Search For A Missing Man
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office has received a missing persons report and needs the public’s help in locating Kyle Sitzmann.
Sitzmann, 28, is from the Hinton, IA area and went missing on April 14th. when he left to visit friends.
The Sheriff’s Office does not expect any foul play, but are concerned for his welfare. If you see him or now his whereabouts please call the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office at 712-546-8191.
Business Highway 75 Now Open For Traffic
(Le Mars) — In case you haven’t noticed, Le Mars city officials opened up Business Highway 75 to traffic from Highway 3 at the Bob’s Drive-In to the 4th Street Southwest intersection, or the Taco John’s and J&J Truck Stop. The stretch of highway consists of what was referred to as phase 1 of the Business Highway 75 overlay paving project. City officials had offered the contractors an incentive bonus pay if they were able to complete the project within 20 days. Phase 1 was able to be completed within 16 days.
Le Mars Little League Receives Gift
(Le Mars) — On Thursday evening at the Le Mars Little League ballparks, Total Motors of Le Mars presented a check to the Little League organization for the amount of $1,000. Heath Husk supervises the Le Mars Little League and says the generous gift is much appreciated.
Husk says any additional funds are also used to purchase new equipment.
Husk says the Le Mars Little League has more than 680 members and will begin its season on Saturday and will go until the end of June.
Legislature Works Into The Early Morning Hours Before Adjourn Session
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Legislature has debated into the early morning in an effort to adjourn the 2017 session, and it remains unclear when they’ll wrap up their work.
Lawmakers from both chambers met privately on-and-off between Friday morning and early Saturday to attempt to finalize the roughly $7.2 billion state budget. But they were at odds over legislation that would expand the state’s medical marijuana oil program.
Republicans in the House announced a plan early Saturday that would allow the manufacturing and sale of cannabis oil in the state. The current program has no such system.
It’s unclear if the Senate, which backed a more comprehensive bill, will support the measure.
Lawmakers also met privately over legislation to fund water quality initiatives, but it’s uncertain if it will advance.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Legislature has failed to approve legislation that would have designated more funding for water quality initiatives.
The chambers bounced measures back and forth this week that proposed using existing state money for the effort. Lawmakers in the House couldn’t agree with a Senate plan to additionally use some gambling money in a few years.
Sen. Ken Rozenboom, an Oskaloosa Republican, said the Senate version of the bill was better. GOP Rep. Chip Baltimore, of Boone, called the lack of compromise disappointing.
Water quality was a top priority last session, but the split-party Legislature back then was also unable to agree on spending.
The failed action comes as lawmakers finalized a roughly $7.2 billion state budget and adjourned the session.
Legislature Passes Expanded Medical Marijuana Bill In Final Hours Of Session
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa lawmakers have passed a bill that would create a system for manufacturing and distributing low-THC medical marijuana oil in the state.
The Republican-controlled chambers approved the legislation on Saturday. The oil would be available only through licensed manufacturers and sellers and could be prescribed to treat several conditions, including cancer and multiple sclerosis. Epilepsy patients can already get a prescription for the oil.
The measure would limit the amount of THC in the oil to an amount that wouldn’t produce a high.
Lawmakers met privately for hours Friday and early Saturday to negotiate the bill, which now heads to Gov. Terry Branstad, who has not said if he’d sign it. The Senate initially backed broader provisions, but did not have enough traction in the House.
Sioux County Authorities Make Drug Arrest Following Traffic Stop
(Orange City) — The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office arrested 43 year old Omar Bautista Rodriguez, of Sioux City. The arrest was made this past Monday during the early morning hours.
The arrest stemmed from a traffic stop that occurred on Highway 75, four miles south of Sioux Center, IA.
Bautista-Rodriguez was the subject of a joint drug investigation between the Sioux and Lyon County Sheriff’s Offices.
Bautista-Rodriguez was charged with delivery of a controlled substance and operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Sioux Center Police Department.
University Of Iowa Athletic Director Testifies In Trial
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – University of Iowa athletic director Gary Barta says his relationship with a former top administrator deteriorated after he informed her that after a reorganization of the athletic department, she no longer would be his second-in-command.
Testifying Friday in a discrimination lawsuit filed by former administrator Jane Meyer, Barta said the two initially had a strong working relationship but that she became antagonistic after he told her in 2013 that he’d look for a new deputy director. Barta said he based his decision, in part, because he believed the head football and wrestling coaches wouldn’t support Meyer.
Meyer’s lawsuit alleges she suffered workplace discrimination as a gay woman in a relationship with a coach, that the school retaliated against her and that she was paid less than a male counterpart.
