News

Northwest Iowa — County treasurers in northwest Iowa are reminding you that the second half installment of your property taxes was actually due the first of this month, and it may be paid without penalty on or before Thursday, March 31st.

Taxes can be paid online, in person, or by mail. The treasurers advise that if you want to pay your taxes online, the web site to use is www.iowatreasurers.org. There is a small fee for paying online via e-check, and a percentage-based fee for paying with a credit card. Also, not all counties offer online payment of taxes. O’Brien, Sioux, Osceola, and Lyon Counties do offer the service.

If you’re going to pay your taxes in person at your county treasurer’s office, the treasurers want you to bring them the proper stub.

If you’re mailing your payment, you need to send the proper stub with your payment, and the postmark must be on or before March 31st to avoid penalty.

If you have questions, contact your local county treasurer’s office.

Hinton, Iowa — Two people were hurt in an explosion and fire Thursday afternoon at the Central Valley Ag grain elevator in Hinton.  Hinton Fire Chief Chad Beck says the explosion was likely the result of grain dust being ignited and the blast was very powerful.

The two injured workers were transported first to a Sioux City hospital, then airlifted to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Plymouth County Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo says a day care facility near the grain elevator was evacuated as were two residents from nearby homes. Officials are concerned about the safety and soundness of the structure of the gain storage silo, after noticing it had shifted while firefighters were on top of the structure. Fire officials are concerned the structure may collapse.

*******************************************************************************************************************************************
Hinton, Iowa — Two individuals were taken to Sioux City hospitals following an explosion early Thursday afternoon in Hinton.

Plymouth County Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo says the Plymouth County Communications Center received several 911 calls shortly after 1 pm Thursday of an explosion at the Central Valley Ag elevator in Hinton.  Hinton Fire and Ambulance crews were dispatched to the scene, along with law enforcement.

Van Otterloo says once emergency personnel arrived on the scene they learned that there were injuries, and that additional medical and fire units were needed.  The Sheriff says that, along with Hinton, the Merrill and Le Mars Fire Departments were called.  Van Otterloo says Siouxland Paramedics and Le Mars Ambulance were called to the scene, as well.  Van Otterloo says the conditions of the two people transported to Sioux City are not known, nor were their identities released.

The Sheriff says Highway 75 and County Road C-60 were shut down for just over an hour until the immediate scene was made safe by the fire departments.  He says it was initially feared there may have been potential for a second explosion.  Van Otterloo says the railroad was also contacted, and all train traffic through the area was suspended.  He says some of the area’s homes were evacuated until the scene was made safe.

Van Otterloo says the Hinton Fire Department is leading the investigation with the assistance of the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and Hinton Police Department.  He says the cause of the explosion is not known at this time.

The Iowa State Patrol, Iowa DOT, and Merrill Police all assisted at the scene.

Sheldon, Iowa — March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

Sanford Sheldon physician Dr. Ryan Becker says colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the United States and the second leading cause of death from cancer.

Dr. Becker says the good news, however is that most of the time it is preventable.

He says the best way to prevent colorectal cancer is to get screened regularly starting at age
50. He says there are other tests that can be done as well, and new technology is becoming available that may offer an imaging alternative to the colonoscopy — but it’s not available yet.

He says there are often no signs or symptoms of colorectal cancer – that’s why it’s so
important to get screened.

He says people over age 50 have the highest risk of colorectal cancer. You may also be at higher risk if you are African American, smoke, or have a family history of colorectal cancer.

He says that he has talked with the other physician that does colonoscopies in Sheldon, General Surgeon Dr. Jongewaard about it, and Dr. Jongewaard says in his years at Sanford Sheldon, he has noticed a significant decrease in the number of actual colorectal cancer cases being treated. Dr. Becker contributes much of that to the number of screenings that are being done.

Becker says you can learn more at an appointment with your physician. If you’d like to find information online, he suggests (click on a link to follow):

• The American Academy of Family Physicians
• American College of Gastroenterology
• American Cancer Society