The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved two Mayoral appointments: Katherine Smith was appointed to the Utility Board of Trustees.  Smith succeeds Joyce Jensen, who resigned. Her appointment is in effect until April1, 2023. The second appointment was Adam Skog, to the Atlantic Library Board of Trustees. He succeeds Mark Johnson, who passed away in September. The appointment expires June 30, 2024.

The Council also approved an Order to close certain city streets for this Saturday’s Lighted Parade, which takes place beginning at 4:30-p.m. The streets to be closed include:

• 6th & Chestnut to 6th & Walnut
• 7th & Walnut
• 6th & Chestnut in front of Wells Fargo Bank
• 2nd & Walnut, at the corner of Deter Motor Company
• 2nd & Chestnut, corners of Cappel’s and W&S Appliance

The following rules are in-place for the event, with regard to COVID-19 safety:

• Spectators must park along Chestnut and Walnut Street, and remain in their vehicles at all times.
• Those participating in a float must wear a mask.
• Candy, promotional material and other items will not be permitted.
• There will be no fireworks this year.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council passed a Resolution approving the 2021 AMU Budget Report to City Council. AMU has its own Oversight Board, but according to City Code, the Council must approve their budget in order for it to go into effect, since the utility is an entity of the City. The City traditionally passes the AMU budget without issue, and acknowledges the AMU Board’s purpose and oversight.

The Council also passed: on the 3rd and final reading, an Ordinance vacating an alley located east of the intersection of E. 9th and Plum Streets; the 2nd reading of an Ordinance “Adopting the proposed Amendments to the City of Atlantic Zoning Code, 2018”; and, an Order to Approve Change Order #3 for the Atlantic Downtown Revitalization Project,” which will add $1,950 to the project cost, making for a total of $449,329.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley says he supports a federal funding package for coronavirus relief but clearly stated he doesn’t support large amounts of money to shore up state and local government budgets. The influential chair of the Senate Finance Committee talked to reporters Wednesday as negotiations picked up speed in Washington. Grassley said Congress must pass long overdue relief to help families, businesses, schools and communities.

He says he could support a bill with items that have bipartisan support at around $500 billion and that he’d consider something less than $1 trillion. He resisted spending a massive amount of money for state and local government budget relief but said it likely wouldn’t cause him to reject a package including it.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa woman has been arrested for her alleged role in the robbery of a Waterloo man who was fatally shot in August. The Waterloo News-Leader reports 40-year-old Tonkeya Vaniece Jackson of Waterloo was arrested for one count of second-degree robbery. She is accused of helping plan an armed robbery that ended in the shooting death of 49-year-old Vincent Hemenway. She is the third suspect arrested in the case.

Court records say police found evidence that Jackson’s cell phone had been used to plan the robbery, sending a map of the target area and a message to bring guns.

(Radio Iowa) – It’s getting to be that time of the year when Iowans start thinking about booking a vacation to a warm destination during the cold winter months. Kyle Potter, executive editor at ThriftyTraveler-dot-com, says if you book flights now, there is very little risk as long as you make sure the flight qualifies for free changes or cancellations. “Almost every airline, especially the big airlines, Delta, American, United, any ticket purchased by the end of the year can be changed or canceled for free, and if you cancel, you get a voucher,” Potter says. “So that means if you buy before December 31st, you can get a good deal hopefully to each destination and then let things play out.”

Potter says the worst-case scenario would be that you get a voucher that you can use up to a year later. He says Mexico is the only international destination with no significant restrictions on Americans. “You have to fly, you can’t drive there right now, but flights have been going from the United States to Mexico and back pretty much undaunted for the last several months and there is no testing required to get in,” Potter says, “though for some people, that’s a bad thing.”

He also suggests when you’re booking things like hotels, rental cars, excursions, and other things that they also have a free cancellation policy.

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate releases the following statement regarding the Second Congressional District race. Iowa’s election results were officially certified by the State Canvassing Board on Monday:

“A bipartisan and transparent recount process in all 24 counties of the Second Congressional District confirmed Iowans elected Mariannette Miller-Meeks. Under Iowa law the deadline to contest the election is today. Iowans made their voices heard in record numbers, and in the event of a contested election they deserve to have the contest process decided by Iowa judges. The will of Iowa voters should not be overturned by partisan Washington, D.C. politicians.” – Paul Pate, Iowa Secretary of State

RED OAK, Iowa – Red Oak Rehab and Care Center is currently experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19 among facility residents and employees. The Montgomery County Public Health Department says the Red Oak team has been preparing for the eventuality of potential outbreaks due to exploding community spread, which is happening, unstoppably, around the world. Having that moment become a reality is very difficult for those who have worked so hard and sacrificed so much to prevent it since we locked everything down in March.

County Public Health Administrator Samantha Beeson says Montgomery County has been teetering between the Red and Yellow Zones regarding test positivity for months. That status means nursing homes are required to test staff, contractors and vendors multiple time per week – once while in the Yellow Zone and twice while in Red. As soon as Red Oak Rehab and Care Center learned of the potential outbreak, they began resident testing as well so they could get ahead of the outbreak, even though it is not a requirement in Iowa.

The facility also immediately implemented a COVID unit for residents who become positive and have asked the residents who are negative on testing to quarantine, wear masks and sanitize their hands regularly. Caregivers have replaced procedure masks with N-95 masks and gowns in addition to the face shields and gloves Iowa has required during the Pandemic. A Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization System has been installed in the air handling system to dismantle the virus. Electrostatic disinfection has been implemented to enhance the increased cleaning and sanitation of the facility.

Leadership of the building is in close communication with local and state health officials to ensure all the appropriate measures are taken under current circumstances. We are also following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reduce the spread and impact of COVID-19.

Officials say they appreciate the local physicians and medical community who are diligently working with the building to help meet the residents’ needs. Red Oak CC has been updating local hospital officials in case there is a need for inpatient care. In addition, the facility is working closely with the Montgomery County Health Department and the Iowa Department of Public Health, Licensure and Survey and Certification.

General updates about increases or decreases in positivity of COVID-19 can be found on the  website: www.redoakcc.com. Family members can interact with their loved ones by using video chat, calling, texting or checking in on social media. Red CC teams have worked very hard, officials say, and now are working harder to get the residents through this as safely as possible. Due to federal privacy laws, Red Oak Care Center will not share any specific information about the medical status of our residents or employees.

Absentee voting has started in Montgomery County, for the December 15, 2020 Special Election to elect a Board of Supervisor in District One to fill a vacancy. The Auditor’s office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for in-person voting. The last day to request and vote an absentee ballot in-person at the Auditor’s office is Monday, December 14, 2020. You must provide proof of identification before voting.

Eligible Electors must live in District One. District #1 map can be viewed at www.montgomerycountyia.gov or at the Auditor’s office. Only those voters living in District One can cast a vote in this election.

Absentee Request Forms are available on the County Website at montgomerycountyia.gov or at the Auditor’s office. Request forms will have to be completed prior to receiving an absentee ballot. The last day to request an absentee ballot to be mailed to you is Friday, December 4, 2020.

If anyone has questions about voter registration, absentee ballots, or voting, call the Auditor’s office (712)-623-5127.

(DES MOINES) – The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors Wednesday (today), announced the award of a total of more than $7 million in grants to 27 Local Housing Trust Funds to support local housing initiatives. The grant awards are made available through the Local Housing Trust Fund program and are expected to assist more than 2,100 families. Iowa Finance Authority Executive Director Debi Durham says “The Local Housing Trust Fund program is a highly successful funding mechanism that serves all 99 counties,  ensures local leaders can make critical housing projects a reality and leverages millions in other contributions. Thousands of Iowa families will soon have access to a home in which they can prosper as a result of the outstanding work of Iowa’s 27 Local Housing Trust Funds.”

In the immediate KJAN listening area, the following Trust Funds were awarded grants from the Iowa Finance Authority:

• Council of Governments (Serving Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie & Sac Counties: $235,872 grant.
• Pottawattmie County Housing Trust Fund (Serving Pottawattamie County): $212,132 grant.
• Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG) (Serving Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor & Union Counties): $229,482 grant.
• Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund, Inc. (Serving Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page and Shelby Counties): $253,756 grant.

The grant funds will be used for initiatives such as preserving aging housing stock, subsidizing local rental and down payment assistance programs, providing low-interest loans or grants to assist Iowans with home rehabilitation, financing construction of new single-family housing for low-income Iowans and supporting housing for persons with disabilities and homeless assistance programs.

The State Housing Trust Fund was created by the Iowa Legislature in 2003. The awards announced today will leverage an additional $2.6 million in other financing or $.38 for every dollar of Local Housing Trust Fund program funding. Since its inception, the program has provided $84 million in affordable housing assistance to benefit nearly 29,000 Iowa families. The State Housing Trust Fund helps ensure decent, safe and affordable housing for Iowans through two programs. The Local Housing Trust Fund Program receives at least 60 percent of the State Housing Trust Fund allocation to provide grants for organizations certified by the Iowa Finance Authority as a Local Housing Trust Fund.

The remaining funding goes to the Project-Based Housing Program, which aids in the development of affordable single-family and multifamily housing. The Iowa Finance Authority administers both programs and provides technical assistance to housing-related organizations.