Individuals and businesses stepped forward this year in Atlantic, to make the annual Atlantic Police Department and Reserves Christmas programs for families in need, a huge success. Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of donations, during Wednesday night’s City Council meeting. Green says in all, over $7,600 was raised by donations, and used for two programs run by the Police Department. He says over 44 children and 12 adults were provided with a Christmas that otherwise would not have been possible. Green says without the donations…including $3 given by a 5-year old, and $2,000 from a local businessman…the programs would not have been as successful as they were. 

The Police and Police Reserves ran two programs, and have done so for many years. The 1^st program, “Family Dreams,” is run by the Police Reserves. This year, the Reserve Officers took seven families on shopping trips in the downtown area, and allowed parents to purchase clothing, coats, boots, and toys for their children. An additional four families were taken for a more limited shopping excursion. Grocery money to purchase needed personal items and/or Christmas dinner, was also supplied to each family. 

The second part of the Christmas program is handled by both the Regular Officers and Reserves, and is labeled “Shop with a Cop”. Green says this year, 14 children were taken to the Atlantic Wal-Mart and allowed about $175 each, with which to shop – accompanied by an officer — for necessities such as boots or gloves, and a few toys. The kids were encouraged to develop the spirit of giving, by spending some of the money on their parents and/or siblings. Afterward, the kids and their parents were treated to sandwiches and cookies at the Sub-Way store, located inside the Wal-Mart. 

Green says about 50-percent of the cost of the “Shop with a Cop” program is provided by Wal-Mart and funds from the Salvation Army Red Kettle donations.

Federal authorities in Omaha say they’ve broken up a substantial drug ring with the arrest of 11 suspects. FBI Special Agent Weysan Dun hopes the sting will bring a sizeable disruption to drug trafficking in the region. Agent Dun says, “These individuals are suspected of being significant sources of much of the methamphetamine that is being trafficked in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.” 

It’s not just meth. He accuses the 11 suspects of dealing cocaine as well. Dun says the FBI coordinated some 50 local, state and federal agents over the past day or so to make the arrests, mostly in the Omaha area. Dun says, “We believe these individuals were supplying drugs to, or were affiliated with, a number of gangs, including the Rebels, The 18th Street, and the Playboy Seranos.”  In addition to bringing in nearly a dozen suspects, Dun says officers also seized a untold quantity of drugs. “The high purity levels of the methamphetamine that we seized suggests that the drugs had not been cut,” Dun says. “They were likely coming directly to Omaha from a primary source of supply.” 

Warrants have been issued for four more suspects who were not caught in the initial round-up.

(Matt Kelly/Radio Iowa)

LEBANON, Mo. (AP) — Wal-Mart has pulled a batch of powdered infant formula from more than 3,000 of its stores nationwide after a newborn Missouri boy who was fed the formula died from what preliminary tests indicate was a rare bacterial infection, the retailer said. The government has not ordered a recall of the 12.5-ounce cans of Enfamil Newborn powder with the lot number ZP1K7G. Manufacturer Mead Johnson Nutrition said its records showed the lot tested negative for the bacterium before it was shipped.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Dianna Gee said Wednesday that the company decided to pull the lot “out of an abundance of caution” while health officials investigate Sunday’s death of 10-day-old Avery Cornett. The product could go back on shelves depending on the outcome of the investigation, but customers who bought the cans have the option of returning them for a refund or exchange, Gee said. Gena Terlizzi, spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said Wednesday that samples of the formula given to Avery were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for testing. “At this point it has not been determined whether the illness is linked to the formula or an outside source,” Terlizzi said in a statement.