The Omaha World-Herald reports an Omaha man whom authorities say played a role in a staged shooting in Onawa on March 8th, has plead guilty to some of the charges originally filed against him. 19-year old Joseph A. Roberts agreed to plead guilty to extortion and reckless use of a firearm, in exchange for two other charges being dropped. The deal involves Roberts receiving a suspended 5-year sentence and 5-years of probation, to be served concurrently. The arrangement has yet to be approved by a judge.

As we previously reported, 32-year old Darren Hieber and 24-year old Brady Chapman were arrested in connection with a February 5th shooting at Hieber’s trucking business. Hieber told police he was shot in the leg while interrupting a burglary. Police say Hieber devised a scheme to have Chapman, his employee, shoot him with a .22-caliber rifle, to distract him from his personal problems. The Omaha World-Herald reported Hieber missed his estranged wife, and hatched the plan to try and get her back.

Authorities say Hieber was shot again on March 8th, after conspiring with Roberts and another Omaha man, 19-year old Timothy Culley, to have that event staged in-part, so the trio could allegedly extort money from Hieber’s family. Heiber and Culley have both entered pleas of not guilty in connection with the incident.

Local “Trees Forever” President Dolly Bergman presented City of Atlantic Officials with materials related to the recent awarding to the City of a “Tree City USA” award. It’s the 17^th year Atlantic has been honored with the award. The local “Trees Forever” organization has been in existence for 20-years. Bergman said receiving the award is something the City tries to do each year. She said they local group was presented with its award on April 17^th, in Des Moines. 

In order to receive the award, there are four requirements which must be met. There needs to be a Tree Board or Department within a city, a city must have a “Tree Care Ordinance,” the Community Forestry Program must have an annual budget of at least $2 per capita. Bergman says for 2011, Atlantic exceeded that by spending $19, 162. The expenditures went for tree plantings, community forestry (that includes pruning and/or tree removals), and all of the volunteer time, which was calculated at $16 per hour for every active volunteer. The only other requirement is for the City to have an Arbor Day observance and proclamation, which Atlantic approved for both last year and the current year. 

Bergman said in addition to the Tree City USA award, the City may be eligible to apply for a “Growth Award,” partly due to the tree trimming efforts that have been made downtown, the number of trees planted at the Schildberg Quarry Recreation Area, and the everyday maintenance being undertaken to keep the community green and beautiful.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday approved the first of three readings of ordinances pertaining to Urban Deer Control and the reducing of the speed limit on a section of 22^nd Street.

City Councilman Steve Livengood, the City’s liaison to the Community Protection Committee, said the ordinance, which was tabled during last month’s Council meeting, was reviewed by the committee after the first draft was created, and revised after consulting with the City Attorney and Police Chief. One of the concerns they addressed was the removal of administrative procedures from the first draft, but after City Attorney Dave Weidersteen said the ordinance would be administered by the Police Department, the committee agreed that was acceptable.

Chief Steve Green has indicated he would like the ordinance passed no later than July 1^st. The ordinance permits bow hunting of anterless deer within the Atlantic City limits, with the Police Department determining what areas the hunt will be allowed in, after receiving authorization from a land owner. Permits will be issued for the hunt under the sole discretion of the Police Chief.

The Council also approved the first reading of an ordinance reducing the speed limit on East 22^nd Street from Olive to Highway 71, from 45- to 35-miles per hour. The Community Protection Committee recommended the move after consulting with the Police Chief, who said some residents who live along that stretch of road expressed their concerns about pulling out of their driveways given the current speed, pedestrian traffic along the road, and the potential for future residential development in the area.

A Shelby County resident can now add children’s author to her many titles. Sally Weihs, co-operator of R&S Waste Systems in Defiance, wrote a children’s book called “Big Blue Goes Green,” to help educate children on the correct way to recycle. She previous wrote a cookbook 10 years ago. Weihs says the book offers a couple of lessons. She says it’s a lesson on recycling and friendship. “Big Blue” goes to the landfill and meets “Rita Recycler,” who teaches him how to lighten his load, by recycling.  

The book shows children what plastics and glass can be made into. Weihs says being in the business, she wanted to help kids understand the correct way to recycle. She says “There’s a lot of recycling out there and kids want to do it, so she decided to write a book on how to do it and do it right. Sally, along with her husband Ron have been in the recycling business at R&S Waste for 35 years. She says her family influence helped name the trucks in the book. She says she named her “Rita” because that was her husband’s mothers’ name. The name “Big Blue”  because her oldest grandson would yell “Here comes big blue,” whenever he saw their recycling truck coming down the road.  The family influence didn’t end with naming the trucks, as her nephew Bryan McCoy, who is studying at Iowa State to become a cartoonist, did the illustrations for the book, which is available for purchase in the office at R&S Waste Systems in Defiance or online at www.authorhouse.com. 

The profits from the sale of the book will go to “Teen Challenge of the Mid-lands.” Weihs says TCM is  a faith-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation program for all ages. She chose them because they are totally non-profit and receive no government aid at all. For more information on the book, contact Weihs at 712-748-3471.

(Courtesy Joel McCall/KNOD – Harlan)