RED FLAG WARNING
A Red Flag Warning is in effect from noon to 7 pm today. The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls says the combination of high winds and low humidity will create high fire danger in northwest Iowa and surrounding states. The Fire Weather Warning is in place for Plymouth County, and all those surrounding it. Winds are expected out of the northwest at 20 to 30 mph, with gusts to 45 mph. Humidity will be as low as 23%. Any fires that break out will spread rapidly. Open burning has been banned in Plymouth and surrounding counties in order to cut down the risk of fire.
SCHOOL ENROLLMENT
The Le Mars Community School Board heard a report on school enrollment this week… kind of.
Dr Steve Webner says certifying enrollment has become a complicated matter.
Dr. Webner says there are a number of variables which now go into that certified enrollment number.
All of these figures must be coordinated with other school districts.
Dr. Webner says school officials scramble to coordinate these figures by their deadline.
The enrollments are important, because the amount of state aid to school districts is affected by these numbers, so they must be accurate.
School officials get a head start on the count.
In that way, they can work to fix errors before October 1st.
CALIFORNIA PORK LAW
U.S. Supreme Court justices have heard more than two hours of legal arguments over a California law that could impact how Iowa farmers raise pigs. The American Farm Bureau and the National Pork Producers Council sued to block California’s requirement that bacon, ham and other pork products sold in that state come from operations that provide at least 24 square feet of space for every pregnant sow. The groups say nearly all sows are kept in pens that do not comply with the law. Justice Neil Gorsuch asked whether it’s the job of the courts to balance the concerns of Iowa’s farmers against the moral concerns of Californians. Justice Samuel Alito suggested California was bullying other states because of its large population. The Biden Administration’s representative before the court told the justices California’s law is an unreasonable restriction on interstate commerce because it regulates animals that are not in California.
BOMGAARS PURCHASE
Officials with Bomgaars have confirmed that the Sioux City- based company has acqured 73 stores from Orscheln Farm and Home.
The transaction is part of a larger industry mega-deal and will make Bomgaars the second largest farm and ranch retailer in the nation based on total stores.
After reviewing the proposed acquisition for over a year, Tuesday, the Federal Trade Commission announced the approval of Brentwood, Tennessee-based Tractor Supply Company’s bid to acquire Orscheln Farm and Home of Moberly, Missouri.
As a condition of mitigating anti-trust concerns, 73 of the Orscheln locations were required to be purchased by a third-party to the deal and Bomgaars became the ideal candidate to complete this transaction.
An additional buyer purchased 12 other Orscheln locations.
CEO Torrey Wingert says Bomgaars will acquire 73 stores in seven states, and experience an unprecedented level of growth for their customers, community, and company,.
The 73 new stores will bring their total number of locations to 180 in 15 states throughout the central United States, while adding 1,400 new employees. Bomgaars will acquire Orscheln’s 330,000 square foot distribution center in Moberly, Missouri in October or November of 2023.
POLL WORKERS
Secretary of State Paul Pate says efforts to recruit more poll workers for elections during the pandemic are appearing to pay off. Pate says the idea was to protect some of the older workers and have more people available to help out. Pate says you can help by thinking ahead before election day.
Pate says if the auditor doesn’t have your ballot on election day it won’t be counted. You can track your absentee ballot on the Secretary of State’s website.
TYSON DECISION
Tyson C-E-O Donnie King was in Dakota Dunes Tuesday afternoon to address employees at that facility after the company announced they are closing the Dunes corporate headquarters in the next few months. Workers must decide if they will move to Springdale, Arkansas to work at the company’s main headquarters or leave Tyson. Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott and chamber president Chris McGowan say they were not given access to speak with King about the decision. Scott said at the end of Monday night’s Sioux City council meeting the move is tough for the Siouxland area.
Scott hopes the tri-state governors will try to intervene in Tyson’s decision.
A Tyson statement says that details of what King told the employees at a 1:30 p-m meeting would not be released. News media were not allowed access to the Tyson C-E-O during his visit.
BUTCHER GRANTS
Iowa butchers may be eligible for up to 100-thousand dollars in grants. The Iowa Economic Development Authority announced the return of the Butchery Innovation and Revitalization program on Monday. The program began in 2021 to strengthen the food supply chain and support rural development across the state. Applications for grants will be accepted between November 1 and December 21.
RAIL GRANTS
The Iowa Transportation Commission Tuesday approved 6.3 million dollars in funding for six rail infrastructure and related rail development projects. One of the recipients is the Floyd Valley Transload project near Sioux City. It will receive a loan of 665-thousand dollars, and a grant of 120-thousand dollars. Another grantee is the Alta, Iowa Soybean Crush Plant in Buena Vista County. It will receive a 2 million dollar loan and a 612-thousand dollars grant for their project. These funds come from the DOT’s Railroad Revolving Loan and Grant Program. These projects are expected to support the creation and retention of 109 jobs within three years of project completion.
POET TAX CREDIT
The Des Moines Register reports next week’s hearing over state tax credits granted to an ethanol company will not be open to the public. South Dakota-based Poet Biorefining operates a dozen plants in Iowa. Last year the Iowa Department of Revenue notified Poet it did not qualify for the state’s research activities tax credit and must repay the State of Iowa for any credits it has received. According to The Des Moines Register, Poet is appealing that decision and its attorneys are arguing the financial documents they will present at the hearing are confidential — and state officials have agreed to that request. Iowa Freedom of Information Council executive director Randy Evans says that decision is troubling.
The hearing over this tax issue is scheduled for next Monday. A spokesperson for Poet says the company does not comment on pending legal matters. Several other ethanol companies have been notified they’re in a similar spot and appealing the state’s notice to repay research activities credits they’ve received. Poet operates 12 plants in Iowa, including Arthur, Ashton, and Emmetsburg in northwest Iowa.
