Fire stations and other entities in Shelby County can change their Fire Danger placards to “Low,”from now through Thursday. Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says with recent rain and the moist conditions,  and the likelihood of more rain this week, the danger of grassland and field fires is low.

The Atlantic Police Department reports two arrests over the weekend. Officials say 18-year old Kyler O’Brien, of Atlantic, was arrested Friday on a shoplifting charge (5th degree theft). And, 22-year old Kevin Engles, of Atlantic, was arrested Sunday, on a Willful Injury charge.

According to police, Engles allegedly hit his step-father Sunday evening in the face, with a stick of wood. 38-year-old Kevin Ralph Burg was transported to CCMH for treatment of his injuries.

Kevin Engles and Kyler O’Brien were booked into the Cass County Jail and held, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

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24-hour rainfall in Atlantic (ending at 7-a.m. today), was .21″ at the KJAN studios, the official National Weather Service reporting site for Atlantic. The rain began early this morning, and ended just after 6:30-a.m. Other, unofficial rainfall totals include: 1″ near Oakland; .94″ Villisca; .75″ in Emerson; and, .50″ near Essex. Other locations received anywhere between two- and three-tenths of an inch of rain.

Public meetings will be held today in Atlantic, and tonight in Creston, to discuss a proposal to reorganize statewide victim services. Federal and state funding cuts since 2007 have forced eight programs in Iowa to close, and that’s resulted in larger service areas in pockets of the state – with inequitable divisions of both programming and funding. A reorganization plan would divide the state into six multi-county service areas with the state awarding funding on a competitive basis to programs in each region. Wendy Richter, Director of the Family Crisis Support Network in Atlantic, says they learned of the plan in July. Richter says shelters across the state have saved lives by preventing abuse from escalating into a homicide.

One of 13 public meetings scheduled around the state to discuss the proposed changes in Victim Services in Iowa, takes place at 1:30 this afternoon in Atlantic, in Room 141 at Iowa Western Community College. Another will be held in Room 180 at Southwestern Community College in Creston, beginning at 6-p.m. Richter says officials with the State will talk about funding issues and seek to gather input from communities about Victim Services and how cuts in funding would affect those services.

Plans for the regionalization of services in Iowa, according to Richter, are being modeled after those in other states. She says the apparent goal of regionalization is to maintain some sort of satellite office in the rural areas, but past experience has shown that doesn’t happen effectively. She also questions why there’s a rush to close some shelters and regionalize, when there are funds available to keep the shelters open. The good news is, regardless of funding cuts, the shelter in Atlantic will remain open. She says the Atlantic shelter is independently owned, and, they have a reserve fund to operate from. Other facilities she says, are not that fortunate.

An expert with Iowa State University Extension is warning that this year’s drought is so severe, recovery may be years away. Cathann Kress is calling the drought a “super slow-motion disaster.” Kress says Iowa crops pulled what little moisture there was out of the ground this year and that moisture won’t come back anytime soon. “It takes so long for the subsoil moisture to rebuild, so if we look at the other droughts like this – there’s been three others in this century…they all took three years to fully recover from,” Kress said.

As much as 18 inches of precipitation is needed to fully recharge Iowa subsoils, according to Kress. That’s not likely to before next Spring. “The average (precipitation) between October and April is about 12 inches, so even if we hit average – which most models show we won’t – but even if we hit average, we’d be below what it is we’re predicting that we need,” Kress said.

Kress was at the statehouse last week and warned lawmakers it’s hard to estimate the economic impact of the drought, as well as the effects on state tax receipts.

(Radio Iowa)

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest early Sunday morning of an Atlantic man.  29-year-old Bradley Edward Williams was taken into custody on four counts relating to an original charge of driving while suspended. Williams was charged with failure to appear, failure to pay, contempt of court and illegal resistance to order or process. He was  being held in Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.

Senator Tom Harkin used a weekend speech to Iowa Democrats to argue for President Obama’s reelection, where he said the country is better off now, than it was four-years ago. But Harkin also used humor — with a Halloween theme — to suggest Republicans offer a “scary” agenda for the country. “Paul Ryan is Eddie Munster. Mitt Romney is Freddy Krueger, slashing Big Bird and Planned Parenthood. Steve King dressed up as,” Harkin paused for effect, before adding, “Steve King.” The crowd laughed at Harkin’s jokes about Romney and Ryan, but they laughed and cheered Harkin’s blast at Steve King, the Republican congressman from northwest Iowa. Paul Ryan campaigned in Council Bluffs and Sioux City, Sunday. President Obama is scheduled to visit the Quad Cities on Wednesday.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press