Ireton Woman Arrested For Reporting False Information
(Orange City) — An Ireton woman has been arrested by Sioux County Sheriff’s Officials after reporting false information. The incident happened Thursday evening when 47 year old Carmen Topete informed law enforcement officials that she had been threatened with bodily harm by a male at the residence and that he was prohibiting her from leaving. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Topete reported false information about the incident, and provoked the male into becoming involved in a dispute with her. Topete was charged with false reporting of a felony to law enforcement and domestic assault. The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by its Tri-county Special Response Team, a combined emergency response team made up of officers from the Sioux, Plymouth, and Cherokee Sheriff’s Offices, along with Le Mars and Cherokee Police Departments. Police from Sioux Center, Hawarden, Orange City, as well as the
Ireton Fire Department and Ireton Ambulance were also on the scene Thursday evening.
Wells Enterprises Fined By The Iowa Department of Natural Resources
(Des Moines) — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is assessing a fine amounting to $4,500 penalty and fish restitution, along with an investigative costs of $980 to Wells Enterprises of Le Mars. The consent order is from an incident when a discharge of a pollutant was spilled into a storm drain, and consequently reached a tributary of the Floyd River, then ultimately reaching the Floyd River, resulting in a fish kill. The incident happened on August 31, 2017. A consent order is issued as an alternative to issuing an administrative order. A consent order indicates that the DNR has voluntarily entered into a
legally enforceable agreement with the other party.
Sioux Center Company Receives Tax Incentive Package
(Des Moines) — A Sioux Center company is to be the recipient of a tax incentive package as awarded by the Iowa Economic Development Board. Interstates, based in Sioux Center since its inception in 1953, has grown into the electrical construction, engineering, instrumentation and factory automation and controls market on a national level. The company is planning to design a campus headquarters location in Sioux Center. This project includes the initial phase of this plan, which includes the construction of two office buildings on a new site to the northeast of the company’s current manufacturing and engineering building. This phase also includes an addition to a current facility which will accommodate the regional office and training facilities. The board awarded the company $375,000 in direct financial assistance, as well as tax benefits for
this $14 million capital investment. The project is expected to create 50 jobs at a qualifying wage of $19.85 per hour.
Reynolds Raised More Money Than Other Governor Candidates
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – New data show Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds raised more money last year than all her gubernatorial challengers.
Details about the totals, required by Friday, show the Republican governor collected more than $3.7 million in 2017. She starts the new year with about $4.1 million available.
Fred Hubbell, a businessman seeking the Democratic nomination alongside six others, raised over $3 million in the same period and has $1.2 million cash-on- hand. Cathy Glasson, a union organizer in the Democratic race, raised more than
$1.3 million and has more than $729,000 available.
Nate Boulton, a Democratic state senator seeking the party nomination, collected over $1 million and has a little over $481,000 cash-on-hand.
Ron Corbett, a former Cedar Rapids mayor challenging Reynolds in the Republican primary, raised more than $844,000 and has $578,000 available.
State Lawmaker Arrested For Intoxicated Driving
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa state lawmaker has been charged with drunken driving and possessing a firearm while under the influence.
Online records show Rep. Chip Baltimore, a Republican from Boone whose legal first name is Frances, was booked Friday into the Story County Jail. The jail is about 35 miles north of the state Capitol.
The 51-year-old Baltimore faces charges of first offense operating while intoxicated and possession or carrying a firearm while under the influence. He remained jailed late Friday morning on $2,000 bond.
A phone number listed as Baltimore’s home is not accepting messages. A message to Ames police, the responding law enforcement in the area, was not immediately returned.
Baltimore is serving his fourth term as a state representative. He is chairman of the House judiciary committee.
Work Related Accident Claims Ames Man Life
AMES, Iowa (AP) – Officials say a worker at an Ames hydraulic motors manufacturer has died in a work-related accident.
Des Moines television station KCCI reports that the Danfoss Power Solutions employee died after suffering injuries around 4 p.m. Thursday while at work. A Danfoss news release says the employee was taken to Mary Greeley Medical Center
in Ames and pronounced dead.
The identity of the employee and details of the accident have not yet been released.
The plant says it’s investigating along with federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials.
The company halted all production operations at the plant until further notice.
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USDA Proposes New Rules For Pork Processing
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The federal government wants to change the rules on how most hogs slaughtered for meat in the U.S. are processed.
Some of the U.S. Department of Agriculture proposals released Friday are similar to those enacted in 2014 for poultry processors.
One rule allows pork processors to voluntarily enact a new inspection system placing plant employees in charge of removing animals unfit for slaughter, and allows companies to set their own processing line speeds.
The USDA says the proposed rules would streamline production without compromising food safety.
Critics say similar poultry industry changes gave companies too much control over food safety.
Another proposed rule would require processing plants to implement new procedures for preventing bacterial contamination of meat.
The USDA is taking comments and has no date set for implementation.
Cattle Producers Concerned About Trade Agreements May Disappear
(Sioux Center) — Cattle producers have recently enjoyed seeing expanded market opportunities which has lead to higher prices for their product. But, cattle producers worry the good times may disappear, especially if President Trump
throws away trade agreements. More than 250 cattle producers were in Sioux Center earlier this week for a Feedlot Forum. One of the speakers was Kent Bacus, Director of International Trade with the National Cattlemens Beef Association. Bacus says cattle producers are concerned their gains in exporting American beef could someday disappear.
Bacus says both Mexico and Canada are good markets for the U-S Cattle Industy, and he says cattle producers worry the Trump administration, with their talks about re-negotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, could end up jeopardizing the agreement, and costing the cattle producer, and all those
involved in the agriculture industry some money.
The National Cattle and Beef Association staff member shared the message for cattle producers that in order to continue with the foreign trade opportunities, the correct policy needs to be established and adhered too.
Bacus says it is vitally important to the cattle industry that cattle producers continue to talk to their Congressional members, Senators, and Trump administration officials, and encourage them to set policies that are beneficial to cattle producers. Backus says cattle producers need to speak louder than
their adversaries.
Greater Des Moines Partnership Refuses To Tell How Amazon Passed Over Des Moines For Second Headquarters
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A private economic development group in Iowa is refusing to release details about its failed bid to get Des Moines selected as Amazon’s second headquarters.
Greater Des Moines Partnership declined Friday to provide additional information about its efforts to attract the company. Partnership spokesman Sam Hoyle says conversations between the group and Amazon will remain private.
The Associated Press sought records from the Greater Des Moines Partnership in November about the group’s pitch to Amazon. The partnership said it wasn’t subject to Iowa’s public records laws. AP contacted the group again
after Amazon rejected Des Moines.
Amazon recently narrowed its list to 20 prospective sites for the $5 billion project that could employ up to 50,000 people. More than 200 municipalities failed to make the cut.
