Remsen Restricts Water Usage
(Remsen) — Remsen Municipal Utilities has issued a Water Restriction effective Monday, July 22, 2013. There will be absolutely no watering between the hours of 8:00AM-8:00PM. Outside of those hours they are implementing the odd-even rule. Houses with odd numbered street addresses will be allowed to water on odd calendar days and houses with even numbered street addresses will be allowed to water on even calendar days. The restriction will remain in effect until further notice is given. Your cooperation in this restriction is very much appreciated.
Clarey Pleads Guilty To Assault and False Imprisonment
(Le Mars) — A Le Mars man has pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman and confining her against her will. 38 year old John Clarey entered his plea Tuesday in Plymouth County District Court to misdemeanor charges of false imprisonment and domestic abuse assault. Sentencing was set for August 5th. According to court documents, on December 23, Clarey assaulted a woman with whom he lived and took her cellphone. She was unable to call for help or get medical treatment for five days.
Relay For Life Scheduled For Friday
(Le Mars) — The annual Plymouth County Relay For Life is scheduled for this Friday with a change of locations. Kari Butcher, the event chair for the Plymouth County Relay For Life says the popular fund raising campaign for cancer research is coming back to Le Mars.
Listen to
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Butcher says the Relay For Life is the most widely recognized campaign to draw attention to cancer and its survivors and she tells of its origin.
Listen to
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In previous Relay For Life events, the Plymouth County chapter has been able to raise at least $38,000. This year, Butcher hopes to meet or exceed that goal. She says individuals and teams are still welcome to participate in Friday’s event.
Listen to
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Butcher says the Plymouth County Relay For Life will kick off with the opening ceremonies
at 7:00 p.m.
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A special feature at any Relay For Life event are the illuminaries that circle the track and are dedicated to family and friends that may have lost their life to cancer.
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The Relay For Life event will continue overnight until 6:00 a.m. For more information, or to participate, contact Kari Butcher at (712) 389-6771.
Iowa Workforce Development To Lay Off 30 People
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The state is laying off staffers at the Iowa Workforce Development agency, which provides services to unemployed residents.
In an email sent to agency workers this week, Iowa Workforce Development Director Teresa Wahlert announced 30 staffers would lose their jobs, both union-represented and non-union workers.
Wahlert says in the email that the staff reductions were due to a loss of federal funding.
But Danny Homan – who is president of Iowa Council 61 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees – says Wednesday the state has a budget surplus and should be able to afford the workers. He says the cuts will limit aid for out of work state residents seeking jobs.
Gov. Terry Branstad’s spokesman Tim Albrecht says Branstad remains focused on helping Iowans find jobs.
Newton Library Will No Longer Offer Workforce Development Kiosk
NEWTON, Iowa (AP) – The Newton Public Library is pulling the plug on a computer kiosk that was installed after the state closed more than 50 unemployment offices two years ago.
Newton Public Library Director Sue Padilla says that the Iowa Workforce Development kiosk doesn’t work.
Padilla says the software is ineffective and there was no training or even a manual provided. She also says other librarians she’s talked to say they have the same problems with the kiosks.
Iowa Workforce Development spokeswoman Kerry Koonce disputes that the software is ineffective, saying 75 percent of the state unemployment claims are already filed online.
The department says more libraries are still signing up to be access points. There are 965 kiosks set up around the state.
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DCI Agent Fired After Speaking Up About Governor’s Speeding SUV
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa investigator who complained about the governor’s speeding vehicle has been fired following a disciplinary review. Special Agent Larry Hedlund of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation tells The Associated Press that he had tensions with his bosses, but “everything changed” after he filed the April 29 complaint about Gov. Terry Branstad’s SUV.
His attorney, Tom Duff, said he will soon file a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination in Polk County. He says Hedlund’s firing is a huge loss for Iowa taxpayers, because — quote — “If your child turned up missing or your family member was the victim of a crime, you’d want Larry on the case.”
Hedlund learned of his termination Wednesday.
The 25-year veteran initiated an April 26 pursuit of an SUV that zipped past him at 90 mph in northern Iowa. A trooper let the vehicle go after learning it was another trooper who was driving
Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Hedlund complained to superiors April 29 that the incident endangered public safety.
He was placed on leave May 1 pending an investigation of alleged rule violations, including operating his vehicle on a vacation day and being disrespectful during a conference call. A termination document alleges Hedlund was disrespectful toward DCI Director Chari Paulson.
Federal Budget Cuts Hurt State Universities
AMES, Iowa (AP) – Mandated federal spending cuts have cost Iowa State University millions of dollars.
Total external funding for Iowa State dropped 9 percent over the year, to $326.4 million.
Federal funding was down 17 percent, but that decline was partially offset by funding increases from private sources.
The University of Iowa last week said it had received $424 million in external funding over the past year, a 3.2 percent decline.
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Man Admits That He Didn’t Mean To Kill Marshalltown Woman
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) – A 40-year-old man charged with killing a Marshalltown woman has said he “didn’t really mean to kill her.”
Mathew Irving made the statement during a videoconference Wednesday with Judge Kim Riley.
Irving is charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of 55-year-old Rebecca Hall. A Marshall County deputy found her body early Sunday in the back of a minivan parked on the shoulder of a
road just east of Marshalltown. The vehicle belonged to Hall’s sister, Bonney Weber, who told the newspaper that she thought Irving and her sister had been friends.
Irving remains in custody, pending $1 million bail.
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Fire Marshall Office Gets Dog To Help With Arson Cases
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An insurance company is helping the Iowa Department of Public Safety fight arson in the state through the purchase of specially trained dogs.
The department says in a news release that it purchased a dog named Pogo thanks to funding by State Farm Insurance Companies’ Arson Dog Program. Pogo will be deployed in Mount Pleasant.
Since 1993, the State Farm program has helped authorities in 44 states place more than 300 dogs with fire and law enforcement agencies.
The dogs are able to detect minute traces of flammable liquids at fire scenes, giving essential help to fire investigators.
The Department of Public Safety says more dogs will be purchased in Iowa through the program.
Woman Charged With Arson
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities in eastern Iowa have arrested a woman they say intentionally set a fire that injured a firefighter more than two years ago.
Iowa City police arrested 25-year-old Nicole Kramer, of Carter Lake, on Wednesday. She is charged with first-degree arson.
A structure fire in January 2011 burned the hands of a firefighter trying to contain the damage. Authorities later determined that the fire was intentionally set with gasoline.
Officials did not release details about the investigation, or how they linked Kramer.
Kramer was taken to the Johnson County Jail. Court records do not list an attorney.
Granger Woman Charged With Stealing Household Items Then Setting Fire
GRANGER, Iowa (AP) – A central Iowa woman has been accused of stealing items from a man’s house and setting several fires.
The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office says Marcia Lynn Schaffer, of Granger, was arrested Monday in connection with a June 2 home burglary. She is accused of taking the items while the resident
slept nearby. She then allegedly set several small fires inside the house.
The man awoke and called police to report the theft and fires.
Authorities say they later found some of the stolen items with Schaffer. They say she and the victim knew each other.
The Des Moines Register reports Schaffer faces charges of attempted murder, first-degree burglary and first-degree arson. She remains in the Dallas County Jail on a $100,000 cash bond.
Records do not list an attorney on Wednesday.
Judge Says Three Year Old Girl Must Return To Sweden
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A 3-year-old girl that was the center of an international custody dispute between her father living in Sweden and her mother who brought her to Iowa has boarded a plane
to return to Sweden as ordered by a federal judge.
The daughter of Magnus and Raina Anderung, who are divorced, boarded a flight departing Des Moines Wednesday with her father. Her mother stayed.
A judge ruled in May that Raina Anderung wrongfully kept her daughter in the U.S. since last August violating a 1980 international treaty the U.S. and Sweden adhere to that outlines
child custody rules between countries.
The girl’s father filed a lawsuit in February when his ex-wife refused to return from Iowa on what was supposed to be a 90-day visit with her mother in Pleasantville.
Texas Senator To Visit Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Republican Sen. Ted Cruz will appear in Iowa this week as he makes a summer tour of early voting states on the presidential calendar.
The freshman senator from Texas – a tea party favorite thought to be weighing a 2016 presidential bid – is scheduled to headline a Friday fundraiser for the Iowa Republican Party. He will also speak
privately to a group of pastors from around the country.
Cruz also has trips to New Hampshire and Florida scheduled for the summer and has already visited South Carolina.
On the same day, Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, the son of former Texas Rep. Ron Paul, will be in Iowa to meet with pastors. He kicked off his presidential exploration in Iowa in May,
headlining the party’s annual Lincoln Day dinner.
Senate Candidate Says He Has A Strong Christian Belief
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Republican Senate candidate David Young says his Christian faith is so strong that, if elected, he would try to introduce New York Sen. Charles Schumer to Jesus Christ.
The Iowa Republican website says Young made those remarks at an event in Cedar Rapids on Monday. Young is a former chief of staff to Republican Senator Charles Grassley. He entered the crowded Senate race in June.
Schumer, who is Jewish, declined Wednesday to comment on Young’s remark.
Young spokeswoman Heather Swift says Young was not talking about converting Schumer to Christianity, but was making the point that sharing about faith can help promote understanding between colleagues. Swift says Young referenced Schumer not for his religion, but because he is a Democratic leader and working together would benefit the public.
Farmers Urged To Update Hay And Straw Directory
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s top agriculture official says hay and straw producers should be sure to keep their information on a state directory updated to help market their products.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says with the continued tight supply of forage crops used for livestock feed, the Iowa Hay and Straw Directory is a critical link for buyers and sellers.
The listing is available to interested buyers throughout the nation. Only sellers from within Iowa are on the list.
The information may be accessed and updated on the IowaAgriculture.gov website.
