Supervisors Look To Restructure Bonds To Save Money
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors approved a first reading of re-structuring some government bonds in order to save the county some money. The county governing board were notified of an interest rate change from 3.5 percent to a new rate of two percent, offering a net savings
of nearly $120,000 in interest charges. The board will consider the action again during their September 3rd meeting.
Supervisors Approve First Step To Allow Wind Turbine Farm In Plymouth County
(Le Mars) — On Tuesday, the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors took a step forward to allow a wind farm to be established in three townships of eastern Plymouth County. By a vote of 3 to 2, the county governing board approved action to grant Invenergy, the company, proposing to construct the
wind turbines. County Supervisor chairman Don Kass explains the supervisor’s actions with regards to the proposed wind farm deals with potential tax assessment breaks.
Kass was one of the negative votes cast, but he says he is not necessarily against the construction of a wind farm in Plymouth County.
(photo contributed.)
The plan would call for between 50 and 80 wind turbines to be located in eastern Plymouth County. During the public hearing, one landowner and farmer informed he is in favor of the wind turbine project, and he told the county supervisors that many other farmers and landowners within the project area, also favor having the giant wind turbines simply because of the financial benefits. The landowner says with the current agricultural economy situation with low commodity prices, and trade tariffs that block the farmer from exporting products to other nations, such as China, many are turning to the wind industry as a
means to earn some money in order to break even, or perhaps even make money from their farms.
Kass says he is also concerned about the federal subsidy for wind turbines which is scheduled to expire in 2020. He wonders if the subsidy will be re-introduced, or if the industry will be able to perform on its own without the assistance from the government.
The supervisors will again vote on the project in two weeks during their next board meeting.
Supervisors Approve “Letter of Support” For Le Mars To Host RAGBRAI
(Le Mars) — In other action taken by the county supervisors with their meeting on Tuesday, they approved a letter of support for the city of Le Mars to host the opening day of RAGBRAI 2020. RAGBRAI is the bicycle ride across Iowa, sponsored by the Des Moines Register.
New Commander Selected For Iowa National Guard
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The governor has selected a new commander for the Iowa National Guard.
The office of Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a news release Tuesday that Maj. Gen. Benjamin Corell is the new adjutant general. He
replaces Brig. Gen. Stephen Osborn, who’d held the post temporarily following the retirement of Maj. Gen. Tim Orr. Osborn will continue serving Iowa as deputy adjutant general.
Corell was born in Manchester and raised in Strawberry Point. He
enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard in January 1986.
Most recently Corell commanded the 34th Infantry Division. The
assignment included a nearly yearlong deployment to Kuwait.
Corell commanded the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division from June 2010 to June 2012 and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Des Moines Man Is Banned From Iowa State Fair For Life
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Des Moines man who recorded what he says was the abuse of a show pig at the Iowa State Fair earlier this month has been banned from the fair for life.
Wheaten Mather tells the Des Moines Register that he and a friend were at the fair Aug. 8 when he saw a boy hitting a squealing show pig in the face with a stick called a hog whip, and Mather started recording on his cellphone.
Mather confronted fair CEO Gary Slater about the incident 10 days later. Mather says Slater tolerated his questions at first, then became dismissive and called fair police.
Mather says that’s when an officer told him he was being ejected for life.
Fair spokeswoman Mindy Williamson says Mather was banned because he was combative and “a little threatening.”
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USDA Removes Officials From Pro-Farmer Crop Tour Due To Threatening Phone Call
(Des Moines) — After a phoned-in threat from someone in Iowa, the U-S-D-A has pulled its staff from an annual tour of midwest farm fields that develops yield
estimates.
According to a report from Reuters, “an angry farmer” called in the threat against a U-S-D-A official who was on the privately-organized ProFarmer tour. Farmers have been upset with the higher-than-expected official yield estimates released by the U-S-D-A 10 days ago, as corn prices fell dramatically on the news. The Trump Administration’s decision on August 9th that granted ethanol waivers to big oil companies has fueled frustration in farm country, too. A spokesman for Farm Journal, the parent company of ProFarmer, said “this is clearly a stressful time” and precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of those who will participate on the tour’s final leg today (Thursday). That final leg starts in the Spencer area. A statement posted on the ProFarmer website says the threat came “from a person in Iowa who was not affiliated with the event.” The annual Pro-Farmer event, in its 27th year, features scouts taking day-time tours of fields along with evening meetings with local farmers. Things reportedly got
heated at the tour stop in Grand Island, Nebraska earlier this week and police at the next stop in Nebraska City were dispatched to the tour’s evening event there on Wednesday. The tour wraps up in Rochester, Minnesota tonight (Thursday).
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Omaha Man Sentenced For Sex Trafficking
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – An Omaha, Nebraska, man has been sentenced in federal court in Iowa to seven years in prison for sex trafficking.
Federal prosecutors for Iowa say 40-year-old Terrance Terrell
Jackson was sentenced Tuesday in a Council Bluffs courtroom.
Investigators say that on May 11, 2018, an undercover officer
arranged to meet “Savannah” for sex at a Lincoln hotel through to an internet ad.
Investigators determined that Jackson drove the woman to the hotel and learned that he routinely drove her to arranged meeting places in Omaha, Lincoln and Council Bluffs. Investigators determined Jackson had beaten the woman to force her to participate in the prostitution, and had injured her
seriously enough on several occasions that she had to be hospitalized.
Davenport Business Pleads Guilty To Federal Tax Charges
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – A Davenport business owner has pleaded guilty to federal tax charges.
The Quad-City Times reports that Jonathan Folker entered the pleas Monday after making a deal with prosecutors on charges of tax evasion and filing a false tax return. His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 9.
A plea agreement filed Tuesday says Folker didn’t file individual
returns for 2001 through 2011 or 2013 through 2017. It says that when he filed a return for 2012, he reported less income than he earned. The agreement also says Folker didn’t file returns for his company, Nerdwerx, for 2011 through 2013.
The agreement says he owes the federal government nearly $257,000.
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Cedar Rapids Woman Accused of Stealing From Employer
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – A woman has been accused of stealing $69,000 from her employer in Cedar Rapids.
Linn County court records say 37-year-old Kelly Bentow is charged with two counts of theft. Her attorney didn’t immediately return a call Thursday from The Associated Press.
The records say Bentow paid herself unearned commissions of around $35,500 and misappropriated vendor payments and customer credits totaling $33,500 while working for Midwest Home Distributors.
Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 10.
