A report published in the Omaha World-Herald says the City of Hamburg will be forced to remove an additional eight-feet of dirt piled on top of a levee designed to protect the City from flooding by the Missouri River. The paper says because the City was unable to raise more than $5.5 million needed to bring the levee within federal regulations, it must remove extra dirt added to the levee. The result will be a levee reduced to its pre-2011 flood height of 11 feet, which City leaders say is not enough to protect the community from flooding.

Despite a $1 million contribution from the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and an extension by the Corps of Engineers that allowed the City to continue raising funds until March 1^st, the City of Hamburg was still $4.6 million short of the money necessary to keep the additional dirt on the L-575 levee at the beginning of the year. City officials have said removal of the levee would cost Hamburg about One-million dollars.

The Iowa Senate has passed a bill that would give Iowa companies an advantage in selling goods and services to state government. If an out-of-state company is the lowest bidder, Iowa companies with bids just a bit higher would be given a chance to match the low bid and win the contract. Senator Rick Bertrand, a Republican from Sioux City, says many senators voted for the legislation because they fear the campaign pamphlets that would be circulated if they voted no. “This is a feel good bill…We’re all going to vote for it because if we don’t…they’re going to beat the hell out of us on the campaign trail on this, so let’s just vote it up and be done with it.”

Bertrand says everyone’s for promoting Iowa businesses, but the bill doesn’t ensure Iowa taxpayers won’t get the best deals on state contracts because low bidders from out-of-state will lose. Senator Liz Mathis, a Democrat from Robbins, defends the legislation.”You can feel good about voting for this bill because business people back home will see you standing with them,” Mathis told her fellow senators, “supporting them for building their business in Iowa.”

The bill passed on a 34 to 16 vote. This is the second year the Senate has endorsed the concept. It’s unlikely to win support in the Iowa House.

(Radio Iowa)

Two Atlantic men have entered pleas of guilty to amended charges in connection with a January stabbing incident.

Bryce Baker

According to court records, 18-year-old Bryce Baker plead guilty to one-felony count of Willful Injury, while 23-year old Mykel Thorenentered a plea of guilty to an amended, aggravated misdemeanor charge of being an Accessory After The Fact.

Mykel Thoren

Both men had originally been charged with Willful Injury and Going Armed with Intent. They were set to stand trial next week.

Baker is scheduled to be sentenced April 29th. Thoren waived his rights and requested immediate sentencing. The judge sentenced him him to serve a maximum of two-years in prison but then suspended the sentence and gave Thoren credit for time already served. He was also fined $625, plus related court costs.

In February a third man, 21-year-old Austin Nelson, plead guilty to an amended charge of Accessory after the Fact, and was also given a two-year suspended prison sentence. All three men had been charged in connection with the January 28th stabbing of 43-year-old Robert Leslie, of Atlantic.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

A discarded cigarette that blew up under some siding caused a smoldering-type fire this (Tuesday) afternoon, at a motel in Atlantic. The incident at the Super 8 Motel on east 7th Street was reported just before 4:30-p.m.   The manager had tried to put the embers out with a couple of fire extinguishers, but was unsuccessful, and notified the fire department. Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN News the cigarette managed to make its way into a crevasse between the siding and the concrete foundation, that was not much bigger than 1/4 to 1/2-inch wide. It started smoking between two layers of siding, and the smoke began to filter into a suite on the east side of the Motel.

Guests in the room noticed the smoke and notified the manager. No injuries were reported. McNees said there was some damage to the siding and smoke inside the motel room, but the damage was not major. If the fire had gone unnoticed for a great length of time, there could have much more significant damage to the structure. Fire crews were on the scene for less than 30-minutes.