Jason Parrott

The Keokuk City Council is proceeding with a multi-million dollar infrastructure project.

The Keokuk Municipal airport has two runways.  The length of one is 5,500 feet while the other is 3,800 feet.

The city is looking to resurface the longer runway as early as this summer. 

Airport Manager Greg Gobble says the work would be done in shifts to allow the airport to remain open.

The Federal Aviation Administration must review the plans because the height of the runway increasing by 6” could impact the agency’s equipment.

City leaders in Warsaw say two new taxes will result in better streets.

The city council voted, this week, to establish a pair of utility taxes.

One of the taxes would be on the electricity delivered by Ameren Illinois.

The ordinance establishes a sliding scale for residential or business use within the city.

The other tax would be on natural gas and its delivery from Nicor.

Instead of a sliding scale, residents and businesses would be charged a 5% tax.

The Keokuk School Board must make some serious cuts to next year’s budget.

Superintendent Lora Wolff says the district will actually lose roughly $550,000 in state aid because of its declining enrollment.

She says dwindling revenues and increasing expenditures mean balancing the spending plan for the 2012/2013 school year will require a reduction of $1.3-million.

The district plans to use cash reserves and unspent balances to cover nearly $600,000.

The rest of the shortfall ($700,000) will have to come from budget modifications.

Tyler Hobbs of St. Francisville, MO has been found guilty of 1st Degree Murder in the death of Shawn Wright of Kahoka, MO.

Wright was killed near a farmhouse in rural Lee County on November 6, 2010.  He was hit in the head with a mallet multiple times.

His body was found on November 9, 2010  after being dumped near a levee in Gregory Landing, MO.

The jury of seven women and five men delivered the unanimous verdict to Judge Mary Ann Brown in Iowa District Court at about 2:15 P.M. this afternoon.

The panel deliberated for just over two hours.

Supporters of a proposed sports complex in western Fort Madison have received some good news from the state.

Tim Gobble with Fort Madison Partners says more than $2-million has been pledged or donated to build three baseball/softball diamonds and three football/soccer fields.

That includes $1.25-million from Fort Madison’s branch of the Southeast Iowa Regional Riverboat Commission, $500,000 from the city, and $175,000 from Pinnacle Foods.

That’s more than 60% of what is needed for the project to move forward.

A trial date has been set for a Hamilton man accused of sexual abuse of a minor.

August Dion Gregory, 44, appeared before Judge Richard Gambrell, this morning, for a pre-trial hearing at the Hancock County Courthouse in Carthage.

Gregory’s lawyer, Stephen Morris of Hamilton, used the hearing to request more time to review the evidence in the case.

Hancock County State’s Attorney Jim Drozdz responded by saying the people were ready to proceed to trial.

Lee County has been called the “Poster Child” for unemployment in Iowa.

Help could be on the way with the possible development of a fertilizer plant, but that would be just the start of what is needed to reverse years of job losses.

A recently-released study highlights the county’s strengths and weaknesses, but taking advantage of that information requires community support and interest.

Phil Chancellor of Keokuk has more free time on his hands now that he has retired after a career in the field of high-tech telecommunications.

The latest winners of the Spirit of Keokuk award will be announced during the 22nd Annual Affiliates dinner.

The Affiliates organization includes the Keokuk Area Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Keokuk, the Keokuk Area Convention and Tourism Bureau and Keokuk Economic Development Corporation.

Chamber of Commerce Director Chuck Betts says more than 75 people have been honored over the last two decades for their contributions to Keokuk.

“The phrase that has been used ever since they started was without them, it would not have happened,” says Betts.

Southeast Iowa’s Congressman is looking to his constituents for ideas to protect the future of Social Security.

Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) says he would not be where he is today without the program.

He says Social Security helped his family get by while he was growing up and helped him afford to go to college.

The Congressman says that is why lawmakers must make sure the program remains solvent for decades to come.

The Burlington City Council has made its choice for city manager official.

The panel voted unanimously on Thursday night to appoint James Ferneau to the post.

His first day as city manager will be April 23.

Ferneau has been serving as City Administrator of Sergeant Bluff, IA.

Burlington Mayor Jim Davidson says Ferneau stood out from the other finalists.