Atlantic Police Chief Dave Erickson reports 26-year old Alicia Dellaca, of Avoca, turned herself-in to authorities Monday. Dellaca was wanted on a Cass County warrant for Probation Violation. She was booked into the Cass County Jail.

The Atlantic Public Library’s Memorial Reading Garden project has received a big boost in funding, thanks to a donation by the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund. Fund spokesperson Melanie Petty recently presented Library Director Natalie Struecker with a check for $2,500 for the garden they are working on installing this spring.

Melanie Petty (Left) and Atlantic Public Library Director Natalie Struecker.

The money has been designated for a game table. Robinson Landscaping will be starting construction on the garden in the very near future. There are still many ways for the community to donate and support this great cause. Contact Natalie at 712-243-5466, if you are interested in helping out with the project.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two men were arrested on separate charges, Monday afternoon. 24-year old Cody Dean Johnson, of Red Oak, was arrested for Criminal Mischief in the 5th degree after allegedly slashing car tires in the 600 block of Sunset Avenue. He was subsequently charged with Criminal Mischief in the 4th degree as well, in connection with alleged tire slashing incidents that occurred at an earlier date.

And, 33-year old Kirby David Stoneking, of Red Oak, was arrested Monday afternoon on a warrant for Burglary in the 2nd degree. His bond was set at $5,000.

Members of the Iowa House have overwhelmingly voted for a bill that ultimately will increase the license fees for people who wish to legally hunt, fish and trap in Iowa. Republican Representative Terry Baxter of Garner is one of the 86 House members who voted yes. “It’s exciting to see this bill come forward. I’ve got to say some of my redneck hunting buddies are a little bit opposed to this, but every sportsmans’ group in Iowa has written me and they stand with this bill,” Baxter said. “It’s time to get some of these resources going. It’s been a long time since we had a fee increase.”

The bill gives officials in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources the authority to raise licensing fees for fishing, hunting and trapping. A yearly fishing license, for example, is currently 17 dollars and is expected to be hiked to 25 dollars. The money from hunting, fishing and trapping licenses is used for department efforts to improve habitat and other conservation efforts that boost hunting opportunities.

Representative John Wills, a Republican from Spirit Lake, says the bill will be a boost to the state’s 800-million dollar hunting, fishing and outdoors industries. “I’ve gotten literally hundreds of emails, hundreds of postcards, hundreds of people asking me to raise these fees,” Wills says.

Only six members of the House opposed the move. Representative Dave Jacoby, a Democrat from Coralville who voted FOR the bill, needled House Republicans who’ve taken a “no new taxes or fees” pledge. “We’ve underfunded the DNR to such an extent that they need some income to keep our waters ready for fishing, our fields ready for hunting,” Jacoby says. The bill now goes to the Iowa Senate for consideration.

(Radio Iowa)

Madison County Sheriff Jason Barnes (Barns) has scheduled a news conference for this (Tuesday) afternoon to give an update on the investigation into the burning of the Cedar Covered Bridge near Winterset. The bridge burned early Saturday morning. Barnes expressed optimism Monday with the progress of the investigation. “We are moving forward with the investigation, we have received great help form the community. A lot of information has come in,” Barnes says.

Barnes says people have been very cooperative in helping find answers to this latest fire. “We have no direct witnesses to speak of, we are getting information from people in the community. Everything is going forward,” he says, We are real happy with everything.” Barnes says a search of the scene did provide some clues. “We were able to recover evidence that is going to help us, yes,” Barnes says.

The Cedar Bridge is one of six remaining bridges in Madison County which gained international fame after they were the centerpiece in Robert Waller’s book “The Bridges of Madison County.” The best-selling book was also made into a movie. It is the second time the Cedar Bridge has been torched, it burned down in 2002 and was rebuilt. Other bridges have also been the targets of vandals. Barnes says protecting the iconic bridges all the time is not easy.

“It comes down to money, it really does. we could turn every bridge into Fort Knox if you wanted to,” Barnes says. “…you could keep people out there, have infrared, put up fences around them, close them at night. But at the other end of the spectrum, these are parks. At the end of the day, these are just parks.” Barnes plans to hold a news conference at three o’clock today to update the information on the investigation.

(Radio Iowa)