with KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The City of Atlantic’s RAGBRAI Organizing Committee is still in need of many volunteers for the Sunday, July 24 ^th event. Anyone interested in helping out, are encouraged to sign up now. Billie Hoover, Volunteer Co-Chair, says there are many volunteer jobs that need to be filled, and the committee is hoping people will step up and share a few hours of their time. Volunteers will receive a free t-shirt to wear on July 24th, and wearing the shirt will also give them free entrance to the entertainment area to see The Nadas perform.

Ann McCurdy, Executive Director of the Chamber, says the “Proceeds from the RAGBRAI Organizing Committee will go to support the Atlantic Fire Department, Nishna Valley Trails, The Grounds Committee, and the Chamber of Commerce.” She says that’s because those groups touch a majority of residents in our area.

Volunteers are needed to work in a variety of areas including:

Information Center: Where volunteers are needed throughout the day to answer questions about Atlantic, directions to destinations, and serve as a general first point of contact for riders with questions.

Beverage Garden: Volunteers are need to check I.D., put on wristbands, and sell beverages. Shifts are available from noon until midnight.

Traffic and Parking: Volunteers are needed in the morning and afternoon to help direct traffic in low-risk intersections and in campgrounds.

Shuttle/Bus Stops: This job entails sitting at the designated areas and being a helpful voice in directing riders and answering questions.

If anyone is interested in volunteering, please call (712)- 243-3017, or visit www.atlanticiowa.com/ragbrai to fill out our online form.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – July 8, 2011 – Bridge construction work will cause lane restrictions on eastbound Interstate 680 between I-29 (exit 71) and Pottawattamie County Road L-34 (exit 21) east of Crescent beginning Monday, July 18, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Council Bluffs construction office.

The right lane will be closed in the construction zone. The open lanes will have a 14-foot width lane restriction. This project is expected to be completed by mid-November.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey posted speed limits and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles and wear seat belts.

City officials in Lewis have issued a warning to parents and others who care for infants under six-months of age, about using City water to make infant formula. The City’s Water Works says water samples received Friday, July 8^th, showed nitrate levels of 11-milligrams per Liter. The samples exceeded the nitrate standard, or maximum contaminant level of 10-milligrams per Liter. Nitrate in drinking water is a serious health concern for infants less than six-months of age.

Officials say you if your home or business is served by the Lewis Water Supply, you should not give water to infants, because they could become seriously ill, and if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath, and blue baby syndrome, which is indicated by the blueness of an infant’s skin. If those systems are displayed, you should seek medical attention for the infant immediately.

Water, juice and formula for children under six months of age should not be prepared with tap water. Bottled water or other water low in nitrates should be used for infants in the Lewis area until further notice.

Officials say you should NOT boil water, as neither boiling, freezing, filtering, or letting it stand will reduce the nitrate level. Excessive boiling can even make the nitrates more concentrated, because nitrates remain when the water evaporates.

Adults and children older than six-months CAN drink the tap water (nitrate is a concern for infants, because they cannot process it in the same way adults can). If you are pregnant, or have specific health concerns, you should consult your physician.

Officials say nitrate in drinking water can come from natural, industrial, or agricultural sources, including septic systems and run-off. Levels of nitrates can vary throughout the year. The City will let residents and those with ties to its water system know, as soon as the amount of nitrate in the water supply is below the maximum safe limit.

The City says it’s their opinion the sample may have been taken in the wrong location, and samples will be taken on Monday, July 11^th to confirm or refute the initial findings.

Authorities in Adams County say a Union County man was arrested Friday afternoon on a theft charge. 29-year old Kurtis Hillerbrand, of Creston, was wanted on a warrant for theft. He was taken into custody in Creston and brought to the Adams County Jail, where Hillerbrand was being held on $1,000 bond.

John Lisle

John Lisle, president of Lisle Corp. in Clarinda, has been named chairman of the board of directors of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Lisle told the Omaha World-Herald that his term as Chairman may be cut short, under Governor Branstad’s state government restructuring plan. Lisle told the paper Friday “A new board will get picked when the change goes into effect. We’ve been told it probably won’t happen until the fall or later.”

The 15-member state board meets monthly to review D-E-D projects which are eligible for grants, loans or tax incentives under the state’s economic development incentives rules. Lisle said eight to 10 new projects are considered each month. Lisle was first appointed to the board when it was created 10 years ago,  by former Goveror Tom Vilsack.

Lisle was honored earlier this week at the Governor’s Volunteer Awards ceremony in Storm Lake for his decade of work on the Department of Economic Development board.

IA license plate - current design

New IA license plate - black letters

AMES, Iowa – July 8, 2011 – The Iowa Department of Transportation announces that, beginning July 11, 2011, the color of the alpha-numeric characters and other text on newly issued license plates will change from dark blue to black.

This change affects only standard plates and specialty plates that have a blue and white background. This does not affect specialty plates that use a special color for the alpha-numeric characters as part of their design, such as collegiate plates and firefighter plates.
Changing to black will increase the contrast with the background and make the alpha-numeric characters easier to read, which is important to law enforcement.  It will also make plate production more consistent and cost-effective. This will not affect the design on the plates.

RAGBRAI is less than two weeks away, and the local organizing committee is hoping to get the community excited about the event. T-shirt sales are in full swing, and Hy-Vee will host a special promotion on Friday, July 15 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“We’ll have members of the Atlantic RAGBRAI Organizing Committee on top of the roof cycling all day,” says Kipp Harris, General Chair. “We’re hoping everyone will come to the store, purchase a t-shirt, and help us get everyone excited about this event.”

T-shirts featuring the “Cokes, Spokes & Wonderful Folks” logo will be available for sale for $12 and $14. Youth and adult sizes are available in both gray and black.

Locals who wear the t-shirt on Sunday, July 24 will get free entry into the beer garden and entertainment area next to the Rock Island Depot. Admission without the shirt is $5.

CRESTON, Iowa – July 8, 2011 – Road construction work will reduce Iowa 2 to one lane
between Taylor County Road N-26 (near New Market) and Iowa 148 (near Bedford)
beginning Tuesday, July 12, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of
Transportation’s (DOT) Creston construction office.

Flaggers and a pilot car will be used to control traffic during the closure. The
roadway will return to normal traffic patterns when workers are not present. This
portion of the project is expected to be completed by late July.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey posted speed limit and
other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations
are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert,
allow ample space between vehicles and wear seat belts.

AMES, Iowa – July 8, 2011 – The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) held an
emergency bid letting earlier today (Friday) pertaining to work related to the Missouri River
flooding. 

As a flood mitigation effort, the highway grade of southbound Interstate 29 will be
raised about one foot using hot-mix asphalt from milepost 103 to 104 in Monona
County, south of the Blencoe interchange. The length of the project is approximately
4,200 feet. 

The Iowa DOT received three bids for the project. The apparent low bidder is Western
Engineering Co. Inc. of Harlan. Their bid was $1,189,650.55. They will have 10 days
to complete the work after the project is started. 

Governor Branstad has signed a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency conditionally
suspending, for this specific project, the Iowa law that imposes a $1 million
emergency letting limitation. If not suspended, the law would have hindered or
delayed restoration of this critical highway and bridge. 

Emergency work is necessary to prevent flooding from potentially inundating the
roadway at this location.