MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) – A western Iowa state park has reopened after three years of work to repair and improve the park after devastating flooding in 2011. The Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil reports the Wilson Island State Recreation Area near Missouri Valley will reopen Monday morning.

The state spent about $3 million to clean up and rebuild the park, which was damaged during months of flooding by the Missouri River.  The work included eliminating many flood-prone sites, changing the “first-to-flood” sites to nonelectric, and bringing electricity to other sites. The park also has a new shower house, two new dump stations, two new picnic shelters and a new park office.

The reopening was delayed by a June 3 storm that slammed the park with 4 inches of rain, high winds and baseball-sized hail.

Visitors to Cold Springs State Park near Lewis will find it a little easier to get around these days. In his quarterly update, Cass County Conservation Director Micah Lee reported to the Board of Supervisors during their meeting this (Thursday) morning, that the south driveway was graded and graveled this past Spring, and the road re-opened. He says the park has been getting a lot of use. New signs indicating a one-way direction of travel were installed. Other signs have been ordered that will be placed along the highway, informing people the south access road is available. When they arrive, Cass County Secondary Road Department crews will install them.

Lee says they’ve already received several compliments on the new road. He said the plan for this fiscal year is to continue to upgrade the camping site electrical outlets to 50-amps, which should help to draw more visitors. He said the current outlets aren’t capable of handling the needs of camper air conditioning units. That caused the breaker switches to pop on the older, voltage boxes.

Micah said also badgers have been creating problems on the sub-surface along T-Bone Trail, but the Conservation Department is battling the feisty little critters.  He said badgers chase the ground squirrels and cause damage to the trail bed trying to get to them. The department has been working at filling-in cave-in’s on the trail bed with concrete, but they might have to find another way of attacking the problem in the future.

In other business, the Supervisors approved the purchase from the Schneider Corporation, of “Ripple,” a tool that allows the Assessor and GIS office to cross-check public records systems, thereby improving the accuracy of the data in each system, and it’s hoped, better manage property information. The program costs $6,000 ($4,500 for the program, plus $1,500 for a set-up fee), and $1,125 every year thereafter for maintenance and updates.

The Atlantic City Council August 6th, will consider and possibly act on a recommendation by the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee, with regard to a loan agreement with a local investor who looks to build a new apartment building near the Cass County Memorial Hospital. The Committee, comprised of Council Persons Kathy Somers, Chris Jimerson, Dana Halder, Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones and John Lund, Assistant to City Administrator Doug Harris, met Wednesday evening with Pat McCurdy, of McCurdy Investments.

Pat McCurdy (Center), Kathy Somers (on his left), Dana Halder (far right); John Lund (left front). Ric Hanson/photo.

During the meeting at City Hall, McCurdy said he was seeking a $300,000 loan from the city as a means of “Gap financing,” to secure a bigger, federal loan package for a $2.1-million dollar project featuring a 24-unit, three-level apartment building just north of the current Walnut Hill Terrace Apartments, at 1300 E. 10th Street.

The Federal Government provides a majority of the loan on “Very favorable terms,” according to McCurdy. The funds are administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and locally, through the Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO). McCurdy said unlike other local developers, he’s not coming to the City asking for all kinds of incentives. He says he doesn’t want a TIF – Tax Increment Financing. He requested a $300,000 loan for two-years that he would pay, with a reasonable interest rate.

He said “In the end, it should be revenue-neutral for the City.” McCurdy said a similarly funded project worked well in Woodbine, and therefore concluded it would work in Atlantic. The structure would be ADA – Americans With Disabilities Act – compatible. The apartments will feature energy efficient appliances and be constructed with energy efficiency in mind.

The plan calls for 12 two-bedroom and 12 one-bedroom apartments, 14 of which would be reserved for low-to-moderate income persons, the rest of which would rent for “market rate,” which McCurdy says would be $600 on the 925-square foot two-bedroom apartments, and $550 on the 735-square foot one-bedroom apartments. There would be a laundry room on each floor, with the lower floor accessible for persons with handicaps. It’s hoped the new apartment complex will lure young professionals and others to Atlantic, some of whom commute a couple of hours to work in Atlantic.

While McCurdy had asked for a $300,000 loan at 4.2% interest, the Committee thought he would score better on his application to the government and get the project approved, by recommending the full City Council approve a $400,000 loan at 4-percent interest. If the application is approved, construction could begin next Spring.

A Clarinda woman had a wild ride after losing control of her car when she took her eyes off the road for a brief moment. Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports authorities received a call at around 2:35-a.m. Wednesday, with regard to a single-vehicle accident at the intersection of 180th and Redwood Avenue, about a mile north of Clarinda.

Deputies spoke with the driver, 37-year old Neeli Rae Eickemeyer, of Clarinda, who told them that as she was plugging her cell phone into the charger, her 2006 Audi drifted onto the shoulder and across the roadway at the 180th intersection. The car crashed through a guard railing and became airborne for approximately fifty feet before hitting the ground and proceeding down a steep embankment.

The vehicle then went front end first into the creek, overturned onto its top and came to rest upside down with the front of the car partially submerged in water. Eickemeyer said that it took her some time to get out of the vehicle and to a residence to call for help. She was taken to Clarinda Regional Health Center for undisclosed injuries by Clarinda Ambulance Service.

The accident remains under investigation with charges pending. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Clarinda Fire Department and the Clarinda Ambulance Service.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – After fighting for months to remain open, Sioux City’s floating casino has ended two decades of legalized gambling on the Missouri River. The Sioux City Journal reports the Argosy Sioux City closed with little ceremony Wednesday. A female voice announced over the public address system, “Attention, the Argosy Casino is closed.”

The closure followed an Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission order requiring the Argosy to cease operation because it wasn’t partnered with a state-licensed local nonprofit group, as required by state law.

Argosy fought the order but last week the Iowa Supreme Court ruled the casino needed to close.

On Friday morning the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City will open in the city’s downtown.

w/ Ric Hanson

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WINTERSET, Iowa (AP) – A commission has recommended to the Iowa Supreme Court that a former prosecutor who beat a client that he’d had a sexual relationship with should be barred from practicing law for at least four years. The Des Moines Register says the Iowa Supreme Court’s Grievance Commission also criticized Anthony Zane Blessum for his lack of remorse. Among other findings, the commission said in its recommendation to the Supreme Court that Blessum had neglected his duties for the client.

In March 2013 Blessum pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman on June 11, 2012. He was given seven days in jail, probation and was told to pay her nearly $7,000 in restitution. Blessum was Madison County attorney from 1987 through 1997.

Blessum’s lawyer says Blessum was disappointed by the commission’s findings.

Authorities in southwest Iowa are asking for the public’s help in locating a pickup that was reported stolen early this (Thursday) morning out of Red Oak. Red Oak Police reported a white and silver 1998 Dodge RAM 1500 pickup (Iowa license plate 472 YKT) was stolen from the 100 block of west Maple Street. The victim believes the vehicle…possibly driven by a female…was on its way to Council Bluffs.

The pickup has a broken back window covered with duct tape. If you have any information as to the location of the vehicle, call the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center at 712-623-6500. If you see the pickup, do not approach the vehicle or driver, just call 9-1-1 immediately.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Legal concerns have forced the University of Iowa to suspend a promotion offering free tuition to five randomly selected students who purchased football season tickets. Athletic director Gary Barta says he has decided to temporarily shutter the offer after questions were raised about whether it complies with state raffle laws.

Iowa says the free tuition package is worth roughly $8,000. The award also can be used to cover fees, books and related supplies for the upcoming fall and spring semesters. The Hawkeyes also were planning prizes such as $500 in school supplies and $1,000 gift cards to a local grocery store chain in an effort to boost lagging student ticket sales.

Iowa has seen those numbers drop from 10,000 to roughly 7,000 in less than two years.