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Ceco Building Systems in Mount Pleasant closing

April 9, 2009 By

The construction industry slump is claiming more Iowa jobs. Ceco Building Systems is closing its Mount Pleasant factory, which makes metal framing and paneling systems for building construction. The production line is being shut down in June, eliminating 120 jobs, though an office will remain open as a service center.

Mount Pleasant Mayor John Freeland says it’s sad news. "Your heart goes out and your thoughts to the employees and what they’re going to do," Mayor Freeland says. "Hopefully, we can get this economy turned around and people will be able to go back to work." He says Ceco has been a staple in Mount Pleasant since its first factory opened there in 1972.

The mayor says he’s just hoping the employees "come out okay on this." He notes that residents in the southeast Iowa town remain optimistic, despite this setback. "I really feel bad about it but locally, we don’t have any control of where the economy is going," Freeland says. "All we can do is try to recruit businesses here and we think we have a pro-business city and all we can do is hope for the best."

Filed Under: Business Tagged With:

Courts seeking ideas for cutting costs

April 9, 2009 By

The Iowa Court system will shut down Friday for the third time this year to save money. Court communications officer, Steve Davis, says the shut downs are just one way to save money, and the courts now have a website for your cost-cutting ideas.

Davis says they are looking for public input on more ways to cut costs. Davis says the website gives an overview of the entire court system budget. He says the budget information allows people to see what the budget looks like and how money is spent, and there is an area where you can submit your cost-cutting idea.

The courts are scheduled to close for a day five more times after this Friday. Those days are: April 24, May 8th, May 22nd, June 5th and June 19th.

You can submit your cost-cutting ideas on the Iowa Judicial System website .

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Le Mars Mayor uses bunny suit to promote bus ridership

April 9, 2009 By

Le Mars Mayor Dick Kirchoff “hopped” on a Siouxland Regional Transit bus on Wednesday dressed in a bunny suit, to encourage residents to take advantage of the city’s new hourly bus route service.

“I joined the bus ride at a senior center bus stop with a bag of carrots in hand,” the mayor said. Kirkchoff said he came out of his office recently and a council member and the assistant city administrator, who spearheaded the bus route program, told him they had gotten him a new promotion.

They said, “You are going to be dressed up as the Easter Bunny to promote the city bus routes.” The mayor also said its unlikely that he will replace Wells’ Blue Bunny’s logo.

Mayor Kirchoff said ridership started out slow when the service began in January but has been picking up. The bus makes stops at over 25 locations in Le Mars each hour. The cost of a ride is $1.00.

 

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With:

Midwest League opening season tonight

April 9, 2009 By

The Midwest League baseball season opens tonight and the defending champion Burlington Bees will be at home against the Clinton LumberKings. Burlington won the Midwest League title this past season and general manager Chuck Brockett says they have high hopes going into 2009.

Brockett says it has been 10 years since the Bees have won, and that was the year before he took over. Brockett says the parent Kansas City Royals are loaded with young talent. He says they are starting to stockpile players and that started in A ball and so next year double A ball will be loaded.

Brockett says in the midst of tough economic times the Bees are holding the line on ticket and concession prices. He says they want more people at the ballpark, not less people at a higher price. Brockett says the Bees want home games to be an "affordable" family outing. He says if you compare the price at their ballpark which to other minor league parks, they are about 15 to 19 dollars cheaper.

Other Midwest League action has the Cedar Rapids Kernels opening the season at home against Beloit and the Quad Cities River Bandits open on the road at Wisconsin. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With:

Sand bar project launched for rare birds

April 9, 2009 By

In an effort to save two types of endangered birds, Iowans living along the Missouri River will see more activity by the U-S Army Corps of Engineers this spring and summer.

Kelly Crane, spokeswoman for the Corps’ Omaha office, says crews will be building more sand bars as habitats for least terns and piping plovers. Crane says about 150 new acres will be available for the birds in addition to all of last year’s acreage. She says "we’ve got quite a good number of sand bars" after having a "habitat deficit" along the river for many years.

Crane says the sand bar project will likely continue well into the future as the populations of the rare birds begin to recover. She says it’s an ongoing project because for every sandbar they build, another one starts to erode, but "we’re really making progress." The sand bars were built between Ponca and Gavins Point Dam last year.

Since the dams were completed on the river, natural sand bar development has been greatly reduced. Crane says enhancing the habitat is well worth it. She says the development isn’t just for the least terns and piping plovers, either, but for several other creatures that are "in peril" and could use more protection along the waterway. The Corps spent more than ten-million dollars on last year’s sand bar projects.

 

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation, Human Interest

Fire that killed 10-year-old girl blamed on cigarette

April 9, 2009 By

Investigators say an apartment house fire that killed a 10-year-old girl in Des Moines over the weekend was caused by a neighbor who failed to properly extinguish a cigarette. The girl, Czu Toffoi, died Sunday from injuries she suffered in the fire. Her grandparents, 65-year-old Sieh Toffoi and 66-year-old Annie Toffoi, both remain hospitalized in critical condition.

Des Moines Police Sergeant Vince Valdez says the man who lived below the Toffois, 51-year-old Ronald Murchison, suffers from a variety of psychological issues and chemical dependency. Valdez says it appears Murchison had been drinking and fell asleep with a lit cigarette, which ignited the fire.

Police have discussed the case with Polk County Attorney John Sarcone and have determined that no charges will be filed against Murchison. "There are no criminal offenses that have been committed," Valdez said. "The evidence, so far, just points to a tragic accident." The fire was reported at 9:45 p.m. Saturday at 1043 Martin Luther King Junior Parkway, just northwest of downtown Des Moines.

Valdez says police have contacted the Iowa Department of Human Services to determine if Murchison can be placed in a long-term supervised care facility. Meanwhile, a fund to benefit the Toffoi family has been established at the Community Choice Credit Union in Des Moines. "The parents (of Czu) are from Liberia," Valdez said. "They are not here…the little girl was staying with her grandparents, who were her legal guardians. It’s a very tragic situation."

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters
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