Members of the Atlantic Parks and Recreation  Department’s Board of Directors met Monday evening at Cedar Park, and heard from a Boy Scout who made the Bandshell at Sunnyside Park, the subject of his efforts to earn his Eagle Scout badge. Talon Gaines said he and others first raked away all the old mulch and threw it away. Next up was edging around the area to prepare it for new mulch. New holes were dug for the planting of flowers that will bloom every year. New dirt was also added. He’s been making sure the new plants are watered on a consistent basis. The bandshell has been used by nearly a dozen organizations so far this year, for their various special events.

In other business, Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen said the waterless restroom at the Schildberg Recreation Area has been vandalized by fireworks, ripping things up and the smearing of feces. As a way to try and find who the culprits are and deter others from thinking they can get away with vandalism, the Parks Dept., Bryant said, is working with Nishna Net to get a camera surveillance system set up. There will be three different cameras monitoring the parking lot, shelter and waterless restroom. AMU, he said, has sunk a pole to mount the cameras, and Berg Electric was working on the electric hookups, Monday. The final step is to have Nishna Net sync the cameras in with their program. Rasmussen said there are other cameras already in place to cover separate areas of the park, including the campground and trail.

With regard to Sunnyside Pool, Rasmussen said ACCO came out and determined the leakage the pool was experiencing that caused a delay in its opening, was not a structural problem. It was a problem with the caulk drying out, apparently from lack of use last year, due to COVID. The pool has been open since last Thursday, and seeing good attendance numbers.  Bryant said the Parks & Rec Department has two programs underway this summer: Tennis and Swimming.

Art in the Park takes place every Wednesday from 9-until 10-a.m. About 25 kids show up for the experience each. The next program is this Wed.,  June 23rd, at Cedar Park. This week, they’re building rockets out of 2-liter bottles that they will shoot off next week. Jazzercise at Sunnyside Park  takes place Saturday’s at 8:30-a.m. in Sunnyside Park. The program has some good attendance numbers, but there’s still room for many more people.

Rasmussen said also, they will soon have three kayaks available for use, courtesy a donation from Elkhart Plastics. They will be available as soon as legal waivers are finalized. The user would have to supply their paddle and life jacket. There are approximately 33 other items for you to use, including bicycles, most free of charge. Simply contact the Atlantic Parks and Rec Dept. to make your reservation.  And, the Walkability Maps are almost finished for publication. They will be available at the park kiosks and the Atlantic Chamber, to name a few of the locations.

Unfortunately, Bryant said there wasn’t enough interest to generate co-ed softball games, but there are some other plans in the works to make the activity available through the Parks Dept.  And, the Parks Board extended its gratitude to the Royal Neighbors, Atlantic Rising and Trees Forever, for their efforts to beautify the parks through gardening, and the planting of trees.

(Radio Iowa) – A 17-year-old Des Moines girl has been accusing of driving the get-away vehicle from a murder that happened a year and a half ago. According to police, two groups got into a fight at a downtown Des Moines hotel in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, 2020, but then left the area. Investigators say the 17-year-old girl then drove herself and four friends to confront the opposing group and, shortly before 4 a.m., the girl’s friends got out of the car, walked to a house and one of them fired several gunshots, killing a 14-year-old boy.

Police say the 17-year-old girl then drove the group away from the scene. She’s been charged with first degree murder. Des Moines Police say more arrests are expected.

Court documents show a man who was formerly of Atlantic and was charged with Sexual Abuse in the 3rd Degree, has entered a guilty plea in association with an incident that took place Oct. 3, 2019, in Story County.  20-year-old Chase Gerald Mullinex plead guilty last week, to a charge of Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse (an Aggravated Misdemeanor), in the incident involving a female, in Story County.

Mullinex – who was a student at Iowa State University at the time of the offense – will serve an indeterminate term of two years of prison – entirely suspended; Pay a fine of $855, with a 15% surcharge, $90 sexual abuse surcharge, plus court costs. He is also required to complete a psychosexual evaluation and mental health evaluation, as well as follow through with any recommended treatment.

Chase Mullinex will be subject to the sex offender registry requirements as set forth in the Iowa Code, and is subject to a Class D Felony, special sentence, as set forth in the Iowa Code, for a term of ten years. During the special sentence, Mullinex will be subject to the rules and supervision of the Department of Correctional Services as if on parole, and could be incarcerated for a violation of DCS rules.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Department reports three people were arrested on Burglary charges over the past week. Just before 1-a.m. Saturday, 31-year-old Nicole Lynn Bell, and 34-year-old Charles William Walker, both from Council Bluffs, were arrested at an apartment in Adair that was being remodeled, and supposed to be empty & unoccupied.The door had been forced open.

Police in Adair entered the apartment and found Bell and Walker. They also found a baggie of what appeared to be meth, on the floor. As Bell was looking through her purse for identification, Police noticed several pipes used for smoking meth had fallen out of her purse. Walker said the apartment was his mothers, and she gave them permission to be there, but the contractor doing the remodeling said the woman had been evicted over two months ago.

Bell was arrested for Burglary in the 3rd Degree and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine -3rd or subsequent offense. Walker had been arrested at around 8:54-p.m. Friday, for Burglary in the 3rd Degree. He also had a warrant out of Cass County, for Theft in the 5th- & Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. Both were being held in the Adair County Jail, with bond for Walker set at $5,000. Bell’s bond was set at $6,000.

Thursday, at around 12:22-a.m., Stuart Police arrested 24-year-old Jesse Andrew Queener, of Stuart, for Violation of a No Contact Order, Possession of Paraphernalia, and Burglary in the 2nd Degree. The latter charge was associated with an incident at a residence in the 600 block of SW 4th Street, in Stuart. His bond was set at $10,000. On June 13th, at around 8:30-p.m., 38-year-old Christopher Anthony Ford, of Greenfield, was arrested by Greenfield Police, for Failure to Appear on a charge of Harassment in the 3rd Degree, and Public Intoxication. The Harassment charge stems from an incident whereby Ford allegedly made sexual comments to three minor-age girls, at the Greenfield City Park. His bond was set  at $300.

On June 16th, 37-year-old Christopher Lee Ballentine, of Des Moines, was arrested in Adair County, for Failure to Appear on a Violation of Probation charge. His bond was set at $2,000. And, 45-year-old Angela Jo Holtry, of Lorimor, was arrested June 19th in Adair County, for OWI/2nd offense.  A breath sample registered .118%, which is over the legal limit for intoxication. Holtry was later released on a citation.

(Radio Iowa) – Five adults and two juveniles have been charged with a burglary that happened on the evening of June 8th at the former Clay Central-Everly school. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrests this week. Three 19-year-olds from Spencer have been arrested and face burglary, theft and criminal mischief charges. A 20-year-old and a 21-year-old from Sioux City have been charged with trespassing.

Investigators say a 16-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy from Spencer were also involved and they face burglary, theft and criminal mischief charges.