Supervisors Approve TIF plan
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors approved a tax increment
financing plan for the Plymouth County Ethanol Urban Renewal program. The total
amount was for $48,603 which covered fees for engineers designing the widening of
main street in Merrill. The county supervisors also approved a minor subdivison
as introduced by Craig Bauerly. The area in question was a strip of ground
measuring about 42 feet in width. The supervisors also gave their approval to a
permit for a drainage tile to cross a country gravel road.
City To Close 15th Street SE For Repairs
(Le Mars) — Le Mars city crews have closed 15th Street southeast near Central
Avenue southeast. City crews are making repairs to the street and storm sewer
intakes.
Plymouth County Fairgrounds Hosting Old Traditional Country Music Festival
(Le Mars) — Nearly 500 people have gathered at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds to
listen and participate in singing some old fashion country and gospel music. Its
all part of the National Traditional Country Music Association’s annual
convention. The music festival’s coordinator, Robert Everhart says this year’s
music festival marks the 41st annual convention. The music festival continues
through Sunday, and it offers country music fans ten different stages.
Everhart says the annual traditional country music festival attracts people from
across the nation, as well as, around the globe.
Everhart says the type of music that is featured at the festival isn’t heard as
often as it once was, and he says the festival is a way to preserve the
traditional country sound.
The music festival coordinator says the traditional country sounds is the basis of
today’s often heard country western music.
Everhart says the traditional old country music sound generally carries a common
theme with gospel music.
Life Insurance Companies Set Up “Shadow Accounts”
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Life insurance companies are setting up “shadow insurers”
to take on some of their liabilities and free up some of their reserves. Critics
say the practice allows the companies to mask their true financial positions and
poses a long-term risk to policyholders. Now one critic is seeking to force the
release of records related to the deals in Iowa, which has encouraged the
practice.
Iowans May See Health Insurance Rates Rise
(Des Moines) — Iowa Insurance Commissioner Nick Gerhart (Gair-hart) has approved
health care premium rate increases for four companies ranging from 19 percent up
to 43 percent. Gerhart’s office reviews the rate increase requests to be sure they
are “non-discriminatory, fair and adequate” under the Affordable Care Act (A-C-A).
He says they use several actuarial tables for the review.
*
[riddinscomiss1] :15 :are collecting”
*
The information released Monday shows approval for Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue
Shield of 42-point-six percent for 22-thousand customers. About 77-hundred
policyholders of Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa will see an increase of 37-point-
eight percent. Another group of 23-hundred Wellmark plan holders who enrolled prior
to the Affordable Care Act becoming law will see a 42-point-six percent increase.
Requests for a 23 percent increase for 42-thousand Aetna Health of Iowa
policyholders, 19 percent for Medica Insurance Company users, and 19-point-8
percent for Gunderson Health Plan participants were also approved. Gerhart says the variation in the amount of premium increases is based on what those actuarial
numbers show for each company.
Gerhart says the companies have to collect enough in premiums to cover their
costs.
Gerhart has this advice for those in Iowa who face rate increases.
Around 75-thousand Iowans will pay more for their health coverage with the
increases that begin January 1st.
Judge Refuses To Issue Restraining Order On Pipeline Protesters
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A federal judge has refused to issue a restraining order
against Iowa protesters planning to risk arrest to stand against a Texas company
building an oil pipeline across the land of unwilling farmers.
Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger says in an order issued Tuesday that Texas-
based pipeline company Dakota Access hasn’t proven there’s an immediate risk of
injury or damage by protesters exercising their First Amendment rights. She set a
hearing for Friday to consider the issue further.
Ed Fallon, state director of Bold Iowa, a group opposing the Dakota Access
pipeline for environmental and property rights reasons, says up to 100 protesters
plan peaceful civil disobedience Wednesday at a pipeline construction site in
central Iowa.
Dakota Access on Monday sought an immediate restraining order to keep
protesters 25 feet away.
Des Moines Man Guilty Of Stabbing Landlord
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A 76-year-old man has been found guilty of stabbing to
death his former landlord in Des Moines.
A Polk County jury returned the verdict Tuesday, convicting Norman Wadsworth of second-degree murder in the slaying of Rebecca Crook in October 2014.
Authorities say Crook had evicted Wadsworth from an apartment complex after
he threatened her and another person. Wadsworth spent almost six months in jail
for that incident.
Prosecutors say Wadsworth sought vengeance against Crook. Wadsworth’s
attorneys argued that his mental health problems made him incapable of forming the
specific intent to kill Crook.
—
