Police Says Le Mars Residents The Victim Of Phone Scams
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Police Department has received a variety of phone scam reports during the past week. They have ranged from needing to verify your social security number, the Internal Revenue Service wanting money, an arrest warrant being issued for your arrest, and many others. Police officials say the scam artists are being very creative. The Le Mars Police
Department offers the suggestion if you are on the receiving end of a scam phone call, simply tell them that you are calling the police and hang up the phone on them. Then, block their phone number. Police officials caution people to never give any information over the phone, and please do not send money to anyone that you do not know.
Fire Reported At Lawton-Bronson High School
(Lawton) — A computer that got too warm starting a fire lead the Lawton Fire Department to respond to the Lawton-Bronson Junior High and High School building late Tuesday afternoon. The fire was reported at around 5:00 p.m.
Damage was minimal, but firefighters did have to use ventilation fans to move the smoke out of the building. Classes for the high school and junior high have been cancelled for today, as school officials continue to clean up following the fire. Classes will take place as normal at the Bronson Kindergarten through 6th grade school.
photo provided by KMEG-TV.
Scholten To Hold Town Hall Meeting In Le Mars
(Sioux City) — J.D. Scholten, the Democratic Candidate for U.S. House in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District against Steve King, will be continuing his tour of public town hall meetings Thursday night at Le Mars Public Library.
Scholten is on his third 39-county tour in the past year. These events are open to all members of the community regardless of party affiliation (or lack thereof). People in attendance are encouraged to ask questions and join in the conversation about the issues impacting Iowans. The town hall meeting
will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Le Mars Public Library and is scheduled for Thursday, September 27th.
Farmers Can Apply For Tariffs Relief Payments
(Le Mars) — Farmers wanting to qualify for the government trade tariff relief payments can now sign up at their local USDA Farm Services Agency office. A few months back, the Trump Administration set up a program to offer assistance to farmers because of the lost revenue as a result of retaliation from the trade tariffs imposed by President Trump. A total of
$12 billion dollars has been made available. Farm Service Agency Director for Plymouth and Sioux Counties, Jeff Davis says the program is set up for hogs and dairy, as well as for corn, soybeans, wheat, and sorghum. He says pork producers may be entitled to up to eight dollars per head, and the dairy program may allow each qualifying producer, on average twelve cents
per hundred-weight.
Davis says the USDA allocation payment for crops varies greatly between soybeans and corn.
The F-S-A official says farmers will need to present production records to qualify for the program.
Davis ask that farmers are certain about their harvest production numbers before certification.
Farmers have until January 15th deadline to sign up for the trade tariff relief program.
Iowa’s Budget Finishes The Year With A Revenue Surplus
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa budget officials say the state budget will end its fiscal year for 2018 with a general fund surplus of about $127 million.
That’s nearly $96 million more than state officials had estimated in March.
The state’s 2018 budget year ended June 30.
Iowa Department of Management Director Dave Roederer says Tuesday the boost came primarily from higher corporate income tax receipts, which he says was likely due to federal tax reform that created more business activity than the revenue estimators anticipated in March. Personal income tax and sales tax receipts also were slightly higher than earlier anticipated.
The three-member Revenue Estimating Conference board met in March and estimated an ending balance of about $31 million.
Gov. Kim Reynolds says it’s a sign that the economy is growing.
Waldinger To Expand Des Moines Facilities – Adds Jobs
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Des Moines mechanical, electrical and sheet-metal contractor has announced plans to build a $21 million corporate office and production facility in Des Moines, adding 115 new jobs in three years.
The Des Moines Register reports that Waldinger Corp. will buy 28
acres on the city’s south side for the planned 54,000-square-foot office building and a 95,000-square-foot production plant and warehouse. The city of Des Moines has tentatively agreed to waive three years of property taxes and give Waldinger an economic development grant of up to $1.8 million.
The city’s Urban Design Review Board considered the project on
Tuesday.
Waldinger designs, fabricates and installs HVAC, refrigeration,
electrical, plumbing, piping and kitchen systems in commercial and industrial buildings. It employs about 2,000 people nationwide, including 295 office and production employees and up to 600 construction field-based service technicians in central Iowa.
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