(Radio Iowa) — A Virginia-based company is announcing plans to build up to 85 wind turbines in central Iowa starting next year. Holly McCoy-Nelson, spokeswoman for Apex Clean Energy, says the development will be called the Great Pathfinder Wind Project.  “We are working towards having a buildable project in Boone and Hamilton counties,” McCoy-Nelson says. “They’re in the Stratford area and south, and then north of Boone.” The process is slow going and McCoy-Nelson says they’re working to apply to get energy onto the grid. “We’ve had some delays with that but we would hope to permit this in Boone County, where they have zoning and a permit process, in the first quarter of 2020,” she says.

Apex is working with landowners, community leaders and various stakeholders on the project, which McCoy-Nelson says would provide energy for 78-thousand homes.  “They’ll start some of the construction in 2021,” she says, “and then may have to finish in 2022 depending on whether we can get our power out and onto the grid.”

Apex says the construction project would create up to 200 jobs with another 15 to 20 full-time local jobs for operation and maintenance of the wind farm. The county to the east of Hamilton County is Hardin County, where county supervisors voted unanimously last week to pass an indefinite moratorium on wind turbine building permits. In southwest Iowa, Madison County leaders passed a similar ban in October.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly meeting in Atlantic, Tuesday. The session at 9-a.m. take place in the Supervisors’ Board Room at the Courthouse. On their agenda is: Recognition of Volunteer Service; the appointment of a Brighton Township Clerk; discussion/review of Board and Commission appointments and committee assignments to be made at the Supervisors’ Organizational Meeting on Jan. 2nd, and, regularly scheduled Department Head reports.

Members of the Exira-EHK School Board will meet tonight (Dec. 16th) at 6 o’clock in the Conference Room at the Elk Horn Building. On their agenda, is discussion and/or action with regard to: Negotiations; an At Risk/Drop Out Prevention Application request for a modified supplemental amount equal to, or less than, $107,931; Approval of the second reading of Board Policy 711.10 (with regard to School Bus Passenger restraints), and Approval of Early Retirees’ applications.

Other business will include discussion and action on Personnel matters, early retirement resignations as received from Connie Burns, Geralyn Christensen, Lisa Dreier, Char Bintner, Tami Jacobsen, and Patty Mortensen.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(A-P) A Sioux City man has died in a shooting near the city’s downtown. Police say 42-year-old Chad A. Thomas was killed in the shooting just after 10 p.m. Saturday. The Sioux City Journal reports police received calls about shots and a short time later a person returning home found an unconscious man on a sidewalk. The man had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at a hospital. The shooting is being treated as a homicide.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) — Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders nearly crossed paths in Ottumwa Sunday, but the two competitors for the Democratic Party’s 2020 presidential nomination steered clear of conflict with one another. At a town hall forum Sunday afternoon in Ottumwa, Warren declined to compare herself with Sanders and she did the same when speaking with reporters. “Bernie and I have been friends for a long, long time and we fight for the same things,” Warren said. “We have differences, but we’ve been fighting alongside one another for a long time.” Sanders, who spoke at an event in Ottumwa on Sunday night, railed against what he calls “the billionaire class.” “We want a democracy where there is a clash of ideas,” Sanders said, “and not big money buying elections.”

Warren was more specific — criticizing billionaire Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City who launched his presidential campaign last month. “Mike Bloomberg drops in and spends $100 million on TV ads. This is more than has ever been spent in the history of the universe, right?” Warren said. “He spends this money and he’s got — what is it? — four points in the polls, five points in the polls in no time at all.” Warren accused Bloomberg of skipping what she called “the democracy part” of seeking the presidency. “Don’t come to Iowa and hear about your concerns, right? Don’t go to New Hampshire and shake hands with people. Don’t go down to South Carolina or Nevada,” Warren said. “He just thinks he’s going to be able to buy this.”

While Sanders did not name Bloomberg, he argued the current campaign finance system gives any “multi-millionaire” who runs for president an immediate advantage. “You’d be a very important person no matter whether you accomplished anything or not and that’s because you have the money to buy TV ads and to be consequential,” Sanders said. “I don’t think that’s the democracy we want.” On Sunday morning, Sanders visited the practice facility used by the Burlington Bees Minor League Baseball team. Representatives of the Clinton LumberKings and Quad City River Bandits were there, too, to talk about a proposal that would end Major League Baseball’s association with the three Midwest League teams.

Warren will continue campaigning in southeast Iowa today (Monday). Entrepreneur Andrew Yang wrapped up a five-day bus tour of the state with a Saturday night rally in Iowa City. “You can’t escape the ads. I apologize,” Yang said, laughing. “I’m one of the worse offenders. You know that. I’m right there in the middle — in the acceptable range.” Yang is one of the seven candidates who’s qualified to appear in Thursday night’s televised debate. California billionaire Tom Steyer, who has also met the polling and fundraising criteria to participate in Thursday’s debate, campaigned in Iowa City Sunday. He’ll speak today (Monday) in Muscatine about the economy.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man who was found responsible for his mother’s death at a civil trial but acquitted at a murder trial is now suing criminal investigators and his father. Forty-seven-year-old Jason Carter filed a federal lawsuit Thursday accusing investigators of conducting a biased and incomplete investigation into his mother’s death. Carter’s father, Bill Carter, won a wrongful-death lawsuit against his son in 2017. The suit alleged that Jason fatally shot 68-year-old Shirley Carter in June 2015 to gain access to his parents’ assets. Jason Carter was ordered to pay $10 million to his mother’s estate. In March, a jury acquitted him of murder.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — On a winter day in Iowa, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders took some batting practice indoors. Representatives from three small-town Iowa teams looked on as the Vermont senator shed his suit jacket to take swings in a sweater over a dress shirt. He dribbled a few grounders, then lifted a ball in the air. The appearance was part of his effort opposing a Major League Baseball plan to cut 42 minor league teams after 2020. He’s defending clubs in far-flung places more fervently than any other candidate. That may allow him to win over baseball fans, a largely untapped 2020 constituency.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — In Iowa, where nearly 17,000 residents work in the health insurance industry, candidates are facing questions about how their health care plans could affect jobs in the state. Des Moines is home to Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield’s health insurance headquarters. Some candidates have already faced questions about the issue on the campaign trail. This week, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg went on the offensive. Referencing Sen. Bernie Sanders’ and Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s “Medicare for All” plans, he argued that some candidates’ health care plans would “eliminate the job of every single American working at every single insurance company in the country.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The director of the Iowa Department of Transportation has announced his resignation after the governor asked him to step down. The Des Moines Register reports Mark Lowe will leave his position effective Jan. 10. Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office confirmed that she requested the resignation. The governor’s office says Reynolds appreciates his years of service and has decided to seek a change in leadership as she continues to build her administration. Reynolds appointed him director in 2017.

The Atlantic City Council will meet 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19th, in their Chambers at City Hall. For current Councilmen Chris Jimerson and Dana Halder, it will be their last meeting. Jimerson opted not to run for re-election, and Halder was defeated in his bid for re-election, in November.

The Council will recognize Fire Chief Mark McNees for his nearly 13 years as Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department, for a total of 29 1/2-years as a member of department. During his years as Chief, McNees has worked to maintain a lean and effective organization that features three full-time and 34 volunteer firefighters. The Fire Department earlier this month elected Tom Cappel II as Fire Chief to succeed McNees. The Council will act on his appointment to the top post during their meeting Wednesday, as well.

The Atlantic City Council will also recognize Julie Tjepkes for her 32-years of service to the Atlantic Public Library as the Children’s Librarian. They will also pay tribute to Chris Jimerson, who has been on the Council serving the 1st Ward for the past seven-years, and Dana Halder, who joined the Council as an At Large Councilman this year following a special election.

Afterward, Grace Garrett will be sworn-in to the At Large seat, and Jim Behrens will be sworn-in as Councilman for the 1st Ward. Both won election to the Council in Nov., 2019. In other business, the Council will act on a Resolution pertaining to policies, rules and regulation with regard to the performance of the CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) Program, as required by the State and Federal regulations.

They will also hold the third and final reading of amended ordinances pertaining to the powers of the Parks and Rec Board, with regard to their authority to approve expenditures for salaries and supplies, contracts and capital outlays, and personnel matters, such as hiring, firing, disciplinary actions, appointments and/or direction. Those areas would be turned over to the City Administrator.

The Council will then act on orders to appoint Jon martens to the Planning & Zoning Commission (to fill a vacancy), and Melissa Ihnen to the Board of Adjustment (to replace a member who has resigned). Their final order of business is a closed session with regard to an annual performance review for City Administrator John Lund.

The Audubon School District’s Board of Education will meet 7-p.m. Monday (Dec. 16), in their Boardroom at the High School. Among the action items on their agenda, is Possible Action on Building Project and General Obligation Bond Petition.

On Dec. 10th, the Audubon School Board held a Work Session to discuss Building Feasibility Study Results, Costs and Financing, Bond Referendum Specifics and Recommendations from the Building Committee. The District hopes to renovate the Middle School/High School, and at Monday night’s Board meeting, will talk about their financing options and related matters.

The questions they’ll have to answer in their discussion include: Does the District move forward with the project as presented; Should they request a bond referendum from the public to finance the project; and the method of construction, assuming the project is approved.

In other business, the Board will act on approving Early Retirement Applications and Personnel matters. Superintendent Eric Trager will update the Board on current building projects, and, they’ll receive a Transportation Report.