HINTON ELECTION RECOUNT
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will conduct a recount of votes from the November 7 election in the Hinton Community School District on public measure RQ. Last week, Hinton Schools voters decided on 4 special questions related to a proposal to expand school facilities. One of the ballot issues, whether to extend the district’s Physical Plant and Equipment Levy for an additional ten years, ended in a tie vote. The measure could have passed on a simple majority, so the Supervisors will conduct a recount of votes on that question. The recount will take place Friday at 7-45 a.m. at the Plymouth County Courthouse.
The Supervisors approved the canvass of Plymouth County city and school votes at their meeting this morning.
The Supervisors approved the canvass of Plymouth County city and school votes at their meeting this morning.
AKRON MAYOR SELECTION
The Plymouth County Supervisors today chose a new mayor for Akron by picking a name out of a hat. There was no candidate listed for mayor of Akron in last week’s general election. Out of 115 write-in votes, current mayor Alex Pick, who did not seek re-election, had the highest number of write-in votes. Pick informed the County Auditor by mail that he declined election to the post. According to the election ordinance, the next highest write-in candidate would earn the seat, but there was a tie for second. Following the county election ordinance, those two names were written on slips of paper, and one was drawn out of a hat by Supervisor Gary Horton, who represents Akron on the board. That person was Joel Higman that the Supervisors approved the selection by lot. Higman can decline the selection, and if so, the mayor would be chosen by appointment from the Akron City Council.
PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING
The City of Le Mars’ Planning and Zoning Commission meets this afternoon. They will consider several items today. One concerns rezoning parcels in the Erdmanville development on the north end of Le Mars. The Commission will also make a recommendation concerning creation of a new Le Mars Business Corridor Urban Renewal Area and Urban Renewal Plan. They will also decide on a final plat for Le Mars Industrial Park Fourth Addition.
LE MARS HIT AND RUN UNDER INVESTIGATION
Investigators are working to identify the vehicle involved in a hit and run Sunday night in Le Mars. The suspect vehicle, described by police as a newer model red four-door pickup, struck a pedestrian at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Fourth Street. The victim, a 45 year old female, was walking in the north crosswalk at the intersection when she was struck. The driver of the vehicle then accelerated and fled the scene. The victim was transported to Floyd Valley Healthcare, and later airlifted to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City with serious injuries. Police are actively looking for the suspect. Anyone with information on the incident are urged to call Le Mars Police.
BROWN’S CONCERT SERIES
Le Mars’ musical family, The Browns have begun an ambitious holiday schedule featuring music from their latest holiday recording. The Wonder of the Christmas Season opened last week at the Brown Century Theater. Michaela Brown says the new music in the performance was recorded earlier this year with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
Recording with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra was a dream come true for Michaela’s mother.
The Browns traveled to the Czech Republic to record the holiday music, and released the recording last month. The ten new songs, many of them Christmas classics, are part of the Brown’s performance at the Century Theatre. Michaela says production of the recording went on without a glitch.
The recording didn’t take long, but the preparations took months.
Their holiday schedule calls for nearly 40 performances between now and December 23. The complete schedule can be found at TheBrownsTheater.com.
FAITH AND FAMILY WITH THE FEENSTRAS
4th District US Representative Randy Feenstra announced an event featuring five of the Republican Presidential hopefuls. It’s called “Faith and Family with the Feenstras”, and will be held next month in Sioux Center. Confirmed guests include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former U.N ambassador Nicky Haley, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, and Texas Pastor Ryan Binkley. Representative Feenstra wants the candidates to “share their message with Iowans and offer their vision for a stronger America.” This is a ticketed event. It will be held Saturday, December 9, from 9 a.m. until noon at the BJ Haan Auditorium at Dordt University.
ARREST ON OUTSTANDING WARRANT
The Plymouth County Sheriffs Office arrested an Akron man on an outstanding warrant. 42 year old Mark Jacob Gray was wanted for parole violation with an additional charge of third degree burglary. Gray was booked into the Plymouth County Jail and is held on 20-thousand dollars bond.
AARP OPPOSES ALLIANT ENERGY RATE HIKE REQUEST
An advocacy group for older Iowans is raising concerns about Alliant Energy’s proposal to raise its natural gas and electric rates. Alliant has asked the Iowa Utilities Board to approve a five percent rate increase for its natural gas customers and a seven-point-seven percent increase in its electric rates. Brad says it has dealt with inflation and the repair of infrastructure damaged by the derecho (duh-RAY-choh) in August of 2020. The company also says it needs to bury more power lines, as only 20 percent or so are underground today. Anderson, state director for A-A-R-P, says that’s excessive and will be a hit to older Iowans on fixed incomes. Alliant’s last rate hike was in 2019 and since then the company
HARVEST NEARLY COMPLETE
The latest U-S-D-A crop and weather report shows Iowa’s soybean harvest is nearly complete and 94 percent of corn that’s harvested for grain is out of the fields. The 2023 corn harvest in Iowa is about 10 days ahead of the five year average. According to the U-S-D-A, 58 percent of Iowa’s topsoil is short or very short of moisture. Subsoil moisture levels are worse, with only 30 percent considered adequate. The high spot for precipitation this past week was Clinton County, which recorded two-tenths of an inch.
