they are calling for a special legislative session to “support local schools.” Senate President Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, blasted the Republican governor during a speech this weekend at an Iowa Democratic Party fundraiser.

“We worked overtime this session to make sure Iowa’s children have a quality education,” Jochum said. “…That, my friends, was vetoed by Governor Branstad, the man who claims to be the education governor. The emperor has no clothes.” Given the partisan make-up of the Iowa legislature, however, reconvening the House and Senate this summer is impossible without the support of Republicans — and Governor Branstad and the top Republican in the Iowa House both say Republicans don’t want one.

Jochum, the second-ranking Democrat in the Iowa Senate, was inducted into the Iowa Democratic Party’s “Hall of Fame” at its annual banquet Friday night in Cedar Rapids. “You know, Democrats, it’s time to take the gloves off,” Jochum said. “You know elections matter and you know every vote counts. One vote in the Democratic-controlled Senate stopped the House Republicans and Terry Branstad from abolishing early childhood education.”

Democrats hold 26-to-24 majority in the Iowa Senate. Jochum, Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal and House Democratic Leader Mark Smith published an opinion piece in The Des Moines Register this weekend, urging Iowans to ask their local senators and representatives “to support their local schools by joining the call for a special session to restore critical funding for Iowa schools.”

(Radio Iowa)