Home News Friday News, December 30th

Friday News, December 30th

Christmas Wind Storm Causes Livestock Trailer To Overturn

(Le Mars) — Those strong winds on Christmas night were responsible for having a semi-truck and livestock trailer overturn on a rural Plymouth County road. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an accident that happened at
about 9:55 p.m. Sunday evening. The accident occurred on county road C-60 near Jade Avenue, east of Hinton. The semi truck and livestock trailer were owned by Kounkel Trucking of Merrill, and was being driven by Loy Smout of Daytona Beach,
Florida. Due to the severe winds, the livestock trailer lost contact with the roadway, causing the semi truck and trailer to flip and overturn on its side blocking traffic. The truck and trailer were valued at $120,000. There were no injuries with the accident.

 

Two People Arrested For Drug Related Charges

(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office has released information relating to a search warrant and arrest from November 30th. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 10621 county road L-14 near Remsen. 33 year old Laura VanderWaal, and 22 year old Stacy Carr, were found to
be in possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, prescription drugs, and drug paraphernalia. VanderWaal was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance methamphetamine with the intent to deliver (Class B
felony), possession of prescription drugs (serious misdemeanor), possession of marijuana 3rd offense (Class C felony), and possession of drug paraphernalia (simple misdemeanor). Carr was arrested and charged with possession of prescription drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia. VanderWaal’s bond was
set at $25,000. Carr’s bond was set at $1,000.

 

Artists Invited To Tulip Festival

(Orange City) — Regional artists are invited to apply to exhibit and sell their work at ArtBurst 2017, a juried fine art fair scheduled for Saturday, May 20, in Orange City, Iowa. Free to the public and open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., ArtBurst is part of the Orange City Tulip Festival, a celebration of the
community’s Dutch heritage that attracts thousands of people each year.
Up to 40 artists will be chosen for ArtBurst and eligible for one of two $300 awards presented for Best of Show in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional art. Applications will be accepted from anyone who produces original fine art;
all art must be designed and created by the accepted artist. The application deadline is Feb. 1.

 

News Makers Reflect On 2016

(Le Mars) — KLEM concludes our series of reports visiting with news makers and asking them what they will remember about the year 2016. Captain Tim Hob of the Le Mars Police Department spent part of the year as the interim chief since
Chief Stuart Dekkenga was recovering from health related issues. Hob says his memories go back to two weekends in June.

The homicide Hop is referring to is the suspect of Thomas Bibler who is accused of fatally stabbing his sister. The wind storms, are those that hit the community during Ice Cream Days. Captain Hop says during this past year there
were several law enforcement officers who were killed during the line of duty across the nation, with two that made national headlines from the Des Moines area. He says it is uplifting to see a community that offers a great deal of support to the local police department. He says he sees it everyday, but was pleased to see the turn-out when the police department hosted “National Night Out” in August.

Several changes occurred this past year with the Floyd Valley Healthcare facility, and Administrator Mike Donlin says he’ll remember having a name change.

Donlin says he will also recall the year 2016 as the year the community kicked off the fund raising campaign to finance the community betterment projects. Donlin serves as the chairman of the Le Mars Area Betterment Foundation.

 

Police Arrest Man That Pepper Sprayed Officer
URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) – Police have arrested a man suspected of pepper-spraying an Urbandale officer after a traffic stop.
An Urbandale police news release says 25-year-old Brandon Bordinat was arrested Thursday afternoon in Polk County. He’s charged with assault on a police officer and two counts of interference with official acts. Online court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for him.
Police say the incident began about 5:10 a.m. Thursday, when someone reported a possible traffic accident. The department says the officer spotted a vehicle that matched the description of a vehicle reportedly involved, so the officer pulled it over.
The department says that after the officer started talking to the driver, the man sprayed the officer and fled the scene.

 

Loras College Workers Find Religious Symbols After Building Fire

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) – Maintenance workers cleaning up a Loras College building that was devastated by a fire have found a box filled with religious items, including a prayer asking St. Agatha to specifically protect the building from burning.
The Telegraph Herald (https://bit.ly/2hx1Ecj ) reports the north building of the Visitation Complex caught fire in March after being struck by lightning. No one was injured in the massive blaze, but the more than 125-year-old building
was deemed a total loss and is slated for demolition.
Loras maintenance workers recently retrieved the cross that long adorned the complex. In it, they found a small copper box filled with religious statuettes, prayer cards, medallions, a rosary and the prayer to St. Agatha.
Michael Gibson, archivist at the Center for Dubuque History at Loras, says the prayer was “prophetic.”

 

Weight Lifting Accident Kills Man

ANKENY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a 22-year-old man has died after a barbell slipped from his grasp and crushed him at a gym in Ankeny.
The accident occurred Monday morning at Elite Edge Transformation Center. A spokesman for the center, Mark Yontz, said Thursday that Kyle Thomson was lifting 315 pounds on a bench press when the barbell slipped. Yontz says there
were spotters watching Thomson on the bench.
Ankeny Fire Chief James Clack says the barbell fell on Thomson’s neck. Clack says a fire ambulance took Thomson to a Des Moines hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Iowa State University spokeswoman Annette Hacker says Thomson was a student there and lived in Pleasant Hill.

 

Farmers Can Take Land Out Of CRP For Land Transfer

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a new policy designed to allow farmers to take land out of a conservation program early if it is to be transferred to the next generation of farmers.
Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary Lanon Baccam says beginning Jan. 9, the USDA will offer an early termination opportunity for certain Conservation Reserve Program contracts.
Baccam made the announcement at the Joe Dunn farm in central Iowa near Carlisle. Dunn is the father-in-law to Iowa native and former U.S. Marine Aaron White, who with his wife, are prospective next generation farmers.
Baccam says the chance to give young farmers a better opportunity to succeed makes perfect sense.
Normally, early termination of a CRP contract requires repayment of all previous payments plus interest. The new policy waives this repayment if the land is transferred to a beginning farmer or rancher.