A groundbreaking and open house will be held  at the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association today (Thursday) to celebrate years the historic preservation of the Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District.

A 2pm groundbreaking will kick off an almost $1-million of new construction at the historic railroad site near Riverside.

Built between 1916 and 1918, the Milwaukee Railroad Historic District is one of the largest remaining steam locomotive-servicing facilities in the Midwest.

The site includes a roundhouse with a turntable and around 20 more buildings or partial structures.

The free event runs from 2pm until 4pm.

The Iowa legislature has approved an education plan that would provide additional school funding. Lawmakers in the state House and Senate approved the plan Wednesday.

Republican Rep. Ron Jorgensen, of Sioux City, says the compromise provides about 4% more basic funding for the next academic year, as well as offer dollars to districts that raise minimum teacher pay and offer leadership incentives.

Jorgensen says a task force would review teacher evaluations and some restrictions on homeschooling are lifted.

Home schooling parents will be able to teach their kids driver's ed and be able to teach four unrelated students in the home. Jorgensen says some kids just don't do well in the "larger settings" of a public school classroom:



The package sets a minimum Iowa teacher salary of 33-thousand-500 dollars and offers stipends to talented teachers who mentor or coach others.

Public school districts that implement teacher mentoring programs would get about 310 dollars per student to finance the effort, but it would be optional, something Jorgensen and other Republicans insisted upon:



The bill will now goes to Governor Branstad for signature.

Radio Iowa and Iowa AP contributed to this story

THIS SATURDAY IS NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN'S DAY. THE SIOUX CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO PARTICIPATE BY TALKING WITH THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT "STRANGER DANGER"

SGT RYAN BERTRAND SAYS IT'S CRITICAL THAT PARENTS TAKE THE TIME TO GO OVER SAFETY ISSUES WITH THEIR KIDS:



EVERY YEAR AN ESTIMATED 800-THOUSAND CHILDREN ARE REPORTED MISSING IN AMERICA. THAT ABOUT 2000 EACH DAY.

OF THAT TOTAL NUMBER, AROUND 200-THOUSAND ARE ABDUCTED BY FAMILY MEMBERS AND 58-THOUSAND ARE TAKEN BY NON-FAMILY MEMBERS.

AN INITIATIVE TO GET SIOUX CITY RESIDENTS TO GROW THEIR OWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IS GETTING UNDERWAY THROUGH A NEW NON-PROFIT GROUP.

HARVEST INC. WILL HELP RESIDENTS CREATE AND MANAGE THEIR OWN GARDENS AND ORCHARDS. LAUREN WEISS IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GROUP:



WEISS SAYS THE FIRST GARDEN AREA HAS BEEN CREATED AT 3501 WEST 31ST STREET:



A DEDICATION OF THE FITCH GARDEN WILL TAKE PLACE AT 5PM THURSDAY. YOU MAY CONTACT WEISS AT 202-2012 FOR MORE INFORMATION.