Council approves ordinance change 
The Knoxville City Council approved an ordinance change making the discharge from sump pumps onto city streets a nuisance at their meeting Monday. City Manager Dick Schrad says the discharges are creating traffic and pedestrian hazards in some areas. The amendment also gives the city the option to issue residents a citation for not clearing their sidewalks of snow and ice.

Pella City Council to meet 
Pella city officials continue to hammer out the budget for next fiscal-year. The city council will set the public hearing date for the budget at their meeting tonight. In other business, the council will set the public hearing date on a proposed development agreement with Cornerstone Holdings L.L.C. and ICE Technologies Inc. The council meets at 7:00 p.m. at the Public Safety Complex. 

Sentencing set for Knoxville resident on drug charge 
A 49-year-old Knoxville resident pled guilty to an amended methamphetamine charge at the Marion County Courthouse. Court documents report Jimmy Lee Dabb pled to a class C felony and has sentencing set for March 13. In September of last year Dabb was charged with manufacturing a controlled substance, methamphetamine. 

Pella Christian celebrates homecoming 
Pella Christian High School celebrates homecoming this week. Guidance Counselor Dan Van Kooten says the purpose of homecoming is to welcome back alumni, some of whom will help lead chapel this week. According to Van Kooten, students have a major role in organizing the various activities. He says student council plans the class competitions and the coronation while class officers take care of the hall decorations. Homecoming week culminates Friday with the basketball games versus Grinnell. 

Tickets available for RRRRT production 
The Red Rock Retro Radio Theaters production, “Cruising Lake Red Rock” is being held Friday through Sunday, and the deadline for purchasing tickets for the Friday and Saturday shows will be the end of the business day Wednesday. Co-director Pat Schrad says tickets for the Sunday show can be purchased all this week, including at the door. She says tickets can be purchased at the Radio Shack in Knoxville, Swamp Fox in Knoxville and at the Pella Chronicle.

Dollars for Scholars and Rotary offer soup supper before games tonight 
Two local organizations offer soup before hoops tonight. Pella Dollars for Scholars and Pella Rotary Club will sponsor a soup and chili supper before the Pella versus Pella Christian basketball games. Wes Chaplin with the Pella Rotary Club says the club was looking for a less weather-dependent fundraising event and decided to partner with Dollars for Scholars. The supper is from 4:15-7:00 p.m. in the Pella Christian High School Cafeteria. A free-will donation is encouraged. 

Hunters harvest eight deer in Westridge area 
At the end of approximately five months of licensed bow hunters in the Westridge area in Knoxville, eight deer were tagged with no complaints from area residents. That’s according to Knoxville Police Chief Dan Losada. The hunt was part of a carefully defined hunt for deer, after residents reported garden and landscape damage.

County Cattlemans Association elects new directors 
The Marion County Cattleman’s Association held their annual meeting last night at the Pella Golf and Country Club. The organization elected six new directors and named the 2009 Marion County Beef Princess and Beef Queen. The new directors are Tom Bandstra, Dustin Ellis, Danny Pearson, Gary Schippers, Stan Sneller and Tim Van Roekel. Trisha Collins is the Beef Princess and Megan Kooistra is the Beef Queen.