LE MARS WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Contracts were awarded for three Le Mars water works projects. Construction bids for a Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant, a new water well, and water main, were taken on November 21. Of five bids received for the treatment plant, the low bid of Hoogendoorn Construction of Canton, South Dakota, was recommended. It totaled 20.4 million dollars, 6 million under estimate. A Sioux City firm, L and L Builders, won the bid for the well project, at 2.2 million dollars, 300-thousand dollars below estimate. 15 bidders vied for the water main project. The low bid of 287-thousand dollars, from Vander Pol Excavating of Orange City, was accepted. The total cost of all three projects, including contingencies, was 27.2 million dollars. The estimate for the work was 35 million.
SUPERVISORS APPROVE SIMPCO SUPPORT LETTER
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors approved a letter of support for SIMPCO, the Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Coucil. SIMPCO is pursuing a grant to expand the Siouxland Regional Transit Services. The ten million dollars grant from the US Department of Transportation will be used to expand their facilities in Sioux City. Two million of that amount will be used to build a satellite location in Le Mars. The location will include 15 stalls, office space, a conference room, a break room, and two restrooms. Plymouth County accounts for nearly 30 percent of SRTS ridership. The transit system covers 7 counties in Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska, including the Sioux City metro area. SIMPCO is applying for a RAISE grant from the US DOT.
WOLF WITHDRAWS APPLICATION TO BUILD CARBON PIPELINE IN IOWA
Wolf Carbon Solutions has withdrawn its application for a state permit to build a carbon pipeline in eastern Iowa. Developers had plans for a 95-mile pipeline to capture carbon emissions from A-D-M plants in Cedar Rapids and Clinton — and ship the liquified carbon to underground storage in Illinois. The company withdrew its permit request in Illinois last year. A different company, Navigator, announced pipeline plans in early 2022, but cancelled the project last year. This summer, Iowa Utilities Commission granted Summit Carbon Solutions a pipeline permit, but Summit must get similar approval from regulators in South Dakota before construction may begin.
LE MARS FIRE RESCUE REPORT
November was not as busy for Le Mars Fire Rescue as it was in the previous month. Chief Dave Schipper reported 130 calls for service in the month, 100 of them EMS/Rescue calls, accidents and transfers. In addition, there were 12 Fire/rescue calls involving all staff. Aside from service calls, there were eight inspections, 15 meetings and programs, and 3 training sessions. Among other activities, Le Mars Fire Rescue conducted their last tornado siren test of the year. Two new members were added; new beds were purchased for the fire station with donations; and the department hosted a job shadow class for Le Mars Community High School students.
MACHINE SHED FIRE
A machine shed fire reported Saturday morning near Ireton brought seven fire departments to the scene. Ireton Fire was called to the site on Fig Avenue, five and a half miles northeast of Ireton, around 11 am. The shed was fully engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived. There were no injuries reported. Assistance came from Hawarden, Sioux Center, Hull, Alton, Maurice, Orange City and Rock Valley Fire Departments. Sioux Center Police and Northwest REC also assisted. The shed and contents were completely destroyed. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
STUDY SAYS IOWA IS AMONG THE WORST STATES FOR LUNG CANCER
The latest “State of Lung Cancer” report from the American Lung Association ranks Iowa 39th out of 49 states for new rates of lung cancer. Iowa also ranked worse than the national average on lung cancer survival rates and early diagnosis. Kristina Hamilton, spokeswoman for the state chapter of the American Lung Association, says one recommendation is that policymakers increase the state tax on cigarettes, as it hasn’t been raised since 2007. Hamilton says cigarette smoking is a leading cause of lung cancer in the state. Another area that needs attention from policymakers is Iowa’s high radon rates, as she says policies could help to reduce radon exposure, and to encourage the building of radon-resistant buildings.
IOWANS ASKED NOT TO TOSS LITHIUM BATTERIES IN REGULAR GARBAGE
Everything from computers to power tools now contain lithium batteries and that has created a sometimes explosive situation for waste haulers. Mark Peebler is the assistant superintendent of the Ames Resource Recovery Plant. He says it is very dangerous to throw lithium batteries into the regular garbage, as the batteries get cut by compactors in garbage trucks and the thermal reaction sets the trucks on fire. He says the batteries may no longer run your weed whacker, but they aren’t out of power when you toss them and lithium batteries have started fires in landfills. Many garbage and waste systems have a separate disposal method for lithium batteries.
