This information is provided by Cass Co. Auditor Dale Sunderman….

NOTE: Atlantic polling centers for Ward 1, Ward 4 and Ward 5 open at 12:00 noon and close at 8:00 P.M. and Atlantic polling centers for Ward 2/Grove 2 Township and Ward 3 open at 7:00 A.M. and close at 9:00 P.M. because a Special County Election for Supervisor District Two is being conducted at these two voting centers along with the regular city election while polling centers for all other Cass County cities open at 12:00 noon and close at 8:00 P.M.  (In accord with Code of Iowa) 

ATLANTIC:  The following Atlantic polling precincts will open at 12:00 noon and close at 8:00 P.M.  Places to vote are:

FIRST WARD  –       Zion Lutheran Church, 9th St between Linn St and Oak St

FOURTH WARD –  United Church of Christ, 1607 Hazel

FIFTH WARD  –      Heritage House, 1200 Brookridge Circle

The following Atlantic polling precincts will open at 7:00 A.M. and close at 9:00 P.M.

SECOND WARD –  Atlantic Public Library, 6^th & Poplar St

THIRD WARD  –  Cass County Community Building, 805 West 10th St

ANITA:  The polling precinct is located at the Anita Community Center, 805 Main St and will open at 12:00 noon and close at 8:00 P.M. 

CUMBERLAND:  The polling precinct is located at the Cumberland Community Building, 200 W 2^nd St and will open at 12:00 noon and close at 8:00 P.M. 

GRISWOLD:  The polling precinct is located at the Griswold Community Center, 601 2^nd St  and will open at 12:00 noon and close at 8:00 P.M. 

LEWIS:  The polling precinct is located at the Lewis City Hall, 416 W Main St and will open at 12:00 noon and close at 8:00 P.M. 

MARNE:  The polling precinct is located at the Marne City Hall, 402 Washington and will open at 12:00 noon and close at 8:00 P.M. 

MASSENA:  The polling precinct is located at the Massena Public Library, 122 Main St and will open at 12 noon and close at 8:00 P.M. 

WIOTA:  The polling precinct is located at the Wiota City Hall, 311 Center St and will open at 12:00 noon and close at 8:00 P.M.

Police in Council Bluffs are looking for a suspect connected to the armed robbery Thursday evening of a Kum and Go store at 2024 5th Avenue, in Council Bluffs. According to Bluffs Police Sgt. David Dawson, at around 8:30-p.m., a white man in his 30’s entered the store, selected a drink from the cooler and approached the counter. He displayed a black handgun and demanded money while at the same time grabbing the arm of the sales clerk.

Dawson said the suspect reached into the cash drawer, pulled it onto the counter and took an undetermined amount of cash. He then left on foot and remains at large. The suspect was described as being about 5-feet 10-inches tall and weighing about 185-pounds. He had a mustache and goatee, and unshaven face. His hair was reddish brown. The man wore a black “Hoodie”-type sweatshirt with a zipper, black baseball cap with an unknown logo on the front, blue jeans and white tennis shoes.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to contact the Council Bluffs Crime Stoppers line at 712-328-7867.

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green late Thursday afternoon identified a juvenile suspect allegedly involved in the making of a bomb threat at the Atlantic Middle School earlier in the day, Thursday. In a statement released to the media Green said at approximately 10:55-a.m., “The Atlantic Police Department responded to a call at the Atlantic Middle School for a bomb threat. All students were evacuated from the building. After a search of the building, no bomb was found. After a short investigation with the help of the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, a suspect was located and questioned.”

The suspect was 12-year old Austin Koma Mualia, of Atlantic. Green said “The juvenile was taken into custody and charged with Terrorism, a Class-B Felony. He is currently under the supervision of the juvenile authorities. “

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green says a student from the Atlantic Middle School is in custody for allegedly making a bomb threat that forced the evacuation of the school and cancellation of classes today (Thursday). Green says his department received notice about the threat late this (Thursday) morning. The threat indicated an “explosive event” would take place at the Middle School at a specific time. The State Fire Marshall’s Office was contacted, and it was determined the threat was not credible. Students and staff meanwhile evacuated next door, to the Nishna Valley YMCA. Green said a suspect was identified and approached, but they ran and were found at their home and brought in for questioning. Green says the suspect has admitted the threat was not credible.

He says while any charges against the suspect have not been determined, any such incident is considered a “Terroristic Threat,” and the suspect will be charged as the law allows. He has his own idea on how future incidents might be prevented, also. Green says when somebody disrupts the school system like that, perhaps classes should be made up on Saturday’s. That might make it less popular to make bomb threats. He says also, he hopes if the district does institute a policy to hold school on Saturdays to make up for threats, peer pressure will serve to prevent future incidents.

Atlantic School District Superintendent Dr. Mike Amstein said aside from the legal ramifications of making a Terroristic Threat, the student faces severe disciplinary action from the school district itself. He said “Any type of behavior like this is a pretty severe violation of (school) board policy, and the board has the authority to expel a student for an entire school year (365 days).”from the State Fire Marshall’s Office and Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green.

Amstein says the threat happened during the lunch hour, which disrupted classes and the lunch period, but the evacuation went as planned. Some questions were raised though, as to why the Washington Elementary School, which is just up the hill from the Middle School, was not evacuated. Amstein said they based their evacuation on recommendations

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green says a student from the Atlantic Middle School is in custody for making a bomb threat that forced the evacuation of the school and cancellation of classes for today. Green says the district received word an “explosive event” would take place at the Middle School. Students and staff were evacuated next door, to the Nishna Valley YMCA. Green said a suspect was identified and when approached for questioning an from authorities but was caught. Green says the suspect has confessed to making the threat, which he confirmed was not credible.

Atlantic School District Superintendent Dr. Mike Amstein said aside from the legal ramifications of making a Terroristic Threat, the student faces severe disciplinary action from the school district itself. He said “Anytype of behavior like this is a pretty severe violation of (school) board policy, and the board has the authority to expel a student for an entire school year (365 days).”

Amstein says the evacuation went as planned, noting that any threat is handled as authentic until proven otherwise. The threat which occurred today he says, happened during the lunch hour, which disrupted classes and the lunch period. Amstein says the evacuation was orderly and each student was accounted for at all times.

Some questions were raised as to why the Washington Elementary School, which is just up the hill from the Middle School, was not evacuated. Amstein said they based their evacuation on recommendations from the State Fire Marshall’s Office and Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green.

He says classes are expected to resume tomorrow at the school.

For the second time in just under one month, authorities in Atlantic are investigating a bomb threat at a local school.  Officials with the school district announced late this (Thursday) morning that all students and employees had been evacuated from the Atlantic Middle School to the Nishna Valley YMCA. Because the school cannot be thoroughly searched until later today, classes have been cancelled for the remainder of the day.

Classes at the Middle School were dismissed at 12:30-p.m. The school district says it will work with local law enforcement to ensure the safety of all students in the district. No other details concerning the nature of the threat have been released.

On October 5th, a bomb threat was discovered written on a restroom stall at the Atlantic High School. The note threatened a bomb would go off two days later, on October 7th. A thorough search of the school failed to turn up any evidence of a bomb. No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.