WIND URBAN RENEWAL AREA
After a public hearing this morning, the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to the county’s Wind Urban Renewal Area. The amendment updates a list of 24 Road, Bridge and Culvert Improvement projects to take place in Remsen, Meadow, Henry, and Fredonia townships in Plymouth County. The projects will be paid for through property taxes raised by the wind generators which function within the Wind Urban Renewal Area. The Supervisors today also passed a resolution setting a public hearing for October 29, at which time they will consider internal advances of funds of 2.8 million dollars to pay for the costs of the projects. This will be repaid from future property tax revenues taken from the Wind Urban Renewal Area.
The county’s Secondary Roads Department says they’ve begun another culvert replacement project this week. Iris Ave from C38 north to 200th Street has been closed in order to replace a wooden bridge with a culvert pipe. That Section of Iris Ave. will be closed through November 8, when the project is expected to be completed.
LE MARS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
The Le Mars City council this afternoon held hearings on three infrasructure projects: A Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant; a new water welll; and a Raw Water Main Project..
They adopted resolutions adopting plans, specifications, and form of contract for the three.
The estimated costs adopted in the resolutions include 27 million dollars for the waste treatment plant, 2.5 million dollars for the well, and 639-thousand dollars for the raw water line project.
Bids for each of these projects will be due on November 21, and contracts will be awarded on December 3.
Each will be paid for through the issuance of bonds to raise construction costs.
Completion of the wastewater plant is June, 2027, the well project is August, 2026, and the water line in December, 2025.
LE MARS FIRE RESCUE REPORT
Le Mars Fire Rescue reports 41 calls for service in the week ending Monday. 26 of those were EMS and rescue calls. There were also nine requests for services. Fire Rescue provided 8 fire prevention talks to kids, Emergency Responder Training at Wells Blue Bunny, and they tested and passed the city’s gas detector monitors.
STUDENTS QUESTION CANDIDATES ABOUT EDUCATION AND INDEPENDENCE
Several candidates for political office in northwest Iowa were questioned about ways to improve education opportunities and independence, in a forum in Orange City last night. The forum was before the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council. The students who questioned the candidates are enrolled in Northwestern College’s NEXT program. John Menning is coordinator of the program.
Legislative candidate Emma Bouza of Hawarden has a daughter with disabilities. She is concerned about the independence of her daughter.
State Representative Dr. Tom Jeneary, says lawmakers find themselves trying to provide limited dollars to worthy programs.
Legislative candidate Mike Schnoes of Sutherland is a teacher, and is one who has been around persons with disabilities all his life. He says to affect true change for the students, the state of Iowa will have to reshape its approach to persons with disabilities.
Also at the forum were State Senator Jeff Taylor of Sioux Center and Congressional candidate Ryan Melton of Webster City.
HULL DISTURBANCE
A disturbance Monday afternoon at a Hull intersection resulted in two injuries and one arrest. The Sioux County Sheriffs Office received several 9-1-1 calls reporting an altercation that occurred at the intersection of 5th and Division Streets in Hull. When deputies arrived, they discovered three people that had been involved in what they describe as a disturbance. Two of the three suffered stab wounds. The victims were transported to Sioux Center Health for treatment. A male subject was arrested and is now in custody.
Later, deputies reported heavy black smoke coming from a residence on Division Street, near the original incident. Fire Departments from Hull and Rock Valley responded to and extinguished a fire that appeared to have started in a bedroom of the home; it is suspected the fire may have been intentionally started before the disturbance by the suspect taken into custody.
The case remains under investigation and further information will be released at a later time. There is no danger to the public.
The sheriff’s office was assisted by the Orange City and Sioux Center Police Departments, Iowa State Patrol, Hull and Rock Valley Ambulance, and Hull and Rock Valley Fire Departments.
