Christmas Lighted Parade Scheduled For Saturday
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Annual Christmas Lighted Parade is scheduled for Saturday evening, December 3rd. Terry Claussen serves as the parade’s coordinator with the Sertoma Organization.
Claussen says everyone is welcomed to participate in this year’s parade. He says there is no entry fee for the long-standing Le Mars Christmas tradition.
Although the Le Mars Sertoma Organization has disbanded, Claussen gives his assurance that the annual lighted parade will continue for years to come.
The annual Christmas Lighted Parade serves as the start of the Le Mars holiday season. Following the parade, people will want to go to the Plymouth County Fairgrounds for the annual Pioneer Village Christmas. Claussen says prize money
will be awarded this year for the top parade entrants.
Former Downtown Bar Renovated To New Event Center
(Le Mars) — After three months of extensive renovation, the former Hi-Lite bar located at the downtown intersection of Plymouth Street and Central Avenue southeast is now the new Central Avenue Events Center. Shelly Brown of the local musical family group, “The Browns” purchased the building with the idea of using the facility as a dining hall for tourists and concert-going guests.
Brown talks about the what was involved in turning the building from a saloon to now an events center.
Brown talks about the building’s unique interior decorating and architecture, and the challenges to bring back the original look.
Brown says several types of businesses have at one time or another occupied the historical building.
The musical family matriarch credits several community people for their assistance with the renovation project, and bringing new life to the older building.
Brown talks about how both her family and the entire community may utilize the Central Avenue Events Center.
Fire and Rescue Department Issues November Report
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department averaged nearly two calls a day during November according to the issued monthly report. The fire department responded to a total of 54 calls for the month. They had 14 fire calls and 14 rescue calls, and 13 investigations, along with ten times they were notified for requests for services, and the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department had three mutual aid calls, once with Hinton and twice with Merrill. Fire Chief Dave Schipper says all members of the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department have been re-certified in CPR, and 26 members spent a weekend participating in a trench rescue class. Chief Schipper says in November the fire and rescue department answered three emergency calls at the same time twice in one day. On that day, the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department had a total of seven calls.
Non-Profit Organization Sues Argosy Casino
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Sioux City nonprofit is suing the owner of the former Argosy Sioux City riverboat casino.
Community Action Agency of Sioux City is seeking nearly $2 million in revenue-sharing payments on behalf of itself and as many as 54 other nonprofits that have received grants from the Missouri River Historical Development. MRHD is a state-licensed
nonprofit group that distributed some of the casino’s gambling profits.
The Belle of Sioux City, which operated the casino, was a subsidiary of Penn National Gaming Inc. Penn stopped making payments to MRHD in April 2013 after suing it for breach of contract. Penn had sought an appointment of a third party to distribute the funds until the lawsuit against MRHD was settled, but that request was denied.
Community Action’s lawsuit is trying to collect those withheld funds.
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Truck Crashes Into Pella Walmart — Killing Three People
PELLA, Iowa (AP) – An employee of an Iowa Wal-Mart where three people were killed when a truck crashed through a front entrance says two of those killed were his co-workers.
Don French, who was off-duty Thursday morning and shopping in the Pella store at the time of the crash, he says that he heard the crash and rushed to see what had happened. He found a horrific scene with the pickup truck inside the store, crashed into a refrigerated fresh produce display, and severely injured people. Three people were killed and two injured, including the driver of the truck.
French became emotional when he said he was told two of the dead were co-workers. Authorities had not released the identities of those killed and injured by late Thursday afternoon.
Iowa City Has Gas Leak
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Several Iowa City businesses were forced to evacuate after a construction crew struck a gas line.
Fire crews arrived at the scene around 6 p.m. Thursday. The line break was located in an alley next to the Hamburg Inn No. 2, a popular diner near the downtown.
Fire trucks, a police squad car and an ambulance blocked roadways around the area. The Hamburg Inn No. 2, I.C. Ugly’s Taste of China and Oasis were all evacuated around 6:30 p.m. Businesses on the other side of North Linn Street were not affected.
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Dog Blamed For House Fire
LU VERNE, Iowa (AP) – A north Iowa family suspects their dog, Sammy, of starting a fire that destroyed their kitchen.
Mike Nilles, of Lu Verne, says he found 3-foot flames climbing up his kitchen cabinets Nov. 23.
Nilles turned off the stove and alerted his wife, Lynzie. The couple then helped their 2-year-old daughter and four dogs escape.
The fire gutted the kitchen and left a coat of soot in the living room.
Nilles says he can’t be sure, but he suspects their 7-year-old dog Sammy of jumping onto the gas stove. The stove’s knob was pushed to the ignite position and was still clicking in the empty kitchen when Nilles smelled smoke.
Nilles speculates Sammy, a Weimaraner, jumped up to “sniff around and hit the button.”
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