Area Communities Prepare For Christmas Celebrations
(Le Mars) — This weekend will serve as the kick-off to many Christmas celebrations for surrounding communities. For Kingsley residents, the festivities begin tonight at 5:30 p.m. with the lighting of the community Christmas tree followed with exhibition of the business and residential lighting. Carla Bohle is the president of the Kingsley Chamber of Commerce.
Bohle says this is the first year for the lighted display tour, and although there are no themes or specific categories, she does believe there may be some Kingsley residents who follow the example of Clark Griswald from the movie “Christmas Vacation”, who light up the entire neighborhood with their lighted display.
Bohle says Kingsley businesses will be open until 8:00 p.m. this evening and offering various raffle drawings for prizes. She says the Kingsley Hometown Christmas festivities continues on Saturday.
In Maurice, Iowa, the First Reformed Church Youth group will be hosting the annual Traveling Live Nativity on both Saturday and Sunday evening. Jon Eveland serves as the youth pastor and helps coordinate the event.
Eveland says the annual Christmas event involves more than 40 volunteers ranging from cast members to narrators, and from greeters to parking attendants. It also involves more than 200 people who provide refreshments, and assist behind the scenes. Eveland suggests for visitors to begin at the church.
Here in Le Mars, Pioneer Village will hold its Christmas Winterland. Bonita Davison serves as the chair for the annual Le Mars Christmas festival.
Davison says the famous Round Barn again features several Christmas displays, including a new exhibit showing Disney characters.
Davison talks about the Christmas tree exhibit located in Century Hall.
Orange City will host Sinterklaas Day on Saturday morning beginning at 10:30 a.m. and Remsen will hold its Old Fashion Christmas on Monday evening beginning at 5:30 p.m. with the lighting of the Christmas tree in town square scheduled at 6:15 p.m.
Sioux Falls Downtown Building Collapses Trapping Two People
(Sioux Falls) — A vacant building that was being renovated has collapsed in downtown Sioux Falls, trapping two people. The incident happened at about 10:30 a.m. Friday morning. Rescue crews have been trying to remove the rubble that spilled
into the street, while also trying to stabilize the remaining structure. A 22- year old woman, and her dog were found by rescue workers shortly before 2:00 p.m. She is alive and according to fire and rescue officials sustained some injuries to her leg. She was transported to a Sioux Falls hospital. Efforts
are continuing to find the other trapped victim, who is believed to be a construction worker. Officials say they have a broad idea of his location, but they are uncertain as to the specific location as to where the construction worker is buried beneath the pile of debris. Rescue dogs, specially trained to pick up scents, have been brought to the scene to assist with rescue efforts. A fire official says rescue workers are concerned about debris shifting as they continue to search for the missing victim. Witnesses say it sounded like an explosion, but officials indicate there was no explosion with the building collapse, but they are uncertain as to factors are responsible for the building to tumble.
Iowa State Patrol Supervisor Released From Job
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa State Patrol commander has lost his job, weeks after a state agency said he failed to pay child support for years to a former dispatcher with whom he has a daughter.
Records show Lt. Kelly Hindman’s failure to support the now 7-year-old girl continued even as his salary reached six figures and her mother struggled financially.
Hours after The Associated Press inquired about Hindman’s child support matter, the Iowa Department of Public Safety said he “left employment” Thursday after a 28-year career. Hindman had been on leave since Oct. 26.
In September, the Child Support Recovery Unit obtained an order requiring the state to withhold income from Hindman’s paycheck. Hindman in October paid $47,790 to satisfy overdue obligations – or 4 1/2 years of payments.
Hindman drew media attention after a 2015 Facebook post saying he wanted a sniper to shoot an ESPN college basketball announcer. After an internal investigation, Hindman kept his supervisory position.
Study Shows Summer School May Not Help Students That Are Non-Proficient In Reading Skills
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A recent study shows a summer reading program didn’t help the skills of struggling Iowa third graders, raising questions about a state law that will require children to attend summer school or repeat a year if
they are behind in reading.
The Iowa Reading Research Center study did find that summer school does help struggling readers maintain their skills rather than slip further behind, despite not helping students reach grade-level proficiency.
Officials are looking for the best ways to structure intensive summer reading programs as the state nears the implementation of a third grade retention law in spring 2018. The law requires students who are behind in reading by the end of the third grade to be given the choice to either repeat
the grade or attend summer school.
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