Supervisors To Hold Budget Hearing Today
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing today regarding the county’s proposed budget. That hearing will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the County Courthouse Board Room. In addition, the county governing board will hear from USDA Soil Conservationist for Plymouth County, Jim Lahn and County Engineer Tom Rohe as they will discuss with the supervisors a maintenance agreement on a ditch cleanout project.
Arkansas Man Found Guilty Of Distributing Meth In Sioux County
(Orange City) — An Arkansas man has been sentenced to ten years in prison for the delivery of methamphetamine. A Sioux County jury found 30 year old James Skoglud of St. Joe, Arkansas guilty of the crime. Sioux County attorney Thomas Kunstle prosectuted the case. On November 8, 2014 an undercover officer made arrangements, through a confidential informant, to purchase an “8 ball” of methamphetamine from Skoglund for $325. Through the informant, Skoglund sold methamphetamine to the undercover officer. After the transaction, uniformed officers searched the apartment where the transaction took place finding methamphetamine, a scale, a pipe, and a butane lighter, all located near Skoglund.
Sioux City Man Pleas Guilty To Going Armed With Intent
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A 32-year-old man from Sioux City has pleaded guilty to lesser charges in a man’s nonfatal shooting last year.
Jose Escobar-Olguin pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and going armed with intent. He initially was charged with attempted murder, willful injury and going armed with intent.
Escobar-Olguin was accused of shooting 21-year-old Lester Calderon-Hidalgo of Sioux City in the head outside a residence in September. The victim was treated and released from a hospital.
Escobar-Olguin’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 13. His attorney said Monday he wouldn’t comment on the case prior to sentencing.
Farmers Facing Important Deadlines
(Le Mars) — Farmers are facing three fast-approaching deadlines in the coming weeks. Jeff Davis, Farm Service Agency director for Plymouth and Sioux Counties says about 70 percent of the farmers in both counties have signed up for the next farm program. He says farmers first need to update their yields or re-allocate their base acres by this coming Friday.
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Davis says farmers need to show some documentation as to the yields that were produced for the past few years. He says farmers can present their past crop insurance forms.
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The F-S-A director says farmers are not allowed to build additional base acres, but they can go back to use previous acre base.
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Franklin Students Create Electrical Science Projects
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Community Franklin elementary 4th graders were able to utilize their civil engineering, along with electrical engineering skills for a science project. On Monday, 46 students displayed their creative projects illustrating electrical circuits. The idea was the brain child of teacher Jan Hansen.
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Hansen says the class recently was studying magnetism, which led to the class designing their projects.
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Students displayed their projects and demonstrated how each project functioned to other students from Franklin school, as well as to parents and grandparents. There were several unique and creative projects
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Some of the more unique projects showcased an electrical circuit using a mouse trap as the switch to make the connection. Another had a miniature wind turbine to generate electricity, Still another project used a series of belts and pullies to lift an elevator in what appeared to be model of an apartment building. Another Franklin 4th grade student created a crane able to lift a heavy bolt. Hansen says she has had her students make the electrical projects for the past decade. She says students show their enthusiasm and excitement for their science projects where they can learn and utilize their skills for a “hands-on” project.
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Up next, the students will study the solar system with the opportunity to create their own solar system project.
Broadband Expansion Bill Could See Changes
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The leader of a House committee tasked with deciding whether to approve Gov. Terry Branstad’s broadband expansion bill says there could be major changes to the legislation.
The Republican-led commerce committee made a last-minute change to its Monday meeting and removed discussion of the bill, which would help service providers expand broadband, also known as high-speed Internet, in Iowa.
Rep. Peter Cownie, a Republican from West Des Moines and chairman of the commerce committee, says Republican lawmakers are considering whether to keep a proposed grant program that would assist service providers with the costly process of expanding broadband. Cownie says lawmakers may expand a property tax program.
Democrats in the committee say they also have concerns about the grant program.
