City Council Approves The Sale Of City-Owned Property
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council approved the sale of city-owned property to Troy Ahlrich with a couple of conditions. Ahlrich submitted a bid of $80,000 for the property located at 1964 Lincoln Avenue, southwest. The council voted to approve the sale, however, in his motion, Councilman Clark
Goodchild inquired if the council could add to the agreement that Ahlrich would accept the property in its current condition, and to have destruction of the building on the property and removal within 12 months. Assistant City Administrator Jason Vacera informed the council he would inquire to see if Ahlrich would be willing to accept the terms. Vacera, told the council the additional requests were not part of the original agreement that was reached between the city and Ahlrich.
Cherokee To Lose Its Shopko
(Undated) — Officials with Shopko Stores Operating Company LLC in Green Bay, Wisconsin have announced that three Shopko Hometown stores in Iowa will be closing their doors in February. The stores are located in Cherokee, Eldora and Webster City. Company officials said the closing is based on long-term profitability, sales trends and potential growth not coming in.
Shopko operates approximately 360 stores in 25 states. The liquidation sale at the three stores will begin later this week. Retail discount shopping in Cherokee was already given a blow when K-Mart had announced it would close its Cherokee store at year’s end.
Suspect Accused Of Making Threats To South Sioux City Schools Will Not Be Charged
(Sioux City) — The suspect who was arrested Wednesday afternoon for allegedly making a social media post that resulted in South Sioux City’s High School and Middle Schools being placed in lock out status has not been charged in the incident.
South Sioux City Police say the Woodbury County prosecutor who reviewed the initial reports of the incident felt the elements to prove the case were not present.
Lt. Chris Chernock of the South Sioux Police says the perceived threat was found on SnapChat and the suspect was arrested within a couple of hours of the post for making terrorist threats.
An investigation led to the identification of the male suspect, who Chernock says was located at the Regency Trailer Court in Sioux City and taken into custody:
But that suspect now will not be charged in Iowa.
South Sioux Police say the investigation is continuing with school
discipline pending and possible criminal charges being filed in Nebraska.
School officials say everyone was safe in their buildings during the
incident and the lock out was lifted at the end of the school day.
Second Teenager Dies From Stolen Vehicle Accident
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Des Moines authorities say a second teenager has died after the stolen car he was driving crashed into a delivery van.
Police identified him Wednesday night as 17-year-old Des Moines
resident Jair Sanchez-Banos. His passenger, 16-year-old Des Moines resident Emilio Esteban Garcia, died earlier.
The car was reported stolen a little after 8:10 p.m. Monday after it was left running unattended. A vehicle matching its description was seen about 30 minutes later where gunshots rang out several blocks northwest.
Police say an officer soon spotted the suspect vehicle and tried to
pull it over. It raced away but crashed into a U.S. Postal Service van and then into trees and fencing. A gun was recovered from the car.
Police say the van driver was not injured.
Grassley Says He Will Support Trump In 2020
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Sen. Chuck Grassley says he will not support any Republican challenger to President Donald Trump in the primary ahead of the 2020 election.
Grassley said Wednesday he will be supporting Trump.
He says anyone is welcome to campaign in Iowa, which holds the first in the nation caucus, “but Chuck Grassley won’t be appearing with them.”
Grassley, first elected in 1980 and soon to become the Senate’s most senior Republican, credits Trump with keeping campaign promises that include signing a tax cut, getting European nations to pay more for their own defense and fighting for improved free trade through his tariff battles with China and other trade partners.
Outgoing Ohio Gov. John Kasich says he’s seriously considering
challenging Trump for the 2020 GOP presidential nomination.
Grassley Opposes Farm Bill Provisions
(Washington) — Reports that the compromise Farm Bill loosens restrictions on farm program payment eligibility are raising the ire of Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. Grassley says Farm Bill negotiators have apparently adopted House provisions making it easier for nieces, nephews and cousins of farmers to become eligible for farm payments.
Grassley is also upset that his provision to tighten payment limits was left out of the bill.
Grassley voted against the 2014 Farm Bill because those payment limitations were dropped from the final version. He told ag reporters in a conference call this week that he hasn’t made up his mind whether to oppose this Farm Bill.
…………………….
Pearl Harbor Veterans Now Being Identified and Buried At Home Towns
HONOLULU (AP) – It’s been more than 75 years since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Some who died on Dec. 7, 1941, are finally being laid to rest in cemeteries across the United States.
In 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency dug up nearly 400 sets of remains from a Hawaii cemetery buried as unknowns after the war. The remains were exhumed after determining that advances in DNA technology could make identifications possible.
They were all on the USS Oklahoma, which capsized during the attack.
As of earlier this month, the agency identified 186 sailors and
Marines from the Oklahoma that were previously unidentified.
Some have been reburied this year. Others will bury their war heroes on Friday, the 77th anniversary of the attack.
