Historic Preservation Commission Wants To Celebrate
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Historical Preservation Commission wants to celebrate the fact the downtown district has been placed on the National Registry of Historic Places, and they want the community to join in on the celebration. Iris Hemmingson serves as the chairperson for the Le Mars Historical Preservation Commission. She says it is a special honor to be listed as part of the National Registry.
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Hemmingson says the entire community is invited to participate in the celebration being held this evening at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor.
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Hemmingson offers her opinion as to the significance of having Le Mars downtown listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
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Hemmingson hopes sometime within the near future some type of signage may be installed calling attention to the fact of the downtown’s designation.
Tonight’s celebration will begin at 5:00 p.m. and as we mentioned, it will be held at Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor.
Woodbury County Attorney Wants Bullet-Proof Glass For Offices
(Sioux City) — Woodbury County Attorney, P.J. Jennings wants to install bullet-proof glass windows in his offices and other safety measures at the Woodbury County Courthouse.
Jennings says he wants to add safety measures like door guards and electronic locks to the third and fourth floor offices where prosecutors work. He says the confrontational nature
of some cases can upset the public and cause trouble.
The County Board on Tuesday cut Jennings’ $75,000 request from his proposed budget for the next fiscal year, arguing security improvements are needed throughout the courthouse. One board member says one plan would be to add metal detectors for people entering
the building.
Jennings says he doesn’t want the issue to languish while the board researches the best option.
Iowa DOT Approves Funding For Port Neal Exit
(Des Moines) — The Iowa Transportation Commission approved state funding Tuesday of just over three-million dollars for a major economic development project underway in Woodbury County. D-O-T planning division director, Stuart Anderson, told the commission the money will be used to to build a roadway for the project.
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The site is located off Interstate 29 in what’s known as the Port Neal area.
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Woodbury County engineer, Mark Nahra (Nay-ruh), was on hand to represent the county.
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Nahra told the commission. The expansion is expected to be completed by 2016. In other action, the commission approved state aid of just over 261-thousand dollars for Sioux Center to construct a roadway to allow access to 10 lots totaling more than six acres for industrial, manufacturing, warehousing, and professional office purposes.
Chief Justice Cady Wants More Help
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady is calling for increased staffing in the court system, which has been hit by budget cuts in recent years.
Cady gave the annual “state of the judiciary” address Wednesday before a joint session of the Legislature. He asked lawmakers to support the system, which he pledged to make the best
in the nation.
This year the judiciary is requesting an allocation of $167.7 million for the fiscal year that starts July 1. That would be an increase of nearly $6 million over the current year.
Cady said the court needs to increase staffing in juvenile courts, keep clerk of court offices open in Iowa full-time and provide support staff to justices.
