The Sioux City Council has voted unanimously to approve a resolution amending the urban renewal plan. The change will allow Avery Brothers Sign Company to build a new $3 million facility at the northwest corner of Leech Avenue and Cunningham Drive. The facility will contain office space, warehouse space and a shop. The business plans to relocate the majority of its operations to the new facility and add three to four jobs to its current staff of 12.
The council needed to approve the resolution adopting an amendment to the Combined Floyd River Urban Renewal Plan. The Sioux City Journal reports that city staff is working on a development agreement and minimum assessment agreement with Avery Brothers, which would provide five year property tax rebates equal to 75% of the new taxes created on the property.
There is less than a month before Election Day, and while Gov. Kristi Noem may seem like the front runner, Rep. Jamie Smith is right behind her.
A SDSU Poll released today found Noem led the race by 45% while Smith trailed at 41%.
But poll numbers are only a small part of the picture and give a snapshot of the moment. The Argus Leader reports, with only weeks to go, the candidates are amping up their appearances and attack ads.
Drought conditions continue in Iowa and forecasts show those conditions will likely continue well into winter. Meteorologist Dennis Todey, director of the USDA’s Midwest Climate Hub in Ames tells Radio Iowa that there are a few benefits to the dry weather, like how the tractors aren’t getting mired in mud.
Todey says the soil continues to dry out and dry deeper across wide sections of Iowa. He adds that there are a number of harvest time hazards for farmers and passing motorists due to the dry conditions and dust obscuring people’s vision on the road. ‘
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is again offering Choose Iowa Marketing and Promotion grants for 2023. The program matches up to $25,000 per project to help farmers, businesses, and non-profits increase or diversify their agricultural product offerings.
Applicants can use the Choose Iowa grants to try new processing, packaging and sales techniques that add value to the commodities that they produce. Grant funding can also be used for employee training and continuing education programs.
Last year, the grant program received 113 applications totaling over $2 million in requests. Thirteen awardees were selected including dairy farms, direct-to-consumer meat businesses, a food hub, a CSA, and a brewery, among others.
