Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) say customers who have snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), off-road utility vehicles (ORVs), or off road motorcycles (ORMs) registered with the DNR, will need to renew their registrations by December 31st. Registrations can be renewed by any county recorder office or on the DNR’s website at www.iowadnr.gov. User permits can be purchased at any location where hunting licenses are sold including the Iowa DNR website. After December 31 customers can still renew their registration but they will pay a $5 penalty.

Resident Snowmobiles

Iowa residents are required to have and display a current Iowa DNR registration and user permit on their snowmobile in order to lawfully operate on any public land or public ice in Iowa.

Nonresident Snowmobiles

Nonresident snowmobilers are required to have and display a current registration from their home state and display a current Iowa DNR user permit. If a nonresident resides in a state that does not require or offer snowmobile registration, the only requirement is to display an Iowa DNR user permit.

Resident Off-Highway Vehicles

Iowa residents must have and display a current Iowa DNR registration on their ATV, ORV, or ORM to operate on any designated public land or ice in Iowa. Residents are not required to display an Iowa DNR user permit.

Nonresident Off-Highway Vehicles

Non-residents are required to have their machines registered in their home state and display an Iowa DNR user permit.

A man and woman from Kimballton were arrested Wednesday on drugs charges resulting from an investigation into the search of a home in Audubon on March 13th. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office says 34-year old’s Crystal Ann Richter and Michael David Lollie, both of Kimballton, were taken into custody on outstanding warrants charging them with Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Richter was arrested at an Audubon business at around 11-p.m., Wednesday. Lollie later turned himself-in to the Sheriff’s Office. Both have since posted bond and were released. They’re scheduled to appear in front of the magistrate on Dec. 11th.

One person was injured during an accident this (Thursday) morning, in Red Oak. According to the police report, at around 8:17-a.m., a westbound pickup driven by 71-year old Dennis Reynolds, of Elliott, ran a stop light at the intersection of north Broadway and west Oak Streets. The truck collided with a southbound car driven by 72-year old Bonnie Norris, of Red Oak. Norris suffered minor injuries and was transported by Red Oak Rescue to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital.

Damage from the collision amounted to $6,000. Officials say Reynolds was cited for Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device.

Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce are advising businesses in the area not to take any checks from Alan or Lori Johnson. Their checkbook has been misplaced and they have closed the account.

If you have any questions, please contact the Chamber.

(Correction on the amount County Attorney is paid 12/5/14)

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, reviewed applications submitted for the position of City Attorney. Current City Attorney Dave Wiederstein was elected Cass County Attorney in November, and will be stepping down from his position with the City, in January. Interim City Administrator John Lund said Wednesday, notices were sent to all local Attorney’s and law firms, with four applications having been returned to his office. On Monday, the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee reviewed those applications.

Applicants for the one-year, renewable contract included: Attorney J-C Van Ginkel; Andrew Knuth; Justin Hockenberry with the Cambridge Law Firm, and the Law Firm of Otto, Lorence and Wiederstein. The person hired would be on a general retainer, with anything outside of normal business falling under “Billable hours.” A clause for Criminal Prosecutions will be decided on at the time the new Attorney is hired.

Wiederstein said if the General/Civil and Criminal retainers are included together in the contract, he would recommend continuing the $15,000 annual salary he is currently paid, for Criminal Prosecutions, above and beyond what is proposed in the General Retainer. Currently, the Cass County Attorney handles Criminal Prosecution cases for the City, while serving as a paid, Assistant City Attorney. At least one of the firms that had expressed interest in the City Attorney position, later indicated they would not have applied if Criminal Law work was included in the job description, while the others indicated they would be agreeable to it.

John Lund said the Personnel and Finance Committee recommended the Council accept the application from the law firm Otto, Lorence and Wiederstein. The firm has hired North Carolina Attorney Jamie Arnold, who, if hired, would handle the duties of City Attorney. The Council Wednesday discussed, but did not take action on a decision in the matter, until they can meet Arnold. That meeting is expected to take place sometime later this month, with a decision on who will be hired to take place in January.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council approved a Resolution for the Calendar Year 2015 Atlantic Municipal Utilities’ budget, which was approved earlier by the AMU Board. AMU General Manager Steve Tjepkes had some good news for their customers. He said there are no new water or electric rate increases in the budget this year.

With Ric Hanson.

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The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday received word it would be getting a big boost to its budget thanks to an error by the Iowa Department of Revenue, with regard to the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST). Interim City Administrator John Lund said the City “Has received the largest LOST reconciliation check in our history, and this year’s revenue will be the largest we’ve ever had.” Lund said it’s because the Iowa Dept. of Revenue underestimated how much tax revenue the City would be receiving by local businesses. Lund said “I hope this is an indication that our local businesses are having a really excellent year.”

Lund said also a $1.4-million bond is being prepared for the Council’s approval, with regard to the finishing of street repairs in the Capital Improvement Plan. The interest rate for the bonds will be two-percent.

In other business, Iowa Department of Transportation officials said Tuesday that Highway 6 from Olive to just east of Burger King will be closed to through traffic this summer while the road is being rebuilt. Mayor Dave Jones said bid-letting for the two-month project would begin in March, 2015, with work beginning in June. Lund said anyone wanting to see what the project will encompass can stop by City Hall and check with him.

Officials said that while construction was underway, through traffic would be blocked, but access would be available to businesses via side streets and short temporary access points.

As part of the Christmas Magic in Downtown Atlantic, the community will hold a Lighted Christmas Parade this Saturday (Dec. 6th), beginning at 6-p.m. Activities leading up to the event begin at 3-p.m., when Santa arrives to his cabin in City Park. Enjoy a warm cup of hot cocoa as you wait to see Santa. Afterward, enjoy a horse drawn carriage ride through downtown Atlantic, sponsored by First Whitney Bank and Wells Fargo.

Fireworks, sponsored by A-M Cohron and Sons, and Meyer and Gross Real Estate, begin at 6-pm over the Rock Island Depot, and the Annual Lighted Christmas Parade down Chestnut Street. Every year the parade features local businesses, organizations and families that want to be a part of this Atlantic holiday tradition. Each float entry has the chance to win AtlantiCash or the Grand Prize trophy! New this year three awards: Twinkle Twinkle, Best Holiday Spirit and Best Overall will be given before the parade to highlight the winners as they parade downtown Chestnut Street. The winners will be formally awarded the following Monday at the Atlantic Area Chamber office.

Lighted Parade entries are able to register as late as Friday, December 5. Pre-registration forms can be filled out at the Chamber office through Friday at 5-p.m. You can also find the registration form at www.atlanticiowa.com.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A federal judge is striking down two Iowa laws that make it a crime to mistreat the American flag. U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt ruled Wednesday that the laws are unconstitutional because they criminalize protected free speech. One law makes it a misdemeanor to deface, mutilate, or trample on the American flag. The other says it’s illegal to show disrespect to the flag “to provoke or encourage another to commit a public offense.”

The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa challenged the laws last year on behalf of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas. The church’s members are known for protesting outside funerals, often dragging, standing and spitting on flags.

The lawsuit came after the police chief in Red Oak threatened to enforce the law against members during protests.