HAPPY SIESTA BONDING
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors Wednesday passed a resolution approving of financial documents to benefit an expansion project at Happy Siesta in Remsen. By their action yesterday, Plymouth County will issue 4.2 million dollars in Nursing Facility Revenue Bonds to raise construction funds for the Happy Siesta project. This agreement places no financial burden on Plymouth County or the taxpayers. The project includes expansion of Happy Siesta’s dining room and renovation of its living room and nurses’ station. They will also remodel residents rooms, creating four single rooms. Plans also include the addition of an activity room.
FAIR BOARD ANNUAL MEETING
The annual meeting of the Plymouth County Fair Board is tonight at 7 p.m. in Century Hall at the county fairgrounds. Their agenda includes election of fair board members, 11 whose terms will expire. There will be a recap of activities in 2024; and comments and suggestions for the 2024 Fair. The regular meeting of the board of directors will follow. They will elect board officers for the next year. There will also be a discussion of entertainment for the 2025 fair.
IOWA SUPREME COURT HEARS ORANGE CITY CASE
Attorneys for renters and landlords in Orange City claim city-required inspections of rental properties every five years violate renters’ rights. They argued before the Iowa Supreme Court on Wednesday that mandated check-ups are unrestricted searches, and that it could result in police involvement if inspectors report activity they think is suspicious. Attorney Zachary Clausen represented the city and claimed the inspections help address health and safety risks. He added, police haven’t been involved in the past.
The city has to give landlords 15 days notice ahead of the inspection, and if the inspector arrives and isn’t allowed to enter, they can obtain an administrative search warrant. John Wrench, an attorney for the renters and landlords, said this loophole violates the Iowa Constitution, which protects against “suspicionless home searches.” Wrench argued the mandated inspections could give the city broad grounds for seeking warrants.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a brief in support of the renters and landlords. They claim the inspections and potential searches disproportionately affect people from low-income or minority backgrounds who are more likely to rent.
ELECTIONS CANVASS
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors Wednesday certified election results from November 5. Auditor Stacey Feldman provided the details to the Supervisors. Four county officials were elected: to the Board of Supervisors, incumbent Mike Van Otterloo in District 2, and Douglas Manley of Akron. Manley replaces Gary Horton, who retired from the board. Also, County Auditor Stacey Feldman and County Sheriff Jeff Te Brink were re-elected. All these officials ran unopposed.
Also certified for election were: Jerry Reuter as Fredonia Township Trustee; Soil and Water Conservation Commissioners Steven Tonsfeldt, Joe Cain, and Tony Schroeder; and Ag Extension Council members Brad Roepke, Morgan Ten Napel, Ed Vondrak,and Carissa De Rocher.
Auditor Feldman said the Le Mars School District Bond proposal passed with a 61.44% majority. There were 408 undervotes, or voters who did not make a selection in the Le Mars Bond vote. The Hinton School District Bond proposal failed with a 57.4% approval, below the 60% threshold for passage. There were 97 undervotes in the Hinton bond election.
There were 14,084 ballots cast, out of 18,206 registered voters in Plymouth County, a turnout of 77.36%
LCSD CERTIFIED ENROLLMENT
A report this week to the Le Mars Community School Board shows that certified enrollment in the district dropped from the previous year. Rachel Leavitt, Business Manager for the Le Mars Community School District, gave the report to the board. The report said Actual Certified enrollment, including open enrollments out of the district, and dual enrollments, totaled 2152.91. That’s down from 2199 last year. Leavitt explained that a large graduating class last year pulled down the enrollment by 46 students. This is the second consecutive year that certified enrollment fell. Before that, it held steady for three years. Leavitt says with large classes in the high school, the trend in the near future is for lower enrollments. Total resident enrollment in the Le Mars District is 2018. This includes 883 elementary, 468 middle school, and 667 high school students.
GRASSLEY SAYS CONGRESS VIOLATED THE CONSTITUTION BY DELEGATING MORE POWER TO THE PRESIDENT
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is criticizing the institution where he’s served for decades for giving too much power to the office of the president. Grassley, the longest-serving Republican in Congressional history, says Congress has “violated the Constitution” by handing the White House the authority to enact crippling tariffs. President-Elect Donald Trump made global tariffs a primary focus of his campaign, and Grassley, who serves on the Senate Finance Committee, says he can do it.
During the campaign, Trump suggested he’ll sign an executive order to impose a 20-percent tax on all imports from all countries, and threatened a tax of up to 60-percent on all goods coming from China. Grassley believes the president has that power and can enact such tariffs without needing Congressional approval.
Grassley says his criticism of Congress goes back 50, even 80 years, as powers that should likely have remained under the U-S Capitol dome were shifted to the executive branch.
Recent action by the U-S Supreme Court aimed to curb the power of the executive branch, Grassley says, if that power isn’t specifically spelled out in the law.
The threatened 60-percent tariff on all goods from China is particularly troubling to American companies that rely on parts from China in order to make a wide range of products, which could force a tremendous boost in prices for consumers.
FEENSTRA VOTES TO RESTORE FULL SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS TO TEACHERS, POLICE OFFICERS, AND FIREFIGHTERS
Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra voted for the Social Security Fairness Act that would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset to ensure that public servants like teachers, police officers, and firefighters receive the full Social Security benefits that they have earned.
Feenstra said “…for too long, public servants like teachers, police officers, and firefighters have been wrongfully denied their full benefits…the Social Security Fairness Act repeals outdated rules that have long prevented Iowa’s teachers, police officers, and firefighters from receiving the full Social Security benefits…”
IOWA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION REPORT
Farmers continued to wrap up the harvest this week, between bouts of much-needed rain. Moderate rainfall during the week slowed harvest as Iowa’s farmers had an average of 3.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending November 10, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included harvesting row crops, completing fall tillage, baling stalks, and applying fall fertilizer and manure.
Topsoil moisture condition rated 12 percent very short, 36 percent short, 50 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 19 percent very short, 45 percent short, 35 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.
Harvest of the corn for grain crop reached 95 percent statewide, 4 days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of the five-year average.
Livestock producers reported muddy feedlots.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says the recent rains have improved drought conditions across large areas of the state. Warmer temperatures and a more active weather pattern are expected to continue as we approach Thanksgiving.
