The Top 10 Local News Stories of 2019: #8 and #7

Posted: Thu, Dec 26, 2019 4:09 PM

Decorah Mayor Lorraine Borowski read a statement about the City of Decorah's opposition to the proposed rate increase

#8: In June, Winneshiek County Development, Inc. confirmed that Hy-Vee planned to open a grocery store in Decorah's Centrum Plaza in the former Quillin's location (https://www.decorahnews.com/archived-stories/2019/06/22524.html).

The 25,000 square-foot store will add up to 70 new jobs to the local economy, according to Hy-Vee. Renovations of the existing structure were announced to begin this fall. That hasn't happened yet, with no word for the cause of the delay, but also with no announcement that the project has been canceled. What will 2020 bring? Stay tuned!

#7: In another business-related move, the Iowa Utilities Board visited Decorah in May to hold a public hearing on Alliant Energy's request for a 24.5 percent rate increase. As our story at the time said, "One after another, Decorah residents got up to speak to Iowa Utilities Board members Thursday night to voice their displeasure with the proposed rate increase filed by Alliant Energy." The opposition to the proposed rate hike was led by "the Decorah Area Group," an alliance of six local organizations which filed official objections to the rate hike with the IUB.

By the end of the year, the Iowa Utilities Board had not yet issued a ruling on what percentage increase Alliant would be allowed to charge its customers. Stay tuned!