The Audubon City Council held their regular monthly meeting, Monday evening. City Clerk Joe Foran says they held a Public Hearing on the Maximum Tax Levy, during which there were no comments from the public.

Foran said the maximum amount is $928,324. That breaks down to an overall levy of $20.63 per thousand dollars valuation. He said also, the City of Audubon is looking at changing its ordinance and setting fees for fire service charges.

The fees will help to pay for bunker gear and other necessary equipment. The fee will based upon a schedule that covers the type of service provided.

The Council set their next meeting on March 8^th as a Public Hearing on the FY22 Budget. Joe Foran says in other business, the Council approved the bid letting for the water project, awarded the mowing and cemetery contracts that were coming due, and passed a Resolution setting the policy and fees for Police information. And, the Audubon City Council appointed Tracey Armentrout to the Board of Adjustment.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Creston Police say a woman reported Monday morning, that sometime overnight Sunday into early Monday morning, someone broke the door handle off of her vehicle, while it was parked in front of the woman’s residence, located in the 1500 block of N. Lincoln Street. The damage was estimated at $70.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The Atlantic Public Library’s Board of Trustees met via Zoom Monday evening. During their session, the Board reviewed and approved the library’s revised “Sex Offender against Minors Policy”. According to State law, a sex offender is not allowed on the property – period. The only change to the local policy, was removing the word “Loiter,” because it is redundant.

The Board also discussed future capital improvements. Library Director Michelle Andersen said she thought of some more items to put on their list, as money allows.

(The meeting room, and window shades to eliminate glare on the computer screens are some of the top 5.)

Andersen said she asked her staff what their Top 5 items they’d like to have done, and prioritize their lists. She told them in advance not to include computer cables, because she has already written a grant for that. The big 3 include redoing the OPAC [Online Public Access Catalog] station, a new circulation desk, paint and flooring. A drinking fountain replacement will eventually be in the operating budget – just not this year. The fountain in question has a bit of “Constant dribble.” It doesn’t run onto the floor, but it does tend to run to the drain.

Andersen is applying for various grants to help with some projects, such as the paint and flooring. She told the Trustees that even with generous donations from local organizations, funding is being reduced for their summer programs. She says they will try and live with just a little slimmer budget. She said also Cass County Libraries are exploring together, is the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which sends an age appropriate book each month to children, until their 5^th birthday. The program will cost an estimated $1,000 to $2,000 the first year. By the time they been in it for 5 to- 6 years, the cost will likely be around $10,000-$12,000.

The program is not to be ready ready until sometime next year.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating the robbery early this (Tuesday) morning, of a Walgreens store. Officers were dispatched at around 3:14-a.m. to the store at 2508 West Broadway Street. Upon arrival, they were informed that an unknown black male, 18-to 25-years of age, wearing a black hooded coat, gray sweatpants, black facemask and white shoes, entered the store and walked to the back.

The man then went to the register and grabbed a bag of Cheetos. He then went around the counter and took a knife out of his pocket and told the clerk to open the drawer and put the money in a bag. The suspect fled the store on foot, with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Anyone who may have witnessed, driven by the area, or who has any information pertaining to the crime is being asked to call the Council Bluffs Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

(Radio Iowa) – A major credit card company has reached a settlement to resolve a claim it overcharged interest. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller announced Citibank will pay around 14-hundred Iowa customers refunds totaling 216-thousand dollars. Iowa and four other states alleged Citibank failed to properly reevaluate and reduce the annual percentage rate for certain consumer credit card accounts consistent with federal law from February 2011 to August 2017.

The attorney general will be distributing refunds and those eligible do not need to take any action to receive their refunds Those who have questions can call toll free: 855-914-4657. Four other states are also getting refunds with the total payout by Citibank of four-point-two million dollars.

Citibank officials, Tuesday, issued the following statement to KJAN:

“As Citi previously disclosed in early 2018, we self-identified, self-reported and corrected issues with APR rate re-evaluations as required by Regulation Z of the CARD Act. When we reviewed our implementation of the regulation, we identified a small portion of credit card accounts that received impermissible rate increases. We resolved the matter with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, refunded customers, and completed a comprehensive internal review to ensure our practices meet regulatory requirements.

Today, Citi has voluntarily signed an agreement with five states totaling $4.2 million in which the states will provide certain consumers with payments related to this legacy issue. The states will administer and distribute payments at their discretion. While Citi denies violating the states’ consumer protection laws, we are pleased to put this matter behind us.”

An investigation into an accident in Red Oak at around 12:20-a.m. Tuesday, resulted in the arrest of a man for OWI/2nd offense. Red Oak Police say 27-year old Daniel Brian Foote, of Essex, was arrested in the 100 block of E. Cherry Street. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

Police in Red Oak, Monday night, arrested a man for Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. Authorities say 31-year old Dylan Thomas Griffeth, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 7:42-p.m.  He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $300 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Some Iowa lawmakers say Gov. Kim Reynolds lifted mask requirements and limits on the number of people who could gather in bars and restaurants without first conferring with public health officials. Lawmakers who had participated in a meeting with the Iowa Department of Public Health say that public health officials acknowledged Reynolds had not conferred with them before deciding to lift the mask mandate. Reynolds spokesman Pat Garrett says the lifting of mitigation measures correlates with a reduction in virus activity, including hospitalizations in the state.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds auctioned off an afternoon of her time to the highest bidder to raise money for her top campaign donors’ charity. It’s a striking example of the Republican governor’s close relationship with Iowa’s powerful pork industry. The 2019 auction surfaced recently when her office released emails detailing her alliance with Iowa Select Farms, which is among the nation’s largest pork producers. Iowa Select is owned by Deb and Jeff Hansen of West Des Moines, who have given nearly $300,000 to help fund Reynolds’ campaigns. Company staff also run the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation. Pork executive and Reynolds donor Gary Lynch won the auction with a $4,250 bid.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal court approval of an agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a Quincy, Illinois, company to clean up a contaminated industrial site in Des Moines will pave the way for a major commercial development that could include a 6,300-seat soccer stadium. The EPA confirms Monday the approval of the settlement agreement that requires the site on the edge of downtown Des Moines to be transferred to the city for future development. Illinois-based Titan International will pay $11.5 million to the United States to satisfy the EPA’s past costs for cleanup work, future demolition of contaminated buildings and a groundwater treatment system update.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A sixth person working at the Iowa Capitol tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday. Iowa House Chief Clerk Meghan Nelson says in an email notification to lawmakers and staff that the individual was last in the building last Tuesday and tested positive on Monday. The individual reported wearing a face covering at all times. The identity of positive cases is not routinely released by legislative branch officials, and Republican leaders have not required lawmakers to reveal a positive virus test so it’s not known if there have been undeclared cases. Republican leaders have no imposed a mask mandate.