(REMSEN)–The Board of Directors of a nearly century-old Remsen business has signed a letter of intent for a sale of the bank business.
Farmers Saving Bank President Charles Neuroth says the anticipated closing date for the sale to Vogel Bancshares Incorporated of Orange City is within 60-90 days.
Vogel Bancshares has banks in Orange City, Craig, Ireton, Hull, Paullina, Sheldon, Sanborn.
The Remsen bank, which has served the area for 97 years, will remain open. There are no anticipated changes in staff at this time.
The sale is subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.
Growth to replace fire-ravaged downtown area
(ORANGE CITY)– Groundbreaking for the new Hawkeye Center took place in Orange City Thursday morning. The center is designed to serve as a cornerstone for the city’s revitalized downtown. It features nearly 7,000-square feet of retail space on the ground level and five private loft condominiums on the upper level.
The Orange City Development Corporation purchased the property after it burned down in 2008. Lyle Korver, president of the Orange City Development Corporation, said the group usually works to attract industry, but recently decided that they needed to take hold of this project.
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Mayor Les Douma said that 3 of the condos in the Center have been purchased. He added that the city’s retail task force is searching for the right business to fill the retail space.
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Although not official, Dan Kraai, Chair of the Orange City Development Retail Task Force, announced that details are being worked out that would bring a bridal shop into the Hawkeye Center.
The Hawkeye Center is the first phase of Orange City’s Phoenix Project, which contains 5 elements. The second phase is a community event center, which will be located on Highway 10 East. (Angela Drake, KLEM News)
July 4 alcohol ban not planned for park
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A state panel has rejected a booze ban at a popular state-park beaches in Dickinson County in northwest Iowa during the July 4 holiday.
Park rangers say things have gotten out of control with rowdy behavior, especially at Gull Point State Park along West Okoboji Lake.
The Des Moines Register reports the Iowa Natural Resources Commission voted 4-3 against the alcohol ban on Thursday at a meeting in Mount Pleasant.
Patricia Boddy, the interim director of the Department of Natural Resources, says a majority of commissioners appeared to believe the ban proposed ban unfairly targeted young adults and intruded on civil liberties.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Experts say big egg farms can mean big problems
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) From the first days of the massive egg recall from two Iowa farms, one point been clear: When something goes wrong on a big farm, it’s going to be a big problem.
Petaluma, Calif., farmer Arnold Riebli acknowledges that because his operation includes more than a million hens, problems can quickly become serious. But he adds that the size of his farm lets him devote staff and time to food safety that small farms typically can’t manage.
Groups such as the Humane Society of the United States argue that giant farms that cage hens are inherently more risky for food safety. They cite European studies that say salmonella is more commonly found on big egg-laying farms.
Others say such studies aren’t necessarily applicable to U.S. operations.
DM to offer buyouts of flood-prone trailer parks
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Des Moines is close to offering buyouts to people living in two flood-prone mobile home parks along Four Mile Creek.
The Des Moines Register says the Iowa Department of Economic Development has approved up to $6 million for buyout and relocation costs of the mobile homes along the creek on the city’s east side.
The area flooded in 2008 and again in August.
Since 2008, the city has spent about $1.5 million to acquire, move or demolish 17 properties near Four Mile Creek.
After the August flood, 64 homes were declared unsafe.
The City Council is expected to take up the new agreement on Monday. City officials will try to persuade the mobile home owners to participate so the two parks are empty for future flood seasons.
Drake pulls “D+” logo from Web site
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Drake University has pulled the “D+” logo in its new marketing campaign from its Web site after some gave it a failing grade.
Some faculty, students and alumni said it was offensive and embarrassing. But others argued it was bold and edgy.
The Des Moines Register on Friday reports the school is now using “Drake” followed by a plus sign on its admissions Web site.
Drake officials say “The Drake Advantage” campaign was meant to grab people’s attention, specifically college-bound high school students.
University spokeswoman Lisa Lacher say Drake will keep the “D+” logo on printed materials for prospective students, who have generally favored the campaign.
Grand Teton death report can’t pinpoint failure
Stray cats apparently tortured to death in Iowa
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) Authorities are investigating the apparent torture and killing of two stray cats in Worthington in northeast Iowa.
The Dubuque County sheriff’s office says the cats were discovered last month at Veteran Square Park. One was hanging in a restroom, the other was outside.
Sheriff Ken Runde (RUN’-dee) told the Telegraph Herald that they have no leads or suspects.
He says if his department receives an animal abuse case, it usually involves neglected and underfed cattle, not tortured animals.
Runde says a conviction on an aggravated misdemeanor for animal torture carries up to two years in prison.
Iowa man pleads guilty in duck killing
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) A man accused of stoning 50 ducks to death at a petting zoo in Cedar Rapids has pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
The Gazette reports that Zachary Kanellis, of Cedar Rapids, pleaded guilty last week to two misdemeanor charges of third-degree criminal mischief and injury to livestock. He had been charged with a felony count of second-degree criminal mischief.
Kanellis received a deferred sentence of unsupervised probation for two years and was fined a civil penalty of $625 on each count.
A second man also is charged. The case against Shayne Smalling, of Twentynine Palms, Calif., is pending.
The dead ducks were discovered on June 25, 2008, at Bever Park Children’s Zoo. Police say the ducks were stoned to death.
No. 9 Iowa understandably wary of Iowa St
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) The rivalry between Iowa and Iowa State has become predictable.
The Hawkeyes are usally expected to pound the underdog Cyclones and it usually doesn’t happen.
Iowa State has made life miserable for the rival Hawkeyes, winning six of the last 11 meetings against Iowa.
No. 9 Iowa (1-0) is once again favored to beat Iowa State (1-0) on Saturday. But the Hawkeyes don’t expect much to come easy against the visiting Cyclones.
A year ago, Iowa beat Iowa State 35-3 in Ames. Cyclones quarterback Austen Arnaud threw four interceptions before being pulled. Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads says he’s worried Arnaud will try to do too much to make up for last season.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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