Sixth Avenue To Be Closed
(Le Mars) — Le Mars city work crews have announced the closing of 6th Ave southwest between 18th Street and 24th Street. The road will be closed both today (Tuesday) and Wednesday for the installation of a new water main. The road will be opened at night for travel.
Waste Water Plant To Use Hydrant
(Le Mars) — The city waste water department will be using a fire hydrant in the northwest portion of town on Wednesday. Water Superintendent Gayle Sitzmann says anytime a fire hydrant is open there is a chance of discolored water. Residents are reminded if they do have discolored water to refrain from using the hot water until the water has cleared. Sitzmann says the waste water department will be using quite a bit of water, so in turn, the water should clear before they are done using the fire hydrant.
Sioux Center Grain Fire (Updated)
(Sioux Center) — Fire broke out Monday evening at a grain warehouse storage facility located at the Farmer’s Co-op Society of Sioux Center. Initally, three fire departments, Sioux Center, Orange City and Hull responded to the blaze. Rock Valley and Ireton have both been called to offer additional assistance. Le Mars Fire Chief Dave Schipper and former fire chief Wayne Schipper were asked to the scene to offer advice as to the best manner to fight the fire. The fire started at about 5:30 p.m. Dump trucks and payloader tractors were also called to help with the removal of the burning grain. Sioux Center Fire Chief Dave Van Holland assess the situation.
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The grain storage facility is larger than a football field and holds up to four million bushels of corn, and currently it has 2.7 million bushels. Van Holland says so far, they have been able to remove about 300,000 bushels and it may be a week before all the corn can be removed.
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The Sioux Center Fire Chief says co-op officials are trying to separate the good grain from that which has been burnt. In addition to the fire that continues to burn, fire figthers have another problem…having enough water.
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Van Holland believes the corn started on fire through spontaneous combustion. Fire officials remained on the scene throughout the evening.
DNR Director To Speak At Farm Bureau Meeting
(Le Mars) — The director of the State’s Department of Natural Resources will be in Le Mars this evening speaking to farmers. Chuck Gibb is scheduled to address the membership of the Plymouth County Farm Bureau during their annual meeting which will be held at the Century Hall at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds. Gibb says he will speak about the new water quality initiative program.
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The D-N-R official offers an explanation of the difference between point-source and non-point source pollution.
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The program is voluntary, but Gibb says farmers and landowners have got to realize they need to start monitoring thier own situation for non-point source nitrate pollution.
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LIfe Skills Training Center Phone-a-thon Scheduled For Wednesday
(Le Mars) — Wednesday marks the day for the annual KC Phon-a-thon where members of the Knights of Columbus from Plymouth County help raise money for the Life Skills Training Center. Shelly Thomson, serves as the Life Skills Marketing and Development Coordinator. She says the annual fund raising campaign is important to the financial survival for Life Skills.
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Thomson says the Knights of Columbus hopes to raise $50 thousand dollars.
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The Life Skills executive says more people have cell phones and have dropped their land lines which may make it that much more difficult to reach past donors.
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Regents Plans May Affect Admissions And Hiring
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – It might get easier for students to apply to Iowa’s three public universities, and for those schools to hire employees.
The Iowa Board of Regents released details of plans Tuesday that may be implemented during an ongoing efficiency review.
They include creating a program that would allow students to apply to the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa at once. Currently, students have to apply separately even though the schools use the same admissions scoring index.
Another change would require the schools to calculate students’ admissions scores uniformly. Each school currently computes them differently for students whose high schools don’t keep class rankings.
A third plan would eliminate search committees for some professional and scientific openings. A review found that step frequently causes delays.
Building Collapses In Toledo, Iowa
TOLEDO, Iowa (AP) – A state inspector will survey several buildings in the east-central Iowa city of Toledo after the partial collapse of a two-story building.
Toledo Fire Chief Joe Boll says an inspector from the State Fire Marshal’s office will arrive Tuesday afternoon. The inspector is set to look at the collapsed building as well as surrounding structures.
Officials say the building in the downtown area collapsed Monday night. A wall and part of the roof fell into an alley.
Boll says several people in an upstairs apartment got out safely. Police evacuated an apartment next door to the building as a precaution.
Boll says it’s unclear what caused the collapse. It remains under investigation.
Grant To Help Reduce Infant Mortality
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Des Moines-based health care organization is receiving money from the federal government to fund a program aimed at reducing infant mortality.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell says in a statement Tuesday the agency is providing $65 million to 87 organizations in 33 states.
In Des Moines, Visiting Nurse Services will receive more than $852,000.
The money supports Healthy Start, a program launched by HHS in 1991. It provides resources for vulnerable mothers and infants in areas of the country with disproportionately high rates of infant mortality.
Burwell says 56,000 women nationally will benefit from the money.
