Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLAKE CHARLES (KPLC) - Tommy Bilbo defeated Priscilla Sam for Lake Charles City Council’s District C seat in Saturday’s election Calcasieu Parish voters also approved five tax renewals Saturday’s results are complete but unofficial from the Secretary of State’s Office went to a runoff for the seat that will be vacated by Rodney Geyen who did not run for reelection after serving seven terms Charles Gallien and Amanda Fontenot Johnson did not make the runoff Voters approved the renewal of a 0.5% sales tax that helps fund the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office The tax was first passed in 2006 after Hurricane Rita The tax will continue to be collected from 2026 through 2036 Westlake voters approved the renewal of a property tax that funds the city’s fire department The 10-mill tax will continue to be collected from 2026 to 2035 Westlake voters approved the renewal of a property tax to fund the city’s police department Westlake voters approved the renewal of a 1% sales tax that funds the fire department recreational facilities and supplements pay for city employees It will continue to be collected for 10 years starting in 2027 Westlake voters approved the renewal of a 0.5% sales tax that funds the police department The Charles City Public Library’s Director Annette Dean joined us on the morning show on Monday (5/5/25) to talk about the many events and activities planned over the next few weeks To view more information, go to charles-city.lib.ia.us Community Conversations are sponsored by Floyd County Medical Center More Weather Details Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHENRICO (WWBT) - A 42-year-old Henrico man died after a single-vehicle crash around 3:15 p.m Thursday in the area of Charles City Road and Harewood Lane officers located a Good Samaritan providing CPR to an adult male in the roadway with obvious signs of trauma,” the Henrico Police Department said Friday “Life-saving measures were immediately taken over by Henrico Police and Henrico Fire until the victim was transported to an area hospital where he later died from his injuries.” was driving northbound on Charles City Road when his vehicle left the roadway and flipped “Speed is believed to be a factor in this crash,” police said Tommy Bilbo received 57% of the votes to win Saturday's runoff election for the District C seat on the Lake Charles City Council Bilbo finished with 1,281 votes to top Priscilla Sam, who received 972 votes (43%), according to unofficial results The two Democrats landed in the runoff after none of the four candidates in the March 29 election managed to top 50% of the vote Democrats Charles Gallien and Amanda Fontenot Johnson failed to advance The seat is currently held by Rodney Geyen is the head of new business development at Stine Tax and Wealth Management and is a former refinery worker He previously said his platform is to grow the Gerstner Memorial area by adding a tax incentive to support businesses he wants to improve communication with public safety officials "I want to help out and get a basis with the police because (we've) got areas that are getting real rough where they've got a lot of older people who can't afford to move out," Bilbo said I want to … meet with the police so we can do a little more policing and property standards because if you don't take care of your area owns Royal Treatment Salon and Spa as well as 2nd Chance Bailbonds Sam previously told The Advocate her platform focuses around economic development for District C and improvement to drainage in the area "There's too many broken promises and misleading agendas," Sam said "I'm ready to push forward because I'm ready to be the change agent for the causes that's needed and solutions that's wanted." Email Courtney Pedersen at Courtney.Pedersen@TheAdvocate.com Email notifications are only sent once a day News Tips:newstips@theadvocate.com Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Charles City and O’Fallon police chiefs and mayors joined other local leaders to cut the ribbon for the completion of phase one of the Center for Advanced Skills Training and Law Enforcement (CASTLE) “My gratitude to you all,” said Mayor Dan Borgmeyer “Nothing makes me prouder than the mayor of St the second phase of construction will start soon with completion in late 2026 Phase two includes an expansion to phase one’s firing range a one-mile emergency vehicle operations course a SWAT training area that includes a school bus and fuselage a drone training area and a training center That center will house seven classrooms and a virtual training room there’s not a facility comprised of all these areas in this region,” said Josh Hoeing “We hope to provide the highest quality of law enforcement training to not only our neighboring municipalities but the entire Midwest region and the country This center will be a one-stop shop for departments to send their officers.” Eastern Missouri Police Academy (EMPA) will rehome to CASTLE upon phase two’s completion The Academy’s board approved the rehoming weeks ago but had to wait for its attorney to sign off on it before they were able to put pen to paper on May 1 Executive Director for Eastern Missouri Police Academy “But as far as the extra type of training—it’s scattered.” Louis but attendees have to travel throughout the county for various training functions “This will be such a tremendous opportunity to for us to get everything in one location Our recruits will be around cops every single day We do a lot of continued education as well but just the facilities and the cooperative group coming together is just such a tremendous opportunity for the academy.” Leasor noted that training is often brought into question in a courtroom and he commends everyone involved for the CASTLE project “It is so profound that these agencies have recognized and their communities have recognized the demand for training and how that equates to better officers out on the street being able to interact with the public being able to be trained to use the technology that’s here today.” In this month’s Mayor Monday on Community Conversations Charles City Mayor Dean Andrews joined Chris Berg to discuss key city updates From the recent Main Street Bridge inspection and ongoing City Hall construction to the upcoming Tornado Remembrance Day of Service on May 15th Mayor Andrews highlighted efforts to enhance the community He also shared exciting plans for a new parklet across from Central Park and a youth council initiative engaging high school students in city projects Listen to the full interview for details on these developments and more For more Charles City news, go to CityofCharlesCity.org unseated two-term Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter in a contentious runoff election Saturday Hunter (R) received 48% of the votes (7,049) Simien is an attorney who served on the Lake Charles City Council from 2005 to 2013 Hunter posted the following statement to Facebook following his defeat: “I just called Marshall Simien to concede this election “Marshall is a good man and Lake Charles will be just fine moving forward I committed to him that it will be as seamless a transition as possible My family and I are doing well and ready for the next chapter God has in store for us It’s been a great ride and we’ve accomplished a lot.” Khalid Taha (R) and James Steward (No party) did not make the runoff Simien said as mayor he plans to prioritize economic development attracting tourists and protecting local businesses lost the Lake Charles mayoral runoff to Marshall Simien Jr defeated incumbent Nicholas "Nic" Hunter on Saturday in a runoff election for mayor of Lake Charles Simien received 52% (7,703) of votes cast, while two-term incumbent Hunter had 48% (7,049), according to unofficial results from the Louisiana Secretary of State The race saw a 32% turnout among registered voters held the Lake Charles City Council District A seat from 2005 to 2013 he served on the Port Board from 2003 to 2005 is a lawyer and president at Simien Law Firm Simien told The Advocate he is the best candidate for the office because of his experience in government and law degrees 20 to 25 years of public service and representation of businesses I'm a son of Lake Charles; this community raised me …," Simien said we had the strongest economy in the United States until the pandemic and I'm the person that's most qualified to get us there." began serving as Lake Charles mayor in 2017 the Republican was on the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury from 2011 to 2017 Hunter is a partner in The Villa Harlequin restaurant Hunter congratulated Simien in a social media post after the results were in Saturday "Marshall is a good man and Lake Charles will be just fine moving forward My family and I are doing well and ready for the next chapter God has in store for us," Hunter wrote It's been a great ride and we've accomplished a lot." Leading to the runoff, the best use for the Capital One tower in downtown Lake Charles became a common topic for voters. In late 2024 Hunter announced plans for the property that previously held the skyscraper Simien had questioned why the city would give up property and sales tax revenue from potential private investment at the site The two made it to the runoff during the March 29 election after Hunter received 47% of the vote Simien finished second with 29% of ballots cast James Steward and Khaid Taha fell short of advancing Prom Queen candidates include Marissa Avelar Prom King candidates include Carter Haberkorn “A Night of Gold & Glamour,” include the Grand March at 2 pm Saturday (05.03) in Comet Gym at the Middle School Admission is $2 with proceeds going towards prom costs The dance is from 8:30 to 11:30 pm at the Youth Enrichment Center on the Floyd County Fairgrounds In the midst of “prom season,” Iowa State Patrol Trooper Tom Williams urges students to make smart driving decisions to and from prom activities Williams adds that drinking and driving should always be off the table since students are not of legal drinking age will host a special bingo session this weekend who says players can win big during their Bingo Bash this Saturday (05.03) night Hauser adds that Bingo daubers are also available for sale at $2 each and children though any winnings would be paid out to an accompanying adult coordinator of the Charles City Mobile Food Pantry shared exciting updates about the program’s expansion and logistical changes to better serve over 300 households monthly With the pantry now handling 28,000 pounds of food including deliveries to 75 homebound individuals Burton discussed the challenges of managing increased demand and the innovative solutions being implemented at the Floyd County Fairgrounds Key changes include a new client entrance off Packard Avenue to reduce bottlenecks and a call for clients to arrive no earlier than 3:30 PM to ease volunteer pressure Burton also highlighted the pantry’s inclusive eligibility criteria and the critical role of volunteers in this growing operation contact Jen Burton at (641) 220-1769 or visit kchanews.com for details Community Conversations are sponsored by Floyd County Medical Center The Foster Grandparents Program (FGP) in Charles City has survived the latest DOGE cuts but the program’s future remains uncertain A division of AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors program director Jennifer Lantz says over 75% of FGP’s funding has come from the federal government DOGE cut over $400 million from Americorps’ overall $1 billion budget which also coordinates services in Cerro Gordo but other AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors grants in Iowa were notified that their grant is done She adds that it’s unknown if more are coming which would be extremely unfortunate for the elderly people who drive FGP Lantz adds many foster grandparents suffered severe depression during COVID when they had to stay home and avoid contact in public Lantz notes that Americorps programs were in all 99 counties in Iowa but the latest DOGE cuts eliminates 16 programs in the state and over 1000 programs across the US and just celebrated 60 years for the program nationally last week *To voice your support of Foster Grandparents, visit  www.voicesforservice.org and click “Take Action.” the Charles City Police Department (CCPD) officially announced the promotion of Officer Jordan Smith to the position of investigator Police Chief Hugh Anderson says Smith had already been performing many investigator duties following the departure of former investigator Anderson says Smith has also worked cases with neighboring jurisdictions also take advantage of continuing education programs Note: some information may be time sensitive and some events may have already occurred Listen for the latest KCHA News each weekday at approximately 7:12 am, 12:12 pm and 5:12 pm Monday through Friday https://kchanews.com/  ***Morning News at 7:12 am is now also simulcast on 95.1 The Bull as part of the North Iowa Information Hour Monday through Friday*** Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story misidentified one of the alderpersons speaking Charles City Council member used the closing minutes of a meeting this week to lob accusations against another alderperson and call for his resignation Alderperson Paul Lencioni strongly criticized fellow council member David Pietryla near the end of the city council meeting on Monday for his own personal reasons and for whatever quest of power has recruited to run against me,” Lencioni said Lencioni accused Pietryla of assisting the opponent’s campaign and abusing his power as an elected official The remarks came as unofficial election results show Lencioni trailing newcomer Vicki Spellman in the Ward 3 race Lencioni acknowledged his apparent loss to Spellman He took issue with one Ward 3 candidate — though never named which — who he said was recruited to run by Pietryla Pietryla did not respond to Lencioni’s comments during the meeting But he refuted Lencioni’s claims via text message after the meeting Lencioni’s comments are unfortunate,” Pietryla wrote two city council members — Bryan Wirball and Ron Silkaitis — called Lencioni’s behavior inappropriate and disappointing which led to shouting between him and Lencioni about who had the floor When Mayor Lora Vitek yielded the floor to Lencioni to continue Lencioni accused Pietryla of using his position on the council to intimidate and bully local business owners “David has shown a lack of character and moral strength “You can’t carry the burden of public trust even down the hall.” Wirball said the city council room is not the place for Lencioni’s comments which led again to raised voices between the two “I just think it’s really inappropriate to bring campaigning here in the chamber,” Wirball said You can certainly air your grievance with him if you have it “That’s the most inappropriate thing I’ve heard in this council in a long time,” Silkaitis said “I cannot believe that we’re dealing (with) a political issue about an election that is over Pietryla wrote that he has “a wonderful working relationship” with St “I certainly understand his (Lencioni’s) frustrations post election and wish him the best,” Pietryla said “I have always been available to discuss any concerns; I wish he had reached out to me to cordially discuss his thoughts prior to council.” Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCHARLES CITY Iowa (KTTC) – According to KTTC staff on scene Old Highway Road is still closed to through traffic and the building is still actively smoking Iowa (KTTC) – The Charles City Fire Department were dispatched around 8:40 p.m Sunday to a report of a fire coming from a building along Old Highway Road in Charles City Arriving first responders noticed heavy smoke and fire coming from a large commercial building and quickly worked to extinguish the exterior of the building Several area fire departments and other agencies were called to the scene to assist Nearly 70 firefighters battled the blaze until around 11:30 p.m when it was decided the scene became unsafe due to several stored materials within the building All personnel near the immediate scene were ordered to evacuate to a safer location The Floyd County Sheriff’s Office also asked residents within a half mile of the fire in the downwind direction to evacuate due to risk of the smoke Officials said there is no immediate danger to the public outside of the scene and evacuated area Several agencies remain on scene as it continues to monitor the situation According to Floyd County Assessor records the building is owned by Hawkeye Mold and Design Company Officials have closed down multiple roads leading to or close to the fire including Highway 27 from Nashua to South Grand Avenue Officials ask residents to stay away from the area near the fire and to not attempt to go around any barricades Find stories like this and more, in our apps (ABC 6 News) — The Charles City Fire Department says it is continuing to monitor a fire at Hawkeye Mold and Design Company outside of Charles City and “allowing the structure to burn itself out” after pulling crews late Sunday night from the blaze due to potentially dangerous chemical inhalants the fire has consumed most of the fuel in the building and is progressing to burn itself out There is no immediate danger to the public outside of the scene.” Old Highway Road is currently closed to through traffic between 230th and 240th Street Motorists should detour around the scene until it is open Do not attempt to go around any barricades and stay away from the area to allow personnel to continue working safely.” (ABC 6 News) – Charles City Fire Department says residents in the path of smoke from a large structure fire will remain evacuated CCFD also said that Old Highway Road will remain closed they said that Hwy 218 from Charles City to Nashua will reopen shortly Heavy winds are expected to hinder efforts to fight the flames throughout the day (ABC 6 News) – The Charles City Fire Department says there is no immediate danger to the public outside of the scene and evacuated area of the fire CCFD was dispatched to a building owned by Hawkeye Mold and Design Company at 2323 Old Highway Road for a report of heavy smoke Crews found heavy smoke and fire coming from the building and called for aid from several area fire departments and public safety agencies They battled the blaze until around 11:40 p.m. when the scene became unsafe as stored materials in the structure became involved in the fire Residents a half mile downwind of the fire were ordered to evacuate Several agencies are remaining on the scene to monitor the situation That includes Highway 27 from Nashua to the South Grand Avenue at Exit 218 Motorists are advised to follow the posted detours (ABC 6 News) – An evacuation order is in place in Charles City due to an active fire at Hawkeye Preferred Tooling Group The call reportedly came in on Sunday night just before 9 p.m. Those who are a 1/2 mile downwind of the fire have been ordered to evacuate Highway 218 from South Grand to Nashua has also been shut down and ABC 6 News will have more details as they become available Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the FCC Public file should email news@kaaltv.com or call (507) 288-7555 Call 641-330-7174 for info on that meeting The City of Charles City could find themselves in the market for a new city administrator The City of Clear Lake has announced the selection of three finalists for their position of City Administrator which includes current Charles City City Administrator Steve Diers City Administrator for the City of Hampton Finance Director & Director of Administrative Services for the City of Clear Lake Widman is also Clear Lake’s Acting City Administrator To engage the community in the final selection process the City of Clear Lake will host a Public Meet & Greet event from 5 to 6:15 pm this Friday (05.02) in the Council Chambers at City Hall Residents are invited to meet the candidates Feedback collected during the event will be considered by the City Council prior to making a final hiring decision Interviews with the finalists are scheduled for this Saturday (05.03) According to the City of Charles City website Diers has been city administrator since March 2014 began serving as the Lake Charles mayor in 2017 Hunter previously told The Advocate he was best candidate for the office due to the track record he and his team have and the successes it can point to throughout the city even with challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and hurricanes but it also takes leadership," Hunter said and I would like to continue to be that leader Simien told The Advocate that he is the best candidate for the mayor because of his government experience and law degrees (ABC 6 News) – Celebrating the resurrection of Christ, congregants of The Bridge in Charles City made a joyful noise this Easter Sunday “Worshiping here,” said worship leader Anna Tutu “I really get to express myself and just be able to praise God.” The Bridge is known for its contemporary musical worship services Bassist and worship leader Aaron White says the team intentionally opened Easter service right where they left off: with Jesus dead in the tomb and in darkness “But he rises again,” White said “We then bring the lights and energy up We’re trying to help facilitate the Holy Spirit interacting with people or at least make people more perceptive and open to it.” Many congregants from The Bridge living in Mason City recently planted a new church, One Church of Mason City. “Our goal is to spread throughout not just Floyd County but the surrounding area,” said Theresa Jenkins “We hope to be able to plan another church in the near future when God leads.” “We’re just here to help spread the word,” Jenkins said “That’s what we’re called to do through Easter and the resurrection of Christ.” The Bridge holds worship services every Sunday at 8:00 and is located at 913 S Main Street in Charles City previously convicted in a 1981 Mason City kidnapping rape and attempted murder case and who was granted parole eight years ago has been arrested on a new kidnapping charge after an incident at a Mason City grocery store The Mason City Police Department (MCPD) says they were called to Aldi’s at 520 Village Green Drive shortly after 1 pm Wednesday (04.30) afternoon wearing a disguise and displaying a weapon After obtaining preliminary information from the victim and witnesses a suspect and vehicle were located a short time later in Hancock County 60-year-old Blair Greiman of Garner was arrested and charged with second-degree kidnapping He’s being held without bond in the Cerro Gordo County Jail awaiting his initial court appearance MCPD Chief Jeff Brinkley thanks bystanders and witnesses who assisted the victim and were able to provide information to officers Anyone with additional information about this incident is asked to contact MCPD at 641-421-3636 Greiman was 16 when he attacked an 18-year-old female in the K-Mart parking lot in Mason City in 1981 with a jury convicting him of first-degree kidnapping second-degree sexual abuse and attempted murder but was granted parole in September 2017 after the U.S Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that life sentences without the opportunity for parole for juveniles was unconstitutional A memorial service for 86-year old Sharon Jaeger-Madsen in the chapel at Sunnyside Memory Gardens in rural Charles City Iowa (Iowa's News Now) — A large fire near Charles City forced evacuations and road closures late Sunday night The Charles City Fire Department responded to a fire south of town around 8:40 p.m for a report of heavy smoke coming from a building CCFD found a large building in the 2300 block of Old Highway Road Other departments were called in and around 70 firefighters battled the blaze until 11:30 p.m when it became unsafe due to stored materials within the building Residents within a half mile of the fire downwind were told to evacuate by the Floyd County Sheriff's Office As of 8 a.m., the Charles City Fire Chief says there's no immediate danger to the public outside of the scene and evacuated area There are officials on scene monitoring the situation including Highway 27 from Nashua to the South Grand Avenue exit (Exit 218) Officials are asking that you not go around any barricades and stay away from the area The Charles City Community Center’s Judy Hauser shares exciting updates about the facility’s offerings The center is a hub for community activities It hosts affordable $5 meals (no prep or cleanup required) from 11 AM to 12:20 PM Programs like fraud and scam awareness sessions occur three times a week A highlight is the upcoming Bingo Bash on Saturday May 3 For more information on happenings at the community center, follow this link A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for 84-year old Robert ‘Bob’ J Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Charles City this evening at Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home Charles City and will continue one hour before the service at the church on Friday Bob passed away on April 22nd at the Good Shepherd Health Center in Mason City surrounded by his loving family after a courageous battle with cancer A Mass of Christian Burial for 73-year old Mike Thome at Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home in Charles City and will continue one hour before the service at the church on Thursday A funeral service for 54-year old Timmy ‘Pastor Tim’ Robbins Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Charles City at Calvary Baptist Church and continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday memorials may be directed to the Floyd County Cancer Friends Unggoy Broadband in Charles City will soon be under new ownership Unggoy Broadband will be acquired by Router12 Networks The company says the transition comes as President Unggoy officials say current service plans will remain unchanged but customers are encouraged to explore the new plans available through Router12 Networks Customers are also advised that their next invoice on May 14th will be issued by Router12 Networks on 5/14/2025 https://router12.net/services/residential-broadband/  A graveside celebration of life for 85-year old Delbert ‘Skip’ Clare Ward will be held at Riverside Cemetery in Charles City at 10:30 a.m. please consider placing a donation in Skip’s name to St at Good Shepard Health Center in Mason City with his loving family by his side April is National Volunteer Awareness Month and some of Charles City’s best volunteers will be honored this week Co-hosted by the Charles City Area Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Charles City program the annual Community Volunteer Recognition Event on Friday (04.25) is free and open to all at the Charles City Community Center Doors open at 7:30 am with coffee and rolls and the program begins at 8 am The Chamber Person of the Year Award will be announced as well as the Main Street Charles City Volunteer of the Year Mayor Dean Andrews will  present the Hometown Hero Award Charles City non-profits and schools will also honor their various volunteers of the year special “Caught in the Act” awards will be presented to individuals who were nominated after being seen doing something unselfish for others or the community Community Development Director Mark Wicks says “The most valuable resource our community has are our volunteers Volunteers are what makes a community special and help get things done that otherwise might not They lend a hand because they care about Charles City and the people around them Past Man of the Year and Woman of the Year award recipients will also be recognized on Friday For more information contact the Community Development Office at (641) 228-4234 or email [email protected] answers a question during a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Central Kane County on Wednesday final tallies show Spellman is the only newcomer aldermanic candidate in St Charles winning in the consolidated election Charles voters were apparently looking for a change in the mayor’s seat the majority of incumbent City Council candidates will keep their seats With all ballots counted as of April 15, results show only one newcomer will join the St. Charles City Council this year. Results will be official on April 22 once final canvassing is completed. In Ward 1, incumbent Ron Silkaitis is leading with 665 votes to Robert Kasper’s 550. In Ward 2, incumbent Ryan Bongard is leading with 1,307 votes over Angela Churchill with 697 votes. In Ward 3, newcomer Vicki Spellman garnered 539 votes, and leads incumbent Paul Lencioni by 56 votes. Carolyn Waibel is trailing with 383 votes. In Ward 5, incumbent Steve Weber is leading with 737 votes to Lauren Duddles’ 685. In Wards 3 and 4, incumbents Bob Gehm and Bryan Wirball, respectively, ran unopposed. Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network LOUIS—Police departments of 16 areas and other state funded agencies are collaborating to implement the Gateway Regional Criminal Interdiction Task Force (GRCIRF) The task force looks to support Governor Kehoe’s Safer Missouri Anti-Crime plan Kehoe signed an executive order earlier this year launching the Safer Missouri Intiative that focuses on reducing crime supporting law enforcement and fostering community partnerships “This endeavor will focus on that goal within the St Louis who is a member of the Governor’s crime-fighting planning team GRCIRF will pool together their departments’ resources including specialized units with advanced technology and intel tactical medics and other first responders these agencies will be a force multiplier in Operations Relentless Pursuit’s effort to protect all Missourians,” said Mark James Director of Missouri Department of Public Safety “We are sending a message to criminals that we will not tolerate the continued victimization of our communities.” GRCIRF expands an existing and effective task force that Saint Charles County began a few years ago “We’ve seen a reduction in auto theft by 44% along with a 57% reduction in thefts from vehicles since the inception of the task force,” said Kurt Frisz Charles City police believe the task force helps combat the drug epidemic “The success of our initiative stems from its comprehensive approach integrating uniformed officers alongside our Regional Drust Task Force personnel,” said Ray Juengst “This integration allows narcotics investigations to commence immediately following traffic stops and arrests.” Juengst believes their coordinated effort played a big role in the 61% reduction of overdose deaths across the county from 2023 to 2024 “A testament to the effectiveness of our collaborative strategy.” Louis County Police Department will support enforcement efforts and logistical needs “When we pool resources and come together to focus on one mission we succeed,” added Frank Mininni by | Apr 7 including a section of the Avenue of the Saints are closed this (Monday) morning in the vicinity of last night’s fire just outside of Charles City Close to 70 firefighters from Charles City and seven other area departments battled the blaze at Hawkeye Mold and Design with the initial call coming in just after 8:30 PM Sunday Mutual aid was also provided by various public safety agencies officials deemed conditions unsafe due to several stored materials within the structure requiring the evacuation of all personnel from the immediate scene to a safe location Residents within a half mile of the fire in the downwind direction were told to evacuate by the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office There is no immediate danger to the public outside of the scene and evacuated area Several agencies remain on scene to monitor the situation RadioIowa is a division of LEARFIELD © Learfield News & Ag, LLC. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy  | Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information A map of the proposed Roxbury Technology Park site Charles City County is the latest locality in the region with a chance to get in on the data center boom Kansas-based Diode Ventures recently submitted plans to the county Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors to rezone around 515 acres about 20 miles due east of Richmond to allow for a data center campus called Roxbury Technology Park Project costs and how many data center buildings would be on the campus are not yet known Diode estimates that construction of the data center campus would take seven to 10 years An end user has not been identified for the project The project site is in an area southwest of the unincorporated community Roxbury and comprises five contiguous parcels of private land On its website Diode Ventures said the area is ideal for a data center because of “available land and support of economic development in targeted areas as described in the 2014 Comprehensive Land Use Plan.” Charles City County staff recommended Planning Commission approval of the rezoning in a staff report pending the adjustment of some of the proffers The report states that the application is in accordance with the economic development sections of the county’s land use plan “Digital commerce is the next industrial revolution and it’s vitally important that Charles City has an opportunity to be included in the new digital economy of the next generation,” a county staff report reads Charles City County’s 2014 comprehensive land use plan identified the five parcels as part of the Roxbury Development Center a primary development area within the county that has been identified as such since 1979 and has grown While the proposed site has some wetland areas that lie within the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area which can be developed with mitigation strategies to offset development impacts The property is bordered by existing agricultural use and some industrial use Nearby businesses include the Dominion Energy Chickahominy Substation Chaney Enterprises Concrete Plant and Tire Recycling Solutions conditional use permits or variances previously granted to the five parcels Two of the parcels are owned by trustee Andrea K while the rest are owned by separate owners The Roxbury Technology Park site is shown in blue in the upper left corner An original zoning application for the project was submitted last November A revised application was submitted in February The county Planning Commission will review the proposal and allow for public comment before making a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for final approval The Planning Commission is set to host the public hearing on the application April 10 Among the 10 proffers included in the rezoning application are prohibited uses like intensive agriculture or junk yard building setbacks from exterior boundary lines County staff gave several recommendations with regard to the proffers including things like amended construction hours on Sundays Preston Lloyd of Williams Mullen is representing Diode in its zoning request there would be 120 to 200 permanent jobs at the data center including professions such as data center technicians A November letter from Diode also said that data center projects can create about 1,200 skilled trade jobs during construction Diode Ventures was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Overland Park Diode is a subsidiary of engineering and construction company Black & Veatch Diode has worked on data center developments in Kansas City It is unclear whether this is Diode’s first Virginia project Charles City County isn’t the only Richmond-area locality getting in on the data center trend. In eastern Henrico, Atlanta-based DC Blox is moving forward with a 65,000-square-foot data center on part of the property that And in Chesterfield, the county’s Economic Development Authority recently filed rezoning requests to tee up two data center campuses one near Westchester Commons and the other on a portion of the Upper Magnolia Green site near Moseley This story is for our paid subscribers only Please become one of the thousands of BizSense Pro readers today Renew now by choosing a subscription below YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR A 1 YEAR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL AT THE RATE IN EFFECT AT THAT TIME UNLESS YOU CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP BY LOGGING IN OR BY CONTACTING SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM ALL CHARGES FOR MONTHLY OR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS ARE NONREFUNDABLE EACH MEMBERSHIP WILL ONLY FUNCTION ON UP TO 3 MACHINES ACCOUNTS ABUSING THAT LIMIT WILL BE DISCONTINUED FOR ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP PLEASE EMAIL SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM Jackie joined Richmond BizSense in January 2025. She covers startups, nonprofits, public companies, local government and more. Reach her at jackie@richmondbizsense.com or (703) 789-7628 Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" I suppose we’ll have to wade into Bayesian probability to determine if Roko’s basilisk has led humanity into this subservient and detrimental eusocial behavior towards AI and all its trappings I think this mega data center project will not get build In that I think Virginia is currently in the final phase of data center specification Were everyone in their mother is proposing a data center And there has to be a limit at which ai needs data centers To put this 500 acre data center complex in context it’s about the size of the entire Fan District The prime-movers have already enticed and socially engineered the public to not only accept the termination of the denigrated public sector employee Employees who will be replaced by AI (computerized programming) in the very near future NoVa in particular will bear the brunt of this transition They are laying the foundations right before our eyes And once cherry-picked metrics (government data is ALWAYS cherry-picked) points towards success the stargate partnership and others will not stop there and it will not stop with the initial… Read more » you can take comfort they’ll probably get a Sheetz too They only need to oblige the proclamations from the plutocrats In fact it was broadcast from the White House lawn not a day after the inauguration One does not need to be a cypher or a clairvoyant or to commune with the elves in the ether They merely need to pay attention in the moment rare in our distracted and stupefied times I appreciate your (almost) solo attempt at creativity (there’s a city Oregon Hill resident that is also a grumpy creative that used to add a bit of spice taking into consideration only it’s bigness I suspect it is more a “Moral Equivalent of War” project to keep us from killing each other or descending into anarchy I doubt it is the “aliens” directing us (depends on the Stargate this seems like a good site… Read more » Ignoring all the policy and environmental issues involved-Proffers and/or the approval itself should at a minimum exclude any use other than that specified in the application Read about the issues unaddressed in Loudoun County A large center can take as much as 1,000,000 gallons of water to cool it PER DAY!! © 2025 Richmond BizSense - All Rights Reserved Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now × The Avenue of the Saints between Charles City and Nashua (Highway 27) is back open after being closed for eight hours by a fire at Hawkeye Mold and Design Deverell says all residents have been allowed to return home around noon and the fire continues to “burn itself out.” No one was inside the facility when the fire started The State Fire Marshal has been called in to determine the cause of the fire Frank Bruscato emerges from his designated voting booth as residents cast their ballots on Election Day Tommy Bilbo is running for Lake Charles City Council District C Priscilla Sam is running for Lake Charles City Council District C The Lake Charles City Council race for District C will be decided in a runoff between two Democrats after none of the four candidates in the March 29 election managed to top 50% of the vote Democrats Charles Gallien and Amanda Fontenot Johnson trailed in the final tally The District C seat is currently held by Rodney Geyen Here's a look at the two candidates in the runoff: Occupation: Head of new business development at Stine Tax and Wealth Management; former refinery worker Q: Why did you decide to run for City Council because for me I raised my kids in Oak Park and I saw the state of decline of the area who actually I look at as more of my uncle he would tell me all the time I would be among them and … I saw the joy he actually got out of helping because now that I'm an empty nester … I got a lot of a lot of free time I just want to help my community … I want to be the voice for them … I just want to help I just want to be the voice when they have a problem I want to put in a tax incentive to get business to come back to Gerstner Memorial (Boulevard) just like we have on Enterprise (Boulevard) to try and get business back I want to help out and get a basis with the police where they've got a lot of older people who can't afford to move out Q: What are some infrastructure projects you would advocate for in your district A: We get forgotten about because we don't have that many issues We're one of the oldest areas of Lake Charles and they had a plan already in place to clear out a part of the old terrace so they can hold water but it's been since the storm and it's gonna take time to clean out all these drains we don't have a lot of issues because we sit high so that's how we get forgotten about and get overlooked when it comes for help and need Q: What makes you the best candidate for the seat A: I'm going to be more accessible than everyone I have a great understanding of how everything works if you get the wrong person in there that doesn't understand how long it takes to really do something they gonna make promises they really can't keep … I don't promise to keep the stuff I can't keep … I'm very well known for my accomplishments what you get is and you get what you get every day You're going to see me … I'm still going to be the same person it's never going to bother me to come see what problem you got But the only thing (for) me and my opponent (is that Geyen has been in the seat) for 28 years so we're not going to have the connections and know that he knows but we don't want a major drop off with somebody that has no experience in business at all no experience in how to take care of something Occupation: Owner of Royal Tratment Salon and Spa I was sick and tired of being sick and tired of not getting nothing I've addressed the city on multiple occasions A: (I'm running on) economic development for my district I have one part of my community called Oak Park it was deemed you couldn't cut down your oak trees and I understand that to represent the name we have people that pay $300,000 for a house and these oak trees are cracking up their slabs on their home They can't wash their clothes and shower at the same time Q: What are some infrastructure projects you'd advocate for in your district Everybody is trying to find out why business is leaving (the area) It's clear everybody want to be what they cared for I'm going to just stand strong and try to fix the issues we have Q: What makes you the best candidate for the seat I can perform well under pressure while achieving goals that need to be handled I can handle the ups and downs of any situation by delivering results Let's team up together to make Lake Charles great if that's what our intentions are I have a knack for dissecting informed information while delivering results … There's too many broken promises and misleading agendas I'm ready to push forward because I'm ready to be the change agent for the causes that's needed and solutions that's wanted Early voting for the runoff will be open from 8:30 a.m The ballot will also include a mayoral runoff between incumbent Nicholas "Nic" Hunter and challenger Marshall Simien and a Clacasieu Parish Law Enforcement District tax renewal The Charles City Singers’ 50th Anniversary Spring Concert this weekend promises to be an afternoon of song and celebration While the Singers have been around a half-century current Director Steve Heitbrink says there was a shaky period Heitbrink says they’re ready to perform their Golden Anniversary concert this Sunday (04.27) Heitbrink says past directors will also direct numbers during the concert starting at 2 pm this Sunday (04.27) at Trinity United Methodist Church in Charles City Tickets are $10 for adults (free for students) and are available at 1st Security Bank along with the Charles City Arts Center and from any CC Singer Find more details on the Charles City Singers Facebook page The Charles City Water Department will begin flushing the water distribution system this Monday (04.28) “This process helps to remove any deposits that may be built up on the interior walls of the water mains and helps ensure that the water quality is maintained throughout the system Customers may experience fluctuations in pressure and/or discoloration of their water during flushing Water main flushing in Charles City is expected to be completed by May 16th contact the Charles City Water Department at 641-257-6315 The City of New Hampton will also begin flushing hydrants on Monday Residents are also advised to run water to clear your lines before using The Public Works Department estimates hydrant flushing in New Hampton will take about three weeks to complete