The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce invites area residents to enjoy the lighted parade on Saturday, December 1st, through downtown Atlantic. The parade is an annual tradition and competition. For many years the parade theme has been “Just Believe.” The judges’ favorite float is awarded a two-foot traveling trophy and year-long bragging rights. The top three floats receive AtlantiCash prizes. Past parade winners include Heritage House, Red Oak Fire Department, Optimist Club of Atlantic, and Richter & Son Towing.

Entry forms can be submitted just prior to the parade to officials at the corner of 6^th & Chestnut. Line-up will be on Walnut Street by 5:45 p.m. The parade starts with a bang at 6 p.m. as fireworks are set off above the Rock Island Depot. Led by the Scrooge Contest winner, the parade will proceed up Chestnut Street starting at 6^th Street.

Other activities planned

Many family-oriented activities will take place before and during the parade starting off in the morning with a 5K Jingle Jog by the YMCA at 8 a.m.

The BPO DOES Cookie and Candy Walk will be from 9 a.m. to noon. at the Elks Lodge (6^th and Poplar streets) through the bottom northwest door.

The Festival of Trees will be open for viewing at the Catholic Parish Center from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Santa will be in the Atlantic Rotary Club’s cabin in City Park under the newly-lit trees from 3 to 5 p.m.

Free horse-drawn wagon rides will trot through town from 3 to 5 p.m. starting at the north end of City Park. The rides are sponsored by First Whitney Bank, Wells Fargo, Atlantic Animal Health Center, and Audiological Services of Iowa.

A mainstay of hometown holiday celebrations, living windows will be featured throughout the downtown area from 5 to 6 p.m.

The Lullabye Foundation’s Bedtime Stories with Santa’s Helpers will also be from 5 to 6 p.m. at 405 Chestnut Street.

From soup to cider, spectators will find refreshments offered along Chestnut Street before the parade by several community organizations.

All of Atlantic’s holiday activities can be found on ChristmasinAtlantic.com. Events can be submitted to the calendar by e-mailing chamber@atlanticiowa.com.

The Walnut School District’s Board of Education is expected to decide during their meeting tonight, on whether or not to approve a proposed Charter School in the community. Public meetings on the matter have already been held, and during the Board’s meeting on November 12^th, they discussed, but took no action on the Charter School application, pending review from the State Attorney’s Office.

If the board approves, the application will be sent  on to the State Board of Education for their decision. A Charter School Committee, comprised of group of parents, a school district member and a community member, had first asked the School Board to consider the proposal for a K-through 12 Charter School as an option for their students, during a meeting on October 8th. Tonight’s Board meeting begins at 6:30-p.m.

No injuries were reported after a pickup struck a storage/utility building Sunday, in Montgomery County. Sheriff’s officials say a 1994 Chevy pickup owned and operated by Daniel Larsen, of Villisca, was backing out of the driveway from his residence, when the brakes failed. The truck hit storage-type building, causing an estimated $500 damage. The owner of the structure had not yet been identified, because they weren’t home at the time the accident occurred, and during the subsequent investigation. The accident happened in the alley in the 100 block of East 5th Street, in Villisca. No citations were issued.

A public hearing is set to take place December 3rd in Atlantic, with regard to proposed water and electric rate increases. Officials with Atlantic Municipal Utilities (AMU) are proposing a 7.5-percent increase in electricity rate, and a 10-percent water rate increase. If approved, the rates would add on-average, about seven-dollars per month to AMU residential customers’ bills.

The average monthly increase for residential electric customers in Atlantic would amount to about $4.50, while AMU’s rural electric customers would see a $7.50 increase. Residential water bills would increase by an average of $2.10 per month, under the proposed rate increases. The utilities’ commercial customers would see their electric bills increase $17.25 per month, while the water bill would go up by about $7.20 per month, under the proposal. The proposed rates would go into effect with all customer billings dated Feb. 1st, 2013.

AMU says the proposed increases in electric rates are the result of increased costs the utility pays for wholesale power, 75-percent of which is supplied by AMU’s ownership in a coal-fired power plant in Council Bluffs. 20-percent of their power is Hydro-generate, and derived from the Western Area Power Administration. 5-percent is purchased from a Wholesale energy provider. Costs to run coal-fired power plants have exceeded $5-million dollars, according to AMU, due to Environmental compliance regulations. Additional regulations are expected to result in another $1-million in capital costs for the coal-powered industry over the next three-years. Another factor contributing to the increased cost of wholesale electricity, is increases in costs to transport coal.

AMU says the proposed water rate increases are the result of inadequate cash flow needed to meet aging infrastructure and debt obligation requirements. A public meeting on the proposed changes will take place 5:30-p.m. Monday, Dec. 3rd, in the Atlantic Municipal Utility’s Business Office.