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lic referendum on the TIF bond plan. Voters gave their thumbs up, but then heavy spring rains brought severe flooding, prompting more delays.
• Northern Beef Packers meanwhile used EB-5 to attract investors and spur the start of construction, and concrete was poured for the roads and basement. But by 2008, the company began falling behind on its property taxes, mechanics' liens started piling up and the economic downturn dried up financing options.
• Hellwig stepped down as general partner when the Korean investors asked to buy out his shares. The new owners recruited another round of EB-5 investors, but the new investment fund provided loan money instead of equity shares in the company.

• After the plant starts processing cattle, the company will be able to tap into a state economic development finance authority and a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development guaranteed loan.
• Sutton said the commission is anxious for the plant to begin processing beef.
• "We're excited to get the plant up and running," he said. "It'll have a real substantial positive impact on our whole northeast region."
•

• TIOGA, N.D. (AP) -- Lawmakers in the Dakotas are touring the western North Dakota oil patch to get a firsthand look at the boom happening there.
• About 20 North Dakota lawmakers and seven from South Dakota on Wednesday were touring drilling rig and oil well sites. They planned an overnight stay at a crew camp at Tioga.
• The event is sponsored by the North Dakota Petroleum Council, a trade group.
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• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- Secretary of State Jason Gant has appointed a task force to review a ballot-counting problem that occurred in Davison County during South Dakota's June primary.
• Gant says the task force will meet Friday in Mitchell to talk with the Davison County auditor and a representative of the company that makes the ballot counter used in the primary.
• Gant says ballots from randomly selected precincts will then be counted several times to test the scanner's accuracy. The same ballots will be scanned later Friday

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