The Enhance Iowa Board, on February 8th, heard a presentation from Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Seth Staashelm, with regard to the City’s application for funds to complete a phase of the Schildberg Recreation Area (SRA) improvements. Staashelm told the Parks and Rec Board Monday evening, that overall, the meeting went well, but there are some additional funds that need to be raised before the Enhance Iowa Board scores the application on March 8th, which is date of the next meeting Staashelm must attend to update their Board.

He said he had 10-minutes to make his presentation for consideration, along with eight other project presenters, and he received a lot of positive feedback. The application did show a “fundraising gap” amounting to approximately $29,000. Staashelm said the City can use funds from the Parks Capital Improvement 2020 Program, from the County and Connect-A-Dock, who is helping with the ADA accessible fishing pier, Cass County Community Foundation, Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs. While some of those are “Pending” funds, Seth says he hopes to get more committed letters of support before the March 8th meeting. He also hopes to use Trust and Agency Funds.

The Parks and Rec Department is seeking $175,000 from Enhance Iowa for the SRA improvements. In other business, Staashelm said has a special deal for persons wanting to attend an Iowa Wild American Hockey League (AHL) game on March 18th, “Atlantic Parks and Recreation Night” at Wells Fargo Arena, in Des Moines. The $22 price per person of the tickets includes the game against the Milwaukee Admirals, followed by a Gaelic Storm Concert and Saint Patrick’s Day hat giveaway. 22 tickets are available by calling Staashelm at 712-243-3542 by no later than March 3rd.

And, Staashelm said Monday that the ice skating rink is closed at Sunnyside Park, due to the obvious change in the weather. The roads in Sunnyside Park are now open again, and the Tennis court nets are up. The Basketball Court should be available for use by Tuesday night, but the restrooms will remain closed until there’s no more chance of frost or freezing temps in the forecast.

A Sioux City woman has confirmed that her son was one of five people wounded in a drive-by shooting early Sunday in Ames. Officers were sent to the scene around 1:30 a.m. Sunday on reports that two groups were fighting as bars closed in the area. As police officers separated the groups, shots were fired from a stopped car into the crowd. Police say two officers fired into the car, which sped away. Three bystanders in the crowd were taken to hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

Kathy Heaton of Sioux City has confirmed that one of those three victims is her son, Kyle Heaton, who is a student at Iowa State University, and that he sustained a gunshot wound to his leg. Heaton’s mother says her son has been treated and released from an Ames hospital and that the wound was not serious. Commander Geoff Huff of the Ames Police says the two wounded suspects and two other men were found at a Fort Dodge hospital. All four of those men, who are from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, were arrested.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Police Department released details Monday on multiple arrests this month.

On February 2nd Officers arrested 41-year-old Michelle Gifford of Atlantic for OWI 1st Offense. She was taken to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

On February 8th Officers arrested 56-year-old Rhonda Hafner of Griswold for OWI 1st Offense. She was taken to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

On February 9th Officers arrested 26-year-old Devin Register of Atlantic on Cass County Warrants for two counts of Domestic Abuse Assault Causing Injury. He was booked into the Cass County Jail. Register was arrested again on Sunday, February 19th for Criminal Mischief 4th Degree. He was again taken to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

On February 12th Officers arrested 29-year-old Taylor Andersen of Atlantic for Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Air Flow. He was taken into custody and booked in the the Cass County Jail.

Atlantic Police also report three separate arrests on Friday, February 17th. 24-year-old Michael Riley of Atlantic was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Air Flow. She was taken into custody and booked in to the Cass County Jail. 27-year-old Cameron Misner was arrested Friday for Public Intoxication. He was booked into the Cass County Jail. Also Friday Officers arrested 50-year-old Richard Lewis of Atlantic for Simple Assault.  He was taken to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

A photo featuring a lobbyist shaking Governor Terry Branstad’s hand last Friday has sparked outrage among opponents of the bill Branstad signed moments before the picture was taken. Branstad’s signature on the bill immediately reduced negotiating rights for government workers. AFSCME Council 61 president Danny Homan leads a union representing 40-thousand govenrment workers in Iowa and he says it was “disgusting” to see Branstad and the lobbyist for Americans for Prosperity smiling in that photo.

“That said volumes to me as to who was behind and pulling the strings for the passage of this law,” Homan says. Americans for Prosperity was founded and financed by Oklahoma billionaires known as the Koch (pronounced “Coke”) Brothers. Drew Klein, the state director for Americans for Prosperity, posted the picture on his Twitter account and wrote that he was honored to witness the bill signing. Branstad signed the bill in a PRIVATE ceremony and Klein was the only lobbyist in the room.

“I really don’t even know him, so it’s not that big a deal as far as I’m concerned,” Branstad says. The governor says he poses for lots of pictures with people he doesn’t know. “I try to be very accommodating with people and so there were some people that wanted a picture with me and so I accommodated that,” Branstad says. “That’s not a big deal as far as I’m concerned. I do that for people all the time.” After Klein posted his photo with Branstad online, State Senator Jeff Danielson tweeted that Klein was a “super PAC punk.” Klein responded during a Sunday appearance on W-H-O Television’s “Insiders” program.

“As a state director, I do an awful lot of fundraising for somebody that supposedly was handed a suitcase of cash from the Koch brothers and told to implement some agenda,” Klein said. Klein says the bill Branstad signed is “truly historic” and he rejects the charge Democrats made, that Klein had a major hand in writing the legislation. “They’ve certainly give me some new career aspirations that I may one day be as effective as they believe I am,” Klein said. Klein is a Newton native and a Drake University graduate. He lives in Des Moines and has been working in politics since 2008.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A panel of House lawmakers has approved a bill that would prevent Iowa judicial courts from applying foreign law to state cases. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa says the bill mirrors anti-Sharia legislation passed in other states, though Sharia law is not directly referenced in the bill.

The GOP-led House Judiciary Subcommittee agreed Monday to support the bill. It now heads to a full committee. Rep. Ralph Watts, an Adel Republican and the bill’s lead sponsor, says the legislation is aimed at ensuring new cultures in America assimilate under the U.S. Constitution. Watts says he’s unaware of any cases where Iowa courts have considered foreign law.

The Iowa Catholic Conference is also registered against the bill. The group says the measure could void agreements referencing Catholic law.

Governor Terry Branstad does not expect to approve changes in the pension systems for government workers in Iowa before he resigns and heads to China to serve as U.S. Ambassador. “It’s not something that could be done that quickly,” Branstad sys. “…I think it would make sense to have a long-range study that would look at moving a defined contribution as opposed to a defined benefit system as a lot of companies have already done.”

The phrase “defined benefit” is another way to say a pension. The 401-K programs in the private sector use the “defined contributions” of workers who save for their own retirement, sometimes with a matching contribution from their employer. Branstad has long been an advocate of changing IPERS, the state pension system for 335-thousand current, former and retired workers, for NEW workers entering government employment are no longer promised a pension, but have 401-K style accounts.

“If you’re going to do that, it’s a long-term commitment and I think you need to look at maybe even a hybrid system over the period of adjustment,” Branstad says. “A number of states and communities are looking at that.”

This weekend, the governor’s former budget director who now heads a taxpayers group said she hopes legislators are “teeing up a look” at pension reform.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s largest state employees union has filed a lawsuit challenging a new law that eliminates most collective bargaining rights for public workers. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Iowa Council 61 filed the lawsuit Monday in Polk County District Court. It seeks an order halting immediate enforcement of the changes.

The law, signed by Gov. Terry Branstad on Friday, prohibits public sector unions from negotiating over issues like health insurance and supplemental pay. It exempts certain public safety employees such as law enforcement officers and firefighters from some negotiating provisions.

The lawsuit claims the law establishes two classes of public employee bargaining units, and the designation violates language in the state constitution that ensures equality to citizens.

Iowans who use laundry detergent “pods” are being warned to use extra caution with the products if there are kids in the house. Curious children might squeeze the packets and get squirted in the face. Registered nurse Joan McVoy says if that blue goo hits them in the eye, you need to act quickly. “What’s different about these laundry packets as opposed to liquid detergents is these are much more alkaline in nature and they really have a potential to cause a serious burn to the eye,” McVoy says. “The most important thing parents can do if this happens is to irrigate the eye and then they’re going to need to go to an emergency room.”

Poison center hotlines in Iowa and elsewhere have been receiving a lot of traffic because of the laundry pods. “Already in January, poison centers across the country have gotten close to 800 calls on laundry packets, last year, close to 12,000,” McVoy says. “These are things people have in their homes and if they have small children, they need to know exactly what to do if kids get into it.”

The packets had been subject of warnings months ago as a child, mistaking the packets for candy, might pop them in their mouth. The new advisories are specifically about the packets being a threat to young eyes.  “They’re super-concentrated detergents and since they are more alkaline, they have a chance to penetrate quickly and they cause a lot of pain when children get it in their eyes,” McVoy says. “If the irrigation isn’t done immediately, they can cause a pretty bad chemical burn to the eye.”

For questions, call the Iowa Statewide Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency say Local Fire Danger Assessments for this spring season have begun, as a result of several, recently experienced grass and brush fires. EMA Coordinator Bob Seivert says with the record breaking and unseasonably high heat , dead vegetation is extremely flammable. The National Weather service is issuing Fire weather watches for tomorrow (Tuesday) for parts of southeast Nebraska.

Seivert says one change you should be aware of, is that when conditions rapidly change to the very highest category and or the NWS issues a Red Flag Warning, the Shelby County EMA will immediately change the local Fire Danger Boards to Extreme and all burning will be prohibited, unless prior arrangements are made with the local Fire Chief and a burn plan is completed and filed. Fire departments will be notified via “I am responding.”

Seivert says even with the snow in the forecast, once it is gone, drying occurs much more rapidly than most people realize. Their goal, he says is to reduce unnecessary emergency response, by elevating the public’s awareness of conditions favorable to burning, and offering burn plan assistance, for any size burn. The cooperative initiative between the local fire Departments, their Chiefs, and Emergency Management in Shelby County has proven effective in every aspect.

Participating businesses and fire stations should place their Local Fire Danger Signs in the HIGH Category until the next update on Thursday, Feb. 23rd.

As a reminder: The High Fire Danger Category means Burning of any kind is restricted unless approval is received from local Fire Chief. Controlled burns that are not reported will result in Fire Department being dispatched, and Fires extinguished if determined to be un-safe. Call 712-755-2124 if you have any questions.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Guthrie County, along with Panora Police, Panora Fire and EMS and the Iowa State Patrol, assisted Dallas County Deputies over the weekend, following a chase that began in Dallas County Saturday night, and resulted in the arrest of a Pottawattamie County man.

According to reports, 23-year old Zachari Tyler Smith, of Council Bluffs, faces charges that include eluding, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of prescription drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. Smith, who had numerous convictions for assault and burglary in Pottawattamie County over the past few years, was being held in the Dallas County Jail on $2,000 bond.

He was apprehended at around 11-p.m. in a wooded area near Panora, following a foot pursuit near the Raccoon Valley Trail, after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase from Dallas into Guthrie County. The incident began when a Dallas County Deputy tried to stop a car for a defective taillight on Highway 44, at around 10:15-p.m., Saturday. Smith had ditched the vehicle before fleeing on foot.