(LE MARS)–A ceremonial start to a construction project on the Plymouth County Courthouse block is set for next week.
The Board of Supervisors will break ground for the Courthouse Annex building in the southeast corner of the Courthouse block next Tuesday.
The low bid general contractor with a $637,000 bid is H-C-I Construction of South Sioux City. The project was designed by architect Dale McKinney of M+ Architects of Sioux City.
In addition to providing office space for county staffed services and staff of the Iowa Juvenile Court System, the building features a lower level storm shelter as well as equipment storage on the north end.
New grain facilities planned
(LE MARS)–A Le Mars business will add to its grain handling facilities.
Le Mars Agri-Center plans to build a grain bin, leg and dryer at its Le Mars site at 224 Second Avenue Northeast. Plans are to complete the project for harvest.
The project is a nearly one-half million dollar investment by the agri-business.
Council actions include Ice Cream Public Art
(LE MARS)–A project to place Ice Cream Cone Art at up to 20 locations in Le Mars is moving forward. The Le Mars City Council Tuesday approved the concept of the Le Mars Public Art Project and authorized city staff to select specific locations for the six-foot tall fiberglass cones. The project does not involve city funds for the artwork.
The Council approved the second consideration of changes in the organization of the Le Mars Fire-Rescue Department. The reorganization adds officers.
A development agreement with I-CON Ag Solutions for the new location in Key Avenue was approved. Mayor Dick Kirchoff updated the Council on the project marked by a John Deere tractor
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McClure Engineering was hired by the Council to complete an evaluation and rate study of the water system. The cost for the work to be completed yet this year is 44-thousand 600 dollars.
Sioux City semi driver dies near in Calhoun County accident
(POMEROY)–A Sioux City man died when the semi he was driving rolled into a ditch six miles southwest of Pomeroy Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Iowa State Patrol, 44-year-old Russell John Edwards of Sioux City was driving south on a Calhoun County road.
The Patrol reports Edwards approached the intersection with another county road too fast and failed to stop at a stop sign.
The accident report indicates Edwards attempted to make a right turn onto the county road, lost control of the semi and it rolled onto its top into the south ditch.
Sheriff’s office arrests neighbor for dog shooting
(LE MARS)–The Plymouth County Sheriff’s office Tuesday arrested a man who is accused of shooting his neighbors’ dogs.
The sheriff’s office investigated a report from Marc and Linda Sommerfeld of rural Le Mars on July 27th that their two dogs had gotten out of their fenced in yard on July 20th at about 8:30 at night.
While looking for their dogs the sheriff’s office reports the Sommerfelds learned their four-year-old Irish setter had been shot. The dog died a day later.
The sheriff’s office arrested 55-year-old Patrick Dale Sheehan of rural Le Mars on a charge of animal abuse. Sheehan is free on bond.
Sex offender convicted
(SIOUX CITY)–A federal jury has convicted a man who failed to register as a sex offender when he moved to Sioux City.
Fifty-one-year-old William Junior Rock had been living in South Dakota, but when he moved into the Gospel Mission in Sioux City in July of 2009, he failed to notify Iowa authorities of his address, a requirement for all paroled sex offenders.
He also failed to tell South Dakota authorities that he’d moved. Rock had been convicted in South Dakota of sexual contact without consent. He’d also been found guilty in Minnesota of fifth degree non-consensual sexual contact. Rock went on trial last Thursday and he was convicted by a jury the same day. A judge will sentence Rock later. He faces up to 10 years in a federal prison. (News report by Radio Iowa)
Appanoose, Johnson counties get disaster tag
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Gov. Chet Culver has issued a disaster proclamation for Appanoose and Johnson counties in order to activate the State Individual Assistance Program in response to recent severe weather.
Appanoose County already was under a disaster proclamation authorizing state resources to help pay for cleanup assistance.
The proclamation issued Tuesday also authorizes implementation of the State Individual Assistance Grant Program, which provides up to $5,000 in reimbursements for damages incurred to individuals and families with incomes of less than 200 percent above poverty level. That means individuals making $21,660 or less or families of four making $44,100 or less.
Culver previously issued state disaster proclamations for 44 counties for state Individual Assistance from storms in June and July.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
3 injured in Dubuque-area home explosion
PEOSTA, Iowa (AP) Three men are in serious condition after a house where they were working in rural Peosta exploded in flames.
A woman and her three children who live at the home escaped without injury from the explosion just before noon Tuesday. The woman’s mother-in-law says the woman saw a giant ball of fire emerge from the steps leading downstairs, followed by the three workers running up from the basement.
The owner of the business that employed the workers says they were being flown to Iowa City for treatment. They were putting a new floor in the basement to repair water damage from recent storms.
Sgt. Dale Snyder of the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Department says authorities are investigating what caused the explosion.
Appanoose, Johnson counties get disaster tag
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Gov. Chet Culver has issued a disaster proclamation for Appanoose and Johnson counties in order to activate the State Individual Assistance Program in response to recent severe weather.
Appanoose County already was under a disaster proclamation authorizing state resources to help pay for cleanup assistance.
The proclamation issued Tuesday also authorizes implementation of the State Individual Assistance Grant Program, which provides up to $5,000 in reimbursements for damages incurred to individuals and families with incomes of less than 200 percent above poverty level. That means individuals making $21,660 or less or families of four making $44,100 or less.
Culver previously issued state disaster proclamations for 44 counties for state Individual Assistance from storms in June and July.
Burlington officer charged for halfway house sex
BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) A former Department of Correctional Services residential officer is charged with four counts of sexual misconduct for allegedly having sex with a Burlington halfway house resident.
Des Moines County prosecutors say 31-year-old Megan Elizabeth Cecil of Donnellson had sex four times in March with a 23-year-old male resident of the Burlington Men’s Residential Facility, where she worked.
Cecil had been a full-time residential officer at the facility since May 2008 but resigned last April. The Department of Corrections began investigating her soon after.
Cecil is free on bail. She does not have a listed phone number and could not be reached for comment.
Cedar Rapids bicyclist dies after struck last week
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) Police in Cedar Rapids say a bicyclist struck by a pickup truck last week has died.
The victim is identified as 51-year-old Susan Desotel of Cedar Rapids. Police say she was riding her bicycle about 6 p.m. last Thursday on a city street when she was struck by a pickup driven by 55-year-old Robert Fleming of Alburnett. He was making a left turn when he collided with the bicycle.
Desotel was being treated at University of Iowa Hospitals but died Tuesday. The collision is now being investigated as a fatality motor vehicle accident.
Culver seeks plan for failed E. Iowa dam
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) State officials say it will be a while before they decide whether to rebuild an eastern Iowa dam that failed after floodwater ate through the structure.
But they hope to at least agree to a plan by the end of the week about how to find out what disaster aid is available and whether rebuilding the Lake Delhi dam is feasible.
The dam failed July 24 after the flood-swollen Maquoketa (muh-KO’-kuh-tuh) River opened a hole in the earthen approaches to a concrete section, quickly draining the nine-mile-long lake. That left hundreds of formerly lakeside homes bordering a muddy stretch, far from the river.
Polly Carver-Kimm, a spokeswoman for Gov. Chet Culver, says agency heads would have a plan for moving forward to the governor this week.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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