(Union County, Iowa) – Storms that took place Tuesday evening made driving difficult in many areas. The Union County Sheriff’s Office, Wednesday, said a woman escaped injury during a rollover accident that occurred during a thunderstorm. Authorities say 20-year-old Jada Fife, from Washington, D-C, was driving a 2021 Jeep Compass SUV eastbound on 195th Street at around 8:10-p.m., and trying to get back to the local residence she was staying at.

Fife told a Deputy that because of the swirling, heavy rain, she couldn’t see the road. Her SUV entered a ditch and rolled onto its top. Fife admitted to not wearing a seat belt, but her side impact airbag deployed during the crash, saving her from likely injuries. No citations were issued. Damage to the SUV was estimated at $10,000 (a total loss).

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Board of Supervisors met Wednesday morning in the Council’s Chambers at the City Hall, in Harlan. In his minutes of the meeting, Shelby County Auditor Mark L. Maxwell, stated Supervisor Kenkel had reported that the Supervisors along with the Shelby County Attorney, the Assessor and County Engineer are presently working on draft ordinances for windmills, solar farms and hazardous pipelines. The plan is to finalize drafts and bring to BOS for approval within next couple of months.

In other business, the Supervisors held a public hearing on a proposed Urban Renewal Plan amendment. Hearing no public comments, and having received no related correspondence, the hearing was closed and a motion was made to suspend further readings of the ordinance and approve the Resolution to ” Declare Necessity and Establish an Urban Renewal Area,” and “Approve [the] Urban Renewal Plan Amendment for the Shelby County Urban Renewal Area.” They adopted the Resolution later in the meeting.

The amendment covers the addition of the Property to the Urban Renewal Area, and authorizes the undertaking of a new urban renewal project in the Urban Renewal Area consisting of using tax increment financing to pay the costs of constructing county road, bridge and culvert improvements for the betterment of transportation infrastructure and the promotion of economic development.  There are multiple bridge and/or culvert projects included in the plan. Mark Maxwell says “It is expected that the completed Road, Bridge and Culvert Projects will cause increased and improved ability of the County to provide adequate transportation infrastructure for the growth and retention of commercial, industrial and agri-business enterprises in the Urban Renewal Area.”

Description of Properties to be Acquired in Connection with the Project: The County will acquire such easement territory and right-of-way as are necessary to successfully undertake the Road, Bridge and Culvert Projects. Description of Use of TIF: It is anticipated that the County will pay for the Road, Bridge and Culvert Projects with either borrowed funds and/or the proceeds of an internal advance of County funds on-hand. In any case, the County’s obligations will be repaid with incremental property tax revenues. It is anticipated that the County’s use of incremental property tax revenues for the Road, Bridge and Culvert Projects will not exceed $2,000,000 plus any interest as may accrue on any credit facilities entered into by the County to finance the Road, Bridge and Culvert Projects.  For further details, please contact the Shelby County Auditor’s Office.

Kaylee Langrell from Turnkey Logistics along with Christopher Hill, representing Summit Pipeline solutions addressed the Supervisors during Wednesday’s meeting. Langrel and Hill were questioned about the claim of $867,390 estimated property tax to be collected by Shelby County annually. They informed the Board and audience, that it was an estimate produced by others. Many questions were ask of Summit Reps on their tax estimates, construction protocol, project benefits to the County, as well as expected communication with our inspector prior to construction. The Board stated they would like to Summit to attend the Board meetings at least every 90 days.

(Radio Iowa) – With Iowa’s Primary Election over, both major political parties shift to General Election mode, with a lot of attention on the race between Republican Kim Reynolds and Democrat Deidre DeJear for governor. Neither had opposition in the primary. Reynolds, who’s been governor for five years, has been describing her platform as push back against President Biden. “When you take a look at what’s happening in this country today, it’s just so sad and unbelievable in 16 or 17 months how this economy has changed and what we’re facing,” Reynolds says.

Reynolds says the tax cuts she signed into law and the E-15 expansion plan she approved last month put Iowa in a position to withstand high inflation. “We’ve got a good message, a good contrast to run against what’s happening at the federal level, the national level, with the Biden Administration,” Reynolds says. DeJear says her focus is on state policy, not a national agenda.

“When we look at the data, the numbers, the rankings, when we look at the challenges that Iowans are facing, there are some fundamental flaws in how Governor Reynolds is leading,” DeJear says, “and the decisions that she’s making.” DeJear will soon be announcing a decision of her own — as she chooses a lieutenant governor as a running mate. DeJear has been asking for advice from people she meets on the campaign trail as well as elected officials and her campaign team. She says her pick will bring balance.

“So that our ticket will be stronger and greater and that’s what I’m looking for right now,” DeJear says. “I don’t need a replica of me…I need someone who’s willing to do the work and I can’t wait to share with the entire state who that individual is going to be.”

DeJear says her decision will be announced the latter part of next week. In Iowa, candidates for governor choose a running mate and their nominee for lieutenant governor is voted upon at their party’s state convention. Democrats will hold their state convention on Saturday, July 18th. The Republican Party’s state convention is THIS Saturday.