Jim Field visits with Cass County Pork Queen Paige Jensen and Cass County Pork Ambassador Emily Plagman.
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Jim Field visits with Cass County Pork Queen Paige Jensen and Cass County Pork Ambassador Emily Plagman.
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The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.
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A man and woman from Creston were arrested on separate warrants, Monday. At around 9:25-a.m., 23-year old Amanda Blakely-Luddington was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant for Driving While Barred. She was later released on a $2,000 bond. And, at around 1:05-p.m., 44-year old Joel Gross was arrested on two Union County warrants, including Failure to Appear on Possession of Prescription Drugs and Possession of Marijuana/1st offense, and, Failure to Appear on a charge of Theft in the 5th Degree.
Gross was additionally charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $2,600 bond.
A call to Police from a woman in Creston with regard to someone being in garage, resulted in the arrest of a man on multiple charges. Officers responded at around 12:40-a.m. to the 300 block of N. Jarvis Street, and located 18-year old Chase Parascando, of Creston, who took off on foot. He was apprehended at around 12:47-a.m. in the 400 block of N. Spruce Street. Following an initial investigation, Parascando was charged with:
Parascando was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing. The investigation is ongoing, with additional charges possible.
The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:07-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, is expected to act on adopting the City’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget. Action on a Resolution to that effect follows a Public Hearing on the budget, which says there will be no increase in the tax levy, and despite an increase in property tax and rental property revenue of over $150,000 — will decrease the overall budget by more than 18%. The overall budget is listed at $14,740,571, a decrease of 18.25% ($3,289,610) from the 2021 budget. City officials say the city will receive $147,438 in additional property taxes and $3,600 from rental income. New expenses include: increased labor costs, $58,463.13; Health insurance costs of $40,350; Payroll taxes and IPERS, $1,563, and liability insurance, $23,950.
Atlantic City Administrator John Lund said the budget “accomplishes key priorities of the Mayor and Council in funding for economic development, housing incentives, community beautification and additional amenities for public.” Lund said also, the city is “continuing to budget any excess cash growth beyond required minimums towards inevitable liabilities in specialized funds, moving them away from operating budgets to minimize future debt assumptions or operating reserve deficits,” and there will be no increases to existing fees or utility rates.
In other business, the Council will hold a Public Hearing on adoption of the FY22 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), the key elements, Lund says, include: 320 capital improvements in streets, sewers, vehicles, major and minor equipment, costing $23,455,727; 99.49% of the 10-year old has been financed, with all critical infrastructure fully funded (the only unfunded project in the CIP is the Atlantic Municipal Airport’s 8 Unit Nested T-Hangar, scheduled in FY24); and, Lund says only $10,150,000 of the capital improvements are scheduled to be financed by new debt, which is still $1.15-million less than the $11.3-million estimated in the FY21 Budget, and $3.75-million less than estimated in the FY2020 Budget.
The Council will also act on passing a Resolution amending seasonal wages for the Atlantic Parks and Rec Dept. for 2021, as proposed earlier this year, by the City’s Personnel & Finance Committee. They will also act on approving a Resolution “Setting Salaries for Appointed Officers and Employees of the City,” for the Fiscal Year that runs from July 1, 2021 through June 30,2022. The Resolution says all Union positions are scheduled for 2.4% wage growth as a COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment). Exceptions to the wage increases include:
Chief of Police, 2.54% increase; Library Director, 2.9% increase; Adult Services Librarian, 6.38% increase; Youth Services Librarian, 4.19% increase; Parks & Rec Director, 5% increase; Street Superintendent, 5.8% increase; City Clerk, 7.84% increase; City Administrator, 2.4% increase. City Administrator John Lund says those increases will bring those positions closer to the current market average for communities of similar size. When combined with the automatic union compensation, the City’s total labor compensation (Not including health insurance and similar benefits) is scheduled to be $2,551, 431.57 in FY2022, or an increase of 2.35% over the FY 2021 estimated total labor compensation cost.
And, the Atlantic City Council is set to review and act on a recommendation for the purchase of a lot for new home construction, at 211 W. 6th Street. Jeff Pross has proposed purchasing the lot for $1,000, with the intention of building a new house with an estimated $110,00 cost in construction. The bid is more than what current policy requires, in addition to a minimum legal deposit. The Council will also act on an Order to approve a Professional Services Agreement with Snyder & Associates, for the West 22nd Street Sidewalk Project. The Council has previously received a petition with 94 signatures, requesting the installation of a sidewalk from Palm to Chestnut Streets. Their final order of business is to reappoint Jon Martens and Vicki Brown to the Planning & Zoning Commission.
The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.
Two people were arrested following a pursuit early this (Tuesday) morning, into Pottawattamie County. The Council Bluffs Police Department reports at around 1-a.m., Omaha Police advised they were pursuing a vehicle on I-480 into Council Bluffs. The vehicle had been stolen at gun point. Bluffs Police Officers responded to offer assistance. Authorities say Omaha Police had deployed a tire deflation device before coming into Council Bluffs, disabling some of the vehicles tires.
A Council Bluffs officer was also able to deploy a tire deflation device shortly before the pursuit ended at S. 19th St. and 8th Ave. The occupants were then detained without further incident. The driver, Christopher Petri, was arrested for Theft 1st and Felony Eluding. A rear seat passenger, Shaqula Rock, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
Today: **Dense Fog Advisory until 9-a.m.** Mostly cloudy w/areas of dense fog & drizzle. High 43. E wind at 10mph.
Tonight: Mo. Cldy w/light rain & drizzle. Low 34. E @ 10-15.
Tomorrow: Cldy w/rain. High 39. E @ 10-20.
Thursday: Mo. Cldy w/light snow in the morning. High 40.
Friday: P/Cldy. High around 50.
Monday’s High in Atlantic was 38. Our Low this morning, 35. We received .03″ rain from 7-a.m. Monday through 5:30-a.m. today at the KJAN studios. Last year on this date, the High was 43 and the Low was 26. The Record High of 84 was set in 2015. The Record Low was -4 in 1900.
Sac-Crawford-Carroll-Audubon-Guthrie-Dallas-Cass-Adair-Madison-Adams-Union-Taylor-Ringgold-Harrison-Shelby-Pottawattamie-Mills-Montgomery-Fremont-Page Counties…DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM, for visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog.
* IMPACTS…Hazardous driving conditions due to low visibility.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Areas of light drizzle are also expected overnight with the fog.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.
Atlantic Parks and Recreation Director Bryant Rasmussen, Monday, reported to the Parks and Rec Board, that after talking with Atlantic YMCA Aquatic Program Director Chelsie Huddleson, it was decided to eliminate the membership aspect of Sunnyside pool, due to issues with people sharing memberships and other such issues. Those problems he said resulted in a loss of revenue. Instead, there will simply be a straight, reduced daily fee for now, to see how that works out.
They are also working on using the City’s seamless doc program that would enable users of the pool to pay for admission and concessions with a card instead of just cash and change.
Rasmussen said they are going to move forward with as many summer programs as possible, taking into account safety protocols. He reported also, the Parks and Rec Department will host its 2nd nnual Easter Egg Cruise, in partnership with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.
The event takes place Saturday, April 3rd. Details are forthcoming.