Officials continue to move forward in opening pieces of the new Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center in Sioux City.
After more than a year of delays in opening the facility that has jail cells, plus offices and courtrooms, mid-Steptember saw the arrival of some employees and equipment.
Third Judicial District Chief Judge Patrick Tott in a letter has announced that the courtrooms in the WCLEC will first be used for cases on December 2.
A $54 million public bond issue vote was approved by Woodbury County voters in March 2020.
Cost overruns and delays took place as it was built along 28th Street in Sioux City, and the current projected cost is $70 million.
*In other news, Briar Cliff University officials were optimistic when adding a new Doctoral of Occupational Therapy program in 2018 as a way to train therapists for specialty work.
However, the program has had a low number of doctoral students in recent semesters, so BCU will soon end the program. In a release, college officials said they will pursue the so-called teach-out steps for current students, who will be helped to find schools where they can transfer.
In spite of steps to promote the OTD program, Briar Cliff President Matthew Draud described persistently low enrollment and challenges in sustaining the program.
“Our top priority is ensuring that our current students have the resources and opportunities necessary to complete their journey to becoming Doctors of Occupational Therapy,” Draud said.
The first cohort group of students began classes in the summer of 2023. Seven students are expected to transfer to other accredited institutions to complete their degrees in occupational therapy.
Another BCU doctoral program, the Physical Therapy program, will continue at the Mayfair Campus in Sioux City.
*Additionally, two special sessions will be held over the next week to support Woodbury County residents who were impacted by June severe flooding.
The Woodbury County Long-Term Recovery Group will host two Multi-Agency Resource Center meetings, first at Riverside Lutheran Church in Sioux City on Tuesday, and then at the community center in Correctionville, Iowa, on October 15.
Resources will be available from such groups as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, American Red Cross, Community Action Agency, The Salvation Army, and some City of Sioux City departments.
The two sessions are an opportunity for residents to meet with FEMA representatives in person before the application period closes on October 22, 2024.
FEMA is also reminding people that if they received some federal assistance for home repairs, there is also a program that provides money for damaged furnaces. Some FEMA assistance is also available for other structural components of homes, including wells, septic systems, water heaters and other electrical appliances.
Funding is available to eligible survivors in Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Humboldt, Lyon, Monona, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pottawattamie, Scott, Sioux and Woodbury counties.
*There will be a ribbon cutting at Washington Park in Denison at noon, Tuesday, October 8.
The city undertook a major reworking of the former Kids Kastle site at the park, since the town’s insurance provider brought up safety concerns. The Kids Kastle portion was razed, and there are many pieces that will make Washington Park more inclusive.
There is a new separate area with sensory stimulation for children of varying abilities, and the park equipment has many pieces that will appeal to a variety of ages in Denison.
