(LE MARS)–A Le Mars business plans to relocate.
The Le Mars John Deere equipment sales and service business, ICON Ag Solutions, is at 170th Street, north of Le Mars. The firm plans to buy about 15 acres of land west of Le Mars in the 1800 block of Key Avenue.
A development agreement for the relocation will be considered by the Le Mars City Council tomorrow (Tuesday).
According to a draft development agreement, the city would extend water and sewer service to the new business location and buy one acre of land from ICON Ag Solutions for a Recreational Trail Head End. Industrial property tax exemption would be authorized by the city when building improvements are completed which is expected to be by the end of June of next year.
ICON would build the new John Deere business location with soils needed for the building project taken from Le Mars Industrial Park, Second Addition.
Detailed cost estimates for the project are expected to be available at the noon Council meeting tomorrow.
According to an agenda issued today for the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, a development agreement with the county and ICON Ag Solutions will be considered at 9:30 tomorrow morning.
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Date: May 18, 2010
Description:
ICON Ag Solutions LLC – Development Agreement
Item No.
E-3
Information:
Attached is a draft of a Development Agreement between the City of Le Mars and ICON Ag Solutions LLC.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends Council approval.
Financial Impact:
Recreational Trail Head End
– Land Cost$20,000
– Improvement Cost EstimateUnknown at this time
Water Main Extension Cost Estimate Available at the meeting
Sanitary Sewer Extension Cost Estimate Available at the meeting
Industrial Property Tax Exemptions (75, 60, 45, 30, 15%) based on actual taxable value determined by County Assessor
COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED
Motion approving the Development Agreement with ICON Ag Solutions, LLC (with or without amendment).
(No Roll Call)
(Source: CITY OF LE MARS, IOWA Council Agenda)
(Le Mars)–More than 11-hundred flags will be displayed by Wasmer Post 241 of the American Legion on Memorial Day in Le Mars.
The Legion’s “Avenue of Flags” program on the grounds of the Plymouth County Courthouse was begun 45 years ago with a dedication of 91 flags to honor deceased veterans.
The 1,106 flags dedicated to date will be displayed when the 10 a-m program begins.
The annual tradition continues with the presentation of new flags to honor deceased veterans. To be included in this year’s ceremony and to allow time for the new flags to be readied, the Legion is asking that flags to be brought to the American Legion Club at 110 Plymouth Street Southwest by 6 p-m Friday, May 28th.
To maintain a uniform appearance on the Avenues on the courthouse lawn, flags should be standard cotton 9 1/2 by 5 feet burial flags. If a family would like to keep the original burial flag, flags for presentation and display at the Avenue of Flags may be purchased at the Legion Club.
Anyone with questions may phone the Legion Club at 546-5609 or by emailing wasmer241@gmail.com.
(LE MARS)–A middle school teacher who uses speakers, letter writing, humor and music to help students learn is the Le Mars Community School District’s “Employee of the Month.”
Eighth grade Civics instructor Dave Hector received the honor for May.
A nomination for Hector described him as being a fine teacher whose characteristics include being dedicated to getting his students involved through games, posters and presentations.
Co-workers say he’ll be remembered for his “Constitutional Rap” and other singing in class to help students remember information. He has hands-on activities for students involving field trips to Memorial Park and the Ambulance Department, bringing in speakers and letter writing to the congressman representing northwest Iowa and the sheriff of Plymouth County. Teachers say he’s in early in the school day, comes in on weekends and attends meetings when he’s not scheduled to be there.
Hector is retiring after teaching in the school district for 12 years. The recognition states his teaching co-workers will miss his humor and positive attitude.
VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) The University of South Dakota will begin offering a bachelor of science in nursing degree, but only to registered nurses who already hold a two-year degree.
The state Board of Regents approved USD’s request during its meetings in Vermillion this past week.
Most courses will be offered online to current RNs.
Regents President Terry Baloun says South Dakota is aging, and so is the nursing work force.
He says there’s a strong demand for additional nurses, especially those who will have the preparation and experience that comes with a four-year degree.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
(AMES, Iowa (AP) If you notice more bicycles on Iowa roads this week, there’s a good reason.
Monday marks the beginning of Bike to Work Week. May is Bike Month in Iowa.
Commuters are encouraged to ride their bikes to work this week, even if it’s just for part of the way.
In Cedar Rapids, the rapid transit division is offering free rides to bicyclists this week. Bikers can load their bikes onto the rack on the front of buses. Each bus can hold two bikes.
Last year, 2,400 people registered for Bike to Work Week.
Organizers say Bike Month is intended to get people to try riding their bikes for transportation and to promote a “healthy alternative to driving a car.”
ANKENY, Iowa (AP) Two children who died in a car crash that left their mother and brother injured have been laid to rest.
Dozens of people attended funeral services in Ankeny on Sunday for 5-year-old son Carson DeJoode and his 5-month-old sister, Claire.
A private graveside service was held after the funeral.
Their mother, Heather, remains in critical condition at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. She had another surgery Friday to repair facial fractures she sustained in the accident.
She hasn’t regained consciousness since the May 6 crash.
A third child, 3-year-old Chase, has been released from the hospital and is recovering with family.
Authorities say the family was struck by a pickup truck that blew through a stop sign in Ankeny.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) Tibetan students at the University of Northern Iowa are counting down the days to see the Dalai Lama, who will be in Cedar Falls on Tuesday to discuss education and nonviolence.
Three or four Tibetan students typically study at UNI every year as part of a program involving about a dozen U.S. universities. Since 1994, UNI has hosted about 30 students, most of whom study education.
Students say they never could expect to see the Dalai Lama in India, where he has lived since fleeing his homeland in 1959. They say it was a shock to learn the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader was coming to the small Iowa town where they are studying.
It will be the Dalai Lama’s first visit to Iowa.
Listen to the newscast
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CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) Cedar Rapids officials say smoke alarms helped seven people safely escape a fire at an apartment complex.
Fire department spokesman Greg Buelow says firefighters were called to the building early Sunday after a resident heard smoke alarms in a second-floor hallway.
Seven people escaped uninjured. They included three children ranging in age from 1 to 4 years old.
The apartment where the fire began was unoccupied at the time. Smoke and fire damage extended into the hallway and to a nearby apartment door.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
WEST UNION, Iowa (AP) Three businesses in downtown West Union have been destroyed by fast-moving fire.
Firefighters were called to the area by passers-by at about 5 a.m. Saturday and spent much of the morning battling the blaze.
Officials say an Edward Jones insurance office, Shangri La Energy and Body Therapy and Miller Insurance in the downtown business area were destroyed.
West Union fire Chief Roger Gamm says the fire started upstairs and quickly spread.
A firewall kept the blaze from spreading past the building that the three businesses were in. He says nearby structures sustained minor smoke damage.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) More than 200,000 small nonprofits across the nation could lose their tax-exempt status because they haven’t filed a new form with the Internal Revenue Service.
The deadline for the IRS form is Monday, and the National Center for Charitable Statistics estimates 214,000 nonprofits that report $25,000 or less in income haven’t filed that form. Churches are exempted.
If nonprofits file late, officials say it could be months before their tax-exempt status is restored. People who donate to those charities still could deduct expenses because there was no way to know about the change.
Bobby Zarin of the IRS says the new requirement is intended to better track small nonprofits and make information more available to the public.
(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.
