(Elliott, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says a man was arrested Wednesday a little after 7:30-p.m., after authorities received a call about an allegedly intoxicated man who, while driving erratically in Elliott, nearly hit two children and a woman. While en route to the scene, Deputies were informed two men were fighting after an altercation. Upon arrival, Deputies made contact with multiple individuals, and upon further investigation found probable cause to arrest 29-year-old Caleb L. Walter, on charges of OWI/1st offense, and Disorderly Conduct. The man was booked into the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Senate Republicans have revived a plan to have the governor appoint the majority of those who serve on commissions that nominate candidates to be district court judges. Senator Todd Taylor, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says it gives the governor too much influence. “The deck is going to be stacked in favor of the governor picking judges,” Taylor says, “so it’ll probably be done on ideological balances instead of on, you know, their record.”

The proposal was one vote short of clearing a HOUSE committee this spring, so Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee have attached it to a budget bill. Republican Senator Julian Garrett of Indianola says for nearly three years, the governor has appointed a majority of members on the STATE commission that nominates candidates for vacancies on the Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

“I really haven’t heard complaints that we’re not getting good quality judges at the state supreme court level and the appellate court level,” Garrett says. “This very same formula seems to have worked out fine there.” Iowa governors appoint judges, but must choose from a slate of candidates submitted by nominating commissions. The commissions for district court vacancies have 11 members. Five are elected by local lawyers and five are currently appointed by the governor, with the chief judge in each district serving as chair.

This proposal also removes judges as leaders of the commissions — since the governor would appoint six of the 11 members. Last fall, a judge in Humboldt chairing a nominating commission was accused of coaching one candidate and lying about another withdrawing from consideration for a district court opening in the Carroll area.

(Radio Iowa) – Senators are scrapping a moratorium that would have prevented developers from seeking eminent domain authority to seize property for carbon pipelines before next February. The Iowa House attached the plan to a budget bill in March. Late yesterday (Wednesday), Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a similar budget bill, but there was no reference to the carbon pipelines in the bill and lawmakers on the committee didn’t mention it.

“Senate Study Bill 3163 is an agreement between the House and the Senate on our path to adjournment. This is not one that will likely be amended from this point on.” That’s Republican Senator Dennis Guth of Klemme. In early April, Guth called the temporary moratorium meaningless. Guth says he’s been assured by the Iowa Utilities Board that it’s be after February when the process of seeking eminent domain to seize land along pipeline routes can start.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday, passed an Ordinance (#1018), amending the City Code of Ordinances to change how tall the grass must be by certain dates each month. City Clerk Barb Barrick explains the change was with regard to current Ordinance # 1016.

Barrick said Ordinance 1016 stated the height of the grass was to be changed (Cut) on the 1st and the 15th of the month. Ordinance 1018 simply states “the height of the grass.” The Council opted to let a motion for the Third and final Reading of Ordinance 1016 die, for lack of a second. They next voted to pass the third and final reading of Ordinance #1017, which amends the height of the grass to no more than 9-inches before it must be mowed.

Atlantic City Council mtg. 5/18/22 (Ric Hanson/photo)

Previously, the maximum height was 12-inches. They then proceeded to hold the first Reading of Ordinance #1018, entitled “Mowing of Properties,” and went on to waive the second and third readings to ultimately approve the Ordinance as written.

In her report to the Council and Community, Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett spoke with regard to the grass mowing ordinance, and clarified a comment she made in the local newspaper, with regard to the timing of lawn mowing.

“With that,” she said “I want to reiterate to our City, that we are seeing some common violations, over-and-over again.”

The Mayor warned against mowing your lawn clippings onto the streets and sidewalks, as it a Code Violation. She also reminded people it is a violation to park your vehicle or vehicles in your yard., and she addressed signs in the City Right-of-Way

Another issue the City will be cracking down on, is household trash and garbage removal.

She said “We as a Council..as a City…want to give you, the residents, the opportunity to make your own corrections.”