Conservation Board Wonders When Pond Will Be Completed
(Le Mars) — Members of the Plymouth County Conservation Board attended the County
Supervisor meeting on Tuesday morning to ask the question when will a proposed pond for
recreational purposes be completed? Over nine years ago, Plymouth County made an
agreement with Higman Sand and Gravel Company to swap land. The land in question is near
Akron. Higman would mine some county owned land for rock, gravel and sand, and in exchange
a former gravel pit would be converted to accommodate a pond that would be supervised by
the Plymouth County Conservation Board. Nick Beeck (Beck) County Conservation Executive
Director says the conservation board is frustrated with the delay in the project.
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Beeck (Beck) says initially the project was to have been completed within five years.
During that time there have been some delays due to permits, and flooding, but Beeck says
it is now nine years later, and still the project doesn’t show signs of completion.
Conservation Board Chair Bob Schlesser says both the Conservation Board and the public are
being frustrated with the prolonged delays.
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Representatives of Higman Sand and Gravel Company of Akron were invited to the County Supervisor meeting but did not show. Jim Henrichs serves as the chairman of the County Supervisors and is the director within the district in question. Henrichs says the supervisors share the Conservation Board’s frustration and explains what hopes to happen next.
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Henrich says he has had visits with officials of the Higman Sand and Gravel Company and was given assurances that the project would be completed within the near future.
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Stay Cool And Hydrated During Heat Wave
(Le Mars) — During these extremely hot days you want to make certain you stay cool and hydrated. Mary Jo Clark, Nursing Manager of the Floyd Valley Hospital’s Emergency Rooms says water is best.
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Clark says some sports drinks are acceptable, but you should first check the label to see if the sport drink contains a lot of sugar. Clark warns to stay away from some beverages.
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The Emergency Room Nurse says consumption of beer may be refreshing, but it too can dehydrate you.
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Clark says people should remain in a cool place whenever possible. She suggests people who need to be outdoors to plan your day around the hours with the most intense heat.
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Heat Wave Negatively Affecting Crop Conditions
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The condition of the corn crop in Iowa and nationally has declined slightly as a late summer dry hot spell settles in over Iowa and other Midwest states renewing fears of a crop damaging drought.
The Department of Agriculture says in Monday’s weekly report that corn is about two weeks
behind schedule in Iowa as 21 percent is now rated poor or very poor up from 18 percent
the previous week and 44 percent is good or excellent, down from 48 percent previously.
The remaining portion is fair.
Nationally a larger portion of the crop similarly slipped into poor or very poor category.
Iowa soybeans are now 20 percent poor or very poor, up from 18 percent the week before. A
similar decline is reported nationally.
Century and Heritage Farms Honored
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa has recognized more than 430 generational farms in the state this year.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says 365 century farms and 67 heritage farms were recently recognized at the Iowa State Fair.
The century and heritage farm program celebrates families that have owned at least 40
acres for 100 years and 150 years.
Northey says the program’s recipients are a testament to the values of land stewardship, hard work, patience, dedication and perseverance.
More than 17,850 farms across Iowa have been recognized as century farms since 1976, and
650 farms have been recognized as heritage farms since 2006.
Branstad Says Republicans Should Not Change State Convention Date
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad says Iowa Republican officials should reconsider a decision to delay a state convention next year.
The Republican Party of Iowa’s state central committee voted over the weekend to move the GOP state convention from June 14th to July 12th.
Supporters of the change say it will give election officials time to certify results in
what may be a close U.S. Senate primary election. But Branstad calls the move a mistake.
Currently six GOP candidates are running for Senate. If no one gets 35 percent of the
vote, then the nominee will be selected at the convention. Several candidates say a delay
in the convention benefits the Democrats because U.S. Representative Bruce Braley is
running unopposed.
Bachmann Aide Assigned To Community Service
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former aide to Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann will have a theft charge against him dropped if he completes 32 hours of community service over several months.
Javier Sanchez of Virginia was arrested in July. Court documents say that after two
reports of thefts of cash from Bachman’s office, police put $200 in envelopes marked “petty cash” and “birthday money” in a drawer. A hidden camera recorded Sanchez taking the money.
The 37-year-old entered an agreement with prosecutors on Monday. Sanchez’s lawyer noted his client is not admitting guilt as part of the agreement.
Before his arrest, Sanchez had been a senior legislative assistant to the Minnesota Republican. The Waterloo, Iowa native ran unsuccessfully for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012 and recently announced she won’t be seeking another term in the House.
Iowa To Offer Tax Amnesty For Motor Home Owners
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state is offering a one-time deal to people who have been dodging Iowa taxes on motor homes.
The offer includes paying the initial registration fee of 5 percent of the purchase price and a penalty of 10 percent of the fee.
If the tax evaders don’t do that by Oct. 23, they could face fraud charges and fines equal
to 75 percent of the fee that was evaded.
A law passes this past spring is aimed at keeping Iowans from registering luxury motor
homes in Montana, where out-of-state residents legally can set up a shell company and
register a motor home there. Montana doesn’t charge general sales taxes.
Police Chief Wants To Change Policy On Car Chases
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Des Moines police chief wants to make sure any vehicle chases undertaken by her officers are worth the risks.
Chief Judy Bradshaw said on Monday that she won’t ban chases, but she will be tightening the rules regarding them.
Bradshaw says she wants to make it easier for officers and their supervisors to call off chases in dangerous situations.Under the current policy, Des Moines officers can chase a vehicle if its driver is
suspected of a felony or poses a traffic danger to others.
The analysis shows Des Moines police engaged in nearly twice as many car chases during the first three months of 2013 than in the same quarter last year.
