An Atlantic man was arrested Monday on an assault charge. The Atlantic Police Department said Tuesday, 21-year old Troy Romick was taken into custody on a Domestic Abuse/Assault, charge. Romick was booked in to the Cass County Jail and held, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

Law enforcement officers in southwest Iowa will pause this week to honor two State Troopers who died in the line of duty.

Trooper Lance G. Dietsch

Local and State authorities, along with members of the Iowa Legislature, will be pay tribute to Troopers Lance Dietsch and Stan Gerling, by dedicating two bridges to the men in Cass County.The bridges are located northeast of Lewis along Highway 6, as it traverses Indian Creek, and Turkey Creek, respectively.

Members of the public are invited to attend the dedication ceremony as a show of support for those who serve and protect Iowa Communities. The ceremony will take place beginning at 10-a.m. Thursday, at the Iowa State Patrol’s State Radio Office, located at 56911 Whitepole Road, just west of the Lewis turnoff from Highway 6.

Trooper Pilot Lance Dietsch and Trooper Stanley Gerling were killed in an airplane accident on June 30th, 1989, southwest of Atlantic.

Trooper Stanley E. Gerling

The pair had been searching for an elderly man who had wandered off, and were about to call off the search when they troopers located him in a soybean field. They began to circle the area when the plane made a sudden turn and crashed vertically into the ground. Troopers Dietsch and Gerling were the first aircraft fatalities since the addition of the Patrol Airwing in 1956.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests over the past weekend. On Friday, 52-year old Mark David Carroll, of Griswold, was arrested on a charge of Driving While Revoked. Carroll was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $1000 bond.

Last Saturday, deputies in Cass County arrested 53-year old Joseph Anthony Hardin,  of Hancock,  on a charge of Aggravated Assault, and 53-year old Jill Elizabeth Kirkman, of Kansas City, KS, on a charge of OWI 1^st Offense. Hardin was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $2000 bond, while Kirkman was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released the following day on her own recognizance.

And, on Sunday, 33-year old David Joel Case,  of Anita, was arrested on charges of Driving While Revoked and Leaving the Scene of an Accident. Case was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on $2000 bond.

(9-a.m. News)

There’s been a slight decline in the certified enrollment numbers at the Griswold Community School District. That was the word from Superintendent Dana Kunze, to the Griswold School Board, during their meeting Monday evening. Kunze told KJAN News he reported to the board they are down seven students this year, which he said is on their “trend line.” He said it’s not unexpected, but “Not what we were hoping for, either.”

In other business, the Griswold Board of Education opted to utilize the district’s existing staff to manage the k-through 12 sports program, instead of hiring a Sports Coordinator. He said the discussion focused on the need to coordinate an elementary through high school program, to make sure they weren’t losing students or student athletes as they make the transition through the grades. He says they decided their current staff is adequate, and capable of handling the necessary duties.

When the Atlantic City Council holds their regular session Wednesday evening, they’re expected to receive more information on a proposed preliminary plat for Namanny Commercial Development, on the City’s west side. The Planning and Zoning Commission approved the preliminary plat during their meeting a little over a week ago. Plans call for a nearly eight-acre tract of land owned by the Namanny Company to be divided into four different lots, one of which is located just north of Boulders’ Inn and Suites. Two small lots would be just off of Highway 6 would be for commercial buildings. City Administrator Doug Harris says the goal of some private parties is to create more of a commercial/retail hub in the area, which would also generate more activity around the Boulders Inn. Approval of the proposed layout by the P-and-Z however, does not constitute final approval of the plans, and submittals that are part of the final plat.

In other business, the Council, Wednesday, will receive a draft of the proposed Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Policy. The matter was tabled during their last meeting two-weeks ago, so that Councilman Shaun Shouse and the City Attorney could review the document and make sure it was in compliance with recent changes to the State’s Urban Renewal Law. The Council is being asked to review the draft as presented and ask questions, but they are not expected to take action on the policy until at least November 2nd.

The Atlantic City Council meeting begins at 5:30-p.m.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors are set to act Wednesday morning, on Resolution calling for the vacating of a portion of 662nd Lane. Action on the Resolution will follow a public hearing on the proposal. The hearing begins at about 9:05-a.m.  In other business, the Board will hear quarterly reports from Cass County Veteran’s Affairs Director Mitch Holmes, and a Conservation Report from Micah Lee. Their meeting in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Cass County Courthouse begins at 9-a.m.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Atlantic Parks and Rec Board Monday approved a grading and seeding project for the Schildberg Recreation Area, in Atlantic. Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring presented the final draft plans from Engineer Ken Coffman and the Schildberg Recreation Committee for the campground area, which will be graded and prepped for gravel pads. The one-way (south to north) entrance to the campground area, once completed, will be off of Iowa Avenue, and make its way toward the parking area on the east side of the lakes, and back toward Chestnut Street.

Herring said the 60-foot long gravel camping pads will be at the recommended 60-degree angle, to make for easy entry. There will also be an 8-foot, L-shaped gravel “patio” for a picnic table and a fire ring. There will be water and electric hookups as well, but Herring says two pads will have to share one water hookup. There will be separate electric hookups to each pad, however. A dump station will be available at the end of the campground driveway, for disposal of r-v and camper “gray water” and waste, just like those found at the Cass County Fairgrounds.

Future plans, according to Herring, call for a road to 10-acres of City-owned land, for the another, large R-V Park, capable of handling 32-foot campers and custom coach-type R-V’s. The parking stalls for those types of campers and vehicles will be drive-through, so no backing-up will be necessary. There will also be a boat ramp in that same location, for access to Lake Number Two. One small parking area will be designated for campground visitor’s use, also, to eliminate parking congestion. There will be 21 stalls for that purpose.

Herring says walkers and bikers around the lakes don’t have to fear their path being disrupted by the future plans, as those paths will remain in-place. In fact, signs indicating mileage around the lakes will be installed soon. And in the future, there will be 33 spaces on the gravel lot for pedestrians and bicyclists to park their vehicles, four of which will be marked for handicapped use.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Red Oak Police report the arrest Sunday of a local man, on drug charges. 18-year Gillian Ray James Bourn was arrested early Sunday morning at the corner of North 1^st and Elm Streets, on a Possession of Controlled Substance charge. Bourn was being held Monday in the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center on $1,000 cash bond.