SUBSOIL RECHARGE
Subsoil moisture readings in northwest Iowa corn and soybean fields show that some recharge has occurred this season. Area agronomist Leah Ten Napel took readings earlier this month. The subsoil reading at Le Mars was 6.28 inches, compared to 3.51 inches in the spring, and .8 a year ago. A similar trend was seen at Akron and Marcus sites. Akron had 6.26 inches this month, 3.85 inches this spring, and .42 inches a year ago. Marcus was at 7.49 inches this month, 5.31 inches this spring, and 1.99 inches a year ago. Readings at Doon, in Lyon County, differed, n that the fall reading, 3.55 inches, was lower than the subsoil reading last spring at 6.65 inches. Ireton, in Sioux County, was at 5.80 inches, Cherokee at 7.49 inches, Calumet, in O’Brien County, at 8.11 inches, and Woodbury County’s site 5.68 inches of subsoil moisture. The Midwest Drought Monitor, as of November 7, showed northwest Iowa abnormally dry, In April, most of Iowa was in severe or moderate drought. The eastern half of the state saw the opposite trend. In April, the eastern half of the state was normal to abnormally dry. It’s now mostly in category D3 – extreme drought.
HINTON RUNOFF ELECTION
There will be a runoff election in Hinton net month, for two open city council seats. On November 7, there were 3 at-large seats up for vote in Hinton. Incumbent councilman Jeffrey Johnson was reelected, but no other candidates filed for candidacy. There were 142 write-in votes. The three people who received the most write-in votes – Brooke Smith, Lee Adams, and Chris Zeller – filed affadavits of candidacy. The runoff vote, to take place December 5 in Hinton, will determine which two of the three candidates will be elected to the city council. Polls will be open that day from 7 am to 8 pm.
TWO SEMIS COLLIDE AT IOWA 60 INTERSECTION
More details on the semi collission on Iowa Highway 60 Monday.
The Iowa State Patrol says a semi pulling an empty cattle trailer had stopped at the Highway 60 intersection at 150th Street. The semi then pulled onto the highway, into the path of a northbound tanker. The two collided, with the tanker turning onto it’s side in the median, and the other semi jackknifed in the northbound land of Highway 60. The driver of the cattle truck, Kurt Christopher Kellen, 33, of Le Mars, was taken by ambulance to Floyd Valley Healthcare with non-life threatening injury. He was cited for a stop sign violation and failure to wear a seat belt. The driver of the tanker, Richard David Scheib 48, of Albert Lea, Minnesota, was treated at the scene for minor injury. Both semis sustained extensive damage, and had to be towed from the scene..
HIT AND RUN SUSPECT ARRESTED
A 15-year-old male suspect has been arrested in a Sunday evening accident where a Le Mars woman was struck by a vehicle in a crosswalk . Le Mars Police say the teen allegedly drove a red pickup that hit and injured the pedestrian, 45 year old Brandy Moll at 7:22 p.m. Sunday. The accident took place at the intersection of 6th Avenue and 4th Street SW. The driver fled the scene in the pickup after the incident. Police used video from businesses and private parties to identify the vehicle and track its movement after it left the scene. Later, a policeman on patrol located the vehicle, a red Chevy Silverado pickup, with damage consistent with the collision. The 15 year old male was taken into custody and charged with knowingly leaving the scene of an accident causing serious injury. He was taken to juvenile detention on that charge. The victim, Brandy Moll, suffered serious injury. She was taken to Floyd Valley Healthcare and then transferred to Mercy Medical in Sioux City. The case remains under investigation. Le Mars Police thanks those who provide video to help in the investigation.
HINTON ELECTION RECOUNT
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will conduct a recount of votes from the November 7 election in the Hinton Community School District on public measure RQ. Last week, Hinton Schools voters decided on 4 special questions related to a proposal to expand school facilities. One of the ballot issues, whether to extend the district’s Physical Plant and Equipment Levy for an additional ten years, ended in a tie vote. The measure could have passed on a simple majority, so the Supervisors will conduct a recount of votes on that question. The recount will take place Friday at 7-45 a.m. at the Plymouth County Courthouse.
The Supervisors approved the canvass of Plymouth County city and school votes at their meeting this morning.
AKRON MAYOR SELECTION
The Plymouth County Supervisors today chose a new mayor for Akron by picking a name out of a hat. There was no candidate listed for mayor of Akron in last week’s general election. Out of 115 write-in votes, current mayor Alex Pick, who did not seek re-election, had the highest number of write-in votes. Pick informed the County Auditor by mail that he declined election to the post. According to the election ordinance, the next highest write-in candidate would earn the seat, but there was a tie for second. Following the county election ordinance, those two names were written on slips of paper, and one was drawn out of a hat by Supervisor Gary Horton, who represents Akron on the board. That person was Joel Higman that the Supervisors approved the selection by lot. Higman can decline the selection, and if so, the mayor would be chosen by appointment from the Akron City Council.
RURAL OSCEOLA COUNTY BUS ACCIDENT
A bus driver was hospitalized with injuries suffered Monday afternoon when the bus rear-ended a piece of farm equipment. The Osceola County Sheriffs Office says Galen Ray Habben, 52, of Sibley, was driving a Sibley-Ocheyedan School bus southbound on a gravel road four miles southwest of Sibley, when he crashed into the rear of a manure spreader pulled by a tractor driven by 50 year old Gregory Allen Winkel of Ashton. The farm vehicle was shrouded in dust so that the bus driver could not see it. The tractor/spreader was slowing to turn when the accident occurred. Habben received incapacitating injury, and had to be extricated from the bus. He was taken by ambulance to the Sibley Airport, and from there was flown by air ambulance to Sioux Falls Avera Hospital. Eleven students were on the bus. They were checked by EMS, and none were injured. Winkel, the driver of the tractor was not injured.
The bus received approximately $15,000 in damage and the manure spreader and tractor received approximately $10,000 in damage. Ashton Ambulance and Sibley Fire Department also assisted at the scene.
NEW NAME AND LOGO FOR IOWA BOARD OF REGENTS
The board that governs Iowa’s three state-supported universities has shortened its name and released a new logo. A state government realignment law took effect July 1st. It shifted the Iowa School for the Deaf and Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired to be part of the Iowa Department of Education. The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, which previously managed those two organizations, is now to be known as the Iowa Board of Regents. The board’s new logo includes this line: Governing Iowa’s Public Universities. A news release from the Iowa Board of Regents describes the new logo and tagline as fresh, simplified — and a future-focused look for the Board of Regents’ brand. On July 18th, Governor Reynolds unveiled a new logo and slogan for Interstate welcome signs and state agency websites. The Iowa Board of Regents has created its own branding. A spokesman for the board says the logo was designed internally.
