Atlantic City Administrator John Lund reports Henningsen Construction plans to start milling streets tomorrow (Wednesday), as part of the City’s 2016 Street and Alley Improvement Project. Lund says the best case scenario would be to start paving 10th Street close to November 1st. Once crews get 10th done, Lund says they may leave for a few days to go do work in Anita job and let PCS (Precision Concrete Service, Inc., of Atlantic) stay ahead of them. After that they would come back and do the alleys/parking lots.

Earlier this year, the Atlantic City Council passed a Resolution “Authorizing bids for the 2016 Street and Alley Improvements.” The projects were finalized for the Fiscal Year 2016 Capital Improvement plan. Slightly more than 1.085-million dollars for the projects is being financed by the 2016 bond. $500,-thousand dollars is being used from the Local Option Sales Tax Capital Improvement Streets fund to pay for the remaining projects.

Those projects include:

• 10th St. from Sunnyside Lane to the Hospital Drive (3″ Hot Melt Asphalt [HMA] Overlay).
• Olive St. from 7th to 10th (3″ HMA)
• Maple St. overlay from 9th to 10th
• Birch St. overlay from 2nd to 3rd
• Walnut/Elm alley from 4th to 5th
• 3rd to 4th St. alley (Chestnut to Poplar)

The Alley’s include those from:

• 4th to 5th Sts. (between Walnut & Elm)
• 3rd to 4th Sts. (between Oak & Hazel)
• 8th to 9th Sts. (between Chestnut & Walnut)
• 2nd to 3rd Sts.(Between Maple & Linn)
• 8th to 9th Sts. (Between Maple & Linn, and Poplar to Locust)
• 7th and 8th Sts. (Between Poplar & Locust)
• Alley by Gade Insurance
• All alleys and downtown parking lots.

Sheriff’s officials in Fremont County say a teenager from Hamburg has died in an ATV accident. The 14-year old male died when the ATV he was riding crashed into a soybean field at around 6:30-p.m., Monday, about three-miles east of Hamburg.

Sheriff’s deputies were assisted at the scene by Shenandoah EMS, Hamburg, Sidney, and Riverton Rescue units, as well as the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Additional information is currently not available.

Council Bluffs Police say an adult female was transported to Creighton CHI in Omaha, after being struck by a car Monday night. Authorities said the woman, who was not carrying any identification and is listed as a “Jane Doe,” was struck by a 2008 Acura as she was walking east on 9th Avenue.

The driver of the car, 54-year old Tamara Chamberland, of Blue Springs, MO.,  said she noticed the pedestrian walking in the roadway, but was unable to take evasive action in time to avoid striking her. Chamberland was not injured in the crash.

Preliminary investigation indicates that neither speed nor driver impairment appear to be factors in the accident. The Council Bluffs Police Department traffic unit is conducting an investigation into the incident. Any witnesses are asked to call 712-328-4948. Additional information requests should be directed to the traffic unit.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Rockwell Collins, which makes systems for airplanes, is buying rival B/E Aerospace for $6.4 billion. The deal still needs approval by shareholders of both companies and by regulators. Rockwell sells electronics systems used in airliners and business jets, while B/E makes aircraft cabin interiors including seating.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Hampton man has been sentenced to life in prison for the fatal shooting of his girlfriend. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports 61-year-old Ronald Rand was sentenced Monday to the life term after a jury in August found him guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 51-year-old Michelle Key, of Waterloo. She died on a couch in Rand’s living room after being shot in the neck with a sawed-off shotgun. Prosecutors argued Rand killed Key because she laughed as she admitted cheating on him.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A Vinton woman has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison after pleading guilty to a charge connected to the fatal accidental shooting of a 14-year-old girl. The woman was sentenced after pleading guilty in May to providing a firearm to a prohibited person. Investigators found she provided a rifle to her 16-year-old son, who she knew used marijuana. Authorities say a teen other than the woman’s son was handling the gun when it fired, hitting Emma Redlinger. She died four days later.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge won’t dismiss a lawsuit filed by a retired University of Iowa administrator over private meetings that Board of Regents members held with the man they later hired as the UI’s president. The judge ruled Monday the lawsuit filed in June by former administrator Gerhild Krapf should proceed, though he noted he wasn’t evaluating the suit’s merits. The regents sought to dismiss the suit, which argued regents violated the law by holding private meetings with Bruce Harreld before his hiring.

After several months of rehabilitation, two great horned owls will be released at Prairie Rose State Park near Harlan in western Iowa tonight (Monday) at 6 P-M. Kay Neumann, executive director of Save Our Avian Resources, or SOAR, says one of the owls had been hit by a car, while the other one had injuries consistent with getting caught in a soccer net.

“They aren’t like us when we go, ‘Oh, we’re stuck in something,’ hold still and figure out how to get yourself out, they will panic,” Neumann says. “They’ll start flapping wings and doing things like that and in a soccer net, it doesn’t take too long and they get entangled.” At night, soccer fields are wide open hunting grounds where owls snatch mice and other rodents, but the nets can quickly turn predators into victims. Tonight’s release of the owls is a celebration for SOAR, which focuses on rehabilitation, education and research.

“We’re over 350 bird-patients this year,” Neumann says. “We take in injured wild birds, we try to fix whatever’s wrong with them and release them back into the wild. It’s been extremely busy.” In the first few months of this year, Neumann says they took in 13 American bald eagles, all with lead poisoning. Only one of the eagles survived to be released. The eagles got sick, she says, from eating animals that were shot by hunters who used lead shot as ammunition. She’s campaigning for hunters to use copper shot instead.

(Radio Iowa)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests over the weekend. Saturday morning, 33-year old Zachary Dean Anderson, of Glenwood, was arrested on Highway 34 near 280th Street, for OWI/1st offense, Failure to Maintain Control, Failure to Reduce Speed to Reasonable and Proper Rate, and Speeding. His bond was set at $2,000. 33-year old Joseph Lawrence Isenbart, of Pacific Junction, was arrested Saturday morning for Driving Under Suspension and No SR-22 Insurance. His bond was set at $1,300.

Saturday night, 18-year old Brian Burdette Kuhn, of Carter Lake, was arrested on Highway 34 in Mills County for Possession of Prescription Drug, Reckless Driving, Child Endangerment. He was also wanted on a Pott. County warrant for Failure to Appear in Court. His total bond was set at $4,000.

And, Sunday morning, 41-year old Benjamin David Sieck, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for OWI 3^rd, No Insurance and Failure to Yield to an Emergency Vehicle. His bond was set at $5,000.

Officials with the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency said today (Monday), the County Fire Danger rating will remain HIGH through Thursday, even though we are supposed to receive some moisture. Wind and continued drying after short duration moisture will keep Fire Danger in the HIGH category through Thursday.  Predominate fuel at this time is grass, and will completely cure, and be ready to burn within 1 hour of rain event.

Burning of any kind is restricted unless approval is received from local Fire Chief. Controlled burns that are not reported will result in Fire Department being dispatched, and Fires extinguished if determined to be un-safe. Please call 712-755-2124 if you have any questions.

Governor Terry Branstad says he doesn’t like the “hodge podge” of city and county minimum wage hikes that are going into effect in Iowa. After the election’s over, he plans to talk with legislators about setting a higher statewide minimum wage. “I think it would be wise for us to carefully review the workforce and what the needs are out there and look at what neighboring states have done and what is competitive,” Branstad says. The state’s minimum wage is 7-dollars-and-25 cents an hour, identical to the federal minimum wage. Every state that borders Iowa has raised its minimum wage higher than that.

“Now we’re seeing this activity in several counties and I think it becomes a challenge and difficult for many businesses and many people,” Branstad says. “It would be better if we had a uniform, statewide minimum wage.” County boards of supervisors in Johnson, Linn, Wapello and Polk Counties have voted to raise the minimum wage locally. Many of those county officials have expressed the hope their action would pressure state officials to act on the issue.

“I know this is a challenging and controversial issue and there are those that would like to demand $15,” Branstad says. “And honestly, I think most people, including the supervisors here in Polk County, determined that wasn’t realistic, so we have to look at what’s fair, but also what’s realistic and will hurt people and not hurt small business.” Branstad says he wants to find a “bipartisan” consensus in the legislature on the issue. Branstad’s staff issued a “clarification” later in the day, Monday, saying Branstad was not openly advocating for an INCREASE in the minimum wage

In 1990, Republicans in the legislature voted against a bill Democrats passed that called for raising the state’s minimum wage above the federal level. Branstad surprised his fellow Republicans by signing it into law. Now, Branstad’s giving advanced warning that he’s open to taking similar action in 2017.

Here are the minimum wage rates in surrounding states: $8.25 in Illinois; $7.56 in Missouri and it will go up to $7.80 next year; $9.00 in Nebraska; $8.50 in South Dakota; $9.50 in Minnesota.

(Radio Iowa)

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says an Afton resident reported Sunday, someone had cut the left rear tire of a 1998 Dodge Durango owned by Megan Short, sometime during the day, while the vehicle was parked outside the residence. The loss was estimated at $200.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater today (Monday) released details about three search warrants that were executed Sept. 22nd, in Bridgewater. After examining all of the physical evidence seized and other relevant information, Vandewater says complaints alleging 18 criminal violations were filed with the Court, and arrest warrants were obtained for five people.

Warrants were served on the following individuals:

• James Jeffrey Reese, who faces charges of Ongoing Criminal Conduct, Gathering Where Controlled Substances are used, and Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense. His bond was set at $25,000.
• 52-year old Toni Lynn Reese, of Bridgewater, was charged with felony Ongoing Criminal Conduct/Criminal Network, Dominion/Control of a firearm or offensive weapon by a felon, and Gathering where controlled substances are used. Her bond was also set at $25,000.
• 25-year old Shane Sim Blackford, of Bridgewater was charged with felony Ongoing Criminal Conduct/Unlawful Activity, Gathering Where Controlled Substances are used, and Theft in the 2nd degree. His bond was set at $25,000.

Two other suspects, Julie Holmes and Duane Funke, currently have outstanding arrest warrants. Holmes is wanted for Ongoing Criminal Conduct/Unlawful Activity, Theft in the 1st Degree, Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense, Gathering Where Controlled Substances are used, Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense, and two counts of Unlawful Possession of Prescription drugs. Funke is wanted for Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Anyone with information on the location of Holmes and Funke are encouraged to contact the Adair County Sheriff’s Office.