City Council Decides To Keep Traffic Signal Lights
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars city council has voted to keep the traffic signal lights located at Plymouth Street and 1st Avenue West, as well as the traffic signal light located on Central Avenue and 1st Street North. Nearly a dozen people had gathered in the council chambers to see how the city council would
vote on the controversial topic. However, only one person, Dick Halter, addressed the city council on the topic.
Some of the council members had stated they had heard many comments from their constituents regarding the issue. During the same resolution, the council also approved spending money to acquire a new set of traffic control lights, in the event if either one of the lights at the downtown intersections would fail.
City administrator Scott Langel informed the council members that the model of traffic control lights currently being used at the two down town intersections are no longer being manufactured. When the council held its vote, only Councilman Ken Nelson had voted against the resolution to keep the traffic signal lights.
Remsen Blending Well Water
(Remsen) — The city of Remsen has implemented its pilot water project. On February 28th, Remsen’s Water Treatment Plant shifted its source water. The facility has previously used water blended from several shallow and deep wells.
Elevated nitrate in the shallow wells has prompted Remsen city officials to consider utilizing only the deep well water. This change will be evaluated over the next 90 days by Remsen Municipal Utility’s staff and engineers from Bolton and Menk, Inc. in close contact with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Remsen city officials say all water sent to Remsen’s residents has met, and will continue to meet the drinking water standards for safe consumption. If any Remsen residents have questions, they are encouraged to contact the Remsen Municipal Utilities at (712) 305-1675.
Driver’s License Office Closed This Afternoon
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Treasurer Shelly Sitzmann has announced the driver’s license office located at the Courthouse Annex Building will close today at 1:30 p.m. It will re-open at 8:30 a.m. Thursday morning.
Applications Being Accepted For Steven Musson Scholarship
(Le Mars) — The Floyd Valley Foundation, along with the Musson family, have announced that they will once again be accepting applications for the Steven H. Musson Memorial Emergency Services Grant until May 31, 2017 with awards to be
given in June. To be eligible, the applicant(s) must reside and actively engage in emergency care in Plymouth County. This can include: paramedic, first responder, or emergency care technician (EMT). The $500 grant must be used for direct expenses related to pursuing an emergency care training including books tuition, classes, transportation, squad trainings and certifications.
Amber Krause was most recently awarded the 2016 Steven H. Musson Memorial Emergency Services Education Scholarship. Amber is with the Kingsley Ambulance Service and Rescue Squad.
Interested applicants (individuals or a squad) may obtain an application by calling Amy Harnack at 712-546-3328 or stopping in the Floyd Valley Foundation office.
More Problems Arise From State Fire Certification Office
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The testing scandal at Iowa’s fire academy is getting a lot bigger.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety announced Wednesday that 739 more firefighters were improperly issued nationally-recognized certifications despite failing their written exams.
In January, the department said that 1,706 firefighters and emergency personnel were issued 2,300 improper certifications over a four-year period. An internal review found that they did not have the scores they needed to pass.
The department says the new firefighters were identified after it found additional information in a State Fire Marshal database.
John McPhee, former certification and accreditation coordinator for the Fire Services Training Bureau, is accused of failing to grade tests and simply giving them random scores. He’s pleaded not guilty to misconduct in public office and tampering with records. The department is offering free retesting.
Old Businesses Being Pushed Out of the Way To Development
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Manufacturing businesses across the country are getting pushed out of neighborhoods where they have operated for decades.
It’s happening as cities remake gritty industrial districts into trendy hotspots. The transformations bring new apartments, coffee shops and microbreweries. But the process is difficult for factory and warehouse owners, who now feel shunned.
Brian Vincent owns an aluminum business in Des Moines. He says he likes the improvements in what was a dusty, forlorn part of town, but he was shocked when a map showed a park replacing his company.
It’s a similar situation in the Midway area of Minneapolis-St. Paul, in Denver’s River North Art District and a Milwaukee neighborhood called Walker’s Point.
The cold shoulder feels especially chilly in the Midwest, with its long history of manufacturing and meat-packing plants.
