FATAL TRUCK ACCIDENT
An accident in Plymouth County yesterday, involving a semi and a grain truck, caused fatal injuries to a Chicago man. The Iowa State Patrol said the accident occured Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of two county roads northeast of Akron. A semi driven by 28 year old Mohammed Wajid of Chicago was travelling north on K18 and failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of C12. The vehicle struck the rear of an eastbound grain truck driven by 49 year old Timothy Wilken of Akron. Wajid was taken by Akron EMS to Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars, where he was pronounced deceased. Wilken was not injured. The accident caused a field fire, which was extinguished by responders.
MAXIMUM TAX LEVY
A public hearing will be held before the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors to set the maximum tax levies in the 2025-26 fiscal year budget.
The hearing, to take place at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1, The Supervisors will take public comment on levies for the county General Fund and Rural Fund.
The proposed levy for the General Fund is 3 dollars, 33 cents per thousand valuation.
The proposed levy for the Rural Fund is 3 dollars, 72 cents per thousand valuation.
The hearing on Tuesday, April 1, will take place at 9 a.m., before the Supervisors regular session, which begins at 9:30 a.m.
COUNTY ENGINEER PRESENTS 5-YEAR ROAD AND BRIDGE PROJECTS
The Plymouth County Engineer reviewed the Preliminary road and bridge construction program to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday.
Engineer Tom Rohe says there are six projects in the current fiscal year which are yet to be completed. They include a pair of local culvert projects, a bridge replacement, and three paving projects.
The fiscal year 2026 projects include nine local culvert projects, four local bridge projects, two federally-funded bridge projects, a bridge deck overlay, and two repaving projects. The estimated cost of next year’s construction plan is 13 million dollars. 3.4 million will be funded by Plymouth County, 9.6 million from federal and state sources.
BILL WOULD BETTER DEFINE TAILGATING VIOLATIONS
An Iowa lawmaker who’s also a state trooper is proposing a bill to better define when motorists are guilty of tailgating in the highway. Current law says drivers are to follow other vehicles at a prudent and reasonable distance. Representative Zach Dieken of Granville has been a state trooper for 13 years.
Drivers can be ticketed for following another vehicle too closely, but Dieken says Iowa law doesn’t properly define tailgating.
Dieken’s bill says under clear conditions on an Iowa highway, motorists are to drive at least 25 feet behind another vehicle when the speed limit is 35 miles per hour and at least 150 feet when the posted speed limit is between 55 and 65 miles an hour. For the interstates, where the speed limit goes up to 70, the bill indicates at least 200 feet is the prudent distance between vehicles. Dieken says those are the current guideposts for troopers who issue tickets to tailgaters and those calculations are based on how long it takes not necessarily to come to a complete stop, but to avoid a collision. Dieken is hoping the bill gives driver’s ed instructors guidance that’s based on feet, rather than seconds between vehicles.
The bill cleared a subcommittee Tuesday morning and is eligible for consideration in the House Transportation Committee.
SIOUX CITY BUILDINGS TO BE DEMOLISHED
Safety concerns are prompting Sioux City officials to plan the demolition of adjacent downtown buildings. City inspectors determined that the buildings at 625 and 615 Douglas Street pose an imminent danger due to structural instability.
625 Douglas Street, formerly occupied by KCAU-TV, shares a wall and foundation with 615 Douglas Street. An engineering study determined that the two buildings interconnected structures make it difficult to safely demolish one without the other. The city has fenced off walkways to ensure the safety of pedestrians.
The city recently acquired 615 Douglas and now owns both buildings. Demolition bids were sought, and the lowest bid came from Hebert Construction, totaling $749,555.
Demolition will begin soon. Future plans for redevelopment of the site are still under review and will be determined by the city council in the coming months.
VILSACK TO HEAD WORLD FOOD PRIZE FOUNDATION
After a 12-year run as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack will be the next C-E-O of the World Food Prize Foundation. Former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad’s tenure as leader of the Des Moines-based organization is set to end January 31st. Vilsack will take over on March 1st. Vilsack has said his interest in the agriculture sector was rooted in his work as a Mount Pleasant lawyer representing farmers during the Farm Crisis.
Vilsack turned 74 in December and, during an interview with Radio Iowa last month, Vilsack indicated he did not intend to retire.
The World Food Prize Foundation announced Vilsack’s hiring early Tuesday morning.
GRASSLEY ASKS WHY TRUMP FIRED 17 FEDERAL WATCHDOGS
President Trump concluded his first week in office by firing 17 inspectors general from a long list of federal agencies last Friday night, which drew the attention of Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. It’s within the president’s power to take such action, but Grassley says Congress was supposed to have been given 30 days notice. Grassley says he wants to know why each of those inspectors was fired and why the notice wasn’t given, as required by law, and says he’s working on a bipartisan letter to the president to get an explanation. Inspectors general are considered the government’s watchdogs, those who are to guard against waste, fraud and abuse.
BILL TO PUT HOLD ON NEW CASINOS ADVANCES
A bill creating a moratorium on new casinos has cleared a House Committee. During a statehouse hearing on the proposal Monday representatives of Iowa’s casino industry is urged lawmakers to pass the bill before the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission votes on the license for the Cedar Rapids casino on February 6th. Frank Chiodo, a lobbyist for the Riverside Casino, says no other casino would take a harder financial hit if the Cedar Rapids casino is built. Sara Allen, a lobbyist for the Meskwaki Nation, says the tribe’s casino near Tama stands to lose nearly 15 percent of its revenue if a new casino opens just 55 miles away. The bill is eligible for debate in the Iowa House on Thursday. It’s unclear whether the Senate would take up the legislation next week.