Supervisors To Meet Today
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will meet today at the County Courthouse Boardroom beginning at 9:30 a.m. The county governing board will hear from Surveyor, Dave Wilberding as he seeks approval of the Dog House Pork Addition in Marion Township. County Recorder Jolynn Goodchild will submit her quarterly report, and County Engineer Tom Rohe will address the supervisors on various construction projects. Rohe will submit a permit for Long Lines, as well as a permit for the Iowa Department of Transportation with conjunction of Westel Systems in Remsen, Henry, Union, Marion, and Fredonia townships.
Floyd Valley Board Of Trustees To Meet Today
(Le Mars) — Floyd Valley Board of Trustees are scheduled to hold their monthly meeting this morning beginning at 7:30 a.m. The hospital trustees will hear a medical staff update from Dr. Andrew Geha, an auxiliary update from Judy Hawkins. Avera will submit an update for the trustee review.
Trustee member Danna Schuster will offer a Quality Improvement Board Quarterly Report, and the trustees will review and approve the 2018-2019 Quality Plan. Mike Donlin, the administrator for Floyd Valley will offer a general update and review with the board the list for approval the capital
acquisitions.
Deep Creek Watershed Quality Project To Hold Field Day
(Le Mars) — A clean water quality project that has received state funding will be highlighted during a field day scheduled for today. The Deep Creek Water Quality Initiative Project starts on the northeast side of Le Mars and extends through Plymouth County into Cherokee, Sioux and O’Brien Counties.
Kristie Silverthorn is the Water Shed Project Coordinator for the Deep Creek project. She says the purpose of the program is to educate farmers along the water shed drainage area about various cost-share conservation programs that will help reduce the amount of nitrate run-off, and assist in the efforts to
provide a clean water supply.
The Water Shed coordinator says the use of cover crops is a relatively simple method that farmers can implement as part of their production practices in order to conserve soil and reduce run-off. She says the program is also introducing other conservation methods for farmers to consider.
Silverthorn says cost-share funding is still available, but she says farmers and landowners need to sign up by August 1st. Silverthorn says the water quality project field day is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Mike Schnepf farm.
Lunch will be provided by the Plymouth County Pork Producers.
Clean Up Continues On Train Derailment Oil Spill
(Doon) — Clean-up continues in northwest Iowa near Doon where 32 B-N-S-F railcars carrying oil derailed June 22. Fourteen of the 32 cars leaked approximately 230-thousand gallons of crude oil into flooded farm fields, some it making into the Little Rock River. The trains began running again in three days — but the D-N-R’s Environment Program Supervisor, Ken Hessenius,
says there’s lots of clean up left to be done.
Hessenius says the conditions around the accident site are making it tough to get right in.
Flooding is believe to have caused the cars to derail. Hessenius says he’s never had to deal with a spill of oil this large in his 30-year history in northwest Iowa.
At this point, the number of gallons spilled is still an estimate.
Hessenius says he thinks the response went very well with good cooperation between the railroad, the city of Doon, and its residents.
Governor Ray’s Family Announces Funeral Arrangements
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The family of former longtime Iowa Gov. Robert D. Ray has announced plans for his funeral.
The service will be at 1 p.m. Friday at First Christian Church in Des Moines. The ceremony will be streamed online.
Earlier in the week, Ray’s body will lie in state at the Capitol. Ray
will be brought to the Capitol at 5 p.m. Thursday, and his casket will be carried to the first floor rotunda by Iowa Air and Army Guard service members, Iowa State Patrol troopers and Des Moines police officersCitizens can pay their respects between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Ray died Sunday at age 89. He served 14 years as governor after his election in 1968 and was a former mayor of Des Moines and president of Drake University.
Senator Ernst Likes Supreme Court Nominee Justice Brett Kavanaugh
WASHINGTON – Following President Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) says: “Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a highly-qualified, well-respected justice committed to the rule of law. He deserves a respectful and timely confirmation and I stand ready to offer advice and consent to Judge Kavanaugh
as he moves through the confirmation process.”
Ernst continued to say, “With Iowa’s Senior Senator, Chuck Grassley, as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, we have a phenomenal leader overseeing the process to make sure it is smooth and done in a timely manner. Senator Grassley moved Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation through the process superbly,
allowing plenty of time for both parties to participate and we did have a successful confirmation. Judge Kavanaugh deserves the same quick, yet comprehensive, process and I believe Senator Grassley will ensure the Supreme Court vacancy is filled in a way that respects the rule of law, as well as the individual being put forth for confirmation.
“I look forward to the next several months, where the Senate will have the opportunity to confirm Justice Kennedy’s successor, Judge Brett Kavanaugh.”
Trial For Murder Suspect To Be Moved
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) – The trial of a man accused of killing his mother will be moved out of Marion County in south-central Iowa.
On Monday a judge granted a motion filed by 45-year-old Jason Carter that said he couldn’t get a fair trial because of publicity surrounding the case. The new trial location has yet to be selected.
In December Carter was charged with first-degree murder, accused of fatally shooting 68-year-old Shirley Carter in June 2015 in the kitchen of her rural home. The charges were filed two days after a jury found him civilly liable. The jury ordered him to pay $10 million to his mother’s estate.
Bill Carter had sued his son for wrongful death. The elder man said his son was financially strapped and killed Shirley Carter to gain access to his parents’ $10 million in assets. Jason Carter has denied that.
