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.
THE BISHOP OF THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF SIOUX CITY IS MEETING WITH THE POPE THIS WEEK.
BISHOP R. WALKER NICKLESS AND OTHER MIDWESTERN BISHOPS ARE AT THE VATICAN AS PART OF THEIR AD LIMINA VISIT. THE VISIT OCCURS EVERY FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS.
BISHOP NICKLESS VISITED WITH POPE BENEDICT THE 16TH ON SATURDAY. HE IS ALSO MEETING WITH OTHER VATICAN OFFICIALS AND WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY AT THE CHURCHES OF THE APOSTLES.
It appears the effort to ban traffic enforcement cameras in Iowa has stalled at the statehouse. House Speaker Kraig Paulsen says there won't be enough votes for passage.
Critics complain the cameras violate due process rules for motorists. Sioux City reduced the red light camera fine by nearly half this year.
Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett says traffic enforcement cameras have been generally accespted by citizens in his city.
Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan says accidents are down about 35 percent in the areas that they have put in red light cameras.
Hanafan says his city collects between three- and four-million dollars a year from the red light tickets and half of that is used for property tax relief.
