SIOUX CITY WILL BE FEATURED IN A TV COMMERCIAL TO BE BROADCAST DURING THE IOWA HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

ANNE WESTRA OF THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVLOPMENT DEPARTMENT SAYS THE AD WILL PLAY IN ALL EIGHT SEMIFINAL GAMES OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS TOURNEY IN DES MOINES:

SIGNAGE PROMOTING THE VISIT SIOUX CITY-DOT-ORG WEBSITE WILL ALSO BE DISPLAYED IN DES MOINES WELLS FARGO ARENA DURING THE TOURNAMENT.

WESTRA SAYS THE CITY HAS BEEN GIVEN THE AIRTIME FOR FREE BY THE IOWA HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS NETWORK.

The city of Sergeant Bluff has delayed a council vote on ending its tax incentives for buyers of
new homes in the city.

The City Council was scheduled to vote Tuesday. But the resignation of Councilman Steve Jauron left the council with a split vote of 2-2.

City Administrator Jim Ferneau says the council will return to the issue when Jauron's seat is filled.

The tax break is aimed at fueling growth but is costing the city tax revenue.

It gives homeowners a break on city property taxes at either 100 percent over three years or varying amounts over 10 years.

Jauron says he's resigning because the council position took too much of his time.

A report says nearly 70 bridges here in Woodbury County need replacing over the next five
years.

The rating and inspection report submitted to the county on Tuesday says some of the bridges' load ratings have been reduced by more than half.

Only 32 are scheduled for work, and the Woodbury County engineer says he's limited by his budget.

Engineer, Mark Nahra, says 32 bridges will be rehabilitated rather than rebuilt. Nahra says that once the work is done, "you'll still have a narrow bridge but you'll have one that can take heavier loads."
    

The county has more than 300 bridges. They've been in use an average of about 40 years.

THE SIOUX CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT'S SWAT TEAM IS GETTING AN IMPORTANT UPGRADE IN THEIR FIELD GEAR THANKS TO MERCY MEDICAL CENTER.

MERCY IS PROVIDING NEW MEDICAL PACKS THAT WILL BE USED BY EACH MEMBER OF THE SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS TEAM.

MERCY E.R. DOCTOR TRAVIS BROWNELL (BRAUW-NELL) HELPED DESIGN THE PACKS. HE'S ALSO MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE IOWA STATE PATROL'S AREA SWAT UNIT:

THE PACKS INCLUDE A VARIETY OF TRAUMA DRESSINGS, SHEARS, QUICK CLOT GAUZE AND OTHER MATERIALS.

SWAT TEAM LEADER LT. REX MUELLER SAYS THE PACKS GIVE OFFICERS THE ABILITY TO INSTANTLY TREAT INJURIES AT INCIDENT SCENES...WHETHER THE VICTIMS ARE OFFICERS, CIVILLIANS OR SUSPECTS: 

POLICE CHIEF DOUG YOUNG SAYS THE MEDICAL PACKS WILL BE A CRITICAL PART OF THE SWAT TEAM'S GEAR:

MERCY MEDICAL PICKED UP THE ENTIRE COST OF THE 13 MEDICAL KITS AT $137 DOLLARS APIECE.