(LE MARS)–With a lot of things on the docket, Le Mars City Administrator Scott Langel says he isn’t sure how many of those will materialize into a project in the New Year.
During his weekly interview with KLEM News, Langel says the largest item for 2011 is probably the conclusion of the city’s future plan.
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One change in the city for the start of the New Year is every other week garbage collection. The week of January 3rd is a trash week. The week of January 10th is a recycling collection week.
Plymouth County: December building values get bridge boost
(LE MARS)–A railroad bridge project and a new house fueled construction values in rural Plymouth County for the final month of 2010.
Zoning administrator Alan Lucken issued nine permits for one-point-two-million dollars in construction in December.
C-N Railway received a permit for a bridge in Marion Township section four at a cost of one-half million dollars. Also a factor in the 809-thousand dollar non-farm total was a house in Plymouth Township with estimated construction of 240-thousand dollars.
A house addition; a garage and two storage buildings rounded out the non-farm permits for December.
Farm construction included a grain storage facility for 310-thousand dollars; and two machine storage buildings for total farm construction of 403-thousand dollars.
Le Mars: Sign planned for business relocation
(LE MARS)–Building projects to be completed in the New Year marked the end of 2010 permits in the city of Le Mars.
They include a new house and the sign for the relocation of the Wells’ Dairy Ice Cream Parlor and Museum to downtown Le Mars.
The Le Mars Board of Adjustment had approved a variance from zoning rules for the Wells’ Dairy sign at 115 Central Avenue Northwest.
December construction was estimated by Jason Vacura of city Code Enforcement at 170-thousand dollars. The city collected 11-hundred 80 dollars in fees.
Eleven new houses were to be built in the city based on 2010 permits for two-point-seven-million dollars. Twenty-eight home remodeling projects had permits for construction costs estimated at 161-thousand dollars.
The business side of Le Mars building was the second highest for overall construction values with five permits for three-point-six million dollars on construction. Five commercial additions or remodeling permits were estimated at three-point-eight million dollars.
There were 21 permits for signs in 2010 with construction estimated at 51-thousand dollars. Accessory buildings totalled 13 with an estimated value of 116-thousand dollars.
The 112 permits issued by Vacura generated fees of about 39-thousand dollars for 10-point-five-million dollars in construction last year.
Durham named to Energy post, too
(SIOUX CITY)–Energy is being added to a Sioux City woman’s efforts to overhaul Iowa’s economic development programs.
Governor-elect Terry Branstad has named Debi Durham to oversee the Office of Energy Independence. Durham has served as Siouxland Chamber of Commerce Executive Director.
Branstad appointed Durham to serve as his economic development department last month. In announcing the Office of Energy Independence appointment, Branstad said no final decisions have been made about the long-term fate of the energy office.
Hull feedlot operator reaches agreement with EPA
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) The operator of a cattle feedlot in Sioux County has agreed to pay a $30,000 fine for letting wastewater discharge into a nearby creek.
The Environmental Protection Agency in Kansas City, Mo., announced the agreement Thursday with Darin Green, who operates a feedlot near Hull.
The EPA says in a news release that inspectors discovered the illegal wastewater discharge at rural Hull in March and determined Green’s feedlot did not have adequate waste control systems in place.
The EPA issued a compliance order requiring Green to immediately comply with the federal Clean Water Act. The agency says Green has built adequate runoff structures and obtained the necessary permits.
The EPA settlement with Green will become final after a 30-day public comment period.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Distracted driver injured in Dickinson County semi crash
(SPIRIT LAKE) A semi driver who became distracted was injured Thursday morning in Dickinson County.
The Sheriff’s Office investigated the accident just north of Vick’s Corner on Highway 86.
The sheriff’s office reports 51-year-old Mark Burns of Estherville was driving a semi loaded with livestock feed north on Highway 86.
When burns became distracted by something inside the truck, the semi and its 27-ton load of feed went onto the soft shoulder of the road and Burns lost control. The semi struck a field drive and went into the east ditch before coming to rest upside down.
Burns had to be pulled from the wreckage through the broken out passenger window.
He was taken to Lakes Regional Hospital in Spirit Lake.
Happy News Year from KLEM Radio/Powell Broadcasting. The business office will reopen Monday.
Slick roads are a headache for New Year’s travelers
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Holiday motorists were finding travel difficult as a storm dumped a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow across parts of Iowa.
Freezing rain and sleet fell across much of southwest and central Iowa Friday morning, causing several minor accidents.
The Iowa State Patrol said troopers responded to accidents involving single vehicles that have slid into the ditch. None of the accidents have been serious.
The Iowa Department of Transportation says roads across much of the western two-thirds of the state are partially covered by ice or snow.
The National Weather Service in Des Moines says the precipitation is expected to move out of the area by early afternoon but it will be followed by much colder air.
In far northwest Iowa, up to 8 inches of snow with gusty winds.
Trial dates set for teen charged in store slayings
ALGONA, Iowa (AP) Trial dates have been set for a Minnesota teenager charged in the slayings of two convenience store clerks in northern Iowa.
Seventeen-year-old Michael Swanson, of St. Louis Park, Minn., is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree robbery in Kossuth and Humboldt counties.
He is accused of killing a store clerk during a robbery in Algona on Nov. 15. Authorities say he then drove to Humboldt where he is accused of shooting and killing another store clerk.
The Messenger in Fort Dodge says trial for the Humboldt slaying is set for Feb. 16. Trial for the Algona slaying is scheduled for March 1 in Kossuth County.
Swanson remains held in the Kossuth County jail on $1 million bond.
First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence without parole.
Iowa inmate back in custody; missing 7-plus weeks
CORALVILLE, Iowa (AP) A 39-year-old Iowa inmate who has been listed as escaped for more than seven weeks is back in custody.
Hope House officials in Coralville say Brett Young was apprehended on Wednesday.
Young had been assigned to community-based, residential facility for a drunken-driving conviction.
Sam Black is the residential supervisor at Hope House. He told the Iowa City Press-Citizen that he didn’t know how Young was retaken. Young is being held in Johnson County Jail.
Records say Young left Hope House on Nov. 10 to go work out at a fitness center. He didn’t come back.
Another Hope House inmate, convicted robber Joseph Dahlen, is also missing. He was listed as escaped on Dec. 23.
Thief takes only nonworking stereo system
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) The smash-and-grab thief who tossed a cinder block through a window at a Des Moines electronics store is in for a shock:
The stereo system he or she grabbed doesn’t work.
According to The Des Moines Register, an alarm went off a little after 12 a.m. Thursday at the Radio Shack store. A broken cinder block was found later on the sidewalk outside.
A store worker called to the scene did a quick check of the inventory and said only a display model of a stereo system appeared to be missing.
And it doesn’t work.
Fire forces evacuation of Waterloo hotel
WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) A downtown Waterloo hotel was evacuated after a fire broke out in the ceiling after an exhaust fan overheated.
The Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier is reporting that the fire sent smoke up through all five floors of the Quality Inn Suites about 6 a.m. Friday. Twelve rooms that were occupied at the time were evacuated.
Fire officials say the fire was quickly extinguished but that the building needs to be aired out.
One person at the scene was treated for a breathing problem.
The investigation is continuing.
The hotel says the guests that were evacuated were allowed to return to their rooms but that no new reservations were being accepted until the investigation is complete.
Train strikes car in Davenport
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) A man has been injured after his car was struck by a train in Davenport.
KWQC-TV is reporting that the man was driving home after fishing Friday afternoon when his car was hit by the freight train. Officials say the man apparently didn’t see the train.
Firefighters had to use equipment to extricate the man from the car because it was so severely damaged.
The name of the driver hasn’t been released.
Corn syrup spills into Mississippi River at Keokuk
KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) Iowa environmental officials say an open drain valve at Roquette America in Keokuk resulted in 6,000 gallons of corn syrup being spilled into the Mississippi River.
Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources say a worker at the corn processing plant failed to close a drain valve after a tank was being cleaned on Thursday. The spill was discovered Friday morning.
The DNR says corn syrup can lower oxygen levels and be toxic to fish but because it will be highly diluted in the river the spill is not expected to have a significant environmental impact.
The agency says Roquette America will likely be fined for failing to report the spill.
Manchester business owner opposes Wal-Mart plan
MANCHESTER, Iowa (AP) A Manchester store owner has begun circulating a petition opposing plans by Wal-Mart to expand its store in the eastern Iowa community.
Don and Kathy McCurdy say they want their store, Main Street Market, to stay open in Manchester and are seeking support among community members.
Wal-Mart presented its plan in November to the Manchester City Council, outlining its plan to renovate its store in the town of about 5,200 people and add a full-line of groceries.
The Telegraph Herald in Dubuque reports that the Main Street Market opened in Coggon in 2000. A second store offering a full-line of groceries was added in Manchester in 2007.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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