Home News KLEM News AM Update May 5, 2010

KLEM News AM Update May 5, 2010

(LE MARS)–A request for local option sales tax funds to improve facades on buildings in the Le Mars Main Street area will be funded by the City Council. Staff and volunteers for the program are being asked to develop new guidelines and consider help to businesses away from the downtown.

The Council Tuesday approved 25-thousand dollars of the 30-thousand dollar request for the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Main Street program.

Council member Ken Nelson voted no.

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Le Mars Business Initiative Corporation executive director Neal Adler offered to withdraw a local option sales tax request for 10-thousand dollars a year over three years. The funds would continue an interest buy-down program for small businesses in the Main Street area.

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Main Street Manager Mary Reynolds told the Council many good things are happening and planned.

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Council member Delana Ihrke talked with Main Street Design Committee Chair Linda Mayrose about  future regulations for facade money in the event the business use changes with a sale, for example. Councilman John Rexwinkel made a suggestion with Councilman John Leonard looking to a program for all businesses.

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Councilman Rex Knapp supported five-thousand dollars less than the request which he said was submitted after the city budget was finalized. He indicated this would provide funds until the next round of city budget requests and give time for criteria to be developed based on the council discussion. The motion for facade improvement funds passed on a 4-to-one vote with Nelson voting no.

(LE MARS)–Lower interest rates on borrowed funds will save money for the city of Le Mars. Two bonds issued in 2002 and 2003 are to be refunded.

The Le Mars City Council Tuesday approved paperwork toward the sale of the bonds.

At the meeting, Chip Schultz of Ruan Securities explained the savings for the A+ rated financing .

“Really, the bottom line (is), the city is replacing debt that is outstanding at the average coupon rate of 4.99 percent with debt at an average rate of 2.95 percent. That difference right there is where the savings is realized, ” Schultz said.

The amount of savings is about 87-thousand dollars.  

(Le Mars)–The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors approved a temporary appointment resolution
for a second deputy in the recorder’s office Tuesday. Shonden Frederes appointment became effective May first, and will continue through October 31, 2010. The six month appointment passed with supervisor Gordon  Greene casting the lone ‘no’ vote.

The board passed by unanimous vote the General Obligation Local Option Sales Tax Refunding Bonds. A correction was made to the resolution to reflect the specific purpose of the revenue will go to the County Law Enforcement Center loan repayment.

Approval of the Berendes Addition in Remsen township passed by unanimous vote. The property will
be used for farm land. (News report by Dave Ruden)

(SIOUX CITY)—A CHEMICAL REACTION FORCED TYSON EVENTS CENTER EMPLOYEES TO EVACUATE TUESDAY.
SIOUX CITY FIRE RESCUE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER JOE RODRIGUEZ SAYS EVENT CENTER EMPLOYEES WERE TRYING TO RESTART THEIR OUTDOOR FOUNTAIN AFTER A LONG WINTER.
HE SAYS AROUND NOON, A MIXTURE OF GLYCOL AND BROMINE CREATED TOXIC VAPORS INSIDE THE FACILITY.

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 HAZMAT RESCUE TEAM MEMBERS ENTERED THE BUILDING WITH SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS , TOOK PICTURES OF THE AFFECTED AREA AND RESOLVED THE PROBLEM.

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TWO EMPLOYEES WERE MONITORED AT THE SCENE, ALTHOUGH NO ONE WAS INJURED.
ALL EMPLOYEES WERE ALLOWED TO REENTER THE BUILDING AROUND TWO O’CLOCK TUESDAY AFTERNOON.  (NEWS REPORT BY JOSIE COOPER, KSCJ NEWS/POWELL BROADCASTING, SIOUX CITY)

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JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) Hundreds of people crowded into a meeting to give state gambling regulators their views on whether Iowa should allow four new casinos.

The state’s Racing and Gaming Commission held the meeting Tuesday in Johnston, offering one last chance for people to support or oppose the proposed casinos in Lyon County, Fort Dodge, Ottumwa, and Tama County.

Some of the communities provided buses to bring supporters to the hearing.

Backers of the casinos say they will provide jobs, but opponents counter that they might drain business from the existing 17 state-licensed casinos. Some argued the state has enough casinos and should work to become less dependent on gambling for tax revenue.

The commission will decide next week whether to approve any of the license applications.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) Jury selection will continue Wednesday in the child labor trial of a former Iowa kosher slaughterhouse executive.

Former Agriprocessors Inc. manager Sholom Rubashkin faces 83 charges in Black Hawk County District Court in Waterloo. Jury selection began Tuesday afternoon.

Earlier on Tuesday, prosecutors dropped thousands of charges against former Agriprocessors owner Aaron Rubashkin and human resources employee Laura Althouse. The company pleaded guilty to amended charges.

Charges remain against former human resources manager Elizabeth Billmeyer and employee Karina Freund. Their trials will be held later.

Rubashkin was convicted in November of 86 federal financial crimes. He will be sentenced on May 27.

The plant was the site of a massive immigration raid in 2008.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) A federal judge in Cedar Rapids has sentenced a Howard County pharmacist to four years in prison for defrauding his health insurance company by submitting false prescription claims.

In handing down the sentence Tuesday against 51-year-old Patrick Slifka of Cresco, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Linda Reade also levied a fine of $25,000.

Slifka pleaded guilty last September to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Slifka admitted defrauding Wllmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield by submitting fraudulent claims against his family health insurance coverage for medications that were not prescribed by a licensed health care provider.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) Police in Cedar Rapids say they are investigating the reported sexual assault of a 10 year-old-girl in her southeast side home last month.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin says a male acquaintance fondled the girl on at least one occasion in April.

The young girl’s parents reported the incident last Friday.

Hamblin says the man once lived at the same residence as the girl but does not live there now. She says police have identified him, but no arrests had been made as of Tuesday evening.

WAVERLY, Iowa (AP) Authorities in Bremer County, Iowa, have filed a juvenile delinquency petition of vehicular homicide against 17-year-old Alexander Mark Pothast of Clarksville in a March 21 traffic fatality.

Bremer County Attorney Kasey Earl Wadding said Tuesday that investigators from the sheriff’s office had determined that Pothast had been drinking alcohol before the crash that killed his passenger, 18-year-old Joshua Young of Waverly.

Pothast and Young were high school classmates in Waverly.

Pothast’s attorney, Matthew Lindholm of Des Moines, was not available for comment Tuesday afternoon.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) Dubuque authorities say no arrests have been made in connection with an attack on an elderly woman by a relative.

Police say 84-year-old Dorothy M. Scheckel of Dubuque was struck Thursday with a casserole dish, which broke her arm and caused head injuries. Scheckel is listed in good condition at Mercy Medical Center-Dubuque.

According to police, Scheckel said that during an argument, the family member pushed her and struck her with the dish. Police found Scheckel lying on the ground outside the site of the assault.

Authorities say an arrest warrant was issued for the alleged assailant, who they haven’t identified.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Gov. Chet Culver has proclaimed May “Older Iowans Month.”

Culver says the move is designed to pay tribute to the diversity of Iowa’s older citizens.

Iowa Department on Aging Director John McCalley says people are living stronger, longer, healthier and more independent lives. He adds older Iowans provide thousands of hours of volunteer, community, and civic service.

The proclamation states that “Older adults of Iowa are among our most treasured resources.” It also contends Iowa can provide the recognition and respect by improving the quality of life for older Iowans by increasing their opportunities to remain active and engaged in community life.

Older Americans Month first began under President John F. Kennedy in 1963. The 2010 theme for Older Americans Month is “Age Strong! Live Long!”

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Submit your news release, confidential news tip or news idea by email klemnews@lemarscomm.net, by calling 712.546.4121 or 712.546.9672 fax.