LE MARS TRAFFIC SIGNAL REPLACEMENT
The Le Mars city council decided to go ahead with upgrades to three stoplight intersections downtown. Tuesday, the council approved an engineering contract with Stanley Consultants, Inc. for some 69-thousand dollars. Stanley had previously carried out a review of the signals, two of which are located along Plymouth Street, and a third on Central avenue and 1st Street North. The study found that the poles and arms need to be replaced, but not the lighting controls. A warrant study showed that only one of the three projects would eligible for state funding, but it wouldn’t be available until 2029. Upgrades of each intersection would cost an estimated 250-thousand dollars.
HINTON LAND PURCHASE
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors is adding on to Hillview Park near Hinton after their action Tuesday. A 14 acre parcel of land adjacent to Hillview Park was purchased Tuesday by the Supervisors. The purchase of this land is like a capstone event for Hillview Park. This is Plymouth County Supervisor Craig Anderson of Hinton
The fourteen acres is a crucial piece in the development of Hillview Park.
The county had been in negotiations with heirs to Virgil Newberg, Jr. on the parcel. The Dale and Beverly Albers Trust agreed to sell the property to Plymouth County. Supervisor Anderson says this connection with the Newberg family goes back at least 50 years.
Anderson says the land is well-suited for a park
The purchase price for the land is 80-thousand dollars. Seven years ago, the county purchased almost 300 acres of property to expand the park’s boundaries.
O’TOOLE PARK IMPROVEMENTS
The Le Mars city council took action Tuesday to start planning for improvements to one of their parks. They approved a consult ants agreement for the design of renovations at O’Toole Park. Improvements at the park include more trees, a three-season park shelter, and a splash pad. The estimated cost of the improvements are between 3.5 and 4.2 million dollars. The cost of the consultant’s agreement is not to exceed 35-thousand, 300 dollars. The cost will be paid for through LOST proceeds. This is one of several projects to be done through the Le Mars Community Betterment Foundation.
NORTHWESTERN TO DEDICATE NEW RESIDENCE HALL
Northwestern College in Orange City will dedicate a new residence hall during homecoming activities next month. The Greg and Michelle Christy Suites are named after the current president of Northwestern, and his wife.
The 3-story, 14 million dollar facility is a women’s residence hall, housing 157 students in suite-style rooms, with four students in each suite.
The building has two wings, with common area between them. These common areas include a convenience store, a full-size kitchen, a fireplace lounge, a third floor lounge, and study areas.
Greg Christy has served as Northwestern’s president since 2008. The dedication will be Friday, October 4.
HEALTH CARE PROVIDER TO PAY MILLIONS IN LEGAL SETTLEMENT
A health care provider in the Sioux City metro has agreed to pay over 12-and-a-half MILLION dollars to settle a federal investigation of alleged kick-backs. The U-S Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa says kickbacks make health care more expensive and create the potential for health care decisions that are not in the best interest of the patient. The Dunes surgical hospital in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota was accused of making significant payments to a non-profit affiliate of a physician group whose physicians made referrals to the facility. Those payments allegedly funded the salaries of athletic trainers who generated referrals to the surgical hospital. The settlement also resolves allegations that the surgical hospital provided free or below-market-value clinic space, staff, and supplies to another group of physicians. The news release from the U-S Justice Department indicates the Dunes surgical center cooperated with the government’s investigation and has taken a number of significant steps to reach a resolution to the case.
JUDGE RULES LYON COUNTY SHERIFF ON NOVEMBER’S BALLOT
A northwest Iowa judge has affirmed that the Lyon County Sheriff will be able to seek reelection — as a Libertarian Party candidate. Scott Van Aartsen reports.
Lyon County Sheriff Sheriff Stewart Vander Stoep ran as a Republican in the June Primary, but lost the G-O-P nomination to Iowa State Trooper Brian Hilt. One person wrote the sheriff’s name on the Libertarian Party’s Primary ballot, so the sheriff became the Libertarian Party’s nominee instead. Hilt — the Republican who beat the sheriff in the G-O-P primary — asked a judge to reverse a Lyon County Objection Panel’s decision that the sheriff had qualified for the November ballot. The judge, in his decision, said the trooper’s argument that the sheriff shouldn’t win the Libertarian Party’s nomination was arguably supported by common sense — since got it by a single write-in vote, but the judge said that conclusion is not supported by state law.
LAKE CITY PIPE ORGAN COMPANY HOLDS GRAND OPENING
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders — the western Iowa business that does work around the globe — celebrated the grand opening of its new facility in Lake City today (Tuesday). Dobson owner, John Panning, announced in 2022 that they were committed to rebuilding on the same site as their former headquarters, which was completely destroyed by a fire three years ago. Dobson staff continued building organs while their new facilities were under construction, working out of various open spaces provided by the community. Dobson Pipe Organ Builders organs, known as opuses, are featured in cathedrals, churches, performing arts centers, and college campuses throughout the world.
GRASSLEY: IF HOUSE CAN’T PREVENT GOV’T SHUTDOWN, GOP WON’T ‘RUN THE SHOW’
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says U-S House Speaker Mike Johnson is doing a “wonderful job,” despite growing frustrations among other Senate Republicans as the deadline nears for a solution to prevent a federal government shutdown. Johnson is having trouble getting the votes needed to avoid the shutdown at month’s end, and some in the Senate say if the House can’t act by Thursday, they’ll do it themselves. Grassley is offering Johnson a leeway, but says, “if the majority party doesn’t stick together, you don’t run the show.” Grassley fears the type of message it would send to voters if Congress can’t find a way to cooperate, saying the public may decide to “turn it over to the Democrats.” He anticipates there will be a “continuing resolution” that would prevent a shutdown, or at least push back the anticipated date.
