The City of Atlantic’s Community Development Committee will meet Tue., July 25th at 5:30-p.m. in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. Their two topics of discussion include Tourism Promotion, and Mandatory Garbage Service. The latter is the result of action taken by the Cass County Environmental Control Agency/Landfill Board this past Tuesday.

During their meeting, the Board voted to implement a per capita assessment for 28E members for the fiscal year 2018-2019. The fee amounts to $12.00 per household per year or $1.00 per occupant per month. Based on a county population of 14,000, the money generated from the assessment amounts to roughly $168,000 per year, which will allow the Cass County Landfill to remain open, because it is no longer sustainable based solely on user fees.

The landfill is still dealing with a leak on the backside of the facility that occurred two-years ago, and will now require the extraction and pumping of leachate before it leaves the property. That process is expected to cost an initial $500,000 to clean-up, plus $50,000 per year afterward to maintain. And, the landfill will have to construct another cell, at a cost of $400,000.

An engineer’s study determined the best way to keep up with the costs associated with running the landfill and meeting DNR requirements, is to go ahead with a per capita assessment, which will not go into effect until the 2018-19 fiscal year. The move allows city and county governments time to enact a means of collecting the fee.

The Iowa State Patrol reports a woman from Kansas died during a crash early this (Thursday) morning in Cass County. 33-year old Petra Warnick, of Lenexa, KS, died at the scene of the crash that happened at around 1:44-a.m. on Interstate 80 westbound, in the construction area around Exit 57 (Olive Street).

The 1999 Pontiac Bonneville Warnick was driving had been reported driving in a reckless or erratic manner a few miles east of the crash, just moments before it happened. The car, for reasons unknown, left the Interstate and entered the Exit 57 off ramp in a construction area, before it went airborne and rolled over, coming to rest on its side. The vehicle then became fully engulfed in flames.

Warnick, who was wearing her seat belt, was transported from the scene to the State Medical Examiners Office in Ankeny. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by Cass, Audubon and Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies, Atlantic Fire and Rescue, and Medivac Ambulance.

One person was transported to the hospital this (Thursday) morning, following a crash on the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge linking Council Bluffs and Omaha. Council Bluffs Police say a 2005 Honda Accord was traveling west bound on Veteran’s Highway in a construction area when it struck a piece of parked construction equipment. The accident occurred within the marked confines of the construction zone at around 4-a.m.

The unidentified driver was pinned inside of the vehicle and had to be extricated by Fire / Rescue personnel from the Omaha and Council Bluffs. Once freed from the wreckage, he was transported by rescue squad to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Speed and Alcohol are being investigated as major contributing factors in the crash.
The crash is being investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Special Operation’s Traffic Unit. The Council Bluffs Police Department would like to remind drivers to use caution when driving through construction zones. Please obey all directional signs, lower your speeds and be prepared to stop. Further, remember it is the law to move-over and slow down for stopped emergency, maintenance and recovery vehicles on the side of the roadway.

MCGREGOR, Iowa (AP) — Thunderstorms have powered through northern and northeast Iowa, damaging homes, buildings and crop fields. The National Weather Service says wind gusts to 75 mph and heavy rain were reported Wednesday evening in several locations, and a tornado was reported 2 miles (3 kilometers) west-southwest of Fort Atkinson. No injuries have been reported. Residents and officials report trees and power lines have been knocked down, leaving hundreds of people without electricity. Officials say the city of McGregor has been hit hard, sustaining damage to City Hall and several other structures downtown. St. Mary’s Catholic Church has been pressed into duty as a shelter. Authorities say a semitrailer was blown over on Interstate 35 near Hanlontown.

A new state law designed to protect Iowa’s county fairs and the state fair from lawsuits about contagious diseases isn’t just about the animals catching illnesses like the bird flu. In other parts of the country lawsuits have been filed after visitors to animal exhibits contracted e-coli infections. Tom Barnes, spokesman for the Association of Iowa Fairs, says the law requires signs on the fairgrounds that warn against touching the animals and encourage fair-goers to frequently wash their hands to prevent the spread of disease. Barnes says, “If the fairs do their due diligence and do everything in their power to prevent such a thing, then this hasn’t been tested in court, of course, it’s brand new, but the onus is not on the county fair if something should happen.”

The signs also must warn against bringing food into livestock areas. Barnes says, “There has to be a sign posted at the very first point of entry into the livestock area warning fairgoers of the possible pathogenic diseases.” The law, which took effect July 1st, also spells out requirements for properly cleaning livestock areas before and after the fair. Thirty-four county fairs have already been held this month, but today (Thursday), the gates are open for fairs in 30 OTHER counties.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak, arrested 32-year old Sunshine Marie Bartlett, of Red Oak, at around 10:50-p.m., Wednesday. Bartlett was taken into custody on an active Page County warrant for Accessory After the Fact. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond. And, 18-year old Justin Leroy Newman, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 2:50-p.m. Wednesday, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond at the Montgomery County Jail was set at $1,000.

One person died early this (Thursday) morning in a fiery accident on Interstate 80, in Cass County. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic Fire and Rescue and Medivac Ambulance, along with a sheriff’s deputy, responded to the rollover accident that happened at around 1:46-a.m.  Authorities say a vehicle that had been reported driving in a reckless or erratic manner near Anita exit on I-80 westbound, crashed moments later in the Olive Street exit construction area.

The vehicle rolled over and caught fire. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, was trapped in the vehicle and died at the scene. The name of the victim was being withheld, pending notification of family.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Iowa State Patrol. The Cass County Medical Examiner’s Office also responded to the scene.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 2:20 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Corrections tells The Associated Press that about 80 inmates at a maximum security prison could face disciplinary action in connection to a large fight this month. That’s a far greater number of people than the state corrections department has publicly said were directly involved in the July 1 melee at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. The estimate could add weight to union claims that the state agency previously has downplayed the fight.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Republican Sen. Rick Bertrand has called on Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix to resign following the conclusion of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former legislative aide. Bertrand said Wednesday that Dix should resign after a jury awarded $2.2 million to Kirsten Anderson, a former Iowa Senate Republican caucus aide. The jury determined she was fired in 2013 after she reported rampant sexual harassment in the caucus office. A spokesman for Dix says the senator has no comment.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Law enforcement officials in central Iowa are warning of a familiar phone scam. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office tells KCCI that people are receiving telephone calls claiming to be from the sheriff’s office. The caller tells recipients there is a signed a warrant for their arrest for not showing up for jury duty. Victims are then told to retrieve a large amount of cash and follow further instructions to avoid being arrested.

ZWINGLE, Iowa (AP) — Officials say one person has been badly injured in a northeast Iowa house fire. The Telegraph Herald reports that the fire broke out early Wednesday morning and destroyed the home in Zwingle. La Motte Fire Chief Joe Kilburg says a man, who was the only person in the home at the time, was flown to an Iowa City hospital. He remained in the hospital’s burn unit Wednesday afternoon. The man’s name has not been released.

Atlantic Fire and Rescue along with Medivac Ambulance, responded to a reported rollover accident early this morning off the Olive Street exit  from westbound I-80. Crews were dispatched at around 1:45-a.m. The vehicle was said to have been on fire and on its side.

There was no immediate word on injuries. No other details were available (as of 2:15-a.m.). Please check back for updates.

An Iowa Army Veteran is hoping to spread the word about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) by running across the state of Iowa. During the run in September, Joshua Jorgensen will be wearing a military-issued gas mask. He told KCRG-TV that the mask represents the struggle many veterans face on a daily basis.

“It says I’m struggling with those same things, but I’m getting up every day and I’m doing this. I’m putting myself in an even bigger struggle, because I know there’s an end and I can make it through it so, so can you,” Jorgensen said.

Photo courtesy KCRG

Jorgenson is part of Team Fidelis, a nationwide group working to end the epidemic of veteran suicide. Jorgensen, who lives in Adel, just west of Des Moines, has been training for the past six months for the September run, a total of 330 miles. He is hoping to complete the run in ten days or less, running over 30 miles a day — starting in Council Bluffs and ending in Burlington.

(KCRG-TV via Radio Iowa)