(LeMars) — The LeMars City Council approved a measure that would secure a RISE grant from the Iowa Department of Transportation for development in the southwestern region of the city.
Steve Schuster, representing Dogwood Properties, asked the council to approve a plan that would convert 17 lots of land for light industrial development. RISE stands for Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy. City administrator Scott Langel explains how it works.
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The total project is projected to cost $1.2 million dollars of which the city would be financing $400,000 with a 50/50 cost share from the RISE grant.
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City officials estimate the new development area could mean an additional 85 new jobs to the community.
(LeMars) — The LeMars City Council heard a proposal from McClure Engineering of Fort Dodge that would set forth a plan to update and upgrade the city’s water system. The city is studying the proposal in order to maintain sufficient water needs as the city continues to expand, both in the residential, and the industrial regions of town. One of the short-term proposals is to change the water metering systems from meters that need to be manually examined to an automated system. The city council has set September 20th at noon for a public hearing on the first phase of the proposal.
(LeMars) — Longtime LeMars businessesman and former mayor, Rudy Adler has passed away. He was 95. Adler is known for having the Adler’s Sporting Goods based in LeMars. Adler was also a chamber representative. A celebration of life service will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Friday at the St. John’s Lutheran Church in LeMars. Visitation will take place on Thursday, begining at 2:00 p.m. at the Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home. More details can be found on our obituary page.
(LeMars) — “Its the Little Things.” That was the message delivered last evening by Aaron Putze during the Plymouth County Farm Bureau annual meeting. Putze, the Director of External Relations and Coordinator of the Iowa Food and Family Project with the Iowa Soybean Association told the gathering to always “value food” and to tell the story of agriculture. The West Bend, Iowa native mentioned some startling statistics during his key note address. Putze says that more than 40 percent of the food produced in America is never consumed, rather it is thrown away. Putze says “every three days Americans waste enough food to fill the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California…a stadium that holds over 100,000 spectators. Putze says agriculture is a story that needs to be told. He says 70 percent of Iowans admit they know little about farming, but 85 percent of Americans want to know where their food comes from. The farm organization awarded their “Service to Agriculture” recognition to Lowell and Judy Vos of Kingsley. The Vos’s were able to win a lawsuit that the Environmental Protection Agency had filed against them. Many people recognize the win as a win for all livestock producers. 16 members were honored with certificates as being 50-year members of the Plymouth County Farm Bureau.
(Dickens) — A northwest Iowa man died Tuesday from suffication due to a grain bin accident. Jeffrey Balk, age 51, of Spencer, a long-time employee of MaxYield Cooperative in Dickens was working inside a grain bin owned by the cooperative grain company, attempting to knock down a column of corn. When apparently, the corn gave way, and in the process burying him in grain, leaving him trapped. When rescuers were able to reach Balk, efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. Officials from the Clay County Sheriff’s office, Iowa Highway Patrol, Dickens Fire and Rescue, Ruthven Fire and Rescue, Spencer Fire and Rescue, Spencer Ambulance/Paramedics, Spencer Police Department, and employees of MaxYield Cooperative all assisted with the rescue.
