Supervisors To Hear Budget Requests
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will convene this morning at the County Courthouse Boardroom for its weekly meeting. The county governing board will hear about the proposed Summit Solutions carbon pipeline from Jake Ketzner. Summit Solutions is one of two pipelines to cross Plymouth County in an effort to sequester carbon from ethanol plants. Plymouth County Treasurer, Shelly Sitzmann will deliver the semi-annual county treasurer’s report. Plymouth County Sheriff, Jeff TeBrink will deliver the sheriff’s office quarterly report, and he will submit his fiscal year 2022-2023 budget requests for the Law Enforcement Center. Plymouth County Conservation Board Executive Director, Nick Beeck will submit his budget request for the upcoming fiscal year. County Engineer, Tom Rohe will also present his fiscal year budget requests.
City Council To Take Action On Only Two Agenda Items
(Le Mars) — Le Mars city council will gather at noon at the city council chambers. The city council has only two items listed for action. The council will discuss financing the hospital revenue bonds, and as its second action item, the council will discuss adding a fee of $50 for any portable or temporary signs. City Departments will begin submitting their budgets to the city finance director, the city administrator, and council members.
Le Mars Community High School Student Council Sets Up Soup Drive
(Le Mars) — The freshmen students of the Le Mars Community High School student council have been collecting soup for the local food pantries. They will have a display of the collected cans at the gym lobby on Tuesday, Jan 18. They are asking the public to donate soup or money for those in need. Brittney Britt is a sophomore student and a member of the Le Mars Community High School Student Union. She explains the program.
Britt says the students are nearly half-way of reaching their goal of 1,500 cans of soup. Britt says they have yet to determine a date when the donations of soup and money will be delivered to the local food pantries. She says hopefully, a majority of the student council members will be present to make the donation.
So, remember to bring along a can of soup when you attend the Le Mars High School Bulldog games on Tuesday. Speaking about soup, the Le Mars FFA along with the Le Mars FFA Alumni association will be holding a soup supper the following week, on Tuesday, January 25th. Soup will be served in the high school cafeteria between 5;00 and 7:00 p.m. Proceeds from the soup supper will go to help with scholarships.
Bills Introduced To Eliminate Retirement Fund Taxes
(Des Moines) — House Republicans have introduced a bill to eliminate the state income tax on retirement income from pensions, I-R-As and 4-0-1-Ks. Republican House Speaker Pat Grassley suggests it might prompt some older Iowans to think twice about relocating or living more than half the year in another state that doesn’t tax retirement income.
Grassley made his comments this past weekend on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S. Social Security benefits are not taxed in Iowa. This House G-O-P plan — to expand that exemption to all retirement income — would go into effort for the 2022 tax year. That’s a year earlier than Republican Governor Kim Reynolds has proposed. Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls (like “walls”) says the idea doesn’t meet the goal of targeting tax relief to low and middle income Iowans.
The governor’s staff estimates the state would collect 400 million dollars less in taxes annually if income from pensions and other retirement accounts is no longer subject to the Iowa income tax.
Senator Grassley Says Voting Rights Bills Is Unconstitutional
(Oelwein, IA) — U-S Senator Chuck Grassley says he and his fellow Republicans oppose two Democrat-backed voting rights bills mostly because they are unconstitutional. The Iowa Republican says the constitution is clear when it says the state legislature sets the manner of having an election. Grassley was in Fayette County Monday. Iowa is one of 20 states passing more restrictive laws following the 2020 presidential election. The U-S Senate is scheduled to debate the two voting rights bills today (Tuesday) in Washington.
Two Correctional Officers Assaulted At Coralville Corrections Facility
(Coralville, IA) — The Iowa Department of Corrections reports two officers have been assaulted by an inmate at the state Medical and Classification Center in Coralville. The incident was reported Saturday at about 8:00 p-m. The inmate was brought under control when additional staff members arrived. The first officer attacked was taken to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for treatment. The second officer suffered relatively minor injuries and was treated and released. Officials say the incident is being investigated.
Teen Burned In Greene County Cabin Fire Dies 2 Weeks Later
(Iowa City, IA) — A teenager burned in a Greene County cabin fire has died two weeks later. Fifteen-year-old Harley McDonald died in the burn unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. He and 14-year-old Lucas Oakes were injured on New Year’s Day in the cabin near Scranton. Both were treated at the burn unit and Oakes was released to go home January 8th. Dozens of people lined up at the Greene County High School parking lot the next day to welcome him home. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the fire. Family members say the two teenagers have been best friends for as long as anyone can remember.
Senate Leader Tests Positive For COVID
(Coralville, IA) — Iowa Senate Minority leader Zach Wahls (Walls) of Coralville announced on social media he tested positive for COVID. The Iowa City Democrat says he developed symptoms last Friday but tested negative. Wahls says his symptoms got worse Saturday so he tested again and tested positive. He says he’ll be back in the Senate next Monday if his symptoms are gone. Wahls says he was fully vaccinated and fully boosted.
State Roadways Back To Normal Winter Driving
(Ames, IA) — Travel conditions are now back to normal winter driving everywhere in the state. D-O-T winter operations administrator, Craig Bargfrede (BARG-freed) says clearing the amount of snow that fell this weekend was not easy. He says the early snow was wet and then froze when temperatures dropped. Bargfrede says that led to a lot of compaction and a lot of freezing to the pavement and they had to adjust treatment practices to really break up that snow and ice pack. Bargfrede says the sunny warm conditions after the storm has really helped.
Betty White Fans Honor Late Actress By Donating To Animal Welfare Organizations
(Des Moines, IA) — Betty White fans honored the late actress on what would have been her 100th birthday Monday by donating to animal welfare organizations. The Animal Rescue League of Iowa reported more than 400 people had donated as part of the “Betty White Challenge.” C-E-O Tom Colvin says the donated money covers the cost of caring for more than 11 thousand animals that come through the doors every year. It also funds programs. Betty White died on New Year’s Eve following a stroke that she suffered last month.
Iowa Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Names Latest Musicians To Be Inducted
(Arnold’s Park) — This year’s inductees into the Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame are being announced for what will be the organization’s 25th anniversary year. Executive director Clay Norris says one of the individual inductees will be the late Tommy Bolin (BOE-lin), a Sioux City native, who was a guitarist and songwriter for bands including Deep Purple, The James Gang and Zephyr.
Norris says another Iowa artist who’s being honored with the association’s Spirit Award this year is 24-year-old singer Maddie Poppe (POP-ee) from Clarksville.
The induction ceremony weekend at Arnolds Park is September 1st through the 4th. There will be an opening ceremony, the guitar marching band, an autograph party, Iowa Rocks Talent Contest and Inductee Meet and Greet. The Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Induction Ceremony and Concert will be on September 4 at the Roof Garden. Learn more at www.iowarocknroll.com
