Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office Completes Investigation On Semi Truck and Train Accident
(Remsen) — The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office has completed its investigation regarding the semi-truck that collided with a Canadian National train last Friday afternoon on county road L-14, about a mile east of Remsen. According to the
report, 66 year old Douglas Dickson of Dakota Dunes, South Dakota was driving a semi truck pulling an empty flatbed trailer heading south on county road L-14 when he collided with the westbound Canadian-National train. The truck carrier was owned by C & H Heavy Duty Specialist of South Sioux City, Nebraska. The train was pulling 25 cars, many of which were tanker rail cars. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office report says the warning signals were operating at the time of the collision. Deputies say the bells were ringing and the lights were
flashing on the south side of the tracks. On the north side of the tracks, the warning signal standard had been hit by the semi truck, and the electrical unit was ripped from the railroad warning signals. The semi truck attempted to stop before hitting the train, as skid marks, measuring 190 feet were seen on the
pavement. The semi truck skid into the railroad track and crossed the path of the moving train. Contact was then made between the semi truck and the train on
the tracks. The train pushed the semi truck off the tracks and into a ditch.
The train came to rest on the tracks nearly a half mile away from the accident.
Dickson was transported to the Floyd Valley Healthcare by the Remsen Ambulance
with what was determined to be serious injuries. Dickson was given several citations including: failure to stop at a railroad crossing, and failure to obey traffic signal.
Le Mars Education Association Asks For 5.07 Percent Raise
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Educational Association is asking for a 5.07 percent raise from the Le Mars Community Board of Education. The teachers submitted their initial collective bargaining proposal to the school board on Monday, prior
to the start of the school board meeting. The teachers are proposing an increase of $1,600 to the base salary, which if approved, would change the base from the current $36,835 to $38,435. The Le Mars Educational Association is also asking
for a $50 increase for insurance coverage. The Le Mars Community Board of Education will offer its initial collective bargaining proposal to the Education Association on Monday, January 16th.
Gehlen Catholic To Have Eight Choral Members Participate In Northwest Iowa Honor Choir
(Le Mars) — Eight Gehlen Catholic vocalists have been selected for the Northwest Iowa Choral Director’s Association (NWICDA) Honor Choir. The students include:
• Carlyn Bretey, senior, daughter of Dr. Keith & Terri Bretey, LeMars;
• Kaitlyn Norfolk, junior, daughter of Robert & Lisa Norfolk, LeMars;
• Grace Kreber, sophomore, daughter of Chad & Jennifer Kreber, Alton;
• Jessica Salinas-Ramirez, sophomore, daughter of Ricardo & Bibiana
Salinas-Ramierz, LeMars;
• Christopher Fuentes, sophomore, son of Jim & Margaret Fuentes, LeMars;
• Carter Sitzmann, junior, son of Kim Sitzmann & Gary & Nikki Sitzmann,
LeMars;
• Sebastian Buman, junior, son of Richard & Angela Buman, LeMars;
• Ty Linden, freshmen, son of Scott & Stevette Linden, LeMars.
Pictured: (left to right) Grace Kreber, Christopher Fuentes, Jessica Ramirez, Ty Linden, Kaitlyn Norfolk, Carter Sitzmann, and Carlyn Bretey. Absent: Sebastian Buman.
According to Gehlen Catholic’s 7-12 vocal music director, Mrs. Terra Falkena, the eight vocalists who were chosen will rehearse with their ensembles on Monday, January 16th, at Dordt College. The students will then perform at 7:00 p.m. Monday evening at the BJ Haan Auditorium on the Dordt Campus.
This year’s guest conductor is Dr. John Flanery. Dr. Flanery is the new Director of Choral Studies at New Mexico State University. His Doctor of Musical Arts and Master’s degrees are both in Choral Conducting from the University of Kentucky.
He holds a Bachelor’s of Music Education degree from Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa.
Iowa Supreme Court Justice Asks Legislators For More Money
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The head of Iowa’s court system says the Legislature is not providing enough money to sustain effective court programs that have been implemented in recent years.
Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady made the remarks Wednesday to lawmakers, one day after Gov. Terry Branstad directed Iowa’s judicial branch to cut more than $7 million from its roughly $181 million budget to plug a spending shortfall. A judicial spokesman says Cady’s remarks were prepared before his office was given Branstad’s recommendations.
Cady says the state has saved millions of dollars by investing in family treatment courts that handle parental rights questions and programs that keep youth out of the adult court prison system. His office is seeking about $191 million for the budget year that begins in July.
Regents Being Sued Over Hiring Of University of Iowa President
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The leaders of the Board of Regents have retained private lawyers to defend themselves against an open meetings lawsuit stemming from the University of Iowa presidential search.
Documents filed Monday show that the Nyemaster, Goode law firm is representing Board President Bruce Rastetter, Board Pro Tem Katie Mulholland and former regent Mary Andringa in their individual capacities.
The Iowa Attorney General’s Office had already been defending five regents named in the lawsuit, which alleges a majority of the board met illegally with Bruce Harreld before his hiring as UI president in 2015. The regents have said the meetings didn’t violate the open meetings law because five of them never met Harreld at once. Instead, four regents met with Harreld in two separate meetings at Rastetter’s business. Rastetter met with
Harreld on other dates.
Board spokesman Josh Lehman says some regents have chosen to retain counsel at their own expense while the attorney general’s office will continue to represent them in their official capacities.
Public officials can be ordered to pay fines and legal fees for open
meetings violations.
Marshalltown Hospital Facing Financial Problems
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) – Leaders of a Marshalltown hospital are moving ahead with the sale of the facility as part of bankruptcy proceedings.
The sale of Central Iowa Healthcare’s assets to Unity Point Health-Waterloo was unanimously approved by corporate members at a Tuesday meeting. Unity Point Health-Waterloo offered $12.5 million for the assets.
Members also outlined the loss of more than $18 million as of Nov. 30, 2016. If the sale is approved by bankruptcy court, the downtown Marshalltown hospital will no longer be an independent hospital. The hospital is the only full-service
medical center in its area.
The first of several hearings regarding the sale is scheduled to be held in bankruptcy court Jan. 13.
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Police Find Large Amounts Of Ammunition At Police Shooting Suspect’s Home
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities found a loaded handgun and 151 rounds of handgun and rifle ammunition inside the pickup of a man accused of killing two Des Moines-area police officers.
Court documents filed last week say investigators also found more than 600 rounds of rifle and handgun ammunition at the home of Scott Greene. He’s pleaded not guilty to two murder charges in the Nov. 2 slayings of Urbandale Police
Officer Justin Martin and Des Moines Police Sgt. Anthony Beminio.
The truck, a high-powered rifle and other evidence were found near where Greene turned himself in.
Des Moines Police Department spokesman Paul Parizek (puh-REE’-zihk) says the amount of ammunition found wasn’t necessarily “alarming.” He says police are troubled by what Greene did, but not so much by his possessions.
