THE COMMITTEE MADE UP TO GUIDE THE DIRECTION OF THE PROPOSED LIBERTY PARK INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT SOUTH OF SIOUX CITY HAS HAD ITS FIRST MEETING.
THE GROUP IS COMPRISED OF CITIZENS, BUSINESS PEOPLE AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM SIOUX CITY, SGT BLUFF AND WOODBURY COUNTY.
MC CLURE ENGINEERING IS THE CONSULTANT FOR THE PROJECT AND WAS THE FACILITATOR OF THE MEETING.
COUNTY SUPERVISOR GEORGE BOYKIN SAYS A LOT OF INFORMATION WAS EXCHANGED INCLUDING A DISCUSSION OF KEEPING THE EXISTING PORT NEAL I-29 INTERCHANGE:
BOYKIN SAYS MC CLURE WILL COMPILE INFORMATION FROM THE SMALL BREAKOUT SESSIONS AND THE GROUP WILL NEXT MOVE TOWARDS PUTTING TOGETHER SOME RECCOMENDATIONS:
THE NEXT MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE WILL TAKE PLACE ON APRIL 23RD.
A 22-year-old Texas woman has been given 60 days in jail for trying to release minks from a Sioux City farm.
Kellie Marshall had pleaded guilty in Woodbury County District Court to releasing an animal from an animal facility and attempted third-degree burglary.
Judge Steven Andreasen suspended a five-year prison sentence and 305 days of jail time for Marshall.
Marshall was given five years of probation as well.
Marshall and 24-year-old Victor Vanorden, also of Austin, were found in a soybean field in October before they could release the animals.
Officers found fences nearby that had been cut. Vanorden was sentenced to five years in prison.
Marshall and Vanorden must pay nearly $8,800 in restitution for the fence damage.
IOWA CONGRESSMAN STEVE KING IS GAINING SUPPORT FOR A FLOOD CONTROL BILL THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF STORAGE SPACE IN THE MISSOURI RIVER RESERVOIR SYSTEM.
HOUSE BILL H.R. 2942 WOULD HAVE THE CORPS RECALCULATE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF STORAGE NEEDED IN ITS SIX RESERVOIRS TO PREVENT A FLOOD LIKE LAST SUMMER'S FROM REOCURRING.
KING SAYS HE'S TALKED SEVERAL TIMES WITH CORPS OFFICIALS ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO PROVIDE BETTER FLOOD CONTROL:
KING SAYS HE HAS THE SUPPORT OF MOST REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MISSOURI RIVER STATES, AND THAT SENATORS CHUCK GRASSLEY AND MIKE JOHANNS HAVE INTRODUCED A COMPANION BILL IN THE SENATE.
THE CONGRESSMAN AND SOUTH SIOUX CITY MAYOR BILL MCLARTY HOSTED A TOWN HALL MEETING ON FLOOD CONTROL MONDAY AFTERNOON AT THE MARINA INN CONVENTION CENTER.
SOUTH SIOUX CITY IS STILL CUTTING THROUGH SOME RED TAPE IN TRYING TO RECOVER FROM LAST SUMMER'S MISSOURI RIVER FLOOD.
CITY MANAGER LANCE HEDQUIST SAYS THE FLOOD COST SOUTH SIOUX TAXPAYERS AROUND SEVEN-POINT-THREE MILLION DOLLARS. TWO MILLION OF THAT WAS FOR ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIR.
SAND LEFT BEHIND ALSO FILLED IN THE CITY'S BOAT RAMP, WHICH HEDQUIST SAYS WILL LIKELY BE UNUSABLE UNTIL AT LEAST JULY 1ST.
HEDQUIST SAYS IT WILL TAKE THAT LONG TO DETERMINE IF THEY CAN GET A PERMIT TO BUILD A SILT FENCE NEAR THE RAMP.
HE SAYS OTHER PERMITS FOR FLOOD RECOVERY COULD TAKE UP TO A YEAR AND A HALF. MAYOR BILL MCLARTY SAYS REGULATIONS PROTECTING A FISH IN LIEU OF CITY INFRASTRUCTURE ARE NOT APPEALING TO HIM:
THE CITY'S BASEBALL AND SOCCER FIELDS ALONG THE RIVERFRONT ALSO SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE FROM THE FLOODING.
SEVERAL AREA RESIDENTS FROM IOWA AND NEBRASKA SPOKE ABOUT THERE OWN PERSONAL DIFFICULTIES IN RECOVERING FROM THE FLOOD, CITING DIFFICULTIES WITH FEMA AND OBTAINING REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGED PROPERTY.
