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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, voted 5-to1 (with Councilman Brink absent), to sell the City’s property at 211 W. 6th Street, to Jeff Pross, for just One-dollar. Pross had offered to pay $1,000 for the property that was assessed at $10,040, but because he intends to build a new house on the lot with an estimated cost of $100,000, the City agreed to require only the dollar, in addition to any minimum deposit.
Councilperson Kathy Somers voted against the sale, after she learned the “house” was more of a metal building, than a traditional home. Councilperson Grace Garrett agreed that from the plans shown, it looks like the house is a metal building, because she has looking at buying and erecting such a structure.
Somers said she was not against him buying the property or building a home there, but the aesthetics concerned her. She said the Wick building appears to be more like “a barn.” Somers said also, she wished “Atlantic had some sort of guidelines” on what types of materials are used for the exterior. City Administrator John Lund said there are some restrictions, such as no ribbed metal, and it should at least have the appearance of wood.
Somers asked, “What does it do for the neighborhood to have a building that looks completely out of character?” Councilman Pat McCurdy it wouldn’t look out character, and Mayor Dave Jones said it’s too new, and low maintenance. Somers asked if the City could request Pross or any person building a home, to use “siding that looks like a house instead of a metal building.”
Councilman Dick Casasdy and Mayor Jones said as it stands, the City doesn’t have the right to make such a request. Jone said if there is to be strict rules on appearances and materials, aside from what is required by law, there would need to be an ordinance and inspections. Somers was adamant that “If we’re giving him a piece of property for one dollar, surely we could say something….Are we that lazy and that cheap…really, is the city…do we not have any self respect for our communities?
Mayor Jones said “If you want to start nitpicking siding on people’s houses, you need to start getting ordinances lined-up, an official inspector to go out an dictate what they can put on there. Then you wouldn’t have any houses built.” As part of the sale agreement, the home must be constructed within the period of a year.
In other business, the Council adopted the City’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget, which says there will be no increase in the tax levy, and despite an increase in property tax and rental property revenue of over $150,000 — will decrease the overall budget by more than 18%. Atlantic City Administrator John Lund has said the budget “accomplishes key priorities of the Mayor and Council in funding for economic development, housing incentives, community beautification and additional amenities for public.”
The Council adopted of the FY22 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and passed a Resolution amending seasonal wages for the Atlantic Parks and Rec Dept. for 2021, as proposed earlier this year, by the City’s Personnel & Finance Committee. They will approved a Resolution “Setting Salaries for Appointed Officers and Employees of the City,” for the Fiscal Year that runs from July 1, 2021 through June 30,2022. The Resolution says all Union positions are scheduled for 2.4% wage growth as a COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment).
The Council then acted to approve an Order for a Professional Services Agreement with Snyder & Associates, for the West 22nd Street Sidewalk Project. And, they voted to reappoint Jon Martens and Vicki Brown to the Planning & Zoning Commission.
WESTGATE, Iowa (AP) — A northeastern Iowa man is scheduled to be sentenced in April for the death of the 4-month-old nephew of his ex-girlfriend. Twenty-four-year-old Dean Alan Hettinger, of Westgate, was convicted last week of first-degree murder and child endangerment. The Des Moines Register reports that he faces life in prison. The baby, Holten Smith, was being cared for by his aunt and Hettinger in April 2018 when he was abused. A search warrant said the couple took the infant to a hospital after he was found twitching, stopped crying and was unresponsive. He died about a month later.
CRESTON, Iowa – March 17, 2021 – A road construction project west of Elliott on the Iowa 48 bridge over the East Nishnabotna River requires restricting traffic to one lane with temporary traffic control lights and a 10-foot lane-width restriction beginning at 7 a.m. Monday, Mar. 22 until Thursday, June 3, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Creston construction office.
The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.
(Des Moines, IA) The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has confirmed 38 additional cases of the COVID-19 variant, SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7. in Iowa. The variant is often referred to as the U.K. variant because it was first detected in the United Kingdom.
This increase in the number of detected variants comes in part as a result of increasing the number of tests being sequenced by the State Hygienic Lab (SHL) for the B.1.1.7 variant. This increase further supports that we know this variant is circulating here in the state of Iowa, in addition to being found across the United States.
IDPH and local public health have initiated contact with these cases to understand their exposures and recommend mitigation measures. The process includes notifying anyone with whom these individuals have been in close contact. The individuals will be advised to isolate in accordance with IDPH and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance.
“Because current evidence shows the current vaccines are effective against the B.1.1.7 variant, it’s absolutely critical for Iowans to get the vaccine when one is made available to them. As viruses are known to change a bit over time and
variants can sometimes be more easily transmissible, reaching herd immunity will be very important in reducing virus activity. Public health will continue to work with our partners at SHL to monitor these trends and it is very important that we all keep practicing good public health protective measures,” shared Dr. Caitlin Pedati, State Medical Director and Epidemiologist.
For more information on vaccine eligibility and to find a provider, visit: https://vaccinate.iowa.gov/
The emergence of new variants underscores that it remains critical for Iowans to continue the mitigation efforts that we know work to slow the spread of COVID-19:
Updates to Iowa’s B.1.1.7 cases will be shared on the CDC’s website here. These case counts only represent the variant strains that are confirmed through genomic sequencing, and may not accurately reflect the true number of variant cases.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A groundbreaking effort to document and dismantle institutional racism in Iowa’s most liberal city has been paused after weeks of conflict among leaders derailed its work. The City Council in Iowa City voted late Tuesday to suspend the Truth and Reconciliation Commission until April 15, after new members can be appointed to replace three who resigned from the nine-member commission. The council also plans a special meeting with the commission then to iron out how to move forward.
The vote came after hours of public comment that recounted the personality conflicts, generational divides and tactical disagreements that had erupted over the commission. Mayor Bruce Teague says it saddened him to suspend the commission but that it had become an unsafe space for some people.
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous arrests dating back to March 3rd, and one, single-vehicle double injury accident. Authorities say at around 4:40-a.m. Saturday (March 13), Deputies responded to a reported single-vehicle accident on Marne Road. A 2013 Buick Verano owned and driven by 21-year old Maycee Jane Shaner, of Shelby, was northbound on Highway 83 (Marne Road) when the vehicle left the roadway, struck a sign and flipped onto its top. Shaner and her passenger, 20-year old Katlyn Marie VanScoy, of Avoca, were transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital via EMS Ground. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $8,000, and damage to the sign is estimated at $800. The accident remains under investigation.
The Harlan Police Department, Wednesday, issued a report on arrests made over the past week. There were two arrests on Sunday:
There were two arrests last Saturday:
And, there were two arrests on March 11th:
(Updated)(Radio Iowa – Governor Kim Reynolds says projections indicate there will soon be a “significant” increase in the amount of Covid vaccine the federal government ships to Iowa. “Today, I’m announcing that all Iowans will be eligible for vaccinations starting Monday, April 5th, as long as the vaccine allocation increases as we’ve been told and as we are expecting.”
There are two-point-one MILLION adults in Iowa — and more than 413-thousand of them are fully vaccinated today according to the state website tracking how many shots of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines have been given. “If we’re able to ramp up in a the manner we’re projecting — and we’re ready to go — it’ll be good news for Iowans,” Reynolds told reporters today.
The governor says mass vaccination clinics are proving very worthwhile in Iowa as hundreds of people are getting the shots every hour at the events. “Iowans have demonstrated our ability to work together and ensure vaccine is administered efficiently and responsibly,” Reynolds says. “I’m confident that we’re prepared to open up even more.” Reynolds says a computer glitch that prevented Iowans who are administering COVID shots from registering that information in a statewide database has been fixed. Iowa and several other states were affected by the hardware problem that popped up on Tuesday.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Sheriffs in two central Iowa counties say their offices are investigating after cattle were found slain and dumped along gravel roads in their jurisdictions. The Ames Tribune reports that two cows and a calf were found dead in Boone and Greene counties on March 10. Investigators said the calf, found in Boone County, had its front legs bound with twine. Boone County Sheriff Gregg Elsberry said a red shorthorn cow was found a short distance away in a creek with its throat slashed.
The carcass of the other cow, also a red shorthorn, was found in a Greene County ditch. Authorities say that scuff marks on the animals’ hides indicated they were dumped on the roads from a vehicle.
The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Missouri was arrested Monday night on Felony Eluding and other charges. 20-year-old Tyler Blake Miller, of Maryville, MO., was arrested on I-29 at Highway 34, following a traffic stop and pursuit. In addition to Eluding, Miller was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Reckless Driving and being a Fugitive from Justice. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.
Today (Wednesday), 23-year-old David Patrick Robertson, of Lincoln, NE., was arrested at the Douglas County, NE., Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Contempt of Court. Bond was set at $7,500. And, 36-year-old Jeffrey Thomas Olsufka, of Wayne, NE., was arrested at around 6:50-a.m. on Hyland Avenue, for Unlawful Possession of Prescription Medication, and Failure to affix a drug tax stamp. His bond was set at $6,000.