When the Atlantic City Council holds their regularly scheduled session 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, at City Hall, they’ll have a short agenda in front of them. In addition to approving their consent agenda, which consists of Tree Trimmer permits, Class-C liquor licenses for two local bars, and administrative matters, the Council will review and likely act on, a recommendation from the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission report, with regard to the partial vacating of the Right-of-Way (ROW) between Hemlock and Sycamore Streets, south of E. 18th Street.

During their meeting on August 5th, the Council referred the matter to the P&Z, which met on Aug. 11th. The Commission was empathetic to the property owner Daniel Jones, who, as Zoning Commissioner/City Administrator John Lund has states, “Has been caught in a bureaucratic nightmare.” Jones has two sheds behind his property and would like to combine them, improve the exterior and make them taller. Aerial images of the property appear to show his sheds encroaching on the City ROW. His request for a permit to make the changes to his sheds was not approved because of the encroachment.

Long-story short, the Commission unanimously concluded the ROW in that neighborhood serves no further public purpose for the City, and that the City’s Comprehensive Plan does not suggest the area is one where redevelopment is anticipated that would justify the City retaining the land in question.

The Commission recommend the abutting property owners be contacted and informed the City intends to vacate the alley and divide the ROW among eight abutting lots. Where utilities are provided on the south side of the ROW, the City, according to the Commission, should obtain easements to the service area, if AMU would desire them.

The only other business on the Council’s agenda is regular reports from the City Administrator, Mayor, Council and Student Representative (as available), followed by a public forum, as needed.

The Creston Police Department reports a woman was arrested Monday night on a Theft charge. 36-year old Amanda Jones, of Creston, was arrested at the Hy-Vee Dollar Fresh, for Theft in the 5th Degree. Jones was cited for the alleged offense, and released on Promise to Appear.

Iowa authorities report that as of (10-a.m.) today (Tuesday), there have been 301 additional, Positive COVID-19 cases since 10-a.m. Monday, for a total of 52,616, and, nine additional deaths, for a total of 987. IDPH says 3,361 individuals tested the previous day and 3,016 tested negative, for a positivity rate of 6.5%. One of 6 Iowans have been tested and one of 60 have tested positive. The total number of residents tested to-date, is 564,439.

Cass County reports one more positive COVID-19, for a total of 95. Adair County also has one more case, for a total of 40. There’s another positive case in Guthrie County, for a total of 148, Pottawattamie County cases increased by two, to a total of 1,428.

There are currently 287 hospitalized patients in the state, up from 283 the previous day. IDPH lists 86 patients in intensive care. There were 31 people admitted to hospitals across the state since yesterday, and 35 patients on ventilators. In western/southwest Iowa: 13 are hospitalized with the virus (down 1 from Monday); 6 are in an ICU (up 3 from Sunday), no one was admitted, and two people remain on a ventilator.

There are coronavirus outbreaks in 31 of Iowa’s long-term care facilities, up two from Monday. The IDPH reported 933 positive cases and 551 recoveries within those facilities. There have been 524 deaths in Iowa’s long-term care facilities.

Here are the latest positive case numbers for southwest/western Iowa since 10-a.m. Friday (County; Positive Case #’s; number of persons who have (recovered); {deaths since the outbreak began}. Counties with changes have highlighted numbers over the previous 24-hours:

• Cass County: 95 cases; (74); 2 deaths
• Adair County: 40 cases; (20)
• Adams County: 17 cases; (16)
• Audubon County: 30 cases; (21); 1 death
• Guthrie County: 148 cases; (110); 5 deaths
• Montgomery County: 64 cases; (53); 4 deaths
• Pottawattamie County: 1,427 cases; (1,097); 30 deaths
• Shelby County: 193 cases; (180); 1 death.

Red Oak Police arrested a man on a warrant for Violation of a Protection Order, Monday night. 42-year old Brian Shaver, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 9-p.m. and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $300.