County Supervisors Approve Renovation Project Of Courtroom
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday with Jordan Metzger, the architect in charge of the courtroom renovation project. The supervisors approved having the courtroom updated to better accommodate today’s court proceedings. Supervisor John Meis tells of the renovation plans
for the courtroom.
Meis says the courtroom will have a fresh look from top to bottom.
Meis says the courtroom will also undergo some improvements to make the room more secure.
The county supervisor says due to the constant price increase with construction materials, the architect couldn’t offer an exact estimate on the cost of the renovation project.
Supervisors established a time-line for the renovation project with bids being accepted beginning on July 12th. A pre-bid meeting has been set for July 29th at 4:00 p.m. Meis gives the projected remaining timetable including the expected start and completion of the construction project.
County Secondary Roads Department To Close Lone Tree Road
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department will close Lone Tree Road this evening beginning at 4:00 p.m. The road is being closed in order to move an electric transformer from a low-bed semi trailer parked on the roadway to its permanent location at the electrical sub-station near Highway 75.
County Engineer Tom Rohe informed the county supervisors that the road should be open again by Wednesday late afternoon.
Weekly Crop Condition Report Shows Rains Have Helped Improve Crops, But Moisture Levels Are Still Short
(Des Moines) — Crop conditions made some improvement over last week’s report due to some recent weekend rainfall, but the report shows it is still dry for northwest Iowa. Radio Iowa’s Dar Danielson shares the latest information.
Paul Kassel is an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach crops specialist based at Spencer. Kassel serves the area that extends from Spencer to Algona, and from Spirit Lake to Storm Lake. He says the rains have helped, but conditions prior to the rain were the worst he had ever seen in that area.
Going from northwest and north central Iowa where conditions are still dry to southeast Iowa where Clarabell Knapp, the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach crops specialist says conditions are too wet.
Knapp serves the area that extends from Centerville to Fairfield, and includes Ottumwa. She says there is concern about crop root damage due to standing water in the fields.
Grassley Believes Senate Will Pass Legislation Addressing Inequities in Cattle Marketing
(Washington) — Last week, the U-S Senate Agriculture Committee held a public hearing regarding the inequities occurring in the marketing of cattle. Iowa
Republican Senator, Chuck Grassley serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee and has introduced legislation that addresses the concerns of independent cattle producers against the packing companies. According to the Iowa Senator,
beef packing companies are processing their feed-lot owned cattle, and pushing smaller cattle producers aside, and offering lower prices. Grassley informed news reporters on Monday during his weekly news conference that the hearing
was successful, and several of his colleagues are now wanting to correct the problem.
Grassley anticipates a Senate vote on the issue may occur at about the same time of the re-authorization of the Livestock Marketing Act, later this autumn.
Grassley Supports Ending Mask Mandates on Planes, Public Transit
(Washington, DC) — Iowans fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are still required to wear masks on public transportation. Some members of the U-S Senate are calling on the C-D-C and T-S-A to drop that mask requirement, which extends to airports, train stations, and bus stations. U-S Senator Chuck Grassley wasn’t part of the initial group but says he agrees with their reasoning. The Iowa Republican says, “when you get 70 percent of the people having one shot and things are slowing down dramatically, I think its’ reached a point where it’s kind of ridiculous to be wearing masks.” Grassley is fully vaccinated and says he’s going to continue wearing a mask as long as they have the rule. State health officials say 64 percent of Iowans have received one dose of COVID vaccine and 45 percent are fully vaccinated.
Benefit Concert For Missing 11-Year-old Montezuma Boy Harrelson
(Grinnell, IA) — A benefit concert in Grinnell tonight (Tuesday 7 p-m) will raise money for the reward fund in the search for 11-year-old Xavior Harrelson of Montezuma. Xavior has been missing since May 27th. The “We Just Want to Bring Xavior Home” concert is being held on the Poweshiek County Fairgrounds. There will be music from country singer Adam Whitehead of Marshalltown and Hunter Mason of Ottumwa. Organizers are asking people to wear orange to the concert because it is Xavior’s favorite color. All the proceeds will go to the reward fund for information on Xavior’s whereabouts. The Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office says the fund has now reached more than 22-thousand dollars.
Iowa’s First African-American Woman Mayor Dies in Clinton
(Clinton, IA) — Folks in the Clinton area are mourning the loss of Iowa’s first female African-American mayor. LaMetta Wynn was elected mayor of Clinton in 1995 and recently died at age 87. Wynn served on the Clinton School Board for 12 years before being elected mayor of Clinton in three straight elections. She was recognized in Iowa and across the U-S and attracted interviews for her place in Iowa history. Three Iowa governors also appointed Wynne to state commissions. There’s a funeral for Wynn Friday in Clinton.
