Construction Project On Central Avenue and Plymouth Street Nearly Completed
(Le Mars) — Construction on the Central Avenue and Plymouth Street intersection is nearing completion. City officials believe the downtown intersection will be open for traffic by the end of the week.
The Browns Share Their Musical Story At Lunch And Learn Session
(Le Mars) — At Monday’s Lunch and Learn session, members of the Brown family musical group shared their story to a gathering of nearly 50 people.
Shelly Brown, the matriarch of the family singing group, says she has always had an interest in music and singing, and the Browns perhaps got their start from an investment of $200.
Shelly Brown says as the musical family expanded into other regions and territories, so did their means of transportation.
Brown says her musical family which now consists of herself, daughter Michaela, and two sons, Adam and Andrew, and previously an older daughter, Jessica would sing at various locations and venues.
The musical group soon found themselves performing at the music theater capital of the world, Branson, Missouri.
Shelly Brown explains the Branson experience was both educational and fun, and it got her to thinking about establishing a musical theater for Le Mars.
In August of 2015, the Browns purchased the building located on the northwest corner of Central Avenue and Plymouth Street that at one time, served as a bank. Most recently, the building served as the law offices for Joe Flannery. The Brown family then invested money… sweat… and long work hours to renovate the bank building to become a musical theater.
Shelly says when the family renovated the century old building, they were hoping to have at least ten buses full of tourists within the first year. Fortunately, for the Browns, and for the town of Le Mars, their efforts have been more successful than first imagined. Shelly says by the end of their Christmas concert series, more than 30 tour buses will have made their way to Le Mars.
The next business venture for the Browns is that they have recently purchased the building diagonally across the street from their musical theater, the former High Lite lounge. Following another extensive renovation project, the Browns intend to utilize the building as a gathering place serving a buffet dinner to those people with tickets to see their show.
The Browns plan to feature 23 performances during November and December as part of their Christmas concert series.
Still Time To Select A Pumpkin At Pick-Your-Own Pumpkin Patch
(Marcus) — If you are still wanting to find that perfect pumpkin before Halloween, there are plenty of pick-your-own pumpkin patches within the area. Hoeflings Pumpkin Patch is one of those area pumpkin farms and it is located at the intersection of county roads C-38 and L-36 in Cherokee county, just a few miles south of Marcus. For the past 20 years, Geralyn and Al Hoefling have been growing and selling pumpkins. Geralyn, a retired pre-school teacher, says she started a pick-your-own pumpkin patch so young children would better understand how food is grown and where food originates.
The Hoeflings raise hundreds, if not thousands, of pumpkins on their 3 and a half-acre plot. She says they offer a wide variety of pumpkins and other autumn-themed harvest crops.
Hoefling says she wants to provide memories for families, and that is the reason she and her husband provide a pick-your-own pumpkin patch farm. She says Halloween and the autumn colors attracts people to the countryside.
The Hoeflings feature several games, hay rides, and even a corn maze as part of their pumpkin operation. They are open Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the month of October. Other pumpkin patch farms within the area include Pumpkinland located north of Orange City, Scarecrow Farms located between Sioux City and Lawton, Harvest Hallow which is southeast of Le Mars, and Diane’s Pumpkin Patch near Ireton.
Hispanic Woman Claims Harassment When Co-workers Dress Up as Donald Trump
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Hispanic woman says her co-workers viciously taunted her after learning she was upset with Donald Trump’s depiction of Mexican immigrants as criminals.
Alexandra Avila alleges in a lawsuit that her co-workers at Sedgwick Claims Management Services began calling her an “illegal immigrant” even though she’s a U.S. citizen. She says they put a picture of an angry-looking Trump as her computer’s screensaver, signed her up for his campaign and sent her several racist memes. One read: “How’s Mr. Donald Trump going to deport all these illegal’s? Juan by Juan.”
Trump’s rhetoric about Mexican immigrants has contributed to racial tensions for months. High school students have chanted “Build a wall” at sporting events to taunt Latino opponents.
Avila’s lawsuit alleges that such heckling occurred at a white-collar workplace in Iowa.
Des Moines Police Investigate Shooting Of 14 Year Old Boy
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Police are investigating the shooting of a 14-year-old boy who was injured while riding in a car in downtown Des Moines.
Police say Yore Thour Jiang, of Des Moines, was in a car driven by a relative when he suffered a gunshot wound about 6:15 p.m. Monday.
He remained in critical condition Tuesday.
Police spokesman Sgt. Paul Parizek told The Des Moines Register that two bullets also hit the windows of a nearby bank.
Parizek says investigators don’t know if the shooting was random, but there was no evidence the victim provoked the shooting.
The boy is a freshman at Roosevelt High School. Principal Kevin Biggs says he underwent surgery and was resting in an intensive care unit Tuesday morning.
Parizek says it’s fortunate more people weren’t injured.
Authorities Release Name Of Boy Killed From ATV Accident
HAMBURG, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have released the name of a 14-year-old boy killed in the crash of an all-terrain vehicle in southwest Iowa.
The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office identified the boy as Cameron Owen, who lived in Hamburg. He was found unresponsive in a soybean field around 6:30 p.m. Monday, about three miles east of Hamburg. The sheriff’s office says the ATV had gone out of control and the boy was tossed off.
He was pronounced dead at Grape Community Hospital in Hamburg.
The accident investigation is continuing.
Greyhound Wagering On The Increase
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) – Officials say wagering on races at the Iowa Greyhound Park in Dubuque has increased more than 35 percent in its second year under the ownership of the Iowa Greyhound Association.
The Telegraph Herald reports that the track’s total amount wagered in 2016 was $4.52 million, up from $3.33 million in 2015. Most of this year’s wagering growth came from people at off-track facilities who bet on races at the greyhound park.
This year’s racing season concluded Saturday.
Formerly known as Dubuque Greyhound Park, the track had been run by Mystique Casino until the two groups were separated by state lawmakers in 2014. Mystique and another casino still financially support the track.
Racing director Brian Carpenter says this year’s growth is a sign that the track could eventually support itself.
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Groups Want Legislature To Restore Voting Rights To Felons
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A coalition of civil rights, voting rights, and religious organizations plans to submit to the Iowa Legislature a bill that would automatically restore voting rights to people convicted of nonviolent felonies.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa said Tuesday it’s coordinating the effort of 17 groups including the League of Women Voters, The Iowa-Nebraska NAACP and the Iowa Catholic Conference.
They plan to push lawmakers in January to pass a bill allowing automatic restoration of voting rights once a nonviolent felon completes a sentence. It wouldn’t require payment of court costs, fines and fees which ALCU of Iowa Legal Director Rita Bettis equates to a poll tax.
Felons currently must apply to the governor for voting right restoration.
Gov. Terry Branstad’s office says Iowa’s policy is good and fair.
