Southwest 8 Senior Services, the Area Agency on Aging for southwest Iowa will host and facilitate a legislative roundtable discussion on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 from 10:00am – 11:30am.  The event will take place in Council Bluffs at the American Red Cross building on the Charles Lakin Human Services Campus located on North 16^th Street and Avenue G.

Invitations were extended to all of the newly elected and re-elected Iowa Representatives and Senators from the new districts.  These legislators will begin service in their new designated districts when the Iowa session starts in January.  You are invited to join Southwest 8 to begin the conversation with our elected legislators about aging policy as we go forward in Iowa, where by the year 2030, 88 of our 99 counties will have over 20% of its population age 60 or older.

There is no charge to attend, but seating is limited. Call Kelly Butts at 800-432-9209 or 712-328-2540 ext. 1013 by November 26^th to reserve your place at the meeting, or email kbutts@southwest8.org

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City police say a 20-year-old foreign exchange student is recovering after being shot at a local bar. The Sioux City Journal reports that police identified the gunshot victim as Briar Cliff University student Natacha Butera. She was listed in fair condition at a hospital Monday. Police say Butera was shot in the arm and chest early Sunday in the first-floor bar of Mac Behr’s.

Police say 24-year-old Soloman Harris fired a pistol at a man he had been fighting with, and the bullet instead hit Butera, piercing her liver and lung. Police say Harris did not know Butera, who happened to be standing nearby. Harris has been charged and is being jailed. Briar Cliff officials issued a statement saying its community “is very saddened about this unfortunate situation.”

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Omaha man who helped rescue a truck driver and an eastern Iowa couple who trains dogs for public service will be honored at Friday’s football game between Iowa and Nebraska. Iowa and Nebraska branded their now-annual rivalry as the “Heroes Game” after Nebraska joined the Big Ten Conference. The tradition, now in its second year, involves selecting “citizen heroes” from each state.

The Nebraskan who will be honored is Jason Parks, who witnessed a collision between two semitrailers while driving to work. He’s credited with pulling one of the drivers from flaming wreckage before the truck exploded. The Iowans are Lois and Bill Hall of Clinton, who raise and train K-9 dogs that assist in emergency search and rescue missions and provide therapy visits to schools and hospitals.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a Denison man was arrested Sunday following the execution of a search warrant at 2946 Highway 30, Lot 55. The warrant at the residence east of Denison was handled by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Cass County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit.  Following the search, 37-year old Apolinar Hernandez-Guzman, of Denison, was taken into custody on a single charge of Delivery of More than Five Grams of Methamphetamine, one count of Possession with Intent to Deliver More than Five Grams of Methamphetamine, two counts of Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp, one count of Possession of a Stolen Firearm (which had been reported stolen in 2009 from a Denison burglary investigation), and one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Hernandez-Guzman was taken to the Crawford County Jail where he is also being detained for Immigration Customs Enforcement.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office said Monday (Today), three people were arrested over the course of the past week. On Saturday, 22-year old John Henry Thompson, of Lewis, was arrested on charges of Criminal Trespass and Public Intox. Thompson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he pled guilty and was released the following day.

Last Thursday, 18-year old Jacob Taylor Salmans, of Creston, was arrested on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Possession with Intent to Deliver. Salmans was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $5000 bond.

And, on Wed., November 14th, 41-year old Michael Eugene Boggs, of Atlantic,  turned himself in to the Cass County Jail on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Violation of a No Contact Order. Boggs was taken into custody and immediately released on $325 bond.

Police in Lenox are investigating an incident of vandalism perpetrated on a pickup truck over the weekend. Officials were notified on Saturday, that a 2000 Ford Ranger pickup owned by to Erik Mullen of Lenox , had its windshield had been shattered, tired slashed and paint keyed, while the truck was parked in the 100 block of East Kansas.

The damage is believed to have taken place sometime after 2-a.m. Friday. Police were unable to identify any suspects or witnesses. Anyone who may have seen or heard anything involving this incident is asked to contact the Lenox Police Department at 641-333-2929

The Atlantic City Council will hold their regular meeting this Tuesday evening at City Hall instead of Wednesday, due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. When their meeting begins at 5:30-p.m., the Council will hear a report from Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees. Afterward, they’re scheduled to act on a Resolution authorizing Mayor Dave Jones to submit a grant application to the Iowa DOT in hopes of obtaining a $5,000 grant for new traffic signs and posts, which are necessary under new reflectivity requirements.  If approved by the DOT, the funds would cover about one-quarter the total cost of implementing the unfunded mandate.

The Council will also hold a public hearing on reducing the speed limit on west 22nd Street, from Chestnut to Palm, from 45-to 35-miles per hour. The Community Protection Commission recommended the change after receiving a petition from residents along the affected stretch of road, and other factors. Another factor the Council will have to consider is a report from the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission, which outlines their concerns with regard to the matter, including how a change in the speed limit might affect Federal funding for major street improvements.

Other public hearings scheduled for Tuesday evening during the City Council meeting, will address an Amendment to the North Urban Renewal Plan to include a United Steel Erectors (USE) project, and a development agreement with the same company.The hearings will be followed by action on approving the expenditure as an Urban Renewal Project, authorizing payment and directing that it be included in the Dec. 1st, 2012 certification to the County. A second resolution pertains to the approval of a Development Agreement between the City and USE, Incorporated, along with Tax rebate payments.

And, the Council will act on approving the Final Plat for the Namanny Commercial Development project. The Planning and Zoning Commission has already approved the final plat, and is recommending the Council follow suite. If approved, the plat would divide a nearly eight-acre parcel zoned Light Industrial, into four lots, two of which would be used for commercial buildings along Highway 6, on the west side of town.

Reserve Officers with the Atlantic Police Department are currently seeking donations for the Reserve’s 5^th annual “Family Dream Christmas.” The program, which is for Cass County residents only, allows selected low-income or underprivileged families to go on a shopping trip with officers, to pick up groceries for the family’s Christmas dinner, along with gifts for the immediate family.

The Police Reserves are accepting cash donations through December 15^th for the program. Those donations can be dropped off at the Atlantic Police Department or at Masker’s Plumbing and Heating. Applications for families hoping to participate in the program can also be picked up at the Atlantic Police Department or at Masker’s Plumbing and Heating. Applications are due no later than 4-p.m. December 5^th.

Once all the applications have been received, they will be reviewed and the families chosen to participate will be contacted. There is no set limit on the number of families chosen. It simply depends on the amount of donations received.

If you have any questions, please call the Atlantic Police Department at 243-3512.