(Atlantic, Iowa) – Newly elected Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett began her term in office Wednesday night, by leading a meeting of the City Council.

Atlantic City Council, 1/5/22 (Ric Hanson, photo)

The Council, following the Mayor’s recommendation, voted to appoint Elaine K. Otte to fill the vacant At-Large seat on the Council that Garret held, prior to her becoming Mayor.

Garrett then proceeded to administer the Oath of Office to Otte. (an abbreviated version of the Oath follows...)

Mayor Garrett (Left) administers the Oath of Office to Elaine Otte.

In other business, the Council, after receiving an update from SWIPCO Community Development Director Alexsis Fleener, approved grant applications for two downtown housing projects. Fleener explained one of the applicants, Jennifer Miller, has declined to pursue a grant at this time due to unanticipated costs to rehab the building.

Alexis says an application is being put together by Paul Gude, to rehab the property at 300 Chestnut Street.

Projects with up to 10 housing units are eligible for up to $300,000 in grant funds. And, Peter Hopley is making an application for $100,000 from a Community Catalyst Building Remediation Program Grant, for 207 Chestnut Street, the former Coca-Cola Museum. Fleener said a project for the one-story building has been in the works for a while. Those plans call for it to become part-residential/part commercial, with the residential section in the back of the structure.

In other business, the Council passed a Resolution approving the transfer of funds for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2021-22. By a vote of 6-to-1, with Lee Sisco voting no, the Atlantic City Council passed a Resolution “Establishing the use of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Special Fund” for the Bull Creek restoration project. The project would help to eliminate private property erosion along creek, between 17th and 10th Streets. Sisco was in opposition, only because he wants to see a section of Bull Creek south of 7th Street near Walnut Street, included in the project, but City officials say that’s not possible with this particular round of funding. He was assured the area WILL BE taken care, as soon as it is financially feasible.

The cost of the project was budgeted at more than $985,331, but Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm says he doesn’t think it will come in that high.

The City has $974,157 from ARPA available to finance 98.87% of the project. The Council was also notified Wednesday night, that an additional $1,600 is coming from the State that can be used for the project.

(Radio Iowa) – A former state legislator from western Iowa has launched a campaign for state auditor. Republican Mary Ann Hanusa of Council Bluffs aims to challenge Democrat Rob Sand’s bid for a second term as state auditor. Hanusa served in the Iowa House for 10 years, but did not seek reelection in 2020.

Hanusa had considered a run for the U.S. House in 2022 to challenge Democratic Congresswoman Cindy Axne, but Hanusa’s home in Council Bluffs is not in the new third district where Axne will be seeking reelection. Hanusa has been on the statewide ballot before, as a candidate for secretary of state in 2006.

Hanusa was director of personal correspondence for President George W. Bush and did similar work for his father, George H.W. Bush. Hanusa worked as Senator Chuck Grassley’s southwest Iowa field representative between those White House stints.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Public Health’s website shows the agency has now confirmed more than eight-thousand Iowans have died of Covid. The state’s first Covid death was reported on March 20th of 2020. The Iowa Department of Public Health indicates 161 death certificates reviewed in the past week show Covid as the cause of death. Some deaths occurred weeks ago. That has pushed the death toll in Iowa to eight-thousand-19 (8019).

There’s been an increase in hospitalizations since last week. The website shows 792 patients in Iowa hospitals today have tested positive for Covid. That is 81 more than last Wednesday.

(Radio Iowa) – Congresswoman Cindy Axne met with mayors from the Des Moines metro and smaller cities like Greenfield and Griswold to discuss how to seek the new federal funding available for infrastructure projects. Clive Mayor John Edwards says Walnut Creek frequently floods areas of his city.  “The funding from the infrastructure bill and the American Recovery Act are key especially as you know here for storm water and flood mitigation,” Edwards says, “and it’s going to help us, in particular, to become more resilient to the flooding, the intense rain events.”

Small city leaders expressed concern the federal funding would flow mainly to larger cities. The mayor of Runnells says his town of 500 residents is trying to find a way to pay for the five million dollar cost of rebuilding its waste water plant. Axne is promising to connect smaller towns with grant writers and she handed out a list of state officials who’ll help decide which projects get funding. “We’re getting the money to the state and the state’s really responsible for getting this out, so a lot of it’s going to rely on your conversations with the state,” Axne says. “but we’ve got to make sure that maybe the parameters are around, but that maybe the parameters are around: ‘Don’t exhaust all your money on this or that,’ and it’s a fair distribution process.”

Rep. Axne & Clive Mayor John Edwards. (RI photo)

Iowa stands to get about five billion dollars for roads, bridges, broadband and water projects over the next five years from the infrastructure bill that cleared congress this fall. “I’m proud to say that all of Iowa will benefit because of my vote,” Axne said. Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, and Republican Senator Chuck Grassley were the only two members of Iowa’s congressional delegation to vote for the infrastructure package. Altoona’s mayor says he’s concerned the money will mainly go to repair already existing infrastructure rather than help growing communities like his build new roads and sewers.

Waukee’s mayor says her city spent 45 million dollars on infrastructure projects last year. Axne says she’ll seek assurances growing metro areas will be able to compete for the infrastructure money.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with Cass Health in Atlantic, Wednesday, announced the arrival of the first baby of 2022. Mayah Victoria was born Monday, January 3, 2022 to proud parents Linda and Juan Rodriguez, and welcomed by older brothers Kevin and Zahir, of Red Oak.

Photo courtesy Cass Health

The obstetrics department at Cass Health presented the family with a special certificate, baby blanket, and a year’s supply of diapers.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 22-year-old Brook Anna Marie Moon of Red Oak on Wednesday afternoon following an incident at 1211 Boundary Street. Moon entered a residence without permission and was noticeably intoxicated on drugs other than alcohol. She would not leave when asked to do so by the homeowner. Moon was arrested and charged with Trespass 1st Offense and held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Wednesday), reports three arrests. Tuesday evening, 29-year-old Keith Patrick Schreck, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Failure to Appear on a Burglary in the 2nd Degree charge. His bond was set at $10,000. Sunday evening, 39-year-old Lester Robert Harmon, of Shannon City, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. He was taken into custody at 360th Street & Highway 34, and held on a $1,300 bond.

And, at around 11-p.m. on Dec. 30th, 42-year-old Jason Alexander Houston, of St. Joseph, MO., was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $1,000.

There were also two accidents reported in Mills County. On Dec. 31st at around 8:35-a.m., a 2004 Dodge driven by 20-year-old Nicholas Livington, of Glenwood, was traveling north on 221st Street, when his vehicle went out of control after hitting a patch of ice. The vehicle slide into the east ditch, and in the process struck and knocked down two mailboxes. Livington was not hurt, but his Dodge, which came to rest on the east ditch, facing south, was totaled.

And, early Friday morning, a 2003 Lincoln driven by 87-year-old Ethlyn Spires, of Malvern, was traveling north on Highway 275 in Mills County, when her vehicle went out of control on a patch of ice, and spun off the road before rolling over and coming to rest on its wheels. Spires suffered head and body injuries. She was transported by Glenwood Rescue to the hospital. Her vehicle was a total loss.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday morning,received Fiscal Year 2023 funding requests from four entities, including the Library Association, Southern Iowa Trolley, Midwest Partnership and SICOG. All funding requests will be taken under advisement for later action during the County’s budgeting process.

The Library Association, which represents the four libraries in Adair County, each received an allotment last year from the County, of $1,500 each, or $6,000 total. This year, they are requesting $8,000, or $2,000 per library. Southern Iowa Trolley representative Leesa Lester requested about $700 less money from the County in the coming Fiscal Year than in the current year.

Southern Iowa Trolley has provided door to door service in seven Southwest Iowa counties: Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor and Union, since 1979. Drivers are available Monday-Friday in the following towns: Greenfield, Corning, Osceola, Leon, Mt. Ayr, and Creston. Lester said business has been slowly on the increase since COVID impacted ridership.

She said also, Adair County is running about the same, ridership-wise as last year. And, Peter Johnson the new Director for Midwest Partnership told the Supervisors they are requesting the same amount of funding as in the current Fiscal Year. Johnson said their focus this year is on filling childcare and housing needs.

Tim Ostroski, with the Southern Iowa Council of Governments, requested a 2.5 cent increase for FY 23 over FY22, as a means of keeping up with inflation.

Adair County’s dues for just the rural population in the coming fiscal year will amount $3,916.89, based $1.13 ½ cents per person. As an offset, SICOG gave the County in FY2021, $3,018.24, through the Housing Trust Fund, for the General Relief Program. In essence, he said Adair County is putting $900.

In other business, the Board acknowledged the receipt of an e-mail pertaining to wind turbine noise during recent wind events. And, the Supervisors set February 2^nd as the date for a public hearing on the FY22 Budget Amendment for the American Rescue Plan Act Funds. The Board approved the appointment of Bethany Smith as Treasurer Clerk and a resignation from the Condemnation Commission.

Tim Ostroski, with the Southern Iowa Council of Governments (based in Creston), requested a 2.5% increase for FY 23 over FY22. SICOG provides and coordinates community and economic development services through the delivery of planning services, technical program assistance, and grantsmanship.

(Radio Iowa) – Health experts urge Iowans to think twice about going to the emergency room for non-emergencies, as COVID-19 hospitalizations recently set record highs along with large numbers of respiratory virus infections and flu cases. Dr. Theresa Brennan, chief medical officer for the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, says consider visiting an urgent care clinic if it’s a less-pressing medical issue. “An urgent care is a great place to go when you might need stitches, or you might need an X-ray or you might need some minor lab tests or you might need some IV fluid,” Brennan says, “really reserving the emergency room for a place where you really need some emergency care.”

Brennan, a cardiologist and U-I professor of internal medicine, says an emergency room should only be used — in emergencies. “The emergency room should be really reserved for those that are the most ill, those that are having really more major illnesses, strokes, heart attacks, major traumas, head injuries.”

A coalition of central Iowa hospitals took out a full page ad in the Des Moines Register this week, urging Iowans to get vaccinated as medical centers are being overwhelmed, with the vast majority of new patients being people who have refused to get the shots.

(by Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – A group of Republicans from the Iowa House are proposing legislation that would bar Iowa businesses from hiring and firing anyone based on their vaccination status. The bill would prohibit businesses from asking if an employee has been vaccinated and it would be illegal for businesses to keep records of an employee’s vaccination status. Republican Representative Jon Jacobsen of Council Bluffs says the bill would be simple to implement and protects Iowans from what he described as the tyrannical reach of the federal government.

Republican Representative Mark Cisneros of Muscatine says Covid mandates have created hardships for many Iowans and there’s no need to wait for court rulings because the Iowa legislature has the power to take action. On Tuesday, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds and House Speaker Pat Grassley said the legislature should wait until the U.S. Supreme Court issues a ruling on the lawsuit challenging federal Covid vaccination requirements for large businesses.