DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Crews have been spending months slowly deconstructing a former power plant in Dubuque but their efforts only recently became noticeable after taking down a pair of towering stacks.
The Telegraph Herald reports that Alliant Energy’s Dubuque Generating Station stopped creating power more than a year ago. The facility primarily used coal until it transitioned to natural gas in 2011. Jill Stevens is Alliant’s manager of environmental and decommissioning services. She says the building will be deconstructed “carefully and meticulously.” Crews recently began focusing on the building’s exterior.

Alliant spokesman Mike Wagner says the decommissioning symbolizes the company’s shift toward a cleaner-energy future. He says the deconstruction work will be complete by March. Wagner says the company is unsure what they’ll do with the site.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports a traffic stop at around 8:51-p.m. Tuesday, resulted in the arrest of 31-year old Daniel Ryan Mitchell, of Clarinda. Mitchell was operating a 2008 Pontiac G6 when he was stopped for a traffic infraction. During the traffic stop, it was discovered that Mitchell’s driver’s license was suspended. Mitchell was transported to the Page County Jail where he was later released on bond.

A traffic stop in Pottawattamie County Wednesday evening, resulted in the arrest of a Cass County man. The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office says a Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a car at around 6:15-p.m., and subsequently arrested 57-year old Anthony William Nichols, of Atlantic, for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Unlawful possession of a prescription meds, and OWI/1st offense. Nichols was found to be in possession of a clear baggie with a green leafy substance weighing 4.3-grams, two Gabapentin, two Methocarbamol, five Cetrizine Hydrochoride, and three Zolpidem Tarrate pills.

Police in Creston say two people were arrested late Wednesday morning at a residence located in the 800 block of Laurel Street, in Creston. 37-year old Amie Jo Jackson and 47-year old Paula Shimer, both of Creston, were arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree. Both women were later released from custody on a Promise to Appear, in court.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey report suggests that the economy expanded in nine Midwest and Plains states last month amid mounting concerns about tariffs and trade skirmishes. The report issued Thursday says the Mid-America Business Conditions Index slumped to 54.9 in October from 57.5 in September . The October reading is the lowest since January 2017. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says he expects a slowdown in the regional economic expansion in the months ahead.

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth. A score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

DES MOINES – Nearly 40,000 votes have been tallied in Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate’s Fall 2018 Iowa Youth Straw Poll. Although some results continue to trickle in, Secretary Pate projects Kim Reynolds the winner in the gubernatorial race. Rod Blum, Christopher Peters, David Young and Steve King are the projected winners in Iowa’s four congressional races, respectively.

As of Wednesday, 39,937 votes had been tallied, with hundreds of schools participating, covering 92 counties. Secretary Pate invited every school and youth group in Iowa to take part in the straw poll. Most of the participants are high school students.

Locally, the number of students participating in the Iowa Youth Straw Poll include:

Orient/Macksburg School District: 67 students.

Southwest Valley High School (Adams County): 95 students.

Atlantic High School/Middle School & CAM School District: 351 students in total.

4RKidsHomeschool, AC/GC High School, Panorama Secondary School: 278 total.

Red Oak High School: 73 students participated.

Clarinda High School: 156 students participated.

Schools in Pott. County: 1,756 students altogether.

Harlan Community High School: 130 students.

Secretary of State Paul Pate said he wants to “Thank all the teachers, principals and staff that helped make the Youth Straw Poll possible, but most importantly, thank you to the 40,000 students who made their voices heard. This was hopefully a valuable, hands-on learning experience for them, and I hope all of them will continue to be a voter throughout their lives.”

The vast majority of participants, 84 percent, said they would register to vote when they old enough. Results are available on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website, sos.iowa.gov. The results are unscientific. The Iowa Youth Straw Poll is conducted for educational purposes only.