Home News Tuesday Afternoon News, October 8

Tuesday Afternoon News, October 8

New Visitor’s Center Dedicated

(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Convention and Visitor’s Bureau new offices were dedicated this
morning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.  The building, formerly the drive-through branch bank of First National Bank, now converted to appear as a train depot, was donated by Al and Delores Maser.  Mayor Dick Kirchoff says the Le Mars Convention and Visitor’s Bureau has been in existence for only five years, but during that short time, it has made a significant
impression by promoting the city of Le Mars.

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The mayor then thanked the efforts and contributions of Al and Delores Maser.

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Al Maser says he and his wife Delores have become fond of Le Mars and are proud to refer to
the community as their home town, and they wanted to give something back to the community.

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{audio} images/stories/mp3/October 2013/Al Maser.mp3{/audio}

Delores thanked the city leaders for allowing her “hands on” responsibilities with the
welcome center depot building.  She says what ever volunteer project she had been involved
with in the past, she always wanted people to have a “welcome” feeling.  Delores Maser told
the gathering at the ribbon cutting ceremony, she wanted Le Mars to have a “Mayberry” feel.

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About 40 people were on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.  Inside the building are
artifacts depicting the railroad industry, along with an antique De Soto automobile.


Tornado Victims Need To Clear Fields Before Harvest

MOVILLE, Iowa (AP) – If harvest time isn’t busy enough, tornadoes that hit northwest Iowa last week have left some farmers with the extra task of removing debris from fields that could damage combines.
Farmers like Lane and Kathy Tabke must retrieve countless items.
The couple, who farm near Moville, say a Friday night tornado blew parts of three grain bins, a stove, fuel tank, auger and a livestock trailer into a nearby soybean field.
On Wednesday, up to 100 volunteers will walk through the field, picking up bits of wood and metal.
Although cleaning mature soybean fields is difficult, picking out boards, nails and other items from tightly packed cornfields will be even harder.
The severe weather also damaged some crops just as farmers planned to harvest.

 

UNI Faculty Win Court Battle Against Regents

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The union representing professors at the University of Northern Iowa has won a court battle which forces the Iowa Board of Regents to negotiate faculty job buy-outs.
The case involves controversial decisions made in 2012 when the university as a cost-cutting measure closed the Malcolm Price Laboratory School. That meant cancelling academic programs and terminating professors. Some professors had to choose a buy-out or layoff without a separation package. They were confronted with that choice in a meeting that bypassed the union.
The union filed a complaint with the Iowa Public Employee Relations Board, which last May ruled the buyout offers must be negotiated with the union, United Faculty. The Board of Regents appealed.
Polk County Judge Scott Rosenberg in a Sept. 29 order agrees the buy-outs should be negotiated.

 

Northwest Iowa Woman Claims Million Dollar Powerball Prize

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A 52-year-old northwest Iowa woman has claimed her $1 million Powerball prize.
Debbie Schilling went to the Iowa Lottery headquarters on Monday after working a few hours at her job in Rock Valley. She’d bought the ticket at a convenience store in Sheldon. The ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball number. It was one of five tickets nationwide to win $1 million in Saturday’s drawing.
Schilling and her husband, Dave, plan to use the money to help their children and grandchildren and put a little money away for retirement.
Debbie Schilling says the money also will let her and her husband “breathe financially a little bit now.”
No one won Saturday’s $88 million jackpot, so the prize will increase to about $108 million for Wednesday’s drawing.

 

Investigators Continue To Look For Clues On Lottery Jackpot Winner

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Investigators looking into a bogus claim for a $14.3 million Iowa Lottery jackpot in 2011 have received valuable information from a man in Canada who has been granted immunity from prosecution.
An Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agent traveled to Canada to conduct an interview a month ago after reaching an agreement in which a person of interest was guaranteed he wouldn’t face prosecution related to the jackpot claim.
Assistant DCI Director Gerard Meyers says investigators have been working since then to verify the information and locate and interview others who may be involved. The development has breathed new life into the investigation.
A New York lawyer came forward with the winning ticket hours before the one-year deadline, but later withdrew the claim rather than prove it’d been illegally possessed.