Le Mars Performs 83 Capital Improvement Projects In 2016
(Le Mars) — A total of 83 projects were completed by city officials during 2016. During Tuesday’s city council meeting, City Administrator Scott Langel offered a report on the progress of the Capital Improvement Program to council members. Langel says the city was able to complete several paving projects.
The city administrator says the city also upgraded and re-surfaced many of the city’s public parking lots.
Several railroad crossings were also upgraded in 2016, as well as the design for many residential development additions.
Langel says city crews worked on several projects that were categorized under public facilities.
Through the energy efficiency upgrades, Langel expects the city to receive $75,000 in energy saving refunds. Langel says work began on some of the Community Betterment Project II programs, most notably, the work at the Municipal Park. 2016 also saw some industrial economic development with Nor-Am
expansion, as well as the new ethanol transload and storage facility by Plymouth Energy. Well’s Enterprises received a grant from the state and is beginning it $4 million expansion that will include two additional production lines at its south ice cream plant. Langel is excited about the year ahead, saying that six
of the ten identified community betterment projects will get started.
Ackerman Faces Felony Charges For False Certifications
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A judge who was accused of insurance fraud and fired after helping expose improper influence in Gov. Terry Branstad’s administration is facing a felony charge two years later. Susan Ackerman, former administrative law judge for Iowa Workforce Development, is charged with making false certifications so that her daughter could receive state health insurance. Her supporters say her firing and prosecution are retribution for blowing the whistle in 2014 on improper pressure facing judges.
Chinese Man Told To Pay Seed Companies
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A federal judge has ordered a naturalized U.S. citizen from China who pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to steal seed corn must pay the U.S. companies that made the seed $425,000. Mo Hailong entered a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in January. In it, he admitted to the plan that would send stolen Monsanto and DuPont Pioneer seed corn to China, where scientists planned to reproduce its genetic traits. Monday’s judgment also said he must forfeit two farms.
Teenager With Vision Disorder To See Dallas Cowboys
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) – A 20-year-old Dubuque woman who was born with a rare genetic disorder has been flown to Texas to watch her beloved Dallas Cowboys for the first and likely last time before she loses her vision. The Telegraph Herald reports Bailey Schaul was born with Wolfram syndrome, which causes insulin-dependent diabetes and her vision to deteriorate. The founder of the company Bailey’s father works with paid for the trip.
Insurance Companies Say Reimbursement Rates Are Too Low
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The companies running Iowa’s newly privatized Medicaid system are complaining of drastic underfunding of the program in documents obtained by The Des Moines Register. Gov. Terry Branstad ordered the shift to private Medicaid management it went into effect April 1. The Des Moines Register reports Amerigroup, AmeriHealth Caritas and UnitedHealthcare told state officials their reimbursement rates were based on deeply flawed cost estimates provided to them before the project began.
