Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones announced Wednesday, At Large Councilman Bob Cord will be stepping down from his seat sometime in the near future, due to relocation to another community. A more precise time-frame for his departure has not yet been set. Jones said anyone with interest in filling the soon-to-be vacant seat, should let him know, or contact City Hall. The position is available for anyone within the City Limits of Atlantic. Jones said he’d like to get some names as soon as possible so the process of finding a replacement for Cord can begin.

Whomever fills the seat will do so until the next election for that position is on the ballot. Jones thanked Cord for his service, and letting him know well in advance he intends to depart from his position on the Council.

In other business, Atlantic Public Library Director Natalie Struecker reported to the City Council, that there is changes in-place at the library this month, that patrons will want to be aware of. She said for adults, no new classes will be offered except on how to download e-books on March 16th. Technology classes will be offered March 10th and 24th, and again April 4th and 18th. Cass County Master Gardeners will talk about adding vegetable plants to your landscape or garden, on March 22nd.

Looking ahead to next month (April), Struecker says anyone with documents to shred will want to plan to bring them to the library April 4th, from 1-untiol 4-p.m., when a mobile shredder will be available in the parking lot. She said you can drive up and drop-off up to three containers of paper or documents to be shredded.

And, two traveling exhibits “History of the Book,” and “At Home in the Heartland: Forgotten Stories of how Iowans got to be ‘us’,” will be at the library, thanks to sponsorship from the Cass County Genealogy Society. The “History of the Book,” from stone tablet to the inventing of the printing press, will be on display from April 18th thru May 15th, while the other exhibit on what makes Iowans and the Midwest different from other areas of the country, will be on display April 29th, from 9-a.m. until 12-p.m. For more information on the programs and activities available at the Atlantic Public Library, go to www.atlantic.lib.ia.us, or call 712-243-5466.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones announced Wednesday evening, his intention to run as a Republican in June, for a seat on the Cass County Board of Supervisors in District 1. That seat is currently held by Duane McFadden, who announced in February that he would not be running for re-election after 12 years on the Board.

Jones said he’s spoken with McFadden since last year about running for the seat, and since “The Council’s in pretty good shape…the City’s in pretty good shape, so maybe {it’s time to] move up a little bit on the ladder of the political scene.”

Jones said infrastructure and economic development are his primary focus. He says the people he’s spoken with tell him the County roads infrastructure is their main concern. They’ve mentioned the base is gone from many of the gravel roads, especially north and west of town.

Dave Jones

Jones was elected to the City Council At Large in 1996,and later was elected Mayor.
He says his goal has been and will continue to be to never say “I will cut taxes, because I don’t want to lie to the public.” He says his philosophy is to manage tax money like a business…make the tax base grow…you don’t have to worry about raising taxes.”

He’ll be running for the District 1 seat against Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green, who is also a Republican, in the June Primary. The other seat up for grabs in November is in District 4, which is currently held by Chuck Rieken, of Griswold. Rieken has also announced he will not be running for re-election. No one has presently filed to run for that seat.

MAPLETON, Iowa (AP) – A man has been sentenced to five years in prison after authorities say he shot another man in western Iowa. The Sioux City Journal reported Tuesday that 23-year-old Joshua Beam had pleaded guilty in September to reckless use of a firearm for the Dec. 16, 2014, shooting of Eric Franco.

Monona County court documents say Beam and Franco had been drinking in a Mapleton home and began wrestling. The documents say that Beam fired three shots during the altercation, and that one of the rounds struck Franco. Franco was not seriously injured.

Beam was sentenced to seven years in prison in January in an unrelated case of willful injury and assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. He pleaded guilty in that case.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A 21-year-old Council Bluffs man has been given 20 years in prison for injuring a baby. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Rodney Weatherwax was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to two counts of child endangerment causing injury.

A court document says Weatherwax injured the baby at least three times between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30. The 5-month-old child suffered at least 20 fractures. The child’s mother told doctors that Weatherwax punched the child in the face.

Weatherwax says he was intoxicated when the infant was injured.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Another man charged with murder has taken a plea deal in the death of a Council Bluffs resident. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 18-year-old Caine Petersen pleaded guilty Tuesday to vehicular homicide. Prosecutors lowered the charge in exchange for Petersen’s plea. Petersen was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Authorities say Petersen, Sarael Duncan, of Omaha, Nebraska, and Christopher King, of Lincoln, Nebraska, robbed 20-year-old Jacob Combs of marijuana on Aug. 15 last year. Authorities say Combs jumped onto Petersen’s vehicle as the three men fled but then fell or was thrown, suffering head injuries. Combs died in a hospital later that day.

Prosecutor Jon Jacobmeier says King also has agreed to a deal and will plead guilty to a lesser charge and be sentenced on March 22.

Gov. Terry E. Branstad, Tuesday, announced appointments to fill Iowa’s various boards and commissions. Included among the appointees whose term begins May 1st, is:

• John Pauli, of Carroll, to the Alcoholic Beverages Commission
• Emily Forquer, of Afton, to the Architectural Examining Board.
• Lindsey Nielsen, of Missouri Valley, to the Board of Behavioral Science
• Michael Knedler, of Council Bluffs, to the State Board of Education
• Eric Green, of Creston, to the Engineering and Land Surveying Examining Board
• Eugene Meiners, of Templeton, to the Mental Health Risk Pool Board
• Karol Dammann, of Manning, to the Board of Nursing Home Administrators
• Gina Primmer, of Council Bluffs, to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC)

Their appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.

Authorities in Montgomery County report two drug-related arrests. At around 1:20-a.m. today (Wednesday), Red Oak Police arrested 34-year old Paul Earl Lemburg, II, of Red Oak, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 3rd or subsequent offense. Lemburg was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 cash bond.

And, a traffic stop north of Red Oak Tuesday night resulted in the arrest of 24-year old Eric David Taylor, of Red Oak. Taylor was stopped by Sheriff’s Deputies for speeding at around 11-p.m. near the intersection of Highway 48 and 165th Street. He was subsequently charged with Possession of Marijuana and brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond. Deputies were assisted at the scene by the Iowa State Patrol.

And a little after 11-p.m. Tuesday, Red Oak Police arrested 30-year old Jason Paul Crouse, of Plattsmouth, NE., on a Trespass charge. Crouse was taken into custody in the 600 block of Sunset Avenue and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on $300 cash bond.

The Red Oak Police Department reports a Clarinda man wanted on an active Montgomery County warrant for Probation Violation, was arrested Tuesday morning in the 100 block of Coolbaugh Street. 21-year old Christian Lane Clark Latham, of Clarinda, was booked into the Montgomery County Jail and held on $2,500 bond.

The Glenwood Police Department reports two arrests took place, Tuesday. 36-year old Christopher Brown, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Mills County warrant for Harassment in the 2nd degree. His bond was set at $1,000. And, 25-year old Vincent Wells, of Bellevue, NE., was arrested in Glenwood, for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $1,300.

Two people were arrested Tuesday, in Mills County, The Sheriff’s Office says 46-
year old Steven Ray Gooch, of Glenwood, was arrested Tuesday morning in
Sarpy County, NE., on a warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault. Gooch was being
held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

And, 22-year old Benjamin Lee McGhee, of Glenwood, was arrested Tuesday night for
Driving Under Suspension. His bond was set at $300.