CARBON EASEMENTS
A project manager for the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline says the company has about 20 percent of the voluntary easements from landowners they would need to complete the pipeline route through Iowa. Kylie Kretz spoke at this week’s meeting of the Kossuth County Board of Supervisors.
Kretz says the company still hopes to strike deals with the 80 percent of landowners who haven’t yet agreed to easements.
Kretz told the Kossuth County Board of Supervisors that Iowa ethanol plants may have to close if the pipeline isn’t built.
Summit’s pipeline would span nearly two-thousand miles over five states and ship carbon captured from 32 Midwest ethanol plants to underground storage in North Dakota. The route covers nearly 700 miles in Iowa. Several people who don’t want the pipeline on their property have complained to legislators that their private property rights would be violated if state officials grant the company authority to seize property from unwilling landowners.
Summit filed paperwork with the Iowa Utilities Board in January, seeking a permit to build a hazardous liquid pipeline through Iowa. According to state law, the board must determine the pipeline’s proposed services will promote the public conveninence and necessity in order to grant the permit.
CODY BENEFIT
Le Mars Police have organized a benefit fundraiser for Declynn Cody. She is the 5-year old daughter of Chad and Wendy Cody. Declynn was diagnosed with stomach cancer late last year, and is undergoing a one year program of chemo and radiation treatments. Her father, Chad Cody, has taken a year off from work to help Declynn through her treatments.
Declynn’s mom, Wendy, is office manager at the Le Mars Police Department. Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte says they want to relieve some of the pressure on the family as they deal with Declynn’s cancer. Officer Bob Rohmiller is helping organize a fundraiser to take place Saturday in Brunsville. It begins at 3 pm at the Legion Hall. A freewqill donatrion meal begins at four. There will also be a silent auction, and activities for the kids. All proceeds will go to defraying expenses for the Cody family.
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT
There’s a special traffic enforcement going on through this Mother’s Day weekend. Iowa State Patrol Colonel Nathan Fulk says they’ll focus on unsafe drivers, which includes speeders and those who fail to move over for emergency vehicles.
Eighteen Iowa State Patrol vehicles have been struck by passing motorists in the past two years. The Special Traffic Enforcement Program runs through Sunday. Fulk says there’s a priority to reduce crashes that cause injury and death, not just this weekend, but permanently. Iowa’s “Move Over” law means when a motorist encounters any vehicle with flashing lights on the side of the road, they must either move over safely or slow down by at least 20 miles per hour.
HY-VEE CORPORATE CUTS
The West Des Moines-based Hy-Vee grocery store chain has cut more workers. A company statement says 57 positions were eliminated across Hy-Vee’s corporate offices. They include employees from the I-T, engineering, equipment, real estate, and construction departments. All of the employees were offered retail positions at Hy-Vee and will be provided 30 days of pay and benefits. The company says the latest cuts have reduced its corporate office staff by more than 415 positions. The employees transferred to leadership positions in retail, took early retirement, or voluntarily left the company. The statement concludes by saying Hy-Vee is confident that these changes will help them be better prepared for the potential economic difficulties to come.
GRASSLEY OPEC
Senator Chuck Grassley says a bill he sponsored would lay the groundwork for anti-trust lawsuits OPEC — which he says are blatantly colluding to control the oil supply. The bill would allow the U-S Attorney General to sue Saudi Arabia and the other 12 countries that are OPEC members in federal court. Grassley says that would hold those countries accountable for anticompetitive behavior that artificially inflates oil prices. The bill is co-sponsored by a Republican senator from Utah and Democratic senators from Vermont and Minnesota. The bill cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday.
SICK RACCOONS
Canton police officers are warning the public about several wild animals that appear to be sick. They say three raccoons and a mink were acting sick and afraid of people in recent days. A raccoon found yesterday was put down and tested for rabies. Anyone who comes across a wild animal that is acting strange should stay away from it and call authorities.
