SUMMER TEMPERATURE AVERAGES NORMAL
August ended with an above-normal run of hot weather, but State Climatologist Justin Glisan says the average temperatures for the month lines up with past records.
Glisan says the rainfall for August was a different story, as it was down.
The temperatures for June, July and August averaged out to 72 degrees.
The early forcast for the fall doesn’t see the cool temperatures staying around. Glissan says that all depends on how the La Nina develops.
The meteorological autumn started Sunday.
LT GOVERNOR GREGG STEPS DOWN
Gov. Kim Reynolds Tuesday announced that Lt. Governor Adam Gregg is stepping down from his position to pursue a career opportunity that allows him to focus more on his family.
Gov. Reynolds named Adam Gregg acting lieutenant governor in May 2017 when she succeeded Gov. Terry Branstad after he was named U.S. Ambassador to China. The two have since been elected to two terms in office, in 2018 and 2022.
Under Iowa Code, the governor makes an appointment to fill a vacancy in the office of the lieutenant governor, and the appointee serves for the balance of the unexpired term. Until Gov. Reynolds makes an appointment later this fall, the president of the Senate will be next in line of succession.
Reynolds says she has a couple of names in mind, but is in no hurry to name a new lieutenant governor.
After the governor’s announcement, the Iowa Bankers Association announced that Gregg will become their president. Gregg is a Hawarden native.
FLOYD VALLEY HEALTH PURCHASE APPROVED
The Le Mars city council today approved a commercial building purchase to benefit Floyd Valley Healthcare. CEO Dustin Wright says the building, is 10-thousand square feet, and Floyd Valley Health is purchasing two-thirds of it.
Floyd Valley Healthcare will be the biggest tenant in the proposed structure.
While urgent care and community health are relocated away from the Floyd Valley campus, those services will be more convenient to patients.
The purchase price is 1.3 million dollars, and will be paid for through Floyd Valley revenues. The purchase price covers construction of the shell of the building. The internal build will be done through a competitive bid process. Construction is to begin immediately, with the shell completed around October 15 of this year. The purchase was passed on a unanimous voice vote.
LARGEST EVER GROUP OF BARNS TO BE FEATURED IN STATEWIDE TOUR
Ninety-two restored barns will be featured on this month’s statewide tour organized by the Iowa Barn Foundation.
Of the 92 barns, eleven are round barns. Six of these are part of the tour for the first time, including the round barn at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds in Le Mars. Pat Lehner is the caretaker of the fairgrounds, including the Round Barn. She says every once in a while, individuals or groups will request the barn be opened for a visit.
The Round Barn is well-used, but doesn’t need a lot of maintenance year to year.
This would be what the Iowa Barn Foundation would describe as a working barn, but for a different purpose. People coming to visit during the barn tour are mostly interested in the structure and workmanship of the Round Barn.
Wayne Frost, a spokesman for the foundation, says all 92 barns on the tour have received Iowa Barn Foundation grants. This is the Iowa Barn Foundation’s 24th fall tour, scheduled for the weekend of September 14th and 15th.
The Round Barn at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds was moved there in 1981 It was built in 1918 by H.A Tonsfeldt for his show cattle, and took three years to complete. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Iowa Barn Foundation web site has a complete list of the barns on the tour this weekend.
ANOTHER SAFE HAVEN BABY REPORTED
A baby born one month ago has been turned over to the state under the Safe Haven Law. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services says the baby girl was born July 30th, and is the fifth baby turned over to the state under the Safe Haven Law this year. The law allows parents to turn over a baby up to 90 days after they are born with no questions asked. There were ten babies turned over to the state overall last year, and there have been 71 Safe Haven babies since the law was created more than 20 years ago.
