While some cities, including Audubon, have cancelled Halloween this year over fears of spreading the Coronavirus, Atlantic still plans to hold trick-or-treating on Oct. 31st, from 4:30-until 6-p.m.  Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones said during Wednesday’s City Council meeting, things will be a little different this year, however, than in years past.

(Updated) Trick-or-Treating in the downtown business district is from 2-until 4-p.m., Oct. 31st.  In other business, the Atlantic City Council passed by a vote of five-to two, the second reading of an Ordinance amending the City’s Code of Ordinances, with regard to the expansion of a two-way stop at 22nd and Olive to a four-way, and from a two-way stop at 32nd and Chestnut, to a three-way stop. The proposed changes is to encourage traffic to slow down before entering the city. Councilpersons Casady and Somers voted against the measure.

Atlantic residents Dale Gross and Dale Retallic spoke out against the plan, which the Mayor contends will prevent accidents from happening at those intersections. Gross said there’s no evidence or records he could find, of 22nd and Olive being a hot spot for accidents. He says the 35 mile per hour speed limit is enough to prevent any crashes.

Retallic reiterated his statement from the last Council meeting two weeks ago, in agreeing that if the City’s goal is to reduce speeding, increase the number of tickets, and/or install speed bumps. Councilman Pat McCurdy who voted to approve the second reading, said he’s spoken with four people who live in the area are in favor of the 4-way stop at 22nd and Olive, because of what is perceived to be increased truck traffic, especially from the new rock quarry. McCurdy also pointed out that snow plows have a tendency to knock out speed bumps. The third and final reading of the ordinance will take place in two weeks.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved the third and final reading of an Ordinance vacating and conveying an alley between Hemlock and Sycamore Streets, south of E. 18th Street. The lot will be divided equally among the four adjacent property owners. The also passed a Resolution setting November 4th as the date for a Public Hearing on vacating a Right of Way for a stub (non-connecting) section of road, just east of 9th and Plum Streets.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The number of Iowa residents dying from the coronavirus is quickly rising again after weeks of increasing hospitalizations and outbreaks at nursing homes. The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 31 new deaths from the virus Wednesday, the most confirmed in a 24-hour period since the beginning of the pandemic. That does not mean that 31 people died in one day. Instead, it means that the state received 31 new reports of confirmed COVID—19 deaths through medical examiners and death certificates. Many of the deaths happened a few or several days ago.

The Council Bluffs Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating an 11 year old female runaway from Children’s Square USA (500 North 7th Street). The child was last seen around 3:00 pm Wednesday, in the area of North 7th Street and Washington Street. She was walking southbound in Council Bluffs.

Peters is an Hispanic female, with long Brown hair wearing black leggings and pink t-shirt. If this child is located please contact the Council Bluffs Police Department 712-328-4728 or call
911.