(Corrects vote in paragraph 1)The City of Atlantic’s Board of Adjustment met early this (Monday) morning, and held a Public Hearing on a request from Zion Recovery Services for a Conditional Use Permit. Zion is a provider of behavioral and mental health services for persons with behavioral health conditions, serious mental illness and emotional disorders, substance abuse disorders and gambling. Their prevention services encompasses 12 counties in the surrounding area. The permit allows for the operation of a health and medical institution in an R-4 Multiple Family Residential District, at Zion’s property located at 2307 Olive Street. City/Zoning Administrator John Lund says following the hearing, the Board voted 4-0 in favor of granting the conditional use permit, with one member was absent.

According to the meeting minutes provided by Lund to KJAN, there were 77 letters received in support of the conditional use permit. John Hartkopf and Steve Baier of the Cass County Board of Supervisors spoke in favor of Zion and addressed the County’s commitment to the success of Zion and the benefits of having it’s operations in Atlantic and Cass County.

An e-mail objecting to the application was received by Mike and Kathy Downey of 2700 Olive, was presented to the Board. Downey inquired as to the reason why this permit was being applied for now, and not prior to the purchase of the property. Laurie Cooley, representing Zion Recovery Services responded that information was brought to their attention regarding the definition of medical services by their counsel which prompted the application. A phone call was also received by Nick Pross of 2407 Olive objecting to the operation of Zion Recovery on the property, prior to the submission of the application. Pross cited concerns regarding property security and overall safety of the abutters. Becky Mills of 2800 Olive stated her objection was not on the value of mental health services, merely the location.

Other concerned neighbors addressed Board member Melissa Ihnen, with regard to the impact of Zion’s presence on their property values. She stated it would not have a negative impact, the neighbors however, did not agree. Laurie Cooley then addressed Atlantic Police Chief Dave Erickson, asking him about the history between local law enforcement and Zion. Erickson stated in his 24 years with the Atlantic Police Department, he could not recall problems with Zion.

Following closing of the public hearing, Board member Lloyd Munson asked about the possibility of Zion expanding services beyond their current scope. Cooley said their grant confines activities to the six counties they service. It does not allow another grant recipient to move intro the area and compete for patients nor does it allow Zion to seek patients outside of the six-county area. She went on to state the two highest issues of substance abuse in which Zion offers counseling are alcohol and marijuana.

Zoning Administrator John Lund said some in attendance at the meeting expressed their desire to write to Mayor Dave Jones asking for a review/repeal of the permit. Lund said he’s reviewing a section of Iowa Code to determine “how things move forward.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say three men have been arrested and charged after an 18-year-old was shot in the head near Drake Park in Des Moines. The shooting was reported Sunday evening after an officer heard gunshots in the area and spotted a vehicle speeding away. Police say the vehicle’s driver initially refused to pull over for the officer. When it did stop, police found several people in the vehicle, including the teen who had been shot in the head. The victim, 18-year-old Braden Schaffer, was rushed to the hospital in critical conditions. He was still hospitalized after undergoing surgery Sunday night.

Police say two men, 18-year-old Austin James Mallory and 21-year-old Rakewon Patton, have been charged with attempted murder and other counts. A third man, 24-year-old Tayronce Devon Denton, was also arrested on a drug count.

(Radio Iowa) — A western Iowa city that’s home to two meat packing plants is the latest location for one of the “Test Iowa” drive-through sites to screen residents for COVID-19. Captain Sam Otto is spokesman for the Iowa National Guard task force that set up the site in Denison. “We have personnel that are experts by now in setting these up and they’re very professional,” Otto says, “and they got it accomplished really quick.”

Test Iowa sites have been set up in Des Moines, Waterloo. Cedar Rapids and Sioux City. Otto says it’s up to the Iowa Department of Public Health to decide how long the Denison site will be open. “We’ll just have to play it by ear and see what the need and the capacity is,” Otto says.

Soldiers from an Iowa Guard unit from Boone along with air guard soldiers based in Sioux City and Des Moines were deployed to set up the site in Denison. Guard soldiers will continue to serve at the Denison location, directing traffic through the drive-through lanes set up for people who did the “Test Iowa” online assessment and got an appointment for a COVID-19 test. The state is hiring medical personnel and recruiting volunteer nurses to conduct the tests. Guard soldiers transport the test kits to the State Hygienic Lab for processing.

(Atlantic, IA 8-a.m. News) – The Atlantic Small Business Relief Grant, launched by the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, opens today at 9 AM. The grant was kick-started by a substantial donation from a community donor of $10,000 and matched by First Whitney Bank & Trust. Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bailey Smith says “We’re so pleased to offer this program to Atlantic’s business community, who has been hit hard due to COVID-19. It’s because of the generosity of community-minded individuals and businesses that we’re able to lend a helping hand. Small businesses keep communities vibrant and it’s our hope this grant will provide some relief during this unprecedented time.”

The Atlantic Small Business Relief Grant will provide funds to local small businesses currently suffering economic hardship due to COVID-19. These funds are not intended to replace a loss of actual or anticipated revenue, but to provide businesses with funds to keep them viable during this public health crisis. Applications will be available at www.atlanticiowa.com and will close this Friday, May 15th at 12 PM. Grants will range between $500 – $2,500. To be eligible, small businesses must have an Atlantic zip-code. Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce membership for participation is not required, though preference will be given to current members and businesses that have not received State or Federal funds previously. Applications will be reviewed by a committee and awarded pending availability of funds.

This relief grant provides an opportunity for community members and larger businesses to donate with the reassurance their donations will be used to quickly move resources to where they are most needed and to adapt to evolving needs. To help as many businesses as possible, if you are interested in donating to the fund, contact the Chamber at 712-243-3017, email chamber@atlanticiowa.com or mail donations to 102 Chestnut Street, Atlantic, IA 50022.

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

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The Creston Police Department reports two people were cited Saturday for Driving While License Barred/Denied or Revoked. 32-year old Corry D. Johnston, of Thayer,and 36-year old Jacob Jones, of Corning, were released from the scene of their citations, on a Summons to Appear later, in court. And, Sunday afternoon, 20-year old Molly Oglesbee, of Creston, was cited for allowing an animal to run at-large, in Creston. She was also released on a Summons to Appear.

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

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(Des Moines via KCCI) — Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst says she’s not going to self isolate after being in close contact with Vice President Mike Pence. One of Pence’ staffers tested positive for COVID-19. Ernst was tested Friday before boarding Air Force Two with Pence to come to Iowa. A spokesperson for Ernst told KCCI that Ernst tested negative and followed all guidance from the vice president’s office and medical team. The spokesperson said that Ernst has not been advised to self isolate and does not plan to at this time.

Shortly before making the flight to Iowa, it was confirmed that Pence’s press secretary Katie Miller tested positive for COVID-19. She did not join Pence’s staff on Air Force Two, but did have contact with six people scheduled to be on the trip. According to officials, those six people tested negative.

(Radio Iowa) — After record flooding in western Iowa much of last year, runoff into the Missouri River system is expected to be above-normal again this year, but the experts say the runoff will be well-contained in the reservoir system. Kevin Grode, with the U-S Army Corps of Engineers in Omaha, says we’ve already had a couple of relatively dry months and that’s been a big help.  “Below-normal precipitation in April led to below-average runoff in most of the upper basin,” Grode says. “Precipitation in the upper basin has been well below normal, with some areas of the Dakotas receiving less than half their normal precipitation.”

Grode says the runoff forecast has been dramatically reduced. It originally called for three-point-two million acre feet of runoff during April but they recorded about one-point-three million acre feet less.  “The 2020 calendar year runoff forecast for the upper Missouri River basin above Sioux City is 32.2 million acre feet or 125% of average,” Grode says.

Grode says the Corps of Engineers is still expecting above-normal runoff each month this year. “Even with the below-normal precipitation that we’ve seen, we’ve seen above-average runoff in each of the first four months of the year due to the very wet soil conditions,” Grode says. “We are still forecasting slightly above-average runoff for each of the remaining months of 2020.” He says above-normal river releases all winter allowed the Corps to add more flood storage capacity in the upstream reservoirs.

(Radio Iowa) — The U.S. government is going to start buying three BILLION dollars of meat, dairy and produce from farmers, to supply food banks. The announcement came after Vice President Mike Pence heard sobering assessments of the farm economy during a forum in West Des Moines on Friday. Senator Chuck Grassley says farmers are losing a lot of money. “Things aren’t very good out there on the farm,” Grassley said. Senator Joni Ernst says farmers from corner to corner of the state are impacted.

“Hearing the distress in the voice coming from our beef cattle producers, our dairy farmers, our egg and poultry farmers, especially our hog farmers,” Ernst says, “even those folks engaged in row crops and biofuels like ethanol.” American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall says farmers are experiencing a perfect storm with a pandemic in the middle of a trade war with China.

“We had high hopes and now we’re wondering whether or not the president’s going to be able to keep their feet to the fire and make them come good on the commitments of buying $40 billion worth of agricultural products,” Duvall said.

Duvall and both of Iowa’s U.S. senators also called for an investigation of allegations that meat packers are engaged in price fixing.