The Creston Police Department today (Tuesday), said a resident of the 300 block of N. Jarvis Street in Creston reported early this morning, that sometime between 4:30-p.m. Monday and 1:30-a.m. today (Monday), her Maroon 1987 Chrysler New Yorker bearing the license plate BFX 888, was stolen while it was parked at her residence.

No arrests have been made.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Following a failed bid last year in his run for the Cass County Board of Supervisors in District 1, Atlantic’s Mayor has announced his bid for re-election. Dave Jones confirmed the Cass County Auditor’s report that he filed his nomination papers Monday, and intends to seek a third term in office. Jones has spent eight-years as Mayor, and is pleased that many goals have been accomplished under his watch.

His main focus, according to Jones, continues to be making the Schildberg Recreation Area “An icon” for Atlantic. That includes a sustainable income for the area, and more bike paths. Voters in Atlantic will determine in November, whether or not the Hotel-Motel Tax, which funds the future development of the Schildberg Area, bike path and walking paths, is increased from 4% to 7%.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones (8/28/17)

Jones said that tax is very important to the future of the parks and recreation system in Atlantic, and keep property taxes manageable. Other issues that are important to him, include keeping up conditions of the City’s streets, and improving the City’s bond/credit rating.

Jones was elected to the City Council At Large in 1996, and later was elected Mayor.

The Atlantic Cemetery Association, which is run by a private board of directors, is near insolvency. That was the word during a meeting Monday evening, of the City of Atlantic’s Personnel and Finance Committee, at City Hall. Councilman Dick Casady and Gerald Brink are on the Cemetery Board.

Brink explained the Cemetery Association’s financial situation in more details, and why they have a good deal of red ink on their books. He said “The way things look right now, basically, probably around the first of the year we’re probably gonna run out of money. We probably will need in the vicinity of $25,000 a year just to sustain this thing.”  Brink said one of the reasons they’ve run into financial issues, is that there used to be well over 100 burials per year. The last several years, however, the average has been around 60 burials per year. More cremations also mean less funds for the Cemetery, because urns cost less to bury.

The cost of burials and interments were raised back in April to help compensate for the loss of funds. Brink said the cost of repairing equipment for burials and grounds maintenance for the 44 acres is another expense they’re dealing with. There is only one full-time employee and a couple of part-time employees working for the Cemetery Association, who are in charge of burials and grounds maintenance.

The City will submit a letter to the Iowa Insurance Commissioner requesting a draw-down of funds from the Perpetual Care Trust, but according to Brink, they can’t touch that. About $200,000 is in the Trust. Brink says the best they could hope for is to gain some funds from interest on the Trust. He said also, that if they run out of money and have to shut down, according to law, the City of Atlantic will have to assume full operation of the Cemetery. Brink suggested it would be better for the City to subsidize the Cemetery, than it would be for the City assuming the sale of burial plots.

After much discussion, the Personnel and Finance Committee agreed to recommend to the Atlantic City Council, that the City pay $2,000 per month from January 1^st through June 30^th, 2018, to keep the Cemetery Association afloat, and find explore other options during that time frame.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa authorities say a man believed to have key information about a Des Moines slaying has been found in North Dakota. Des Moines police said Monday night that Randy Miles Jr. has been detained in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Des Moines detectives will be traveling there to interview Miles. No criminal charges have been filed.

The detectives are investigating the slaying of 26-year-old Christopher Lenhart, who was set on fire Friday afternoon. Police say Lenhart died Sunday at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.  Police say Lenhart’s death is Des Moines’ 23rd homicide so far this year.

The Atlantic Animal Shelter is set to receive a large donation from the estate of a woman who recently passed away. Animal Control Officer Kris Erickson announced the news during Monday’s meeting of the City of Atlantic’s Personnel and Finance Committee.

Erickson said last week, she received a legal notice that a woman who lived in Griswold had passed away, and that the woman has a considerable amount of money left over after paying-off her estate. She left 20-percent of what’s remaining to the Atlantic Animal Shelter. The woman’s name was not released.

Kris Erickson talks with the Personnel & Finance Committee about the donation

On September 4^th, the Executor of the estate will appear in court to get approval for release of the money. If no one comes forward to contest the move (such as someone who may still be owed money), the funds will be divided among the woman’s designated recipients, which includes the Atlantic Animal Shelter.

Erickson says she’s not familiar with the woman who passed away, but is grateful for the bequeath. Councilman Gerald Brink let the cat out of the bag during the meeting Monday, by saying the Shelter is likely to receive more than $100,000. Erickson said the figure was actually $135,000.

Persons traveling on Highway 30 early this morning near Logan should expect a delay. A faithful KJAN listener reported that Highway 30 at Overton Avenue, was slow moving due a serious accident. The crash happened just east of the Boyer River Bridge. Dense fog is thought to have contributed to the crash, where a vehicle apparently missed an intersection and collided with a utility pole.

No other details are currently available.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating an incident of robbery that took place early this (Tuesday) morning. Officers were dispatched at around 12:17-a.m., to the Mega Saver at 3540 W. Broadway for a reported robbery. They arrived on scene and spoke with the victim, who told police two black males wearing gray hoodies and armed with handguns entered the store and demanded money from the victim.

The suspects pointed the handguns at the victim and opened the registers and took an unknown amount of money and some cigarettes. Witnesses stated the two suspects ran from the store to the west and entered a white in color SUV and the SUV fled west into Omaha. No shots were fired and no injuries were reported.

If you have any information regarding this robbery please contact Council Bluffs Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:50 a.m. CDT

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The builder of the Dakota Access pipeline is negotiating with North Dakota regulators to resolve all investigations into potential wrongdoing during construction. The Public Service Commission recently offered a settlement of allegations that Energy Transfer Partners improperly reported the discovery of American Indian artifacts. The company’s counterproposal includes potentially also resolving a state investigation into whether crews removed too many trees and improperly handled some soil.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — In vast stretches of the Plains and Northwest known for wheat production, fewer farmers are growing wheat. They’re responding to low wheat prices and changing consumer tastes for high protein foods like hummus, pasta and energy bars, which are increasing demand for alternative crops such as garbanzo beans and lentils. This year, farmers planted the fewest acres of wheat since the U.S. Department of Agriculture began keeping records nearly a century ago.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former prison nurse says in a lawsuit that Iowa’s Department of Corrections discriminated against him because he is transgender. Jesse Vroegh claims in a lawsuit filed Monday that the state agency denied him use of the men’s restrooms and locker rooms at work and denied him health care coverage for medically necessary surgery. The Corrections Department didn’t immediately return a message left Monday.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A jury has convicted a Sioux City man of attempted murder for firing more than a dozen shots at a Woodbury County sheriff’s deputy. The Sioux City Journal reports jurors Monday found Melvin Spencer guilty in the February incident, in which he fired 16 shots at Deputy Mike Lenz after a vehicle chase. Lenz wasn’t hit but at least five rounds struck his patrol vehicle. The 25-year-old Spencer could be sentenced to up to 25 years in prison. His sentencing date hasn’t been scheduled.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Monday), released a report on arrests. Last Friday, 49-year old Tracy Lynn Edison, of Silver City, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension. Bond was set at $300.

On Thursday, Deputies in Mills County arrested 42-year old Timothy Patrick Vanscoyk, of Council Bluffs, and 52-year old Kelly Gene Anderson, of Carter Lake, for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Drug Tax Stamp Violation, and Interference with Official Acts. Bonds for both men were set at $105,300. Their arrests occurred at just after Noon, Thursday, during a traffic stop on I-29.

Also arrested Thursday in Mills County, was 32-year old Nicholas John Horgdal, of Henderson, who was taken into custody on warrant for Failure to Appear (FTA) in court. His bond was set at $2,000. And, 42-year old Ronnie J. Dolejis, of Omaha, was arrested on a warrant for FTA/2nd offense. He was taken into custody at the Douglas County, NE., jail and held on a $7,000 bond.