Police in Council Bluffs are investigating yet another armed robbery of a convenience store. Sgt. Dave Dawson says just before midnight, Monday, a white male in his 20’s entered the Kum- & Go store at 2024 5th Avenue, in Council Bluffs. The man grabbed a bottle of pop and approached the clerk at the counter. The suspect then reached into his right pocket and pulled out a hand gun, pointed it at the clerk and told him to open the cash drawer and give him all the money.

The suspect told the clerk he had quote “10 seconds to open the drawer, ” or he was going to kill him. The robber then took off with an undetermined amount of cash. It was the second time in the past 3 days the store was robbed. In this most recent incident, the suspect had brown hair, wore a gray hooded sweatshirt, black gloves, and a scarf over his face.

An investigation into the incident continues. Sgt. Dawson it’s not known if the suspect(s) in the robberies are connected. Anyone with information about the crimes is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press …

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, will hold the first of two work sessions on the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget. The first session will come on the heels of Wednesday’s regular council meeting, which takes place at the Atlantic Senior Center, beginning at 5:30-p.m. The next budget work session will be held Feb. 11th. The Council is slated to adopt the preliminary budget during their meeting on Feb. 19th, and hold a Public Hearing prior to adoption of the Budget during their regular session, on March 12th.

In a nearly one-inch thick FY 2015 Budget Report, City Administrator Doug Harris said the proposed budgets for all operating funds amounts to $9.373-million, which is a decrease of $481,863 or 4.9%, from the total estimated expenditures in FY 2014. Even though the budget is lower than last year, the tax rate for the City is going up. Harris said the rate would be $18 per $1,000 of assessed taxable value, which is an increase of 32-cents or 1.8%, over the last Fiscal Year. Of the six tax-levying funds available to the City, only two are responsible for the increase in taxes: The Employee Benefit Fund (EBF) and Debt Service Fund (DSF).

Harris says the EBF is up 18-cents per thousand, or 4.36%, while the DSF is up nearly 14-cents per thousand, or 2.9%. The biggest dollar increase in the EBF is for Health Insurance Premiums, which Harris says are up 14.9%. Fewer Workers Compensation claims have brought the City a $4,00 savings, and brought all other non-health insurance costs down to a net increase of just one-half percent.In increase in the DSF according to Harris, reflects a change in accounting for equipment purchases, the expenses for which were double-counted under the old system when debt payments and capital expenses for capital equipment purchases were charged to the fund. The current Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) does not call for issuing any more general obligation bonds in 2014.

The largest tax levy fund is capped by the State at 8.1-mils, or $8.10 per $1,000 taxable value. Property tax assessment legislation passed by the State last year will continue to contribute upward pressure on property tax rates, according to Harris, and the resulting gradual shift of the tax burden onto residential tax payers.

The new legislation rolls back the assessed values of commercial and industrial properties, and reclassifies multiplex apartment buildings from commercial to residential. The change in assessment practices, Harris says, will constrict tax revenue in the City’s General Operating Fund, and increase taxes on residential tax payers for the five other funds supported by property taxes.

One person suffered minor injuries during a rollover accident early this (Tuesday) morning on Interstate 80, in Cass County. According to dispatch reports from the Cass County Communications Center, the accident happened at around 2:14-a.m. on I-80 eastbound, about a mile east of the Walnut exit (Exit 47). One person in the vehicle suffered a head laceration. Medivac Ambulance tiered with Walnut Rescue in response to the accident.

Roads in the area were partially-to-completely covered with snow at the time. No other information is currently available.

Three southwest Iowa fire departments were called to combat a trailer home fire Monday night in Hancock. The Daily NonPareil reports the Hancock, Oakland and Avoca volunteer fire departments were called about 5:42 p.m. to 126 N. Scott for a report of a furnace fire.

Various photos taken at the scene showed thick grey smoke emitting from the home as firefighters worked to contain the blaze. The damage was extensive. No other details, including a cause of the fire, are currently available.

The Atlantic Police Department is warning area residents of a mail scam. Authorities say on Monday (Feb/ 3rd), officers were informed that an Atlantic resident received a letter in the mail in reference to them winning $650,000 through the “Publishers Clearing House.” The letter asks them resident to call a number and use a reference number to claim their prize. The letter was sent through standard mail and did not include a return address.

The scam letter (Atlantic P-D photo)

Officers looked on the PCH website, which stated that anyone winning a prize over $500 would be notified by personal contact from the company or notified through certified mail. Police also called the number listed on the letter multiple times and were unable to make contact with anyone. If you or anyone you know receive a letter similar to this through standard mail, please treat it as a scam.

As forecasters get a better idea of the track of a winter storm heading for the Midwest, the types of weather statements being issued are in flux. Cass and area counties to the east, northeast and south, are now under a Winter Storm Warning. The warning is in effect from Noon on Tuesday and runs through 6-a.m. Wednesday for Cass, Adair, Dallas, Guthrie and Madison Counties. In the southern part of the KJAN listening area (Adams, Ringgold, Taylor and Union Counties), the Warning begins at 9-a.m. Tuesday and runs until 6-a.m. Wednesday. In Montgomery, Fremont and Page Counties, the Warning is in effect from 3-a.m. Tuesday until 6-a.m. Wednesday. The remaining counties are under a Winter Weather Advisory from 3-a.m. Tuesday until 6-a.m. Wednesday.

For those counties in the warned area, some 4-to 6-inches of snow are expected, with anywhere from 5-to 8-inches for those lower two-tiers of counties in the southern section of the state. Forecasters say snow will develop in the far southwest counties late Monday night and spread into the rest of the area during the day, Tuesday. Accumulating, heavy snow is expected Tuesday afternoon and evening before it tapers-off Wednesday morning. In addition to the heavy snow, northeasterly winds starting out at 10-to 15-miles per hour Tuesday morning, will increase to 25-miles per hour by Tuesday night, causing reduced visibilities of as little as one-half mile or less at times. Snow, blowing and drifting snow will cause roads to become treacherous.The Weather Service says you should only travel in the event of an emergency during the day, Tuesday. If you must travel when conditions worsen, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle, in case you become stuck. Bring a cell phone charger with you, and if your vehicle becomes stranded, run the engine for a few minutes at a time as necessary, to stay warm. Make sure your vehicles’ tailpipe is clear of obstructions when you do run the engine in a situation where you are stranded.

The Atlantic Volunteer Fire Department held its 2013 recognition banquet, Saturday night. It was the fourth such year for the event. Fire Chief Mark McNees said Jake Vetter was named “Rookie of the Year,” for having met his Firefighter 1 training requirements and attending meetings.

Mark McNees receives the “Firefighter of the Year” award from 2nd Asst. Fire Chief Tim Cappel.

Justin Masker receives the “Top Dog” award.

Chief Mark McNees bestows the “Rookie of the Year” award to Jake Vetter. (Bobbi Jo McNees/Photos)

Justin Masker won the “Top Dog” award, for responding to most of the calls the department was dispatched to over the past year. That includes EMS, fire and/or Fire and Rescue. And, the Chief himself was awarded “Firefighter of the Year.” McNees said he was “Surprised and grateful” for receiving the honor.

Seven Firefighters were also honored for their milestone years, including: Chris Towne (15 years); Tom Cappel (15 years); Shawn Page (15 years); Justin Masker (5 years); Justin Anderson (5 years); Andy Kloewer (5 years), and Nathan Oswald (5 years).

There are 39 members of the Atlantic Volunteer Fire Department who put their lives on the line to save people and property, every day of the year.

The Page County Sheriff’s Department reports the arrest last Friday of a Braddyville man. 23-year old Matthew Thomas Riddle was taken into custody at around 12:45-p.m. following  a traffic stop at Cottonwood and 3rd Streets, in Braddyville. Riddle was charged with Driving Under Suspension, and cited for having an expired registration and failure to provide proof of insurance. He was arrested and brought to the Page County Jail where he was unable to post bond.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Friday, of 19-year old Bryce Charles Elihue Baker, of Atlantic. Baker was taken into custody on a District Court warrant for Violation of Probation. He was brought to the Cass County Jail and being held on $10,000 bond.

On Thursday, January 30th, 21-year old Johnathan Tyler McAlpin, of Red Oak,  turned himself in at the Cass County Jail on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for Eluding (D Felony), OWI 1st Offense (Serious), and Driving Under Suspension (Simple). McAlpin was booked and released on his own recognizance later that day.

Also on January 30th, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office charged 20-year old Kyler Jay O’Brien,  with Burglary 3rd Degree (D Felony) with regard to a report from September 25th, 2012 in Anita, wherein the victim reported her house broken into and her purse gone through. O’Brien remains at the Cass County Jail on theft and drug charges from January 3rd, 2014. Including the new charge, O’Brien was being held on $13,000 bond.