News

(LE MARS)--A Floyd Valley Hospital staff member is a five-state winner.

Floyd Valley Hospital chief engineer Tim Paul is the regional winner for the American Society for Healthcare Engineering of the American Hospital Association.

He received the Emerging Regional Leadership award for his commitment to the field and his leadership qualities. He was honored during a conference in Tampa, Florida.

According to hospital administrator Mike Donlin, Paul continually goes above and beyond the call of duty with a positive outlook and proactive leadership style.

Paul was the award recipient for the region, including Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.

Paul has been Floyd Valley's chief engineer since June of 2005.

Interns chose city experiences

(LE MARS)--An on-the-job learning opportunity took two students outdoors in Le Mars this summer.

City administrator Scott Langel says a horticulture major interned with work in city parks.

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A landscape architecture student returned as an intern after being a job shadow with Langel. The work this summer involved public facilities.

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According to the city administrator, both students were interns through word of mouth and not a formal relationship related to I-S-U students who did a study of an extension of park land south of West Floyd Park.

Grant funds learning improvements

(LE MARS)---Children in classrooms at Le Mars Daycare and Small Wonders Preschool are seeing a new learning environment.

The change is due to assistance with classroom improvements provided by five-thousand dollars from the Community Foundation of Greater Plymouth County.

Director Melissa Tolzin says the grant gave the non-profit the opportunity to improve the learning environments for the children in the classrooms.

Purchases from the grant include lockers for children, tables and chairs, shelving, a reading book center, sand table, flannel and dry erase boards, rugs for story time, projectors and teacher totes.

Y:  Volunteers needed for Triathlon

(LE MARS)--The city of Le Mars Area Y-M-C-A needs volunteers to make the 2010 Le Mars Sprint Triathlon as safe and as fun as possible.

The Triathlon is September 11th. Volunteers may work on Friday before the event doing work such as stuffing packets or on Saturday in the pool, and along biking or running routes. Other volunteer work is also available Saturday.

Most volunteers will need to be at the Le Mars Outdoor Pool by 8:15 in the morning on Saturday, September 11th and would be completed with their volunteer work by one in the afternoon.

About 70 volunteers are needed. Anyone interested may contact Angela Loutsch at the Y by calling 546-6655.

Plane crashes near Boone

BOONE, Iowa (AP) The Federal Aviation Administration says one person is dead in the crash of small plane towing a banner near the Farm Progress Show near Boone in central Iowa.

FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory says the Cessna 150 with just the pilot on board crashed about 2 miles north of Boone Thursday morning. She says the plane is registered to Drake Aerial Enterprise in Genoa, Ohio. There is no telephone listing for the compamy.

Air America Aerial Ads, of Genoa, is also listed on the FAA Registry as another owner. A person who answered the phone declined to comment.

Isham Cory says the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the crash, which happened about 9:20 a.m.

KCCI-TV says a witness, Bob Johnson, reported the banner got caught in the corn. Johnson says the plane then nose dived into the ground.

Flooding frustrates producers

OTTUMWA, Iowa. (AP) Counties in southern Iowa are still dealing with flooding, in what has turned out to be one of the wettest summers on record in the state.

While Saylorville and Red Rock reservoirs continue to fall both should be at normal levels by mid- September the misery continues in Eddyville and Ottumwa.

The Des Moines Register reports that at least some residents blame the Corps of Engineers for allowing the Des Moines River to continue flooding their property near Ottumwa.

Corps officials say they balance the interest of landowners above and below their dam on the river, and have managed to avert major property damage so far.

Corps spokesman Ron Fournier says farmers upstream are also angry because they've had high water all summer.

There's hope things will improve in a couple of weeks, when the river finally drops.

Judge reconsiders prison sentence

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) A judge has suspended a 10-year prison sentence of a Charles City man accused of locking his two toddlers in their bedrooms for up to 14 hours a day for two years.

Danial Onken pleaded guilty in April to two counts of abandonment or neglect of a dependent. He began serving his sentence in June.

Judge James Drew last week granted Onken's request for a reconsideration. The Globe Gazette reported Thursday that the judge reviewed a report from the department of corrections indicating Onken had been on good behavior and is making progress.

Drew suspended the sentence and put Onken on probation for five years.

The children, who are twins, were 4 years old when the charges were filed in May 2009.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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(ORANGE CITY)--The Sioux County Sheriff's Office and Iowa State Patrol make a final "saturation" effort to reduce the number of traffic accidents and deaths in Sioux County today (Thursday). 

Four projects were set to make the traffic safety change due to the high number of traffic deaths on Sioux County roads. Another priority has been to focus on "distracted driving habits."

The final day of the four projects is today on Iowa Highway 10 from Hawarden to Granville. Law enforcement will have extra officers assigned to the area, including the use of the Iowa State Patrol speed enforcement aircraft.

Knights of Columbus raise nearly 51-thousand dollars

(LE MARS)--Knights of Columbus in Plymouth County exceeded both the regular and challenge goals in fundraising Wednesday.

The total from the 31st annual Plymouth County Knights of Columbus Phonothon for Persons with Disabilities is nearly 51-thousand dollars.

Becky Scheitler of Life Skills Training Center reported results from around the county by Knights of Columbus members and volunteers included:

*Le Mars $32,373

*Remsen $8,890

*Kingsley $4,000

*Akron $3,673

*Hinton $1,892

Ninety-percent of the proceeds from the phonothon are used to support Life Skills Training Center in Le Mars which provides services to individuals with disabilities and 10 percent is donated to Iowa Special Olympics.

Dave Grosenheider, KLEM Radio/Powell Broadcasting Director of Sales filed this final report from the Phonothon headquarters at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Le Mars.

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Donations may be mailed to PO Box 1506, Le Mars, Iowa 51031.

Fall clean up days, household hazards materials collection set

(LE MARS)--Le Mars residents will have five days this month for the city's Fall Clean Up which features a landfill amnesty.

The Clean Up days are September 9th and 10th and September 16-18th. A household may take up to one-thousand pounds of throwaway materials to the rural Le Mars Plymouth County Solid Waste Agency. The landfill fee will be paid by the city.

Items included are furniture, construction and demolition materials such as wooden fence posts and scrap lumber, and metal such as bed frames, bikes and mowers. White goods such as appliances may be taken, but the customer must pay a $10 per item demanufacturing charge.

Weekday landfill hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with Saturday hours from 8 a.m. to noon.

Next month, Le Mars and Oyens residents may take household hazardous materials to a mobile unit. The Plymouth County Solid Waste Agency will collect household cleaners, home improvement supplies, pesticides, automotive products and other items such as batteries, pool and photo chemicals and artists paints.

There is no charge for the service but appointments will be needed by calling 548-4958. The mobile collection will be ONLY on October sixth from 10 am to noon and from 1-5 pm at the City of Le Mars Street Department.

NWC: Fall enrollment shows high retention rate for freshmen

(ORANGE CITY)--Fall enrollment is up at a Siouxland college by nearly 40 students.

Northwestern College announced fall enrollment of 1,243 students. According to the dean of enrollment services, Ron De Jong, this year's entering freshman class totals 351 students which is the largest since 2006. Total enrollment is up 37 students.

The retention rate of freshmen returning for their sophomore year was 80 percent which is the second best in school history.

De Jong says that shows Northwestern provides the kind of experience students anticipated they would receive.

This year's enrollment includes the highest percentage of American ethnic minorities Northwestern has ever had which is six-point-eight percent.

College officials say the increase in ethnic minorities is partly due to the special effort to recruit students from the Southwest. That resulted in enrolling 23 students from California in the freshman class and 59 overall. The state is the fifth most represented state on campus.

 Blood bank has urgent need; will collect in Le Mars today

(SIOUX CITY)-Donors who choose to give the gift of life in Le Mars today (Thursday) will help the Siouxland Community Blood Bank fill an urgent need.

The blood bank is asking donors with types O Negative and B Negative Blood to donate as soon as possible.

The blood bank, a subsidiary of LifeServe Blood Center, will collect blood donations today (Thursday) from 9 a-m to 3 p-m at Floyd Valley Hospital in Le Mars.

The blood bank typically has a five-day supply of all blood types, but a steady decline in donations has left the blood bank with less than a two-day supply for some blood types.

Singer is new sergeant

(LE MARS)--A Plymouth County Sheriff's deputy with specialized training in illegal drugs, firearms, and clandestine labs is the new sergeant.

Rick Singer of rural Le Mars was promoted to the position left vacant by the retirement of Sergeant Lynn Steckelberg.

Singer began his law enforcement career at the Le Mars Police Department in 1997 and joined the sheriff's office in 2000.

He is a certified firearms instructor, certified clandestine lab tech, Iowa certified chemical munitions instructor, dive team member, drug task force member, and a Master Sergeant in the Iowa Army National Guard.

Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo announced the promotion Wednesday.

U-S attorney announces drug probe

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) A drug sweep in central Iowa has resulted in several arrests in the Marshall County area.

U.S. Attorney Nicholas Klinefeldt announced the early morning arrests Wednesday.

Authorities say eight people from Marshalltown, Liscomb and Steamboat Rock are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. A ninth person, who's from Marshalltown, is charged with aiding and abetting a felon in possession of a firearm.

Law officers executed four search warrants. More than 50 officers from local, state and federal agencies collaborated in the arrests.

The nine defendants were being held without bond pending an appearance before a federal magistrate in Des Moines.

Minnesota couple to sue over tainted eggs

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A southern Minnesota couple has notified a pair of Iowa egg companies at the center of a salmonella outbreak and massive egg recall that they intend to sue.

Attorney Ryan Osterholm of Minneapolis-based PritzkerOlsen says the lawsuit will be filed in Beltrami County in the next few days.

The Star Tribune reports it's apparently the first lawsuit in Minnesota connected to the nationwide recall of more than a half a billion eggs.

Robin Shaffer of Mantorville claims she was sickened with salmonella poisoning after eating at a Bemidji restaurant in May.

Minnesota regulators have linked tainted eggs served there to Hillandale Farms of New Hampton, Iowa. The lawsuit alleges Hillandale's eggs were contaminated because Wright County Egg sold Hillandale contaminated feed or young hens.

Shaffer's husband joined the lawsuit due to loss of his wife's companionship.

A spokeswoman for the farms, Hinda Mitchell, had no comment.

Funeral director: County misinterprets burial code

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) A funeral director believes Des Moines County officials are misinterpreting an old state law requiring bodies to be offered to medical schools.

Supervisors are considering updating the county handbook to require offering bodies of poor or indigent people to medical science before they are eligible for burial at county expense.

The supervisors met Tuesday with three Burlington funeral directors to discuss the new policy.

Funeral director Burton Prugh (proo) says the 1873 law was originally set up not for poor families but for indigent people who had been abandoned by their families.

Assistant County Attorney Amy Beavers says the county should begin making a good-faith effort to comply with the law.

The supervisors meet in the next couple of weeks to formally approve the updated handbook.


3 teens accused in Iowa City library vandalism

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) Iowa City police say tips from the public have led to charges against three teenagers in spray-paint vandalism at the public library last April.

Surveillance video shows three young men riding skateboards in the alley behind the library, then spray-painting the side of the library on April 25.

In July, police asked for the public's help in identifying the three caught on video. A CrimeStoppers tip line received 17 tips.

The Press-Citizen reports as a result of the tips, police have charged three juveniles in the library vandalism.

The three boys are all 16 years and from Cedar Rapids. Police say the teens have been charged with fifth-degree criminal mischief a simple misdemeanor and referred to juvenile court.


Iowa library director explains any books discarded

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) The director of Mason City's public library says some library books were mistakenly tossed into a trash bin.

But she says most of the discarded books were part of the library's normal ``weeding out'' process.

Dozens of books were discovered Tuesday thrown into a trash bin at the Madison Early Childhood Center temporary quarters of the library's archives. Discarded items included city directories and recently published books.

Director Mary Markwalter tells the Globe Gazette that all libraries go through a weeding-out process.

Markwalter says normally the library finds a home for the books or puts them up for sale or gives them away. But this time, there was no place to do that.

The library has been in temporary quarters for a year and will reopen in October.

Climatologist: Summer '93 remains Iowa's wettest

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) The summer of 2010 was a rainy one for Iowa, but the summer of 1993 remains Iowa's wettest on record.

Summer 1993 saw a statewide average of 26.83 inches of rain.

State climatologist Harry Hillaker of the Iowa Department of Agriculture says rainfall this summer averaged 23.23 inches. That covers the months of June, July and August.

Third place goes to the summer of 1902 with 22.57 inches.

But June 2010 is the wettest June on record with a statewide average of 10.38 inches. It beat June 1947, which had 10.33 inches.

Hillaker tells The Des Moines Register that rainfall was unevenly distributed during August. Urbandale had more than 16 inches of rain for the month, while Guttenberg got just over an inch of rain last month.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Submit your news release, confidential news tip or news idea by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , by calling 712.546.4121 or 712.546.9672 fax.

(LE MARS)--The summer of 2010 will enter the record books as the second wettest in Iowa history.

Wet seasons are a reason Superintendent of the Le Mars Wastewater Treatment Facility Ron Kayser continues to ask Le Mars residents not to have their sump pumps connected to the sanitary sewer system.

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To be good citizens for the sanitary sewer system, Kayser reminds Le Mars residents not to pour cooking grease down the drain.

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Kayser points out other items can harm the treatment process.

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The annual cleaning of sewer lines for about one-fourth of the city began for a six-week period today.

Iowa family survives house explosion

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) A Sioux City family of five has escaped what could have been a deadly explosion at their home.

Authorities believe natural gas caused the blast Tuesday night.

The homeowner, Cuong Phung, his three children, ages 1, 6 and 9, and his mother-in-law escaped without suffering serious injuries. His mother-in-law and children were taken to a hospital as a precaution.

The blast, which happened about 6:15 p.m., shook the split foyer home off its foundation.

Phung says there was a ``big boom,'' and the ceiling fell down. He says there was a repairman at the house Tuesday afternoon working on the air conditioning.

Neighbor Kelsey McCann says the family is ``lucky to be alive.''

The state fire marshal is investigating.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Farrer is Fair checkers champ

(HINTON)--A Hinton Community School student knows his crowns, captures and jumps on the black-and-red- squared board.

Eleven-year-old Izaak Farrer won first place in the ages 6-12 category in the Youth Checkers Tournament at the Iowa State Fair.

The son of Steve and Candice Farrer of rural Hinton claimed the checkers championship for his age group on August 20th.

Yankton awarded funds for street in industrial expansion area

(YANKTON)--The state of South Dakota is partnering with a Yankton business expansion by funding improved access to an industrial park.

South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds announced the 142-thousand dollars financial assistance grant to extend Gehl Drive by 750-feet.

The street extension will allow the city of Yankton to provide water, sewer and transportation services to Dakota Trailer Manufacturing, which is expanding. The street will also serve future commercial projects in the East Side Industrial Park.

Dakota Trailer's new 46-thousand square foot building will result in an additional 25 to 49 jobs in Yankton and represents a private investment of about 2.43 million dollars.

Sweet corn arrives for Iowa troops in Mississippi

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) Iowa National Guard troops training in Mississippi are in for a taste of home.

About 400 dozen ears of Iowa sweet corn have been delivered to Camp Shelby, where 3,000 Iowa troops are training for their deployment to Afghanistan.

U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley says the corn was made possible by Iowa farmers, businesses and veterans group. The Democratic congressman from Waterloo organized the delivery. Braley says he got the idea from Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., who delivered shrimp and gumbo to Mississippi Guard members in Iraq.

Braley, who's visiting Camp Shelby to observe training, says the corn was to be shucked and served on Wednesday.

The deployment, the largest of Iowa National Guard members since World War II, is expected to last a year.

Iowa judge wants mental test for accused kidnapper

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) A judge has ordered a mental evaluation for a man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a convenience store clerk in Cedar Rapids in May.

Court documents show Keith Elson Jr. plans to claim insanity, diminished capacity and intoxication as his defense.

Elson is charged with first-degree kidnapping. He's accused of kidnapping the woman employee at knife point from a Kwik Shop in the early-morning hours of May 17. Police found the woman and Elson at his apartment about seven hours later.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Jason Burns filed an application for an evaluation. Judge Denver Dillard approved it on Monday. The order shows Elson's attorney, Mike Lahammer, had no objections.

Elson's trial is Nov. 29.

PA Gov. Rendell to headline Iowa Dem dinner

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell will headline the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson Jackson Dinner next month, the party's biggest annual fundraising event.

Rendell is a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and has been a prominent voice in party affairs for years. He'll be the featured speaker at the Oct. 16 event, which usually draws prominent figures.

Vice President Joe Biden headlined last year's dinner. Many credit then presidential candidate Barack Obama's strong performance at the 2007 dinner with giving him momentum that spurred him to a win in Iowa's leadoff caucuses.

The party announced Rendell's visit in a news release Wednesday.

FEMA extends funding to raze flooded homes in CR

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) The Federal Emergency Management Agency has beat a deadline and extended funding to demolish flood-damaged homes in Cedar Rapids.

A late-afternoon decision by FEMA on Tuesday will continue the funding to raze the worst-damaged homes through Nov. 27. The money had been slated to run out Tuesday night, which would have stopped the demolition project in the short run.

Cedar Rapids has 198 more homes to tear down that have been deemed an ``imminent threat'' to the public's health and safety. About 500 already are down.

Greg Eyerly, the city's flood-recovery director, says weather delays and historical reviews of properties have slowed the demolition process.

The homes were swamped in June 2008, when the Cedar River flooded, covering about 10 square miles of the city.

Couche Tarde raises buyout offer for Casey's


NEW YORK (AP) Convenience-store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard is raising its bid for Casey's General Stores to $38.50 per share in its latest effort to win over shareholders.

Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. had previously offered $36.75 per share, but Casey's said that is too low.

The latest offer, announced Wednesday, is valued at about $1.47 billion, excluding about $528 million in Casey's debt.

Couche-Tard on Tuesday extended its hostile bid through Sept. 30. The offer has steadily lost favor with investors who originally tendered 19.2 percent of shares when the bid was first extended.

Casey's is based in Ankeny, Iowa.


(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Submit your news release, confidential news tip or news idea by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , by calling 712.546.4121 or 712.546.9672 fax.

(LE MARS)--Phones will ring throughout Plymouth County today (Wednesday) for the  annual Knights of Columbus Phonothon for Persons with Disabilities.

The Knights of Columbus Hall in Le Mars is the headquarters for the 31st annual Phonothon fund raiser.

All of the proceeds will benefit Life Skills Training Center in Le Mars and Iowa Special Olympics.

Life Skills serves more than 60 individuals with disabilities and has a full and part time staff of more than 20. The laundry processed more than one-point-two-million pounds of linen last year with a daily average of nearly five-thousand pounds. The non-profit had laundry contracts income of 500-thousand dollars in 2009 and supported employment services of 45-thousand dollars. There were 23 supported training sites in Le Mars for more than 68-hundred hours of annual training support.

Progress on the Knights of Columbus fund raising will be reported throughout the day on KLEM 1410 AM/96.9 FM.

Sewer line cleaning begins in Le Mars today

(LE MARS)--A contractor begins a yearly effort to keep lines open to the Le Mars Wastewater Treatment facility today (Wednesday).

Le Mars Wastewater Treatment Facility and Collection System Superintendent Ron Kayser says the cleaning reduces the likelihood of sewer lines plugging and backing up into basements.

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The sewer lines to be cleaned are all areas west of 4th Avenue northwest and southwest, from 6th Street Northwest to 24th Street Southwest. Also, all areas south and west of Central Avenue and 24th street Southwest.

Kayser explains the contractor finds whatever goes into the system.

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 Residents may experience some minor sewer problems and or traffic congestion in the areas being cleaned. Kayser says small things that can be done to alleviate problems in your home during cleaning include pouring water down your floor drains; having your sewer vent checked for blockages by bird nests, twigs/debris, and closing the toilet lid.

Branstad:  Keep Main Street program

(LE MARS)--The Republican candidate for governor brought a message about jobs to a campaign stop at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor in Le Mars Tuesday.

Terry Branstad was asked if he could make the state less unattractive to business. Branstad said he'd done it before as governor saying he was in Le Mars for a new business, SmithCo Manufacturing, the rural Le Mars the side dump trailer maker, and several expansions by Wells' Dairy.

Branstad pointed to the taxes on commercial business as an example of roadblocks to jobs.

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His plan to change economic development with a public-private partnership drew a question about the future of Main Street..a downtown revitalization program. The Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce is part of the Main Street program.

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Other topics the governor was asked about included tax reform, education, and foster care. 

Netley dies while clearing brush

(AKRON)--A southeast South Dakota man who was clearing brush seven miles east of Akron died Monday when a tree fell on him.

The Plymouth County Sheriff's office identified the man as  63-year-old James "Jim" Netley of Dakota Dunes, South Dakota.

The Sheriff's Office and Plymouth County Coroner's Office responded to the report of someone being injured around 7:30 Monday night. The location was on Highway Three at Ruble, a ghost town between Akron and Brunsville.

The sheriff's office said Netley's death was being handled as an accident and no further investigation was anticipated.

Palin returns to Iowa for GOP fundraiser

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will return to Iowa in September, headlining a state Republican Party fundraiser and sparking speculation about whether her visit indicates she's considering a run for president in 2012.

Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn confirmed Tuesday that Palin will speak Sept. 17 in Des Moines at the annual Reagan Dinner.

It will be Palin's second visit to Iowa since the 2008 election, when she served as GOP presidential nominee John McCain's running mate. She visited western Iowa briefly in December 2009 during a book-signing tour.

Strawn says he's confident Palin will motivate Republicans heading into the November elections.

As the state that leads off the presidential nominating process, Palin's visit also will likely prompt talk about whether she intends to make a White House run in 2012.

Woman has dog stolen at knifepoint

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) Police in Cedar Rapids say a man threatened to kill a woman with a knife if she didn't give him the dog she was walking.

Clarissa Kleppe told police she was walking a friend's miniature pinscher/Jack Russell terrier mix about 6 p.m. Monday when the man approached her from behind, held a knife to her throat and demanded the dog. The 23-year-old handed over the dog and was not injured.

The dog is valued at $50. Police are looking for a suspect based on Kleppe's description.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Tire company to build Iowa plant

BOONE, Iowa (AP) A company based in the Czech Republic plans to build a new agricultural tire plant in Iowa.

Gov. Chet Culver and CGS Tyres made the announcement Tuesday at the Farm Progress Show.

The plant would be built in Charles City, in northern Iowa. Company officials plan to invest $43 million to build the plant.

The company says the plant would create 159 new jobs. Production is expected to begin in 2012.

Culver says the Iowa Department of Economic Development has spent six years working with the company to come to Iowa.

Cedar Rapids gives flood-damaged homes to builders

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) Cedar Rapids is giving away flood-damaged homes to builders and nonprofits for renovation and resale.

City officials are trying to save some of the ``least-badly'' damaged homes among about 1,200 buyouts. Builders and nonprofits can get the homes for free in exchange for rehabilitating and selling the homes at a 15 percent profit margin.

Eighteen builders and contractors and three nonprofits have identitified 100 homes they're interested in obtaining.

Under the program, once the city buys out a home it will notify the developer, who has 21 days to submit a renovation plan. The renovation must be done within 60 days, with the home sold to someone who owns and occupies it within a year.

Flood victims who owned the home and were bought out have right of first refusal in the sale.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

 Submit your news release, confidential news tip or news idea by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , by calling 712.546.4121 or 712.546.9672 fax.