Accountant Says Le Mars City Finances Are In Good Shape
(Le Mars) — The city of Le Mars financial condition appears to be in good shape. Chad Regnier of Williams and Company accounting firm stood before the city council on Tuesday and delivered the Fiscal Year End 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. Regnier says the city presented a “clean financial report.”
Regnier says Le Mars is capable of conducting business and meet all of its expenses for a time period of more than three months, before needing to rely on incoming revenue.
The Williams and Company representative says the city saw an increase in its reserve money, which helped its financial situation. Regnier says the general fund also saw an increase of $1.6 million dollars. The accountant says the city was able to remain within its budget.
Regnier says the city has also been able to manage its municipal bonds in an effective manner.
In other action taken by the city council, council members have set March 16th as the date for public comment during a hearing regarding the next fiscal year budget. The city’s operating budget is near $23 million dollars.
City Council Approves Improvements To K-N-S Addition
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars city council approved the public improvements for the K-N-S fourth addition, as well as approved the installation of stop signs on 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue Southeast at 18th Street.
Reynolds Gets Vaccination Against COVID-19
(Des Moines) — In an effort to encourage all Iowans to get a COVID-19 vaccination, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, along with her husband Kevin Reynolds, and Iowa Department of Human Services director Kelly Garcia all received their vaccination shot Wednesday morning during the governor’s news media conference. Johnson and Johnson was recently given approval to
distribute its COVID-19 vaccine. Unlike Pfizer and Mederna, Johnson and Johnson is a one-time vaccination. Reporters asked why the governor chose today to get her Johnson and Johnson vaccination, when the vaccine from both Pfizer and Mederna have been available for several weeks.
The governor then expanded on her remarks about wanting to wait until the healthcare workers were vaccinated first, since there were limited amounts of supply of the vaccine.
Reynolds says she has confidence in the one-time Johnson and Johnson vaccine, and she believes with three vaccines now on the market, more people will have the opportunity to get vaccinated. After people get vaccinated they are encouraged to wait at least 15 minutes as part of an observation period to
see if any reaction effects take place. Reynolds was asked how she was feeling following her vaccination shot.
Reynolds told reporters that her administration staff is working with local pharmacies, and federal officials to make certain the vaccines are widely distributed and that all eligible people will be able to get their COVID-19 vaccination.
Iowa has been allocated an initial total of 25,600 doses of the Johnson and Johnson coronavirus vaccine.
(photo courtesy of Governor’s office.)
Senior Iowans Can Call 2-1-1 For Assistance With Vaccination Appointments
(Des Moines) — People age 65 and up will be given some assistance in trying to set an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination by dialing the 2-1-1 call center. 75 navigational operators have been assigned to assist older Iowans who may not have a computer, or direct access to the internet, or who may have had difficulty in setting an appointment for vaccinations. Governor Kim Reynolds made the announcement during her Wednesday morning news conference. The program is set to begin next week on March 9th.
Melissa McCoy, the director of Iowa’s 2-1-1 call center appeared on the governor’s weekly news conference and offered an explanation as to how the program will work.
McCoy suggests patients arrive at least ten minutes early for their vaccination appointment. People will be directed to visit a HyVee pharmacy near them.
Reynolds Says State Is On Pace To Vaccinate Iowa Teachers By End Of Next Month
(Des Moines) — President Biden has said he wants to see all teachers be given their COVID-19 vaccination within the next month. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds was asked during her Wednesday news conference if Iowa was on pace to have the state’s teachers protected against the COVID-19 virus?
Reynolds Reflects On One-Year Anniversary Of COVID-19 In Iowa
(Des Moines) — Governor Kim Reynolds reflected on the one-year anniversary of the the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, and says everyday officials have learned something new about the virus. Reynolds says she is proud of her team as to how they have managed the situation. So far, only about six percent of Iowans have been vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, the governor was asked if that is a reflection of many people who may not want to be given a vaccine against COVID?
The Iowa governor says it is sometimes difficult for people to schedule the second appointment for the second dosage of vaccination.
Reynolds says she believes more Iowans will be making the appointments to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.
Bill Eliminating Gun Permits Clears Iowa House Public Safety Committee
(Des Moines, IA) — The House Public Safety Committee is advancing a bill that would eliminate the required state permits for buying guns and for carrying a concealed weapon. The plan has cleared initial review in the Iowa Senate as well. Republican Senator Jason Schultz of Schleswig said during a hearing, “re-introducing freedom is not a dangerous concept,”It’s our
American birthright.” Army veteran Temple Hiatt of Iowa City told senators the bill creates more loopholes for illegal gun purchases. Hiatt warned, “Missouri followed this very same path and now Missouri ranks fifth in the country for gun violence. That’s not what Iowans want.” Governor Kim Reynolds voted for the current law as a state senator in 2010 that says
county sheriffs shall issue permits to anyone who meets the legal requirement for gun ownership.
Company Plans to Pump CO2 From Iowa Ethanol Plant to North Dakota
(Alden, IA) — An Iowa company wants to build a pipeline that would pump carbon dioxide from 18 Midwestern biorefineries to North Dakota where it would be stored underground. Summit Carbon Solutions plans to install equipment at ethanol plants from Iowa, Minnesota and the Dakotas to liquefy carbon dioxide from fermentation so it can be sent through the pipeline.
Renewable Fuels Association president Geoff Cooper calls the project a significant development for the ethanol industry. Cooper said, “it puts ethanol from corn, ethanol from these facilities on an even keel with the best electric vehicles that are out there in terms of their carbon footprint.” Summit Agricultural Group C-E-O Bruce Rastetter says the project would take 10 million tons of CO-2 out of the atmosphere each year, lowering
the biorefineries’ carbon footprints.
Two Dead, Three Injured in Highway 61 Crash in Scott County
(Long Grove, IA) — Authorities in eastern Iowa are investigating a three-vehicle crash on Highway 61 Tuesday morning that left two people dead and three injured. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office says a cargo van driven by a man from Minnesota lost control, crossed the median and struck two vehicles near the Long Grove exit. Deputies say a pickup driven by a man from Clinton then collided head-on with a car. The 47-year-old Maquoketa man driving the car and his passenger died at the scene. A backseat passenger was airlifted to U-I Hospitals in critical condition, and the van’s driver was ejected and also suffered critical injuries. The pickup driver had minor injuries and
refused medical treatment.
Des Moines School Board Rejects All Stadium Construction Bids
(Des Moines, IA) — The Des Moines School Board voted unanimously to reject all construction bids for the proposed four-thousand seat community stadium at Drake University. Board members said Tuesday that all the bids are too high and don’t include enough money for other projects. Superintendent Tom
Ahart plans to ask for a new stadium design and new construction bids to get a lower price. He says looking for new bids could delay the stadium’s opening by more than a month.
