QUAD CITIES – Sept. 15, 2022 – The new Interstate 74 bridge over the Mississippi River has been named a Top 12 finalist in the America’s Transportation Awards, the top honor for state departments of transportation from the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials, AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The joint project between Iowa and Illinois now competes for the national Grand Prize selected by an independent panel as well as the People’s Choice Award determined by an online vote.

The public is encouraged to show its support for the I-74 Mississippi River Bridge by voting in the People’s Choice Awards. An online vote can be made once a day until the contest wraps up Oct. 21. Visit americastransportationawards.org, click the “Vote Now” button, and select “The Memorial Bridge (Interstate 74 Mississippi River Crossing)” to cast your vote.

“The I-74 Mississippi River Bridge has become an icon in the Quad Cities and the Midwest,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “Those who have seen the positive impact it brings to the region would agree that the bridge is absolutely deserving of national recognition. Cast your votes to bring home this prestigious award.”

“We are proud of the teamwork between Illinois and Iowa in delivering this project,” said Iowa Department of Transportation Director Scott Marler. “We ask for your support to help bring home this award and show the rest of the country, once again, that our states, industry partners and labor force know how to build world-class infrastructure.”

Both the Grand Prize and People’s Choice Award come with $10,000 to provide to a charity, not-for-profit or transportation-related scholarship by the winning states.

Built by the Iowa and Illinois departments of transportation, the I-74 Mississippi River Bridge was recognized as a contest finalist for improving safety and mobility, enhancing quality of life, and positioning the Quad Cities for future economic opportunity.

Opened in 2021, the bridge has four lanes in each direction, a 14-foot-wide bike and pedestrian path with a scenic overlook, and connections to existing paths in Bettendorf and Moline. The approximately $1 billion project includes twin river bridges, new interchanges, ramps, and local road reconfigurations. For more information on the project, visit www.i74riverbridge.com.

(Harlan, Iowa) – Shelby County Auditor/Elections Commission Mark Maxwell, Thursday (today), said Shelby County held the required Post Election Audit on Thursday morning September 15th, with regard to a Special School Bond Election held Sept. 13th.  According to Maxwell, “The Iowa Secretary of States office randomly picks a precinct/vote tabulator to visually inspect all ballots in that precinct or vote tabulator in the instance of combined precincts, Harlan precincts 1 & 2 were chosen.  Harlan Precincts 1 & 2 were combined at the Special election so the audit included one of the 5 vote tabulators used for vote tabulation and was audited to check for accuracy. Also two of the Shelby County precincts involved in this special election were hand counted at this Audit. All machine result matched perfectly with the hand counted audit results.”

Maxwell said also, “It is always a very anxious time for my office when the Post Election Audit takes place. Again at this election no errors in counting by the machines were found.  All the hand count numbers tabulated ( yes and no votes in this instance) at the audit matched perfectly with the machine count tabulated on election day.  The number of ballots in the ballot bag counted at the audit matched the ballot count from the machine and from the Precinct election staff at the polls.”

(Harlan, Iowa) – Shelby County Auditor, Mark Maxwell, reminds every eligible elector in Shelby County to get any voting information needed as soon as possible from the Auditors office.  Absentee ballot requests are now being accepted for the November 8th General election.  If you plan on voting absentee, get the process completed before any deadline has passed.  Call 755-3831 ext.6 with any questions.  Election deadlines are fixed by Iowa Code  to ease any confusion caused by documents not returned in time to be valid.

Some of the important dates to remember include:

Wednesday October 19, 2022—Absentee Ballots Ready. First day absentee ballots may be voted in the Auditor’s office and placed in the US postal service process, to the electors whose valid request have been received.
October 24, 2022—Voter Pre-Registration Deadline. The deadline to pre-register to vote for the General Election is 5:00 p.m. Voters may still register after this date but need to show both ID and proof of residence.
Monday October 24, 2022—Absentee Ballot by Mail Request Deadline. Deadline is 5:00 p.m. Postmarks do not count for requests.
Saturday November 5, 2022—Auditor’s office open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday November 7, 2022—Absentee Ballot In-Person Deadline.  Last day to request and vote an absentee ballot in person at the Auditor’s Office.
November 8, 2022—GENERAL ELECTION DAY. Polls open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Absentee Ballot Deadline to Auditors office 8:00 p.m.

(Creston, Iowa) – Before you get out of a vehicle with the engine running, you might want to make sure the vehicle is in “Park.” Creston Police report a local man was driving a 1995 Dodge Dakota pickup in his yard, while picking up sticks. When 83-year-old Lawrence Lewis Dorgan, of Creston, exited the vehicle at around 6-p.m., Wednesday, he forgot to put it into park. The pickup rolled backwards out of the yard, across the street, and into a fire hydrant. Authorities say there was no damage to the hydrant, but Dorgan’s pickup sustained $1,500 damage. The man wasn’t injured, and no citations were issued.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors met Wednesday at the Courthouse in Greenfield. During their session, they received a request for additional ARPA funding for the Mormon Trail Park Shower/Restroom Facility, near Bridgewater. The Board previously granted the Conservation Department $125,000 for the project, but Conservation Director Dominic Johnson said the bids came in well above what was projected. One came in at $176,000, the other just shy of $200-thousand dollars.

Board Chair Matt Wedemeyer…

Johnson asked the Board to cover the added expense because he doesn’t have room in his budget for the extra cost. Supervisor John Twombly wanted to why there was such as wide spread between the two bids. Johnson said he doesn’t know for sure, but it appears to be related to the rising cost of concrete and other supply/demand-related factors.

He said they could try to rebid, but he doesn’t anticipate any changes in those bids. The price of the structure itself, he said, was locked-in, this past January. The Adair County Supervisors passed a motion to increase the amount of ARPA funding for the project by $50,000, from $125,000 to $175,000. Anything about $175,000 will have to have to be discussed at a future time.

In other news from the Adair Board of Supervisor’s meeting, they approved a culvert project in Bridgewater, located at west 3rd and Main Streets, and, after receiving a presentation from Michael Clancy with Renodry USA, agreed to have the company prepare an estimate for the board to review, with regard to drying out the basement in the Adair County Courthouse.