Sioux City Traffic Engineers Suggest Shoppers Use Alternate Routes
(Sioux City) — Sioux City traffic engineers are recommending shoppers use alternate routes to ease traffic congestion around Lakeport Commons and Southern Hills Mall during Black Friday Holiday shopping. City spokesperson Brittany Anderson says drivers will find traffic slow moving around that area.
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You may also use Lincoln Way and Sunnybrook Drive as a back way into the Lakeport Commons and Target Retail area to circumvent much of the traffic.
Le Mars Fire Department Respond To Thanksgiving Fire
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire Department had to interrupt their Thanksgiving turkey and contend with the strong winds yesterday as they battled a blaze that caught hay bales on fire. The alarm came in at about 10:42 a.m. The fire was located at 21415 Marble Avenue. No indication as to how much damage was caused by that fire, or how long fire officials were on the scene.
Sioux City Apartments Catch Fire
(Sioux City) — An early morning fire caused a Sioux City apartment building to be evacuated Wednesday morning. Firefighters responded to smoke coming from a third floor window at the Argonaut Apartments at 1103 Nebraska Street around 4:00 a.m. Fire officials went door to door to awaken residents and get them out of the building. No injuries were reported and damage was confined mainly to the third floor apartment. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Montezuma Apartment Fire Leaves Many Homeless
MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) – Several people in south-central Iowa have been left homeless by a fire that destroyed their apartment building.
Authorities say a firefighter who was outside on Thursday, deep-frying a turkey, noticed smoke at the nearby building in Montezuma. He ran inside the apartment building to ensure everyone
had evacuated.
Other firefighters who responded with their equipment soon realized that nothing much could be done.
Dave Arendt with the Montezuma Fire Department says the fire started in the building’s basement, shot up inside the walls and quickly reached the second floor.
The fire cause is being investigated. No injuries have been reported.
Economist Says Black Friday Shopping Has Lost Its Lure
(Omaha) — While today is what’s become known as Black Friday for the frenzied kick-off of the holiday
shopping season, one financial expert says it’s not the buying bonanza it once was. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says many Iowa malls will still be a madhouse, but the allure of bargain-hunting has faded for many shoppers.
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A Creighton survey projects holiday shopping may only be up two or three-percent from last year, while online buying may rise as much as 20-percent. Goss says many people already have their gift purchases complete.
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Several major retailers, including Target, Sears, Toys-R-Us and Walmart, were opened yesterday on Thanksgiving. It used to be considered forbidden to interfere with the “family” day of Thanksgiving, Goss says, but no more.
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That applies especially to big T-Vs and other electronics, as well as a list of hot-selling toys.
Carroll County Farmers Sue State Over Electrical Inspections
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A lawsuit filed by three farmers is aimed at ending electrical inspections at Iowa farm facilities.
The Gazette reports (https://bit.ly/V1kxnK) that the Carroll County farmers are challenging the state Electrical Examining Board’s authority to require inspections and permits for electrical
installations on farm property. The lawsuit says farm property is immune from board regulations and those issued the Iowa Department of Public Safety regarding the permits or inspections.
In defending the state, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office says the board did not err in determining that electrical installations at farm buildings were regulated commercial applications that
weren’t exempt.
Court records don’t show a trial date.
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Marion Girl Avoids Being Kidnapped
MARION, Iowa (AP) – Police in Marion say a 15-year girl narrowly avoided being kidnapped on Wednesday.
Marion police officer Bill Pechman says the girl was approached by three men in a vehicle. KGAN-TV reports that Pechman says the group made contact with her.
Pechman says the girl fought back by kicking and screaming at the group and was able to escape.
Police say the suspects they’re seeking are three black males in their early 20s.
