Iowa ruling may limit police powers

An Iowa Supreme Court ruling could curb the ability of state police agencies to seize cash and property from motorists. The Des Moines Register reports that Friday’s 5-2 decision from the Iowa Supreme Court will limit the ability of state patrol troopers and deputies to conduct warrantless vehicle searches.

Agreements part of Council agenda

Ottawa City Council will vote on 9 resolution/ agreements at their Tuesday meeting at 7pm.  3 agreements cover North Central Area Transit or NCAT including software licensing, employment and an intergovernmental agreement with Bureau County. Commissioner Aussem, in charge of public property, will ask the council to okay a water service agreement with Mucci and Bray, an engineering agreement with Vegrzyn Sarver and Associates for the South Side Interceptor Sanitary Sewer and another engineering agreement. This one with Renwick and Associates for the Field’s Hill Sewer Extension.   Mayor Eschbach will ask the commisioner’s approval of a second agreement with Renwick and Associates for the Columbus Street Streetscape.

Additional agreements with SMG Security Systems and MCS Advertising will also come before the Council. Mayor Eschbach will present a resolution requesting permission from IDOT for a Stevenson Road improvement project.

“Festival 56” offers holiday cheer

What happened that Christmas between Scrooge and Marley? You might get an idea if you attend a performance Sunday of Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol performed at 2pm at the Grace Performing Arts Center in Princeton. The holiday drama-comedy is a presentation of “Festival 56” – the theatre group known for their summer plays.

Tickets start at $29 and can be ordered through festival 56 dot com, by calling 879-5656 or going to the theatre. Shows will be performed this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 and again next Sunday at 2.

Horizon House campaign starts Monday

A campaign starts Monday. No, it’s not an election, but rather an annual effort to raise $40-thousand dollars for Horizon House. Every $50 received during this time lights 1 of the 800 bulbs on a large tree in front of Horizon House on Plank Road.     Gifts of less than $50 will be combined so that every gift will help light what’s called the “Tree of Hope”.

Horizon House provides support to community members with developmental disabilities.

Rod Thorson will broadcast live from Horizon House at 4pm Monday to help “kick off” the “Tree of Hope” campaign.

State AG approves recall powers

Attorney General Lisa Madigan says she supports a bill that would allow voters to recall Chicago’s mayor. But that doesn’t mean she believes Rahm Emanuel should leave office. Madigan tells a Chicago radio station,  she also thinks voters should have the power to recall all Illinois elected officials – herself included. On Wednesday, Democratic state Representative LaShawn Ford introduced legislation that would establish such a process.

Bill proposed to ban gun sales

An Illinois lawmaker has filed legislation aimed at keeping dangerous mentally ill people and anyone convicted of felonies or domestic violence from having guns. The Chicago Sun-Times reports Representative Greg Harris’ bill also would ban people on the FBI’s terrorist watch list from getting firearms. The Chicago Democrat says not letting people who are severely mentally ill or on the terror watch list own weapons “just makes sense.”