(LeMars) — The City Water Committee will hold a public forum at the City Hall Council Chambers this evening from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. to hear public comment on eliminating all private water meters which provides for a sewer credit.
(LeMars) — The Holidays can be a stressful time. In fact, surveys indicate eight out of ten Americans anticipate stress during the holidays. But Floyd Valley Hospital wants to help reduce some of the stress associated with the holidays. Floyd Valley Hospital officials recommend we follow six tips. First, develop a schedule for the holidays that works for you. Holiday gatherings are a time to celebrate and have fun, but too many commitments lead to feeling frazzled and stretched thin. The second tip is to stick to a budget. Holiday debt ads up fast if you don’t have a plan. Write down how much you are going to spend on gifts and stick to it. The third tip is be mindful of the food you eat. Most adults gain a few pounds over the holidays. Use a small plate at parties, alternate high calorie drinks with sparkling water, and keep up a regular exercise routine. The fourth tip from Floyd Valley is to set realistic expectations. Examine your thoughts and expectations for the holidays. Don’t obsess over finding the “perfect” gift or having the “perfect” family gathering. Focus on being grateful and enjoy your time with family and friends. Floyd Valley’s fifth tip for reducing stress is make sure you get plenty of rest. When you are worn out, you become less patient with others and more susceptible to illnesses. Neither is a recipe for a fun holiday. The final stress reliever tip is to make sure you take time for yourself. It is time to sit back, breathe, and celebrate your family and your accomplishments for the last year.
(LeMars) — The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department has lost a major component in fighting crime and drugs. Long time canine partner to Deputy Scott Dorhout has passed away. The dog, known as “Sabot” was certified by the United State Police Canine Association as a drug detector dog and also became certified as a patrol dog. During Sabot’s career he was involved in apprehending criminals, detecting narcotics, searching for lost and missing individuals, searching buildings and residences and doing community service programs for service clubs and schools. Sabot retired from his police work last April due to health concerns. Sabot was nine years of age or 63 in dog years.
(Washington) — Congressman Steve King testified yesterday at a subcommitte hearing about the flooding that occurred on the Missouri River. King was joined by other Congressional members from the Missouri River basin. King spoke about the damage done by the flood and urged the committee to act on House Resolution 2942, legislation that King has introduced, calling for the Army Corps of Engineers to increase the amount of storage capacity in the Missouri River’s reservoir system that is set aside for flood control so that it is sufficient to handle the amount of runoff experienced this year.
(Des Moines) — The Iowa Chamber Alliance offered the governor and the state legislature their four key priority issues for economic development. The Chamber Alliance made public their concerns at a news conference held today at the state capitol building. The Alliance is a non-partisian coalition representing 16 chambers of commerce and economic development organizations throughout the state. Their priority issues include taxes, economic development, transportation and infrastructure, and workforce development. The Chamber Alliance supports improving the business tax climate including commercial and industrial property tax relief. The newly formed Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Partnership for Economic Progress needs a new set of economic development incentives. The Chamber alliance would also like to see some attention devoted to our roads, saying quality roads are central to economic growth. The Alliance supports a fuel tax increase. They also say comprehensive education reform is critical for Iowa’s economic growth. The Alliance recommends that rules and regulations should be evaluated regularly for necessity, effectiveness, cost-efficiency and financial impact. The Iowa Chamber Alliance include chambers of commerce and economic development organizations in Ames, Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Dubuque, Fort Dodge, Iowa City, Marshalltown, Mason City, Muscatine, the Quad Cities, Sioux City and Waterloo/Cedar Falls.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An analysis of new census data shows Iowa is fifth in the nation for residents 65 or older.
Nearly 15 percent of Iowa’s 3 million residents are 65 or older. The oldest state is Florida, with 17.3 percent of its residents 65 or older, followed by West Virginia, Maine and Pennsylvania.
The analysis of the data released Wednesday says Iowa is among the top three states in percentage of residents 85 and older.
Families, employers, health care and other institutions have been faced with adjustments as the baby boomers born after the end of World War II age.
The Census Bureau says the 65-and-older segment grew more than 15 percent over the past decade and now makes up 13 percent of the nation’s population.
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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics says a new cancer clinic that opens next week will provide more space for patients and researchers.
The $12 million clinic will occupy two floors at the Pomerantz Family Pavilion and house cancer care teams that focus on several types such as breast and prostate.
Hospital officials say the new clinic will provide for more exam rooms and patient suites. They say the clinic will have patient-friendly features such as loveseats in the waiting areas, open walls that allow chemotherapy patients to talk to each other and headsets to let patients watch television.
The clinic will also bring together cancer center researchers who work on clinical trials, allowing them to better coordinate their activities.
(Ankeny) — All eyes are on the railroad industry these days to see if three unions can reach an agreement with railroad companies, before a December 6 deadline. Already, 10 of the 13 unions that work with the rail industry has reached an agreement, but the remaining three could put this nation’s rail industry and everything that depends on rail in a deep tailspin if an agreement is not met.
Mike Steenhogen serves as the Executive Director with the Soy Transportation Coalition. He says if the unions chooses to go on strike, it would mean devastating news for agriculture and in particular the soy industry. If the strike occurs, it would affect the Union Pacific, the Burlington-Northern Sante Fe, and the CMX rail companies.
