Supervisors To Meet On Tuesday
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will convene today at the County Courthouse Board Room. The supervisors are expected to approve two applications for fireworks displays. The county governing board will hear about a military exemption issue from Barbara Derby, and they will hear from county engineer Tom Rohe regarding a new county employee that will help with road maintenance and work on a bridge crew.
Iris Avenue To Close For Culvert Repair
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department has announced the closing of Iris Avenue from County Road C-12 to the Plymouth-Sioux County line. The road will close next Monday, July 7th and will remain closed for nearly a month. Road crews will be replacing a bridge with a box culvert.
One Man Killed Another Is Injured Due To Building Collapse From Storms
FAIRFAX, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a man has been killed in a building collapse caused by severe weather in eastern Iowa.
The Linn County Sheriff’s Office says strong winds blew through the small community of Fairfax on Monday and caused extensive damage to a building that trapped a man. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities say the building is owned by Intermec Technologies and the man was an employee. His name has not been released pending family notification.
A second person in the building received injuries that were not life-threatening. Authorities have not released other information. A message left for the company was not immediately returned Monday.
Severe weather affected much of the state Monday, causing damage to properties, extensive flooding and power outages.
Branstad Declares Five More Counties As Emergency Disaster Counties
(Des Moines) — Governor Branstad has added five more counties to the growing list of counties given a disaster emergency proclamation. The five include : Adair, Cedar, Guthrie, Jones, and Linn counties. State resources can now be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of these storms.
Farmers Planting Less Corn Acres, But More Soybeans
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – American farmers have planted less corn than in any year since 2010 but more soybeans than ever, as expected.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says in its annual Acreage Report released Monday that farmers planted 91.6 million acres of corn. That’s 4 percent less than last year but still the fifth-largest corn crop planted since 1944. Analysts expected some farmers to devote more acreage to soybeans because of a drop in corn prices.
The USDA says farmers planted a record high 84.8 million acres of soybeans, up 11 percent from last year. Record soybean acres have been planted in Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Continued Rains Give State’s Subsoil Moisture Levels Adequate Or Surplus Rating
(Des Moines) — Continued rains from this past week have added to the moisture levels for the state with 68 percent of the state’s subsoil listed as being adequate, and 22 percent with a surplus. With the exception of southeast Iowa, every district in the state had over one-quarter of its topsoil in surplus condition. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey says the weekly crop condition shows Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 16 percent fair, 56 percent good, and 23 percent excellent. Six percent of the soybean acreage was blooming, 10 days ahead of the previous year but 2 days behind normal. Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 19 percent fair, 57 percent good, and 18 percent excellent. Eighty-six percent of the oat crop has headed, 4 percentage points above last year but 2 percentage points behind five-year average. Eleven percent of the oat acreage has turned color, 5 percentage points ahead of last year but 13 percentage points behind average. Oat condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 24 percent fair, 61 percent good, and 13 percent excellent.
Iowa Priest Placed On Administrative Leave For Child Sexual Abuse
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The bishop of the Des Moines Diocese has place a priest on indefinite administrative leave after finding a decades-old allegation of sexual abuse of a minor was credible.
The diocese says in a news release Monday that Bishop Richard Pate has placed the Rev. Howard Fitzgerald on leave while the matter is forwarded to the Vatican.
While on leave, Fitzgerald can’t function publicly as a priest. Pate also has asked him to not wear clerical garb.
During the investigation, Pate had asked Fitzgerald to step aside from his responsibilities at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Indianola, Immaculate Conception Parish in St. Marys and at Simpson College.
Pates says he’s apologized to the victim.
The diocese didn’t release further details about the matter.
Officials say they have notified local law enforcement.
