AROUND 50 EMPLOYEES OF THE ARGOSY CASINO SHOWED UP AT MRHD'S MEETING MONDAY NIGHT TO PLEAD FOR HELP TO SAVE THEIR JOBS.
  

TASHA BARKER, THE COMPLIANCE MANAGER ON THE RIVERBOAT SPOKE FOR THE GROUP:

BARKER SAYS IT'S BEEN A LONG YEAR FOR THE EMPLOYEES, AND THEY'VE BEEN SCARED ABOUT THEIR FUTURE BECAUSE OF THE STALLED TALKS BETWEEN MRHD AND PENN GAMING.

LOW DONOR TURNOUT AND HIGH PATIENT USAGE THE LAST FEW WEEKS HAS RESULTED IN A NEED FOR BLOOD DONORS AT SIOUX CITY'S LIFE SERVE BLOOD CENTER.

THE LOCAL BLOOD BANK HAS LESS THAN A ONE DAY SUPPLY OF MOST BLOOD TYPES. THE BLOOD CENTER WILL BE OPEN LONGER HOURS THIS WEEK TO ACCOMODATE DONORS.

YOU MAY DONATE FROM 7:30AM UNTIL 5:30PM ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, AND FROM 7AM UNTIL 5:30PM THURSDAY.

FRIDAY THE BLOOD BANK IS OPEN FROM 7AM UNTIL 3PM. SATURDAY THE HOURS ARE 7AM UNTIL 11AM.

YOU MAY CALL 1-800-287-4903 TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT OR ONLINE AT

www.lifeservebloodcenter.org

THE BLOOD CENTER IS LOCATED AT 1019 JONES STREET.

SIOUX CITY'S SCHOOL BOARD HAS A BUSY AGENDA TONIGHT FOR THEIR MEETING. THE BOARD WILL DISCUSS A FUTURE PLAN FOR THE OLD HOOVER MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS.

ONE PROPOSAL INVOLVES BUILDING A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THERE THAT COULD INCLUDE STUDENTS FROM LINCOLN, CLARK, CRESCENT PARK AND PART OF BRYANT ELEMENTARIES.

THE BOARD WILL ALSO LOOK AT A REPLACEMENT STRATEGY FOR WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN MORNINGSIDE.

THEY WILL ALSO CONSIDER APPROVING THE SALE OF THE OLD CENTRAL CAMPUS FACILITY ON JACKSON STREET AND TAKE INPUT ON A MID-AUGUST START DATE FOR THE 2012-13 SCHOOL YEAR.

THAT MEETING BEGINS AT 6PM AT THE DOWNTOWN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.

THE MISSOURI RIVER HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD WILL MEET IN CLOSED SESSION TONIGHT TO CONSIDER A CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH PENN NATIONAL GAMING.

PENN, WHICH OWNS THE ARGOSY RIVERBOAT CASINO, ANNOUNCED LAST FRIDAY THAT IT WOULD ACCEPT MRHD'S PROPOSAL TO EXTEND THE CURRENT OPERATING CONTRACT OF THE CASINO UNTIL MARCH OF 2015.

THAT WAS ONE DAY AFTER THE IOWA RACING AND GAMING ASSOCIATION VOTED TO LET NEW NON-PROFIT GROUPS AND CASINO COMPANIES APPLY TO BUILD A NEW LAND BASED CASINO IN WOODBURY COUNTY. 
  

PREVIOUS TALKS WITH MRHD AND PENN GAMING WERE DEADLOCKED OVER A NEW LONG TERM DEAL TO BUILD A 100-MILLION DOLLAR NEW CASINO.