A public hearing will be held Wednesday evening in Atlantic, with regard to the plans, specifications, and form of contract for street and alley improvements, in Atlantic. Iowa Code requires a public hearing to be held before the City enters into a contract with a construction company. The hearing takes place during a meeting of the Atlantic City Council, which begins at 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, at City Hall.

City Administrator John Lund says Henningsen Construction was the low bidder for the projects, in the amount of $1.13-million, which Lund says was well below the $1.58-million the City had budgeted for. He says Henningsen was able to bid lower than expected, due to the fact their asphalt plant would be located near Atlantic this summer for their other major projects, and because of the continued low oil prices. Oil is used in the Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) process. The savings, according to Lund, will permit the City to easily accommodate any change orders, and will be carried over into the 2017 Capital Improvement Plan.

In other business, City Administrator John Lund will provide the Council with a report on a Highway 71 Speed Study. The Iowa DOT conducted the study, and determined that which people are speeding on Highway 71 in the City limits, the lack of major accidents does not justify changing the posted speed limits.

Lund will also report on the Tax Abatement Program that was approved by the Council in the Fall of 2014. The Council’s meeting will conclude with a closed session per Iowa Code, to discuss matter presently in litigation or where litigation is imminent, and where its disclosure would likely prejudice or disadvantage the position of the City.

A Taylor County man stopped in Adams County today (Tuesday), was found to have six withdrawals in effect. 28-year old Jessie Fitzwater, of Gravity, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, and six-counts of Driving Under Suspension. The Sheriff believed Fitzwater was impaired. He was brought to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, where Fitzwater refused to consent to a test for impaired driving.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on drug charges June 30th, of 62-year old Rodney Scott Rasmussen, of Atlantic. Rasmussen was taken into custody on a Sheriff’s Office warrant for felony Possession Meth/ 3rd or Subsequent offense, and Possession of Marijuana 1st Offense. Rasmussen was also charged with another count of Possession Meth/3rd or Subsequent offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on $11,300 bond.

Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested two people last Friday. 50-year old Thomas Leeroy Jackson, of Council Bluffs, was arrested after he turned himself in at the Cass County Jail, on a Department of Corrections warrant for Parole Violation. Jackson was released later that day on $5,000 bond. And, 24-year old Morgan Barbara Dvorak, of Atlantic, was arrested Friday on charges of Domestic Assault, and two counts of Assault with Intent to Cause Injury. Dvorak was taken to the Cass County Jail and was released the following day on $6,300 bond.

(12-p.m. News)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The estimated Mega Millions jackpot has risen to $454 million, making it potentially the 7th largest lottery jackpot in the U.S. The prize increased slightly Tuesday from $449 million previously. The jackpot will be the largest since a $429.6 million Powerball prize won by a New Jersey family May 7. The highest jackpot drawn in the country was a $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot won in January by players in three states.

The odds of picking the correct numbers in the Mega Millions game are one in 259 million. For Powerball, the odds are one in roughly 292 million. The drawing will take place at 10 p.m. Central time Tuesday.

Officials with the Union County Sheriff’s Office report 59-year old Bobby Lawrence Condit, of Thayer, was arrested today (Tuesday) at his residence, on a Polk County warrant for driving while barred.  Condit was being held in the Union County Jail until he’s transferred by Polk County authorities back to Polk County.

And, a Lorimor resident reported Sunday, that sometime during the past 24 hours someone broke into his building at 3^rd and Minnesota in Lorimor. A battery charger was reported missing.  The loss was estimated at $150.

A motorcycle accident Sunday evening in Audubon County resulted in one person being sent to the hospital. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office says 58-year old Brian Dale Schmidt, of Audubon, suffered unknown injuries and was transported by Exira Fire and Rescue to the Audubon County Memorial Hospital, after he lost control of his 1999 Harley Davidson cycle.

Schmidt was traveling south on Pheasant Avenue northeast of Exira at around 5-p.m., when the crash occurred. He became separated from the machine during the crash and ended up in the west ditch. Damage to the cycle was estimated at $9,000.

The Glenwood Police Department reports 3 arrests. 21-year old Maxwell Manley, of Glenwood, was arrested Monday for failure to file SR-22 insurance. His bond was set at $1,000. Last Friday, 43-year old Gidget Tyler, of Omaha, was arrested on a Mills County warrant for Theft in the 4th Degree. Her bond was set at $1,000. That same day, 20-year old David Barrett, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension and Possession of a Controlled Substance. His bond was set at $2,300.