THE SGT FLOYD RIVERBOAT WELCOME CENTER AND THE PERRY CREEK LIBRARY BOTH SURVIVED THIS YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS BY THE SIOUX CITY COUNCIL.

THE WELCOME CENTER'S 137-THOUSAND DOLLAR BUDGET WAS BEING CONSIDERED AS A CUT FROM THE PUBLIC MUSEUM'S OPERATING BUDGET.

CITY COUNCILMAN JOHN FITCH WAS AMONG THE 4-1 MAJORITY VOTING TO KEEP IT OPEN AT LEAST ONE MORE YEAR:     

THE COUNCIL ALSO  HAD SUGGESTED CUTTING 150-THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THE LIBRARY'S OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH WOULD HAVE PLACED THE BRANCH LIBRARY IN JEOPARDY.

BUT TOM PADGETT MOVED TO REDUCE THAT AMOUNT TO 100-THOUSAND DOLLARS WHICH PASSED ON A 3-2 VOTE.

MAYOR BOB SCOTT THEN MADE A MOTION TO REDUCE THE CUT TO 50-THOUSAND DOLLARS:

THE COUNCIL ALSO MANDATED FEE INCREASES FOR SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC BE ENACTED BY CITY POLICE AND FIRE AS WELL AS BUILDING PERMITS.

INVESTIGATORS SAY A GREASE FIRE ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON CAUSED MINOR DAMAGE TO A SIOUX CITY APARTMENT BUILDING.

THE FIRE AT THE VALLEY PARK APARTMENTS WAS REPORTED AROUND 2PM AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE MAIN ENRTRANCE OF THE FIVE UNIT BUILDING WHEN FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED.

ALL THE RESIDENTS ESCAPED SAFELY WITH NO INJURIES REPORTED.

A NEW U.S. NAVY COMBAT SHIP WILL BE NAMED THE U.S.S. SIOUX CITY.

SECRETARY OF THE NAVY RAY MABUS SAYS THE LITTORAL COMBAT SHIP IS A FAST, AGILE VESSEL THAT OPERATES WITH A SMALLER CREW AND CAN PERFORM OPERATIONS IN BOTH SHALLOW AND DEEP WATERS.         

MARINETTE MARINE OF MARINETTE WISCONSIN WILL BUILD THE SHIP. THE L-C-S WILL BE 378 FEET LONG, DISPLACE 3000 TONS WITH A WATERLINE BEAM OF 57 FEET AND HAVE A SPEED IN EXCESS OF 40 KNOTS.

IT'S MISSION PACKAGES CAN BE CHANGED AS COMBAT NEEDS DEMAND AND ARE SUPPORTED BY SPECIAL DETACHMENTS THAT WILL DEPLOY MANNED AND UNMANNED VEHICLE AND SENSORS IN SUPPORT OF MINE, UNDERSEA AND SURFACE WARFARE MISSIONS.

A SECOND L-C-S WILL BE CHRISTENED THE U.S.S. OMAHA. MABUS SAYS HE CHOSE TO NAME THE NEW SHIPS TO HONOR THE PATRIOTIC HARD WORKING CITIZENS OF SIOUX CITY AND OMAHA FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MILITARY.

THREE GUIDED MISSILE DESTROYERS ARE ALSO BEING BUILT AND WILL BE NAMED AFTER NAVY OR MARINE CORPS HEROES.

A RURAL KIRON, IOWA WOMAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH 93 COUNTS OF ANIMAL NEGLECT.

THE SAC COUNTY SHERIFF SAYS 44 YEAR OLD MARY BRODERSEN IS CHARGED IN THE CASE IN WHICH 87 DOGS AND ONE CAT WERE RESCUED FROM HER FARM ON JANUARY 25TH.

FIVE DEAD ANIMALS WERE FOUND DURING THAT SEARCH BY AUTHORITIES.

THE DOGS HAVE BEEN RECOVERING IN VARIOUS ANIMAL SHELTERS AROUND THE STATE. THE SIOUXLAND HUMANE SOCIETY HAS FOUND HOMES FOR AT LEAST FIVE OF THE DOGS.