Local Chamber members in Atlantic are teaming up to offer 24 chances to win $100 extra spending money for Christmas in Atlantic this year. Chamber Special Promotions and Events Chairman Dr. Keith Leonard said the Chamber has hosted the 12 Days of Christmas contest for three years. Leonard said extra holiday spending cash is always helpful and by giving away AtlantiCash, the Chamber knows the dollars will be spent at some of their 230 members’ businesses.

More than 57 merchants have registration boxes on their store counters and 18 businesses sponsored the AtlantiCash giveaways. Chamber officials said winners will be notified by phone as well as announced weekdays on the local radio stations and listed in the local paper. No purchase is necessary and only one winner per household for the duration of the contest.

For a list of sponsoring merchants and other holiday happenings visit ChristmasInAtlantic.com, call the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce at 712.243.3017 or email chamber@atlanticiowa.com.

The Iowa Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration and Illinois Department of Transportation, has announced the scheduling of in-person public hearings and online, self-directed meetings for the Chicago to Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study.Public input will be sought on the Draft Tier 1 Service Level Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), including the project’s purpose and need, all reasonable alternatives, the affected environment, and the potential environmental impacts of the alternatives considered. The basis for recommendation of the preferred route alternative will be presented.

Earlier this month, Atlantic’s City Administrator Doug Harris, told the City Council the community is still in the running as one of the towns the passenger train might pass through on its way to Omaha from Chicago. Preliminary reports, including environmental documents with exhibits and maps, will be available for review. Each public hearing and online meeting will contain the same presented information, so individuals can attend in-person at the public hearing, or view and comment at the online meeting. Officials are encouraging all those interested to participate. The public hearings will be conducted the week of Dec. 11, 2012, using a combined informal open forum and formal format. Iowa DOT staff will be available to discuss the project informally between 4- and 5:30-p.m. A formal presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session concluding at 7-p.m.

The public is invited to attend the open house public hearing to be held in Des Moines, on Wednesday, Dec. 12th, at the Des Moines Botanical Center, and in Council Bluffs, on Thursday, Dec. 13th, at the Council Bluffs Public Library (400 Willow Ave.), Conference Room A/B.  An online, self-directed open house public hearing will be available through Dec. 26, 2012, on the study’s website at www.iowadot.gov/chicagotoomaha. Information included on this website will be identical to the presentation made at the in-person meetings.

Comments on the Draft Tier 1 EIS can be provided in multiple ways through Dec. 26th, 2012, to be considered part of the official public comment record: Leave a comment on the study website. Submit a comment at any of the in-person open house public hearings. You can also E-mail a comment to email@chicagotoomaha.com.  Call the study’s toll-free information line at 800-488-7119 to obtain printed hearing materials.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

Police in Harlan reported Monday, the arrest of three persons last week. Officials says 24-year old John Anderson,  of Persia, was arrested Nov. 17th, following a traffic stop. Andersen was cited for driving under suspension and released. That same day, 37-year old John Thometz, of Harlan was arrested on an OWI charge. And, on Nov. 21st, Harlan Police officers took 30-year old Steven Procko, of Harlan into custody on an active Shelby County warrant. Procko was transported to the Shelby County Jail without incident.

The H-PD says also, that officers were called to the residence of Joanna Houston in Harlan on Nov., 25th, where she reported that several items were missing. There are no suspects at this time and the case remains under investigation.

The Department of Defense today (Monday) announced the death of Algona, Iowa native Sgt. Joseph A. Richardson.

Sgt. Joseph Richardson

The 23-year old was serving on active duty in the U.S. Army. Richardson died Nov. 16th during a patrol in Paktika province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an Improvised Explosive Device and small arms fire. Also killed in the attack was 24-year old Sgt. Channing B. Hicks, of Greer, S.C.

Both Soldiers were assigned as infantrymen to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan. Richardson was assigned to the 1st ID in October 2008 and had previously served in Iraq with this unit. This was his first deployment to Afghanistan.

The family of Sgt. Joseph Richardson issued a statement, which read in-part:
“He was eager to come into this world and lived his life full of energy and with passion for everything he did. He loved his family and friends. Joe was always on the move and liked by everyone. There wasn’t a time that you spent with Joe that he wasn’t laughing or joking around. Everywhere you would go you would find someone that knew him or just loved how full of life he was.”

In a follow-up to our report over the weekend about an accident on Interstate 80 early Saturday morning, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Monday, said48-year old Dale Elmer Laparr, of Kingman, AZ, was traveling east on I-80 at around 1:25-a.m., when he fell asleep at the wheel of the 2010 Dodge Caliber he was driving. The car drifted off into the breakdown lane, and struck a legally parked 2000 Lincoln LS. The unoccupied, broken down car was registered to Zan Loroa of Sioux Falls, SD.

No injuries were reported. Damage from the crash amounted to an estimated $18,000. Authorities cited Laparr for Failure to Maintain Control.

Two people from Massena were arrested Thanksgiving Day on assault charges. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in Massena. As a result of the call, they arrested 54-year old Timothy Dayle Meyer, of Massena, on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault 3^rd Offense,  and 46-year old Katherine Jane Gipple, also of Massena, on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault/Simple Assault. Both of the individuals were taken to the Cass County Jail and released on their own recognizance the following day.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Thanksgiving Day, of Warren Sayers. The 57-year old from Malvern was arrested in Malvern at around 9-p.m., on a charge of Harassment. His bond was set at $300.

Authorities said also, no injuries were reported following three separate accidents during the holiday weekend. Early Thursday morning, a 1986 Mazda driven by 20-year old Sean Miller, of Pacific Junction, was traveling south on 195th Street, just south of Highway 34, when his vehicle entered the east ditch and rolled over. The accident happened about one-half mile north of Pacific Junction, at around 2:50-a.m.

The second accident happened Sunday afternoon, when a 2004 Dodge, driven by 18-year old Lucas Ring, of Glenwood, was backing out of a driveway about 5-miles north of Glenwood. Officials say the vehicle struck an illegally parked vehicle that had been left unattended on the east side of 230th Street, which is a gravel road. The second vehicle, a 2004 Pontiac,  was registered to Arthur Alexander.

That same day, a 1998 Jeep driven by 16-year old Sydney Johnson, of Glenwood, swerved to miss a deer, and rolled. The teen was not injured during the accident, that happened on Barrus Road at around 9:45-p.m., northwest of Silver City.

Sheriff’s Officials in Adams County say 19-year old Zachary Carlson, of Omaha, was arrested Sunday afternoon, on an OWI charge. Carlson was arrested after deputies received word about an erratic driver south of Corning. When they initiated a traffic stop, deputies determined the man was allegedly under the influence of alcohol. He was also cited for failure to wear a seat belt, having no insurance, and failure to hold a valid license. Carlson was booked into the Adams County Jail, and held on $1,000 bond.

A traffic stop on Highway 71 in Audubon County early Thanksgiving Day resulted in the arrest of an Audubon man. Sheriff’s officials say 22-year old Jacob Gary Johnson, of Audubon, was taken into custody at around 2-a.m., and charged with Operating While Intoxicated (OWI)/2nd Offense. Johnson was later released after appearing before a magistrate. His preliminary hearing takes place December 10th.