Le Mars Obtains Certification For Gender Equity For Appointed Boards And Commissions
(Le Mars) — The city of Le Mars is one of 31 Iowa cities that have been identified
by the Carrie Chapman Catt Center at Iowa State University as having achieved
gender equity on all key appointed boards and commissions. Effective January of
2012, the Iowa code requires all appointed boards and commissions within the state
to have gender equity. In addition, to the 31 communities that have gender equity,
there are 35 more of the 209 cities and towns surveyed that are only one committee
short. As the county level, only six counties have gender equality on all boards
and commissions. Those counties include: Floyd, Harrison, Ida, Johnson, Scott and
Van Buren. Florine Swanson of Galt, Iowa, a Vision 2020 delegate, has provided Le
Mars with a Certificate of Equality. Vision 2020 is a national initiative
developed by the Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership at Drexel University
College of Medicine to make equality a national priority through shared leadership
among women and men. 2020 is a significant year as it will mark the 100th
anniversary of women having the right to vote.
17 Year Old Suspected In Conducting Burglaries And Thefts
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Police Department has been conducting an investigation
into home burglaries and criminal trespass to several homes and property in the
southwest part of Le Mars over the last couple of months. A 17 year old male
suspect was identified last Wednesday. He was charged with two counts of burglary
in the 3rd degree, one count of theft in the 2nd degree, and one count of theft in
the 3rd degree. He was transported to Cherokee and placed in the YES Center.
During the investigation, officers recovered several containers containing coins,
both American and foreign and jewelry such as watches, necklaces, and rings. Many
of these items have not yet been reported as stolen. The investigation is
continuing and more charges are expected. The Le Mars Police are asking for the
public’s help in identifying the owners of these items. Please check and if you
are missing anything, contact the Le Mars Police Department at (712) 546-4113.
Police Arrest Two People For Possession Of Controlled Substance
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Police Department executed a search warrant at 528 7th
Street, southwest last Wednesday on suspicion of illegal narcotics. The occupants
of the residence were not home when the search warrant was conducted, and they were
located later that evening and arrested and taken to the Plymouth County Jail.
While searching the home, the police noticed several items that had been stolen
from residential burglaries that were connected to our previous story. Two people
were arrested with possession of a controlled substance of marijuana. They
included 27 year old Marquel Denson of Le Mars with a second offense of possession
of a controlled substance, and 30 year old Tiffany Denson, also of Le Mars.
Tiffany Denson was charged with possession of a controlled substance – marijuana on
a first offense.
Secondary Roads Department To Close Fawn Avenue For Culvert Installation
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department has closed Fawn Avenue
between 180th Street and 190th Street. The road will remain closed until August
25th while crews replace an old wooden bridge with a box culvert.
Main Street Official Encourages Public To Attend Lunch And Learn Sessions
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Main Street Coordinator Mary Reynolds is encouraging and
inviting the general public to consider attending the monthly Lunch and Learn
sessions. Reynolds says for the past two years, the Le Mars Main Street Business
Improvement Committee along with the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
of Plymouth County have hosted the educational sessions that feature a local
speaker.
Reynolds says the speakers are local and often times offer additional information
relating to topics of interest.
The Le Mars Main Street official says the monthly Lunch and Learn session are not
just for the business community, but in fact are open to everyone.
Reynolds says the Lunch and Learn sessions are held in the upstairs meeting room of
the Blue Bunny Ice Cream parlor. She says people simply need to contact either the
Le Mars Chamber of Commerc office or the Plymouth County Extension office to
reserve their seat at the Lunch and Learns.
The next Lunch and Learn is scheduled for Monday, August 15th and will feature Rich
Ziettlow as he discusses Le Mars alley art projects.
Northey Says Iowa State Fair Provides Excellent Education Opportunity
(Des Moines) — Thursday marks the start of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, and
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says the state fair, with its annual
attendance of above one million people, serves as a great educational tool for
people without any other connection to agriculture.
Sioux City Couple Sues City Over Pit Bull Ban
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Two people have sued Sioux City over its ordinance banning
pit bulls.
The lawsuit was filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City. In it, Jennifer Frost and a woman referred to as Jane Doe ask the court to bar the city from enforcing the ordinance
and to outlaw it as a violation of their constitutional right to due process.
The lawsuit says the ordinance, passed in 2008, is inconsistent and bans
animals that are not harmful. The ban prohibits residents from having dogs that are
at least 51 percent pit bull.
City officials declined to comment about the lawsuit.
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Des Moines Mother Arrested For Leaving Son Alone
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Police say they’ve arrested a 30-year-old Des Moines mother
after finding her toddler alone in his home’s backyard sucking on a frozen chicken
breast.
Television station KCCI reports (https://bit.ly/2bddTdF ) that officers went to
the home Monday and found the 2-year-old boy alone in a filthy diaper. A small dog
was also in the backyard, trying to get the chicken from him.
A neighbor told police that the boy was often left home alone and that the dog
has bitten the boy before. Police say the mother first lied when she arrived home and said it was the first time she had left the boy alone. Officers say she later admitted to leaving
her son alone on multiple occasions.
She was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and drug possession.
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Lee County To Decide Whether To Keep Two Courthouses
MONTROSE, Iowa (AP) – Voters in southeast Iowa’s Lee County will decide whether
to end their unique status as the state’s only county with two functioning
courthouses.
The Hawk Eye in Burlington reports (https://bit.ly/2aSHNyI ) the Lee County
Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday morning to place a bond referendum on the
Nov. 8 ballot seeking funding for a new courthouse estimated to cost $8.5 million.
Officials haven’t determined where the courthouse would be located but
Supervisor Don Hunold has suggested it be built adjacent to the sheriff’s office in
Montrose.
Residents have long questioned whether the county should maintain courthouses
in Fort Madison and Keokuk but the board’s actions follows a discussion about
needed improvements to the buildings totaling about $1 million.
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