City Variance Board Approves Apartments In Former Abby
(Le Mars) — The city council chambers was filled this morning with people from the neighborhood surrounding the former Abbey Nursing Care facility as they appealed to the city zoning variance board not to approve a proposed variance.
At issue, is the number of apartments to be allowed for the former Abbey. Adam Brown recently purchased the building with the intention of creating 30 apartment spaces. However, it was later learned that the building should only accommodate 21 apartments. Brown reduced the number of apartments from 30 to 26. Brown informed the variance board that any further reduction would result in the loss of revenue. Opinions were shared for nearly an hour and a half as to how the variance board should vote. The city’s variance board approved the measure on a 4-0 vote. Linda Mayrose serves as the variance board’s chair pro-tem but chaired Tuesday’s meeting. She offers the reasons why the variance board gave their approval for 26 apartment complexes.
Many residents from the neighborhood are concerned there will be street congestion, reduced parking spaces, and an increase of noise, and a disruption to the neighborhood as a result of the former nursing facility being changed to an apartment complex. Several had asked the variance board to “stick to their
guns” and deny the variance request. Mayrose acknowledges the neighbors’ concerns.
Brown says he wants to be a good neighbor.
KLEM radio had wanted to visit with some of the neighbors that had appeared at today’s meeting, but each of them left while the variance board members were in the act of voting.
Life Skills Training Center Holds Annual Meeting
(Le Mars) — Life Skills Training Center held its annual meeting last evening. Executive Director Don Nore informed the crowd the past year has been interesting at the least, given the many changes that have occurred with Medicare funding and insurance carriers. Nore says the Life Skills Training Center is doing well, but he advised the gathering to keep a watchful eye on the elected officials, both in Washington D.C. and in Des Moines. Nore says he is not certain what will happen now since the U-S House has voted to abandon the Affordable Health Care Act or otherwise known as “Obamacare.” During last evening’s annual meeting, Life Skills’ Director of Employment Services, Jayme Skadeland presented the Client Achievement Award to Janice Topf.
Skadeland says Topf has been at Life Skills since early 2012 where she began training a half day per week. Topf now works 4 full days and has participated with the cleaning crews within the community. Topf has shown improvement in her folding skills and quality as well as with her social skills. She says this year’s recipient is a quiet and shy person who works extremely hard. She says Topf has not only grown in her work abilities, but has also been able to move to more independent living.
Floyd Valley Encourages Vaccinations
(Le Mars) — Floyd Valley Community Health reminds area parents to make plans now to meet a new immunization requirement that will be in effect for the 2017-2018 school year for all students enrolling in 7th and 12th grades. The change requires meningococcal (A, C, W, Y) vaccine including:
· one-time dose if received on or after 10 years of age for students in grades 7 and above, if born after September 15, 2004;
· two doses of meningococcal vaccine with 1 dose received on or after 16 years of age for students in grade 12, if born after September 15, 1999; or
· one dose if received when students are 16 years-of-age or older.
Tara Geddes, Floyd Valley Community Health Manager says “Meningococcal disease is a very serious, life-threatening illness,” She says “This vaccine protects against four strains, or ‘serogroups’ of meningitis, and is 85 to 100 percent effective at preventing infection.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 10 to 15 percent of people with meningococcal disease die, even with appropriate treatment. Of those who recover, up to 20 percent have serious after-effects like permanent hearing loss, limb loss, or brain damage.
Geddes says “This new school immunization requirement is important because the bacteria that cause meningococcal disease are spread through upper respiratory droplets like saliva. Teens and young adults are at increased risk for meningococcal disease, and meningococcal vaccine is the best protection” said Geddes. As with all vaccinations, this immunization not only protects the individual, but also their friends and those around them.
For more information on the new meningitis vaccine requirement and for other school vaccine information, visit https://www.idph.iowa.gov/immtb/immunization/laws. If you have questions about immunizations, contact Floyd Valley Community Health at (712) 546-3335.
Sioux City School Board Settles Lawsuit
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Sioux City Community School District board has approved paying a nearly $263,000 settlement of a lawsuit filed by a mother who said school staff didn’t protect her son from another student’s bullying behavior.
The dismissal of the lawsuit was filed April 28 by the attorney for Amber Greene. The district doesn’t admit any liability in the settlement, which is being paid by its insurer.
Greene said in her August 2015 lawsuit that as her son returned to Riverside Elementary School after having a corneal transplant, she’d asked officials to keep another boy away from her son because of the boy’s bullying. She said the boy punched her son in the eye his first day back, causing him to need a second transplant.
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Drier and Warmer Weather Helps Farmers With Fieldwork
DES MOINES – What a difference a week can make. This past week farmers enjoyed the warm temperatures and dry conditions which allowed them to get back into the fields. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says,
“After a wet start to the week, warmer and dryer weather allowed farmer to get in the fields and now just over half of the corn acres have been planted. The rain showers that rolled across parts of western and central Iowa today will slow farmers in those areas, but hopefully the return of warm dry weather will allow them back in the fields soon. If the good weather holds we will continue to see significant progress on both corn and soybean planting the next several days.”
Drier conditions as the week progressed allowed farmers to plant corn and soybeans during the week ending May 7th. Statewide there were 3.4 days suitable for fieldwork. However, below normal temperatures have slowed the emergence of crops.
Almost one-quarter of the State’s expected corn acreage was planted during the week ending May 7, 2017. Fifty-two percent of the corn crop has been planted, remaining over a week behind last year, and slightly behind the 5-year average. Northeast Iowa has the smallest percentage of corn planted at 35 percent, while central Iowa has the most planted at 65 percent. Seven percent of the corn has emerged, 6 days behind last year, and 4 days behind average.
Nine percent of the soybean acreage has been planted, 6 days behind last year, and 2 days behind average.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 0 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 18 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 19 percent surplus. Southwest and South Central Districts reported 25 percent or more surplus subsoil moisture.
