PART OF HISTORIC 4TH STREET IS CLOSED DOWN TODAY IN PREPARATION FOR FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON'S APPEARANCE IN SIOUX CITY THIS EVENING.

PRESIDENT CLINTON WILL SPEAK AT AN OUTDOOR GATHERING AT THE INTERSECTION OF 4TH AND COURT STREETS. HE WILL KEYNOTE A "COMMON SENSE" RALLY IN SUPPORT OF IOWA DEMOCRATIC 4TH DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE CHRISTIE VILSACK.

FORMER DES MOINES REGISTER COLUMNIST CHUCK OFFENBERGER WILL ALSO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF VILSACK.

GATES WILL OPEN TO THE SPEAKING AREA AT 5PM AND CLINTON IS EXPECTED TO TAKE THE STAGE ABOUT AN HOUR LATER.  4TH STREET WILL BE CLOSED TO TRAFFIC BETWEEN COURT AND IOWA STREETS FROM NOW UNTIL 8PM FRIDAY FOR THE EVENT.

IT'S OFFICIAL, THE NAME OF THE TERRA CENTRE AT 4TH AND NEBRASKA STREETS DOWNTOWN IS CHANGING.  THE LANDMARK TO THE SIOUX CITY SKYLINE WILL BE OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS THE HO-CHUNK CENTRE.

HO-CHUNK C-E-O LANCE MORGAN MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AT A THURSDAY AFTERNOON NEWS CONFERENCE:



THE BUILDING WAS PURCHASED IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH SOUTH DAKOTA DEVELOPER DON DUNHAM AND OTHER INVESTORS. MORGAN SAYS HO-CHUNK IS COMMITTED TO SIOUX CITY BEYOND PURCHASING THE BUILDING:



DUNHAM SAYS THE FIRST TWO FLOORS OF THE BUILDING WILL BE COMPLETELY RENOVATED, WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF 900-THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND SAYS THAT WILL BRING THE BUILDING BACK TO A CLASS A STANDARD.

PENN NATIONAL GAMING SAYS THEY STILL WANT TO BRING A NEW INDOOR GAMBLING CASINO TO SIOUX CITY.

A STATEMENT E-MAILED FROM COMPANY SPOKESWOMAN KAREN BAILEY SAYS PENN IS SUPRISED BY WEDNESDAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT BY MRHD THAT THEY ARE PARTNERING WITH HARD ROCK FOR A CASINO AND HOTEL PROJECT.

BAILEY SAYS MRHD NEVER RESPONDED TO A PROPOSAL PRESENTED TO THEM BY PENN ON SEPTEMBER 27TH.

BAILEY ADDED THAT PENN GAMING STILL DISAGREES WITH THE IOWA RACING AND GAMING COMMISSIONS DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE SIOUX CITY CASINO LICENSE. SHE SAYS PENN WILL LIKELY SUBMIT A PROPOSAL TO THE I-R-G-C WITH A NEW UNIDENTIFIED NON PROFIT AS A PARTNER.

PENN HAS FILED LEGAL ACTIONS AGAINST MRHD AND THE STATE GAMING COMMISSION OVER THAT LICENSING PROCESS. THEY PREVIOUSLY STATED THEY WOULD SUE ANY NEW COMPANY WHO TRIED TO OBTAIN THE SIOUX CITY OPERATING LICENSE.

ALL INTERESTED PARTIES FACE A NOVEMBER 1ST APPLICATION DEADLINE.

A SIOUX CITY HUMORIST HAS A NEW BOOK AND WILL DONATE SOME OF THE PROCEEDS TO COLON CANCER AWARENESS. JENNY HERRICK HAS WRITTEN "LAUGH YOUR LIPS OFF".

HERRICK LOST HER SON TO COLON CANCER IN 2011. SHE SAYS WRITING THE BOOK HELPED HER COPE WITH HER SON'S PASSING:



SHE'S DONATING HALF THE BOOKS PROFITS THIS MONTH TO HELP FUND COLON CANCER SCREENINGS. HERRICK SAYS MUCH OF THIS BOOKS MATERIAL IS FROM COLLECTED STORIES & JOKES THAT PEOPLE HAVE SENT HER:



HERRICK WILL SIGN COPIES OF HER BOOK FROM 2P-4PM TODAY (THURSDAY) AT THE JUNE E. NYLEN CANCER CENTER.

THE BOOK WAS CO-WRITTEN WITH KATHY MASSEY. YOU CAN ALSO PURCHASE THE BOOK AT THE ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL GIFT SHOP & AT BOOK PEOPLE AT THE MARKETPLACE.