Car Hits Train Early Monday Morning
(Le Mars) — A car was struck by a train this morning at the railroad crossing at Business Highway 75 and 6th Street Southwest, near the Dairy Queen restaurant. Responding to the scene were the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department, Le Mars Ambulance. The accident happened at about 6:00 a.m. One person was transported to the Floyd Valley Healthcare. Officials were able to clean up the accident within a few minutes.
School Board To Meet Monday Evening
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education will meet this evening for its bi-monthly meeting. The school board will discuss the National convention of school boards, which is scheduled for March 25th – 27th. As a result of the national convention, the next Le Mars Community School Board Meeting will be moved to Wednesday, March 29th, beginning at 7:00 p.m. The school board will discuss the annual Foundation Banquet which is scheduled for April 26th. Also on this evening’s agenda, the school board will act upon two resignations. Jessica Reuter has resigned her position as the dance team coach effective March 1st, and Nick Knapp has submitted his resignation as the assistant boy’s tennis coach effective at the end of the tennis season. The school board will discuss and act on the proposed school calendar for the 2017-2018 school year. School superintendent, Dr. Todd Wendt will submit the fiscal year ’18 budget development timeline and preliminary information for the board’s review. The school board will also act on the request for two students wanting to open enroll to the Le Mars Community School District. Both students are from the Remsen-Union school district. The school board will also discuss and act upon renewing a three-year rental agreement with Gehlen Catholic for their use of the football stadium.
Museum To Host Agriculture Program
(Le Mars) — As a tribute to Plymouth County Agriculture during National Ag Week, the Plymouth County Historical Museum is hosting a program scheduled for Sunday, March 19th entitled: “Agriculture: Then and Now”. The program will begin at 2:00 p.m. from the Study Hall, and will feature farmers from Plymouth County as they discuss some of the major technological advances that occurred in agriculture during their career with farming. The Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee created the display that features several enlarged photographs of Plymouth County Agriculture. Life-size photo cut-outs bearing the likeness of six Plymouth County farmers are a part of the display. Those six farmers will share their experiences in farming, as well as what were some of the advances that happened while they were farming. Leading off the program, “Agriculture: Then and Now” will be retired farmer, Norm Barker of Le Mars. Other speakers will include Larry Petersen of Le Mars, Mark Loutsch of Le Mars, Joe Kessenich of Le Mars, Mark Phillips of Akron, and Amanda Brietbarth of Le Mars. The display also features the collection of old sale bills from Plymouth County farm sales, as well as photos from the more than 50 Barn Quilts found in Plymouth County. The agricultural photo exhibit will remain on display at the museum now through the month of May.
State Legislature Still Has A Lot Of Work Ahead
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – About two months into the session, Republicans have moved quickly to capitalize on their control of both legislative chambers, but plenty of work remains as they push through a conservative agenda.
Among the priority issues will be efforts to restrict abortion rights. The Senate passed a bill that would forgo federal Medicaid dollars to create a state-run family planning program that excludes abortion providers. The measure is awaiting House activity. Anti-abortion groups are also supporting a bill that would ban most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
On wages, the House approved a bill banning local governments from approving a minimum wage that exceeds the state rate of $7.25, and the measure now shifts to the Senate.
The Senate also will take up a bill that would require people to show identification at voting places and a measure making sweeping changes to Iowa’s gun laws.
King Tweets Support For Dutch Politician on Immigration
WASHINGTON (AP) – A veteran Republican congressman is voicing support for a right-wing Dutch politician who opposes immigration and has spoken against Islam.
Rep. Steve King of Iowa, in a tweet Sunday, paid tribute to Geert Wilders, a veteran member of the Dutch Parliament who founded the Party of Freedom. It came as the Dutch prepare for an election Wednesday.
In the post on his verified Twitter account, King, who has served in the U.S. House since his election in 2002, said: Wilders “understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can’t restore our civilization with somebody else’s babies.”
King is among conservatives who have strongly advocated an end to the U.S. practice of granting automatic citizenship to children born here to parents who are in the country illegally.
Survey Shows People Support Iowa Bottle Deposit Bill
(Des Moines) — Supporters of Iowa’s “bottle bill” are pointing to new survey data indicating 88 percent of Iowa voters consider the deposit and redemption system for beer and pop containers is “good for the state.”
” J. Ann Selzer (SELL-zer) is the pollster who directed the survey. Last month, the grocery industry scored a small victory when a COMMITTEE in the Iowa House narrowly embraced legislation that would repeal the “Bottle Bill.” Selzer says there’s greater support for putting the nickel depositt on MORE beverage containers.
Selzer’s survey found 62 percent of Iowa voters either return their empties and redeem the deposit, or give the empties to someone else who collects the deposit money. Troy Willard owns and operates the “Can Shed” in Cedar Rapids, which handles and sorts more than one-hundred MILLION (100 million) beverage containers every year.
Eighteen percent of those surveyed said they put their empty beverage containers in a recycling bin. Representative Andy McKean, a Republican from Anamosa, is hoping to EXPAND the “Bottle Bill” to apply the nickel deposit fee to more containers — and come up with a broader system so Iowans may easily find a place to redeem and recycle their empties.
Lawmakers and lobbyists who are seeking repeal of the “Bottle Bill” say it is likely legislative leaders will appoint a group of industry experts and legislators to study the issue this summer.
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