Officials with the Atlantic Police Department, Monday (Today), said the Police and Police Reserve Christmas Programs will be held this year, as traditionally as possible. They will be designing and purchasing masks to be worn during the event. Organizers will ask all officers and participants to wear them during the programs, in order to keep everyone safe and healthy.

The APD Reserves will be holding their annual “Family Dreams Christmas” program on Saturday, December 19th. Applications for the program can be picked up at the APD, and will need to be turned back-in by 4-p.m. on December 9th, in order be considered.

Listed as Travel Iowa’s number one Christmas destination, downtown Atlantic lights up six blocks with nearly 200,000 lights for the holiday season. Bailey Smith, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, said Monday (Today), “I look forward to Christmas in Atlantic every year. It’s been a really tough, unique year for everybody, and I’m thrilled we’re able to spread a little cheer and celebrate the season. There’s been some concern among the community that we wouldn’t be able to provide Christmas in Atlantic.”

Smith says “While COVID-19 has presented challenges to our typical schedule of events, we’ve made the best of it and worked closely with Cass County Public Health. We’re excited to provide modified activities for everyone to enjoy.”

Christmas in Atlantic kicks off Saturday, November 14th with the Holiday Open House beginning at 9 AM. Visit local businesses to get a holiday sneak peek and enjoy treats, giveaways and special promotions. For a list of participating businesses, visit www.atlanticiowa.com.

For the fourth year, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce will be offering AtlantiCash at a discounted price as part of their Holiday Promotion, sponsored by First Whitney Bank & Trust. The goal is to sell $25,000. For one day only, community members can come to the Chamber on Saturday, November 14th and buy a pack of $100 in AtlantiCash for $80, a 20% discount. Community members may purchase up to three packs. The discounted AtlantiCash will be available from 9 AM – 12 PM. Social distancing and masks will be mandated while waiting for AtlantiCash.

The Annual Grand Lighting Ceremony, sponsored by Precision Concrete Services, Atlantic Municipal Utilities and Dance Atlantic, will be Thursday, November 19th at 5:30 PM. Due to COVID-19 guidelines and regulations, you must park along Chestnut Street and remain in your vehicle at all times. Santa will ride his fire truck up Chestnut Street following the lighting and be in his Cabin from 6 – 7:30 PM.

The Lighted Parade will be December 5th, starting at 6 PM. Due to COVID-19 guidelines and regulations, you must park along Chestnut and Walnut Street and remain in your vehicle at all times. There will be no fireworks and candy, promotional items, etc. will not be permitted. The route will begin on Walnut Street, travel north then south on Chestnut Street.

Floats are highly encouraged to pre-register. Registration forms can be found at www.atlanticiowa.com. The Lighted Parade is sponsored by A.M. Cohron & Son.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports five recent arrests. Today (Monday), 29-year old Gregory Allen Linkenhoker II, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a warrant for Contempt. He was being held in the Mills County Jail without bond.

At around 5:30-a.m. Sunday, 22-year old Kassandra Ada Morales, of Melrose Park, IL, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, with bond set at $1,000. Saturday afternoon, 25-year old D’Angelo Thomas Monson, of Glenwood, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault, and Obstruction of Emergency Communication. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail. And, 40-year old Nicholas Ryan Crowell, of Omaha, was arrested for being a Fugitive from Justice. He was being held without bond.

Friday night, 37-year old Kevin Ray Wells, of Omaha, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. His bond was set at $300.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — County election boards have started counting a record number of absentee ballots in Iowa, racing toward a Tuesday night deadline to have those votes tabulated. Nearly 956,000 people had sent in their ballots by mail, dropped them off at auditor’s offices or voted early in person as of Monday morning. That is more than half of the total turnout in the election, which is expected to exceed 1.6 million.In all 99 counties, bipartisan election boards could begin counting the absentee votes on Monday as allowed by state law. Some were planning to work all day and late into the night before reconvening Tuesday.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police in Sioux City are investigating after a man was fatally shot at an apartment complex there. The Sioux City Journal reports that the shooting was reported just before 7 p.m. Sunday at Park Place Apartments near Grandview Park. Arriving officers found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. Police say the officers rendered medical aid until an ambulance took the man to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The victim’s name had not been released by midday Monday. Police offered no other details about what may have led to the shooting.

The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest Saturday, of 50-year-old Jonathan Finnegan, of Glenwood. Finnegan was for OWI/2nd offense. He has since posted a $2,000 cash or surety bond and was released.

A public hearing will be held during a Special Meeting of the Audubon School District’s Board of Education, Wednesday night. The meeting takes place in the High School Board Room, beginning at 7-p.m.  During their session, a public hearing with regard to the plans, specifications and form of contract, along with the anticipated constructions costs, will be held for the Middle School/High School Renovation Project.

As part of the hearing, the Board will: Review a Resolution call for the Public Hearing; Hold an overview of the project (involving the Design Team); Acknowledge the plans, specs and form of contract has been available for public inspection at the District Office; and they’ll review the anticipated construction costs.

Following the Public Hearing, the Board will discuss further the plans, specs, FOC and Budget estimates of the construction costs. They will then act to approve those items, and approve the advertisement and Notice of Bids for the project. The Board will hold a regular, monthly session, 7-p.m. Nov. 16th.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports just two arrests took place over the past week. At around 2:35-a.m. on Oct. 25th, 37-year old Amanda Jolene McCallon, of Winterset, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, after the pickup she was driving on eastbound Highway 92, was observed weaving back and forth on the road, and nearly went off the road at one point. When a Deputy questioned McCallon, she said she was driving her intoxicated passenger home. McCallon was administered a Field Sobriety Test and Breath Alcohol Content (BAC) test, both of which she failed. She was brought to the Adair County Jail and released a few hours later with a citation.

And, at around 8:25-p.m. on Oct. 27th, 34-year old David Spencer Reeves, of Earlham, was arrested on two Adair County warrants for Harassment in the 1st Degree. Reeves was released the following day after posting bond.

(Radio Iowa) – More than 90 percent of eligible Iowans are registered to vote — and the Secretary of State reports there are a record number of nearly two-point-one MILLION active voters in the state. The monthly report from the Iowa Secretary of State’s office shows there are about 20-thousand more registered Republican voters in Iowa compared to Democrats. A third block of no party or independent voters account for most of the rest.

Sorted out by congressional districts, Republicans have a huge advantage in the fourth district, where registered Republican voters outnumber Democrats by nearly 80-thousand, while Democrats have more registered voters than Democrats in each of the other three congressional districts.

In the third, there are about 10-thousand more registered Democrats than Republicans. And, in BOTH the second and first congressional districts, Democrats hold a roughly 24-thousand voter registration edge over Republicans.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The overall economic index of a monthly survey of Midwest business leaders hit a 16-year high for October, but the manufacturing sector of the economy remains stunted from the coronavirus outbreak. The overall measure of the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index improved to 70.2 in October from September’s already strong 65.1. Any score above 50 on the survey’s indexes suggests growth.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey and says that even with the high index level, manufacturing output remains below levels seen before the pandemic. The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.