The Library Director for the Atlantic Public Library made a presentation, Wednesday night before the City Council, with regard to Fiscal Year 2015 progress at the library, usage of materials, programs, and more. Natalie Struecker, who has held the position of Director for the past six-months, said the same statistical information (circulation, collection sizes, how many people use the computers and Wi-Fi, and much more) must be provided to the State Library of Iowa, and is also provided to the local Library Board.

Struecker said nationwide, 91-percent of people said libraries were important to their communities, even if they don’t use those facilities very often. 81-percent of those surveyed agreed public libraries provide many, valuable services that would otherwise not be affordable on an individual basis.

She said library users in Atlantic saved over $1-million dollars, just by checking out the facilities’ physical materials. There were 74,000 items (Physical and digital) that were checked-out. There were also nearly 35,000 visits to the library in the last Fiscal Year, with about 13,000 of those being computer sessions. There were also 2,600 Wi-Fi users.

Locally, Struecker said a community survey conducted at the library last Fall garnered 54 responses, with a majority of those respondent/users indicating they checked-out materials and/or used the library’s computers. E-books and downloadable audio books comprise most of the on-line usage at the library. She said there are also many online services people may not be aware of, that are available at the Atlantic Public Library.

There are genealogical and newspaper archive services, practice test-based services for ACT, SAT’s and more. Animated picture books for kids, a language learning program and program that lumps together several databases used for research on health, children’s issues and much, much more. She said at the end of the Fiscal Year in June, the library had a collection of 32,925 books, access to more than 20,000 E-books, and 2,700 audio books in the library. There also almost 2,200 DVD’s and VHS tapes.

Ninety-One different children’s programs were offered at the library last year. The library was open 2,574 hours last year. In October, the library started to increase its hours of operation.

Police in Red Oak arrested a woman on a Simple Assault charge, Wednesday night. 18-year old Isabella Dealanea Lewis, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at a residence in the 100 block of Oak Street, just before 8-p.m. She was booked into the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $300 cash bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa health officials have lowered the state’s projected savings for switching its $4.2 billion Medicaid program to private care. The Iowa Department of Human Services provided documentation to a legislative committee on Wednesday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The head of the department that oversees Iowa’s flagship history museum says the building is in serious need of repairs and will require financial help from the Legislature. Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Mary Cownie told a group of lawmakers Wednesday it’s “an absolute embarrassment” that the State Historical Museum in downtown Des Moines has water leaks that require the facility’s atrium to be littered with buckets.

WASHINGTON (AP) — For Republicans, this week’s presidential debate in Las Vegas highlighted a brewing fight to define the party’s foreign policy posture. The fault lines exposed by heated discussions between New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky about a potential U.S. imposed no fly zone clashing with Russian jets over Syria reflect a party still in flux after President George W. Bush’s unpopular Iraq war.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Hillary Clinton says she wants to build on the Obama administration’s push for higher taxes on people earning $1 million or more. Warren Buffett joined the Democratic presidential candidate Wednesday at a campaign rally in Omaha, Nebraska. The famous investor says he would be “delighted” to see Clinton take the oath of office.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Red Oak man on a Mills County warrant Wednesday.  At 3:31pm Officers arrested 22-year-old Rocky Alan James Runyan of Red Oak on a Mill County Warrant for Probation Violation.  Runyan was turned over to Mills County authorities and held on $5,000 cash bond.

MURRAY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a farm worker from Union County has died after entering a grain bin in southern Iowa. Authorities say 39-year old Eric Reasland, of Creston, was pulled out of the bin around noon after being buried inside for more than three hours.  The accident happened near an Iowa Select Farms facility in Murray. Clarke County Sheriff Bill Kerns says Reasland entered the bin Wednesday morning as he and the farm owner were trying to break up a crust that had formed on soybeans inside. The farm owner checked on the man about 10 minutes later and couldn’t see him.

Crews from at least five four departments responded to the bin near Murray, and Kerns says rescuers cut a number of holes into the structure to extract grain while they tried to reach the man. They reached his body at around noon, and tried to revive him but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the Clarke County Hospital.

The accident remains under investigation.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office has reported three recent arrests. Today (Wednesday), deputies arrested 25-year old Justin Dale Hardisty, of Cumberland, on a Sheriff’s Office warrant for Driving While Barred. Hardisty remains held at the Cass County Jail on $2,000 bond.

On Tuesday, 36-year old Satiel Devi Nichols, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Polk County warrant. Nichols was taken to the Cass County Jail and was transferred to Polk County the following day.

And on Monday, 43-year old Todd Edward Kimpson, of Corning, was arrested on two charges of Violation of No Contact Order. Kimpson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was later served with a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Kimpson remains held at the Cass County Jail on $12,000 bond.

MURRAY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a farm worker has died after entering a grain bin in southern Iowa. Clarke County Sheriff Bill Kerns says the worker entered the bin Wednesday morning as he and a farm owner were trying to break up a crust that had formed on soybeans inside. The farm owner checked on the man about 10 minutes later and couldn’t see him.

Crews from at least five four departments responded to the bin near Murray, and Kerns says rescuers cut a number of holes into the structure to extract grain while they tried to reach the man.

They were able to retrieve the man’s body about noon. The man, whose name wasn’t released, was from Creston.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce partnered with local businesses for Small Businesses Saturday, November 28th, 2015. New this year, the Chamber introduced “Selfies for Support,” and “Passport to Atlantic,” as part of the Shop Local Campaign.

The winners of Selfies for Support are Cheryl Manneter and Amy Faris. They shopped local at Renew Ag Supply.

“Selfies for Support” winners Cheryl Manneter & Amy Faris. (Photo provided)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Council Bluffs park officials have decided to treat most of the city’s ash trees to protect them from the invading insect known as the emerald ash borer. Parks Director Larry Foster says the emerald ash borer is an inevitable threat to local ash trees and city crews will begin removing 29 of the unhealthiest trees next year. The city plans to spend nearly $59,000 on removing the unhealthy trees.

The Daily Nonpareil reports state officials say 29 counties in Iowa have reported seeing the insects. Foster says that while the city has plans for the trees on public ground, property owners will need to determine their own course of action to deal with the insect.

The holidays are supposed to be a time of cheer but certain seasonal items we have in our houses could lead to an accidental poisoning. Tammy Noble, a registered nurse and the education coordinator for the Iowa Poison Control Center, says alcohol poisoning is common in children year round, but the risk increases during the holidays, and not just because you stocked up on beer, wine and liquor for a party.

“Perfumes, colognes and aftershaves have alcohol in them and high concentrations of it,” Noble says. “It doesn’t take much for a child to drink for it to become toxic or be worried about alcohol poisoning.” Button-sized batteries found in toys, music-playing holiday cards and a host of other items could be hazardous if bitten or swallowed. Iowans who plan to decorate their windows using that spray-on snow should also be careful, especially if kids are nearby.

“If they happen to lick the window, it’s really not much of a problem,” Noble says. “We’re more concerned when you’re spraying it and breathing in the fumes, that can be harmful, but once it’s dried on the window, it’s essentially non-toxic.” The bright colors of lamp oils are very attractive to young children. Even if the oil bottles have child safety caps, most lamps that the oils are poured into do not. Lamp oil can get into a child’s lungs if swallowed and can be deadly. Noble says Christmas tree ornaments may also pose as a hazard for kids and pets.

“Some of them are glass or styrofoam or a thin plaster,” Nobel says. “They don’t pose much of a poison risk if you swallow them but they can pose a choking hazard, so be aware of that. If you have antique ornaments that have metalic paints on them, some of those could have high concentrations of lead-based paints in it.”

Eggnog containing raw or undercooked eggs can make you and your guests sick, she says, so use pasteurized egg products or buy ready-made pasteurized eggnog. The Sioux City-based Iowa Poison Control Center is available around-the-clock at 800-222-1222.

(Radio Iowa)