Officials with the Iowa Transportation Commission said Wednesday, the Commission recently approved the fiscal year 2014 Traffic Safety Improvement Program projects. More than $9.7 million in safety improvements were approved for 50 projects.

In the KJAN listening area, a base widening, shoulder paving w/rumble strips, safety edge and resurfacing project in Crawford County, was approved for a requested $500,000 grant. The project is expected to cost nearly $1.3million. And, in Ringgold County, a Posted Bridge Public Awareness Program was approved for $37,080 in grant funds, which was also the amount requested and the projected cost of the project.

If the total project amount was greater than the grant amount, the recipient of the grants would be responsible to provide additional funding.

Iowa’s top election official says warrants have been issued for a citizen of Bosnia and two Canadian citizens, suspected of illegally voting in Iowa’s 2010 election. Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz says the latest cases of suspected voter fraud came from Page and Dallas Counties. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says it issued a citation to appear in court for 28-year old Tehvedin Murgic, of Clive. Officials say he’s a citizen of Bosnia who registered to vote on Nov. 2^nd, 2010. Arrest warrants were also issued for 66-year old Laurie McCarroll and 53-year old Leonard Blower, both of Shenandoah.

The DCI says the two Canadian Citizens registered and voted in a school election in Sept. 2011. Officials say the two are no longer living in the United States. Matt Schultz says the state agency in charge of the investigation didn’t publicize the arrests, which came in the week before Election Day. “It was one of those situations where I don’t think the DCI wanted to make a big deal before the election,” Schultz says. “I believe there’ll be other arrests coming here shortly.”

Schultz and his staff combed through records and came up with a list of 12-hundred people suspected of being “non-citizens” and illegally voting in the 2010 election. So far, the single agent from the Division of Criminal Investigation who’s been working his way through that list has identified five cases in which non-citizens are accused of voting. “It’s a slow process,” Schultz says. “I mean, keep in mind this investigator interviews these people individually, one by one. We had 1200 people who potentially may have voted when they weren’t citizens, so it takes time. That’s just the nature of the beast.”

Two other cases involve felons who are accused of illegally voting in the 2010 election. On Monday Schultz announced he would ask legislators to consider requiring “signature verification” for absentee ballots, to curb fraud, since nearly half of all the votes cast in the 2012 election were from absentee ballots. “It’s basically a reader that’s going to read the signature, match it to the signature on file and then flag potential issues,” Schultz says. “If there are, then there’ll be a process for the county auditor’s office to contact those voters.”

Schultz says each county would have to invest in the technology, since voter registration records are kept by the auditors in Iowa’s 99 counties.

(Information from Radio Iowa and the Associated Press)

A Grand Opening Ceremony will take place December 7^thin Atlantic, for the new Salvation Army Thrift Store, in the Atlantic Shopping Plaza.

The new Salvation Army Thrift Store in Atlantic. Grand Opening Dec. 7, 2012.

Lawrence McPherson, Administrator for the Omaha, NE Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) says the building, which previously served as the Alco Store, offers a more serviceable and profitable location than their smaller store was on west 7^th Street, which closed a little over a month ago. By “profitable,” McPherson refers to the SA’s ability to serve the people of western Iowa and Eastern Nebraska, by supporting their Rehabilitation Center in Omaha.

McPerson says acquiring the building from the Nodell Company is something that’s been in the works for some time. He says they began negotiations with the building’s owner about a year and a-half ago, but he says the Nodell Company was very helpful and cooperative in the process.

He says visitors to the Salvation Army Family Store in Atlantic will be pleasantly surprised at what’s available for purchase, and with the reasonable prices. The store will be open beginning December 7^th, Monday through Saturday, from 9-a.m. to 9-p.m.  McPherson says you can also drop-off your “gently used furniture, clothing and appliances at the new location. He says if you can’t drop off your items, they will try to pick them up. Simply call 1-800-SA-TRUCK.

The Salvation Army he says, not only recycles products, clothing, furniture and appliances, they also “recycle lives.” McPherson  says your purchases and donations offer the chance for the Salvation Army to better serve its clients and change the lives of those involved in the ARC program. He says he thinks everyone will enjoy the new store, and they look forward to an enhanced relationship with residents in the area.

Three people were arrested last week on drug charges in Mills County. Sheriff’s officials report the arrests occurred within minutes of each other, last Friday. 58-year old Darwin Smith, of Imogene, was arrested at around 9-p.m. on Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Open Container, charges. 21-year old Seth Travis, a homeless man wanted on a warrant out of Fremont County, was arrested at around 9:40-p.m., for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Contraband. And, 47-year old Timothy Lekey, of Shenandoah, was arrested at that same time, for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.The men were taken into custody in the vicinity of 195^th and Jinkings, in Mills County.

Lekey’s bond was set at $1,300. Travis’ was being held in the jail on $10,000 bond, and Smith was being held on bond amounting to nearly $1,773.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Department reports six people were arrested this week.  On Wednesday, 27-year old Audra Sue Honeyman, of Essex, was arrested  for allegedly attempting to elude law enforcement and on suspicion of Child Endangerment.  Officials told the Omaha World-Herald they received a call at around 1:30-a.m., indicating a 2010 Dodge Avenger traveling west on Highway 34, with its lights off. A Mills County Sheriff’s Deputy tried to stop the vehicle as it turned onto Interstate 29.

The car sped-up and the driver, later identified as Honeyman, turned on her lights. During the chase, the vehicle’s speed exceeded 100-miles per hour at times. The car eventually turned off onto I-480 heading toward Omaha. The vehicle finally stopped a short time later, after two tires were deflated when the car ran over stop-sticks laid down by authorities.  After the woman was arrested, authorities discovered a three-month old child unharmed, in the back seat. The child has since been placed with a relative. Honeyman’s bond was set at $4,000.

On Tuesday, 27-year old Jdrian Kenyon Allen, of Omaha, was arrested just after 6-p.m. on Highway 34, just east of 360^th Street. Allen was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $1,300. Late Tuesday night, 34-year old Joshua Robert Saunders, of Gray, was arrested in Pacific Junction, on charges of Driving Under Suspension, and Failure to provide proof of insurance. His bond was set at $600.

On Monday, deputies in Mills County arrested 36-year old Tema Elaine Hill, of Council Bluffs, on a warrant for six-counts of Burglary in the 3^rd degree, Theft in the 3^rd degree, Theft in the 2^nd degree, Theft in 5^th degree, and on two counts of Trespassing, Hill was being held in the Mills County Jail on $35,000 bond. And, 40-year old Darren Young, of Cedar Falls, was arrested on Highway 275 just south of Highway 34, for Driving While Revoked. His bond was set at $1,000.

And, last Sunday, 37-year old Heather Jean Reekers, of Glenwood, was arrested following a traffic stop on Interstate 29. She was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, the bond for which was set at $1,000.

The Atlantic City Council, Tuesday, held public hearings on an Amendment to the North Urban Renewal Plan, and a Development Agreement that includes Tax Rebates. Both matters pertained to United Steel Erectors (USE). Following the hearings, the Council passed a Resolution which approved the expenditure as an Urban Renewal Project, and authorized payment, with the stipulation it be included in the December 1^st, 2012 certification to the County.

City Administrator Doug Harris explained a new State Tax Increment Financing law went into effect in July 1^st, 2012. The new TIF law has several new requirements that have affected the agreement with USE, that the council had hoped to approve last June, and, last minute changes were necessary to eliminate any conditions related to job creation. Those elements caused an adoption of a TIF agreement to be postponed until Tuesday night’s meeting.

The Council then voted to approve a Resolution for the Development Agreement with United Steel Erectors, along with Tax Rebate payments between the City and the USE. Harris said the agreement calls for a 45-percent tax rebate for five-years, not to exceed $35,000.

The Council also approved the Final Plat for the Namanny Commercial Development project on the City’s west side. The nearly eight-acre parcel zoned Light Industrial, will be divided into four lots, two of which will be used for commercial buildings along Highway 6.

And, Mayor Dave Jones reminded residents of the City about their responsibilities when the snow falls. He said keep your shovel handy and get ready to shovel your sidewalks, to keep them clear and safe.Keeping sidewalks cleared of snow is required under the City’s Code of Ordinances.