The Paper Our Town, Our Paper! Laurens, Iowa Vol. 9 No. 27 www.thepapernow.com October 21, 2015 Local News Three Former L-M Teachers Recently Honored At the October meeting of the Alpha Omega Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Certificates of Achievement were presented to four members of the chapter who have continued their service to education beyond retirement. The members honored were: Karen Johnson of Marathon, Judy Shimon of Pocahontas, Sandy Aronson of Albert City and Leslie Stewart of Laurens. Johnson, Aronson and Stewart are all former teachers of L-M. DKG is a professional honor society of key women educators in the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America and Japan whose mission is to promote professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education. The Alpha Omega Chapter includes Humboldt, Pocahontas, and Northern Calhoun Counties. Pictured left to right are: Karen Johnson of Marathon, Judy Shimon of Pocahontas, and Sandy Aronson of Albert City. Honored but not pictured: Leslie Stewart of Laurens. Biggest Little Paper In Town! Copyright My Laurens, Inc., 2010 All Rights Reserved. 1
Local News & Advertising Re-Elect MAYOR Remember to Vote November 3rd! Rod Johnson for Mayor Johnson Mayor It has been my pleasure to serve the community of Laurens on the city council in the past and now as your Mayor. I would appreciate your vote and I look forward to continuing the progress that we have made over these past four years. Thank you for casting your vote to re-elect Rod Johnson! Thank you to Joy Rosene for having the Signature HomeStyle party as a fund raiser for the new pool. Also, thank you to all who purchased from this party to support the new pool fund. We are a long way from where we need to be but with everybody s support we will have a much needed new pool! TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS may be sent to: Laurens Pool Project, c/o City of Laurens 272 North 3rd Street, Laurens, IA 50554 Like us on Facebook: Laurens Pool Project www.laurens-ia.com Our Town Our Paper! 2
Advertising LAURENS PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION OUR MISSION is to benefit the community by raising, managing and distributing funds to enhance the services and collections of the library, and to increase public awareness of library needs and services. OUR PURPOSE is to encourage and receive gifts, endowments, and bequests to support the development of library services for the community. The Laurens Public Library Foundation was established as a non-profit corporation for educational purposes under Iowa law in 1992. Current Project List Digitizing Laurens Sun Newspaper 2009-2014 Accessible Online Charging Station for phones, etc. VHS to DVD Converter Children s e-book subscription Programs for Children and Adults Memorial Books Books for New Baby Packets CD Audio Books Preschool Outreach Baskets Recent Projects Funded by Laurens Public Library Foundation Lighting in the Display Case Protective Floor Mats by Computers Reupholster Chairs More Trains & Track for Kids Table Diaper changing station Musical and Special Interest Programs Wilbor Downloadable Books CD Audio Books Kids Summer Reading Supplies and Program YES! I am interested in being a Library Supporter! Your gift will enable the Laurens Public Library to continue its tradition of excellence Gift Enclosed $ Please make checks payable to: Laurens Public Library Foundation, Inc 273 North Third Street Laurens, IA 50554 NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP Donations provide additional services, they do not replace tax dollars normally provided for the operation of the library. Biggest Little Paper In Town! 3
At the Library & Announcements At the Library with Glenda Mulder October 21, 2015 Hope you re in the mood for pancakes! I know I am. (But that s nothing new, I m always in the mood for pancakes!) This Thursday, October 22 the Laurens Kiwanis will be flipping pancakes for our Library Foundation s fundraiser Pancake Supper. The Laurens Public Library Foundation was formed to sponsor those extra projects that just don t quite fit in the Library s regular budget. (Think of them as the frosting on the Library cupcake!) Projects for last years fundraiser were reupholstering the chairs, lights and glass shelves for the display cases, floor mats by the patron computers and more engines for the kids train table. Ongoing Foundation projects include purchasing CD Audiobooks, Kids online TumbleBooks, books for new baby packets, Preschool Outreach Tubs, programs for kids and adults, and our Summer Reading Program. This year s selected Foundation projects are: digitizing the Laurens Sun 2009-2014, VHS to DVD converter, charging station for patrons phones etc. Please join us at the Christian Church 5 to 7 pm, have some pancakes and help us fund these projects! I ve heard great things about this month s Book Club choice The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty. This historical fiction is set in New York City in the 1920 s. It is a fictionalized account of real events in the life of silent film star Louise Brooks and her chaperone Cora Carlisle as they arrive in the City from Wichita, Kansas. We have lots of copies of this book, so stop at the library and grab one, then join our discussion on Monday, October 26th at 7 p.m. New books this week include: City of Fire by Garth Hallberg, Winter Stroll by Elin Hilderbrand, Irish Doctor in Love and at Sea by Patrick Taylor, All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani and Foreign Affairs by Stuart Woods. Another box was just delivered as I m writing this, but you ll have to wait until next week to hear about them! The Library s Halloween tradition of hosting Magician Larry Dunbar will continue this year. Come here at 7 p.m. and see all the kids still dressed in their Halloween costumes as we try to figure out the secret to his tricks. He puts on a great show that is fun for all ages! Event Calendar Tot Time every Monday at 10 a.m. Tell Me a Yarn Mondays 5-7 p.m. Writers Free for All is 3rd Monday of the month at 7 p.m. Book Club is 4th Monday of the month at 7 p.m. Card Making is the 4th Tuesday of the month Library Foundation PANCAKE SUPPER is October 22 Magician Larry Dunbar October 31 at 7 p.m. Psychic Sonia Rose November 10 at 7 p.m. UnityPoint Clinic Open House Come help UnityPoint Clinic in Laurens with welcoming our newest provider. We are hosting a Meet and Greet with Kylie Maurer, PAC on Monday, October 26th from 10-11:30am. Stop in to have a cookie and a refreshment and say hello to Kylie! Our Town Our Paper! 4
Advertising & Announcements 135 N 3rd St, Laurens, IA 50554 712.841.6986 WEDNESDAY LUNCH 11AM 1PM Oct. 28 ~ HOT BEEF.MASHED POTATOES.CORN MONDAY $2.00 BUD HEAVY AND LIGHT FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR 5-7pm ~ 1/2 price TACO TUESDAY 5-8pm WEDNES- DAY 4-6PM 50 OFF BEER OR MIXED DRINKS THURSDAY Personal Pan Pizzas 5 7pm HALLOWEEN PARTY! SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 DRINK SPECIALS COSTUME PRIZES AT 12AM LIVE MUSIC BY DANNY WHITSON 9PM 1AM Special for Friday night, October 23 rd Jumbo or small shrimp dinner with potato, salad and texas toast. Serving begins at 5 p.m. Come out and enjoy supper with us! Insure Your Possibilities Caleb Jamison Cedar Rapids, IA Office: 319.366.3570 ext. 225 Cell: 712.358.2041 Insurance. Retirement. Investments. Insurance products and services offered by Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company or one of its affiliates. Registered Representatives offer securities through Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Inc., a Registered Broker/Dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisor Representatives offer advisory services through Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Inc., a SEC Registered Investment Advisory Firm. AFN42811 Community Focused - Community Minded Rod Johnson for Laurens Mayor Vote Tuesday, November 3, 2015 Paid for by Thaine & Wendy Hopkins Biggest Little Paper In Town! 5
Announcements & Advertising Attention LG&CC Members! Laurens Golf and Country Club Annual meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 21 with supper of chili or oyster stew and homemade pies at 5 p.m. Meeting at 7 p.m. All members invited. House for Rent 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 stall garage house for rent in Laurens. Appliances included. References required. Call 712-841-7041 and leave a message. HALLOWEEN PARTY SATURDAY OCTOBER 31 SILVER DOLLAR SALOON CREEPY DRINK SPECIALS PRIZES FOR BEST COSTUMES @ 12AM LIVE MUSIC Laurens, IA BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! DANNY WHITSON 9PM 1AM vote november 3 sid enockson for mayor of laurens Paid for by Sid Enockson Our Town Our Paper! 6
Announcements Biggest Little Paper In Town! 7
Announcements Come and Go Bridal Shower There will be a Come and Go bridal shower in honor of Ashlie Brazel on Saturday, October 24 from 1-3 p.m. at West Iowa Bank in Laurens. The couple is registered at Wal-Mart, Target, Faith & Floral & Heart n Home. Open House! Come help us celebrate Gloria Bell s 80th birthday. Saturday November 7, from 2:00--4:00 p.m. at the Corner Stone Room at West Iowa Bank in Laurens, IA. She will be joining this milestone on November 25th. Happy 1 st Birthday! Happy 1st birthday to Oliver James Josephson! Oliver is the son of Brian and Megan and the little brother of Jocelynn. Calling All Supplies! The L-M Elementary will be participating in their first MakerDay this Spring! We are asking parents, grandparents, anyone (!) to save/ donate the following items during the upcoming months: Cardboard - thick and thin Duct Tape Masking Tape Playing Cards (can be mismatched) Straws Old CD s Toilet Paper/Paper Towel Tubes Wrapping Paper Tubes String Egg cartons These items can be dropped off at the main office of the school (box under the table marked MakerDay ). Save the Date: Friday, March 4th - MakerDay Open House Laurens Area Community Youth Group meetings will be held at Bethany Lutheran Church for the month of October. Sunday, October 11th~ High School Sunday, October 18th~ Jr. High Sunday, October 25th~ High School Our Town Our Paper! 8
Announcements The Paper Published weekly by My Laurens, Inc. 112 Walnut St. Laurens, IA 50554 Phone: (712) 841-2684 Fax: (712) 841-4662 Website: www.thepapernow.com E-mail: publisher@mylaurens.com Publisher: Rodney Johnson Editor: Amanda Tendal Rights to Use Content: The Paper, its content, archived materials, and our websites, are provided solely for your personal, non-commercial use. The Paper, its content, our websites and all the materials available on our websites are the property of My Laurens, Inc., and are protected by applicable copyright, trademark, and intellectual property laws. You may download, print or transmit The Paper for your personal, non-commercial use. Any commercial use of copyrighted materials requires prior authorization from My Laurens, Inc. Unless explicitly authorized by My Laurens, Inc., you may not modify copy, create derivative works, reproduce, republish, transmit, sell, or distribute in any manner or medium (including by email or other electronic means) any material from The Paper or our websites for commercial purposes. You may not use The Paper or materials available on our websites, in a manner that constitutes an infringement of our intellectual property rights/copyrights or that has not been authorized by My Laurens, Inc. For information about requesting permission to reproduce or distribute materials from The Paper, please contact My Laurens, Inc. at (712) 841-2684 or publisher@mylaurens.com. Biggest Little Paper In Town! 9
Church Grace Lutheran Church Marathon, Our Savior s Lutheran Church Albert City & St John Lutheran Church Rural Albert City Pastor John Mayer Sundays 9 a.m. Worship Service @ Grace Lutheran Church - Marathon Sundays 10:30 a.m. Worship @ Our Savior's Lutheran Church - Albert City Sundays 9:00 a.m. @ St John Lutheran Church Rural - Albert City This Week at First Christian Church Pastor Rev. Rita Cordell This Week at Laurens United Methodist Church Wed., Oct. 21st: Praise Band practice @ 5:30 p.m. Puppet Troop practice @ 6:30 p.m. Missions Committee meeting @ 7 p.m. Administrative Council meeting @ 8:15 p.m. Thurs., Oct. 22nd: Basic Christianity Bible Study @ 7 p.m. (Linda Lingo s home) Fri.,Oct. 23rd: Men s Bible Study @ 7 a.m. Sun.,Oct. 25th: Sunday School @ 9:10 a.m. Fellowship @ 9:30 a.m. Worship @ 10:30 a.m. Choir performs Choir practice @ 7 p.m. Deadline for Charge Conference Reports & forms This Week at Bethany Lutheran Wednesday: October 21, 2015 5:00 PM ~ Christian Ed/Youth Mtg. 6:00 PM ~ 125th Steering Mtg. 7:00 PM ~ Council Mtg. Sunday: October 25, 2015 9:00 AM ~ SS & Confirmation 9:15 AM ~ Coffee Fellowship 10:30 AM ~ Worship w/communion 6:00 PM ~ Youth Group (HS) at BLC Tuesday: October 27, 2015 10:00 AM ~ Coffee w/pastor 7:00 PM ~ Hand Bell Rehearsal Saturday: October 31, 2015 5:00-6:30 PM ~ Trunk or Treat at UMC parking lot Worship, Love, Accept~Together in Christ s Name Thursday, Oct. 22 2 p.m. - Coffee with Pastor 5-7 p.m. - Library Foundation Pancake Supper Friday, Oct. 23 7 p.m. - AA Sunday, Oct. 25 9:30 a.m. - Sunday School 10:30 a.m. - Worship 4 p.m. - Service at Laurens Care Center 6-8 p.m. - High School Youth Group at Bethany Lutheran Sacred Heart Church Laurens Weekday Mass : Friday, 8:00 AM Weekend Mass: Sunday 8:30 AM (July - October) Cluster Parishes St. Joseph Catholic Church, Sioux Rapids Weekday Mass: (Monday&Wednesday) - 8:00 AM Weekend Mass: Saturday - 5:00 PM (July October) St. Louis Catholic Church, Royal Weekday Mass: (Tuesday & Thursday) - 8:00 AM Weekend Mass: Sunday - 10:30 AM (July-October) Our Town Our Paper! 10
Extension News Healthy Meals in a Hurry Healthy Meals in a Hurry will be held on Monday, October 26, 2015 at two times, the first time will be at 12pm at Pocahontas County Extension and Outreach Office and the second time will be 6:00pm at West Iowa Bank in Laurens (202 W Main St). Nutrition and Wellness Program Specialist Katie Knobbe will conduct the class. Register by October 22, 2015 by calling the Pocahontas County Extension and Outreach Office at 712-335-3103. Time saving, cost saving, and nutritious meals are the features of the program. Learn how to do all three with eat now and eat later cooking. Cook once every two weeks! Tips and recipes will be featured. Participants will get to enjoy slow cooker chili and leave with the Healthy Meals in a Hurry Book and dry soup mix! Pocahontas County Afterschool Program Cynthia Hoffman and family enjoy a ride on the tortoise at the ISU Extension and Outreach Pocahontas County afterschool program. Thanks to the Pocahontas County Conservation for the awesome program on everything "turtle"! Children made turtle magnets and chalk drawings of turtles. To find out about other youth opportunities in Pocahontas County, contact the ISU Extension and Outreach Office at 712-335- 3103. Mosquito/Public Health Pest Management Course Offered Oct. 29 Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Pocahontas County office will offer the Mosquito/Public Health Pest Management Continuing Instruction Course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. The program is offered at office locations across Iowa through the ISU Extension Send Your News to and Outreach Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP). Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. followed by sessions from 9 to 11:30 a.m. The Paper! The registration fee is $35. To register, contact ISU Extension and Outreach Pocahontas County office at 712-335-3103 or email dianned@iastate.edu www.thepapernow.com The course will provide continuing instruction credit for commercial pesticide applicators certified in categories 7D (Community Insect 100% User Management), 8 (Public Health Pest Control), and 10 (Research and Demonstration). The course will cover topics such as laws and regulations, Generated Content! calibration basics and pesticide drift, and mosquitoes, ticks and flies. Additional information about this and other courses offered through the Pesticide Safety Education Program may be accessed at www.extension.iastate. Biggest Little Paper In Town! edu/psep. 11
Extension News Farmers Reminded to Wait until Soil Temps Are 50 Degrees and Falling before Applying Anhydrous Ammonia Fertilizer Waiting will prevent loss of fertilizer and help protect water quality Farmers are reminded to wait until soil temperatures remain below 50 degrees Fahrenheit before applying anhydrous ammonia (NH3) fertilizer this fall. Harvest is progressing rapidly in many parts of the state and officials with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach said that waiting can help reduce nitrogen loss and better protects the environment. It is important that farmers wait for cooler soil temps to apply anhydrous so that there is a better chance the fertilizer stays put and will be available to the crop next spring, said Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture. Soil temperatures, like air temperatures, can change quickly so it is important that we wait with applications until soils are likely to remain below 50 degrees. ISU Extension and Outreach maintains a statewide real-time soil temperature data map on its website that ag retailers and farmers use to determine when fall N applications are appropriate. The website can be found at extension.agron.iastate.edu/npknowledge. The reason for waiting to apply anhydrous ammonia until soils are cold is that nitrification, the process of biological conversion of ammonium to nitrate, occurs at a more rapid rate with warm soils. Since ammonium-n does not leach and is not subject to denitrification, as is nitrate, it is more stable in the soil, said John Sawyer, professor and extension specialist in soil fertility and nutrient management at Iowa State University. In addition to waiting for cooler soil temperatures, farmers also should make sure that the soil is not too dry, too hard or too wet, as those conditions can cause injection issues and allow ammonia to move to the soil surface and be lost to the air. If conditions are not suitable, then waiting for better conditions is suggested. Farmers with questions about timing of fertilizer applications can talk to their local ISU Extension and Outreach field specialist or their ag retailer for more information. 4-H Community Thanksgiving Dinner 4-H ers under the direction of Master Food Volunteers will prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for the residents of Pocahontas County. The meal will be served at the Pocahontas Area HS/MS lunchroom Saturday, November 7, 2015 from 11:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Please support the 4-H ers with their desire to master their food science skills. This a FREE dinner to all, but we do ask that you RSVP no later than October 30 by calling the ISU Extension and Outreach Pocahontas County Office at 712-335-3103 or email lzeman@iastate.edu Our Town Our Paper! 12
Extension News Collaborations Mark Monarch Conservation Consortium s Beginning Oklahoma and Texas to form a coalition to address many of the research projects without duplicating efforts Work with Chip Taylor at the University of Kansas, and founder of Monarch Watch, to obtain plants and collaborate on research ideas Partnering with the Tallgrass Prairie Center at the University of Northern Iowa A developing collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey, which is doing monarch population modeling on a national scale The Iowa State University Research and Demonstration Farms established plots of milkweed from seedlings to determine the best growing conditions and to acquaint producers and the public with the many different kinds. One lesson learned was that the seedlings planted in isolation within demonstration plots had to be protected from deer and rabbits. Growing the weeds may seem counter to farmers and gardeners usual practices, but the plant is essential to monarch reproduction because the butterflies lay eggs only on that plant, which the larvae then feed on. Hellmich and Steve Bradbury, a professor in the natural resource ecology and management department, have been working with the consortium, researching ways to increase the plants. There are nine kinds of milkweed being studied to find the best ways to plant and cultivate them, and which are most attractive to monarchs. Students surveyed milkweeds to see which have the most eggs and feeding larvae. Bradbury said milkweed gets a lot of the attention, although there is a range of plants needed for the monarchs. Adult butterflies get some nectar from the milkweed flower and the developing caterpillars eat the leaves, he said, but having other nectar plants around the milkweeds is necessary for bloom throughout the year to provide a sustained source of food. A new ISU Extension and Outreach publication, Gardening for Butterflies and Pollinators (RG 0601), gives homeowners tips on making their yards attractive to monarchs by including such things as a water source and rocks for warmth. The publication is free online at: http://store.extension.iastate.edu/ Product/rg601-pdf The consortium s web site (http:// monarch.ent.iastate.edu) has several resources to help establish monarch habitat, including research publications and news about its activities. It offers firsthand accounts of researchers and links to more information, such as a site to report monarch sightings as they migrate. Iowa State recently received a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service grant to develop and accelerate the adoption of innovative approaches to monarch butterfly conservation in agriculturally intensive corn and soybean production areas. We want growers and others to consider where they can establish milkweed sites: maybe little odd shaped areas where they can t farm, maybe some riparian buffer areas or even along fence rows, Hellmich said, adding that dozens of locations have been identified on the university s research farms. Bradbury said butterfly habitat might fit in with some of the nutrient reduction strategies, such as bioreactors or saturated buffer zones, which usually are planted in brome grass. Grants awarded by Iowa Soybean Association and the Iowa-USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service are supporting studies on introducing milkweed and nectar plants to link increased habitat and nutrient reduction in a single conservation practice. The Iowa Pork Producers Association also is funding research into establishing monarch Collaborations marked efforts to increase the number of monarch butterflies as the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium got underway this year. The consortium was created in March by farmer, rancher and conservation organizations, state agencies, companies and Iowa State University to enhance monarch butterfly reproduction through collaborative and coordinated efforts. A widespread affection for the butterflies was evident. I have yet to meet a person who doesn t like monarchs, said Rick Hellmich, research entomologist with the USDA-ARS, Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit and a collaborator and assistant professor with the Iowa State Department of Entomology. Nearly everybody wants to help. In some ways, the monarch can be the flagship species to help butterflies, bees, birds and other animals. I think the monarch can help them all as we move to increase biodiversity along with productive agriculture. Collaborations with Luther College and Central College and high schools in Marshalltown and Grundy Center have established demonstration plots on those campuses. Even a Boy Scout troop in Story City contacted Hellmich and is growing three milkweed species in the town s prairie plot. Other collaborations are underway: A rapid response project connects the land grant universities in the Midwest, adult butterfly feeding, and ones that habitat around swine production Biggest Little Paper In Town! facilities. 13
Extension News Iowa 4-H Program Reaches 1 in 5 Iowa School-age Youth Every fall, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach county offices across the state collect 4-H youth registration numbers to gauge the impact of 4-H Youth Development programs on Iowa s 510,000 school-age youth. Initial numbers indicate the Iowa 4-H Program continues to provide quality youth development to about 1 in 5 Iowa young people. Approximately 100,000 individual youth participated in a wide range of experiential learning opportunities during the 2014-2015 year. This represents a nearly 5 percent increase from last year, said Phil Heckman, Iowa 4-H data manager with ISU Extension and Outreach. Through a variety of camps, clubs, school enrichment, after school programs and special events, Iowa 4-H youth have a wide array of opportunities to learn by doing. Iowa 4-H club and 4-H Clover Kids programs remain vibrant as well, Heckman said, with 1 in 15 Iowa youth in fourth through 12th grades enrolled in a 4-H club throughout the state. The Clover Kids program for K-3 youth had an 18 percent increase in individually enrolled members. 4-H clubs give youth the opportunity to strengthen their skills and knowledge in a wide variety of areas ranging from robotics to food and nutrition. 4-H ers can choose from one or more project areas that allow them to develop skills and interests in healthy living, communications and the arts, citizenship and leadership, and STEM science, technology, engineering and math, said Heckman. We re able to achieve these outcomes for Iowa youth thanks to the hard work and dedication of the 4-H Youth Development staff, our 100 ISU Extension and Outreach county offices and more than 10,000 4-H volunteers across the state," Heckman said. "ISU Extension and Outreach 4-H Youth Development is excited to share all the successes from last year and looks forward to another great year in 2015-2016." Send Your News to The Paper! www.thepapernow.com 100% User Generated Content! Subscribe and Submit TODAY! Our Town Our Paper! 14
City Council Minutes Date of Publication: October 21, 2015 City of Laurens 272 N. Third Laurens, IA 50554 712-841-4526 NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS On or after October 30, 2015, the City of Laurens will submit a request to the State of Iowa, Iowa Economic Development Authority for the release of Community Development Block Grant funds under Title 1 of the HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1974 as amended (P.L. 97-35), to undertake the following project: Project Title: Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program Purpose: Rehabilitation of 12 single-family, owner-occupied homes Location: Designated neighborhood that is bordered by Rush Lake Road on the west, 2 nd Street on the east, Walnut Street on the north, and Veterans Road on the south. Estimated Cost: $394,100.00 in CDBG funding and $45,000 in City funding The activities proposed are categorically excluded under HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58 from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. An Environmental Review Record (ERR) that documents the environmental determinations for this project is on file at City of Laurens, 272 N. Third, Laurens IA and may be examined or copied weekdays during normal business hours of 8:00 A.M to 4:30 P.M. A tiered approach to the environmental review will be followed. Therefore, prior to on-site construction work for each rehabilitation project, a site-specific SHPO concurrence will be secured. This will occur once Project Specifications on subject property is complete. PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the City of Laurens. All comments received by October 29, 2015 will be considered by the City of Laurens prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. RELEASE OF FUNDS The City of Laurens certifies to the Iowa Economic Development Authority that Rod Johnson in his capacity as Mayor consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. The Iowa Economic Development Authority approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the City of Laurens to use HUD program funds. OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS The Iowa Economic Development Authority will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Laurens s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Laurens; (b) the City of Laurens has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by the Iowa Economic Development Authority; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to Iowa Economic Development Authority at 200 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309. Potential objectors should contact the Iowa Economic Development Authority to verify the actual last day of the objection period. Rod Johnson, Mayor Biggest Little Paper In Town! 15