REPAIR WORK WILL BEGIN MONDAY ON THE SPILLWAY AT YANKTON'S GAVINS POINT DAM. THE SLAB BENEATH THE SPILLWAY WAS DAMGED DURING THE RECORD RELEASE OF WATER IN THE MISSOURI RIVER FLOOD OF 2011.

THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS SAYS THE REPAIRS INCLUDE WORK ON THE SLAB AND THE GRAVEL FROST BLANKET.

DEBRIS THAT WAS DEPOSITED ON THE SLAB WILL BE REMOVED.

THE REPAIRS WILL TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS SO THE FISHING WALL PARKING LOT WILL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL THEY ARE COMPLETED.

A LOT OF YOU WILL BE OUT SHOPPING FOR BARGAINS DURING THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND, AND SIOUX CITY WANTS TO FOCUS SOME OF THAT SPENDING ON SMALL LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES.

CITY SPOKESPERSON ANNE WESTRA SAYS THOSE STORES ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY:



THIS WEEKEND  IS THE THIRD ANNUAL "SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY" AND TO DRIVE THAT POINT HOME, RAGEN COTE OF DOWNTOWN PARTNERS HAS A SPECIAL PROMOTION HAPPENING:



YOU CAN FIND LOCAL BUSINESSES PARTICIPATING ONLINE AT www.shopsmallsux.com

THERE'S TWO EVENTS THIS WEEKEND TO HELP YOU GET INTO THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT AND TAKE YOUR MIND OFF THE SHOPPING FRENZY. KIDS CAN HAVE BREAKFAST WITH SANTA SATURDAY MORNING AT THE HO-CHUNK CENTRE ATRIUM AT 4TH AND NEBRASKA STREETS.

THERE'S TWO SEPARATE TIMES, 8:30AND 10AM WITH BREAKFAST, FACE PAINTING, COOKIE DECORATING, STORY TIME AND A VISIT WITH SANTA CLAUS.

ON SUNDAY, RICHARD STEINBACH WILL GIVE A FREE HOLIDAY PIANO CONCERT AT THE SIOUX CITY ART CENTER. STEINBACH WILL PLAY FROM 3PM UNTIL 5PM AND DEBUT HIS NEW CD TITLED "CHRISTMAS SPIRIT"

SIOUX CITY'S JACKSON RECOVERY CENTER HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO RELOCATE INTO A NEW CHILD AND ADOLESCENT RECOVERY HOSPITAL.

PRESIDENT AND C-E-O KERMIT DAHLEN SAYS THE 9 MILLION DOLLAR FACILITY WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED WEST OF GOODWILL INDUSTRIES ON WEST 4TH STREET, NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO WAR EAGLE PARK.

JACKSON RECOVERY CURRENTLY LEASES SPACE IN THE BOYS AND GIRLS HOME ON COURT STREET, BUT DAHLEN SAYS THEY HAVE BEEN ASKED TO MOVE OUT BY 2015.

THE 48-THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT RECOVERY HOSPITAL WOULD CONSIST OF 72 UNITS, AN INCREASE FROM THEIR CURRENT 41 BEDS.

PART OF THE PLAN INCLUDES A 12 BED CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCH UNIT , SOMETHING DAHLEN SAYS IS BADLY NEEDED IN SIOUX CITY FOR YOUNG MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT NEEDS:



DAHLEN APPEARED BEFORE THE WOODBURY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT AND TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR A PROPOSED ISSUE OF SIX MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE BONDS TO FINANCE THE HOSPITAL.

SUPERVISORS SET THAT HEARING FOR TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11TH.

CITY MANAGER PAUL ECKERT SAYS HE'S DISAPPOINTED WITH E-MAILS RELEASED WITH DETAILS OF THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO NEGOTIATE A NEW LEASE WITH PENN GAMING OVER THE OPERATION OF THE ARGOSY RIVERBOAT CASINO.

THE E-MAILS SENT TO MEDIA, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OTHERS BY AN ALLEGED ARGOSY EMPLOYEE ACCUSE THE CITY OF ASKING FOR MORE MONEY FROM PENN FOR THE NEW LEASE AGREEMENT.



THE CITY IS ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL180-THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM PENN ON THE 1-POINT-8 MILLION DOLLAR LEASE BECAUSE PENN WILL NOT AGREE TO RELEASE THE CITY FROM THE THREAT OF LITIGATION.

ECKERT SAYS THE CITY WOULD USE THE MONEY TO RECOUP POTENTIAL LEGAL EXPENSES AND PROTECT TAXPAYERS. ECKERT SAYS THE E-MAILS HAD INFORMATION THAT CLEARLY CAME FROM PRIVATE PHONE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE CITY AND PENN GAMING:



ECKERT SAYS PENN HAS A HISTORY OF LITIGATION INVOLVING OTHER CITIES THEY HAVE DONE BUSINESS WITH;



PENN GAMING HAS NOT SENT A STATEMENT TO KSCJ REGARDING THE RELEASE OF THE E-MAILS.