Supervisors To Hear Budget Requests From Fair Board And Museum
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors are scheduled to meet this morning at the County Courthouse Board Room. The Supervisors are expected to discuss and take action on the Big Sioux River Gauges partnership. They are also expected to approve the revised Sioux Rivers Regional Mental Health and Disability Service Contract. The county board of supervisors will hear from Tony Schroeder, Plymouth County Fair Board president. Schroeder will present the 2015-2016 fiscal year budget requests for the Plymouth County fair. Judy Bowman and Ruth Steunenberger representing the Plymouth County Historical Museum will also present their budget requests for the museum. Plymouth County engineer, Tom Rohe will appear before the board to seek construction permits for Northern Iowa Telephone Company. Rohe will also update the supervisors on the various road construction and culvert/bridge repair projects throughout Plymouth County.
City Council To Hear Proposal For New Subdivision
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council will convene at the City Hall Council Chambers at noon today. The city council has a light agenda for today. The council will hear from Bruce Kellen as he is expected to request the city council to approve a proposed 30 acre subdivision to be located south of 12th Street and west of 14th Avenue. The council is expected to hold the third and final reading of the proposed Capital Charge Change with regard to the new wastewater treatment facility. Under the agreement, Wells Enterprises would pay $83,333 per month and Dean’s Foods would pay $21,250 per month. These rates would remain in effect for a period of 20 years. The city council will also discuss renewing the waste hauling license contracts for Van’s Sanitation, Orange City Sanition, Waste Management, and Gil Hauling.
Semi Feed Truck and Trailer Involved In Accident
(Orange City) — Sioux County Sheriff’s office is investigating an accident involving a semi truck and trailer that occurred Monday morning, just before 7:00 a.m. The accident happened on 390th Street, about three miles west of Sioux Center. 65 year old Roger Brunsting of Orange City was driving a semi-tractor pulling a feed trailer heading westbound when he lost control of the vehicle, entered the north ditch, and struck a utility pole and rolled onto its side. No injuries were reported, but the Peterbuilt truck sustained approximately $60,000 in damages. The trailer sustained and estimated $30,000 in damages. The sheriff’s office was assisted by the Sioux Center Fire Department, Sioux Center Ambulance and Sioux Center Police Department.
Branstad Would Like To See No Voting For Iowa Straw Poll
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad is pushing to end the state’s often-criticized Republican straw poll, but other GOP leaders say the event may still go on next year.
The poll is traditionally held in Ames the summer before a contested presidential caucus. Branstad said Monday that it could diminish the state’s kickoff caucuses.
First held in 1979, the Iowa Straw poll has grown from a county GOP fundraiser stop to a large event. The poll draws a small percentage of caucus attendees. It’s one early test of campaign organization.
Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kauffman said he expects the board that governs the party to vote next month on whether to hold a straw poll in August.
Kaufmann said he thinks there’s interest in continuing the tradition.
Lottery Officials Remove Multi-State Game
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Officials have suspended a multi-state lottery game aimed at giving out $1million prizes because of low ticket sales.
Terry Rich, president of the North American Lottery Group, says officials on Monday decided to suspend future ticket sales of the Monopoly Millionaires’ Club game, just two months after it launched in 23 states. Tickets will be suspended shortly before its last weekly drawing on Dec. 26.
Rich says the game did not meet ticket sales expectations, but he did not elaborate.
Monopoly Millionaires’ Club was advertised as a move away from the large jackpots of Powerball and Mega Millions. The game’s top prize was capped at $25 million, and it was designed for players to win more $1 million prizes.
Des Moines Police Investigating Murder-Suicide
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Des Moines police say they’re investigating an apparent murder-suicide of a man and a woman.
Police say they were called Monday morning to a home in northeast Des Moines after a woman stopped by to check on a friend, who hadn’t shown up for work.
The woman found a back door ajar and because she felt uncomfortable, called police.
Officers went inside and found 48-year-old Melissa Jo Downing and 49-year-old Matthew John Hansen dead. Police say it was an apparent murder-suicide, and they identified Downing as the victim and Hansen as the suspect.
Police say it appears both died of gunshot wounds.
Iowans Enroll In Federal Health Care Plan
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Round two for enrollment under President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul appears to be moving more smoothly in Iowa as a key deadline approaches.
Monday night marked the deadline for new customers to enroll in insurance to start Jan. 1 and for those with current coverage to make any changes ahead of next year.
Cliff Gold, chief executive officer of CoOportunity Health, says very few complaints have come in. CoOportunity is a federally funded nonprofit established to provide health care in Iowa and Nebraska.
Last year, the enrollment period was stymied by a poorly functioning website and widespread public confusion.
Open enrollment continues until Feb. 15.
More Counties Report Infestation Of Emerald Ash Borer
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Officials monitoring emerald ash borer in Iowa say the destructive tree pest has spread to five more counties, and additional infestations could pop up in other parts of the state in 2015.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said Monday that larvae of the beetle were found recently in Appanoose, Lucas, Mahaska, Marion and Monroe counties, where hundreds of acres of woodland trees are located. The infestation is several years old.
Paul Tauke, a state forester with the state Department of Natural Resources, says the latest discovery in such a rural area shows infestations of the beetle could appear at a higher rate in the new year.
Eighteen Iowa counties now have confirmed cases of emerald ash borer, which was first found in the state in 2010.
