Orange City Celebrates 77th Annual Tulip Festival
(Orange City) — Orange City is celebrating it 77th annual Tulip Festival this week, with the fitting theme of “A Tribute to Tulips.” Today marks the second day of the annual event that celebrates the community’s Dutch Heritage. Despite the cloudy skies from the first day, there was still a good crowd that witnessed
all the festivities. Mike Hofman, the executive director with the Orange City Chamber of Commerce, highlights today’s activities.
Tulip Festival organizers are hoping for good weather, but if it should rain, Hofman says many of the events can be held inside.
The annual Tulip Festival attracts visitors not only from the Midwest, but as Hofman says the Orange City event brings people to the Sioux County community from around the world.
Hofman says tickets are still available for the musical, “Shrek” which is on stage from the Town Center both Friday and Saturday evenings. He says the cast is from several northwest Iowa towns.
Good Samaritan Society Holds Style Fashion Show As Fund Raiser
(Le Mars) — The Good Samaritan Society of Le Mars held its annual “Spring Fling” last evening at the Le Mars Convention Center. The event featured a fashion style show along with vendors and a silent auction.
Administrator Karen Mousel informed the gathering of the Good Samaritan Society’s outreach program that focuses on senior citizens at the care center, as well as at their homes.
Each autumn for the past five years, Good Samaritan acknowledges its “Founder’s Day” with a special project. Initially, the care center provided senior citizens with adaptations to homes, such as safety handles in the bathroom, to make it
easier and safer for seniors. Mousel says the goal was to reduce the possibility of falls for seniors. But Mousel says this past year, the care center broaden their scope and did something a bit different.
Mousel says the service project distributing carbon monoxide detectors was not just a Good Samaritan program, but a community-wide project.
The Good Samaritan official says the care center was given a grant which allowed Good Samaritan to acquire the carbon monoxide detectors without it costing the care center, or the seniors.
Mousel says she hopes that Good Samaritan can again continue to provide carbon monoxide detectors to senior citizens during this coming autumn.
Joe Strub and Teresa Petty served as emcee’s for the Good Samaritan Society’s “Spring Fling.”
Mark Strub from Bike Central was one of the fashion show models for the Good Samaritan Society “Spring Fling.”
Graduation Scheduled For Sunday
(Le Mars) — Commencement graduation ceremonies for Le Mars schools are set for Sunday, May 21st. Gehlen Catholic will begin with its graduation at 12:30 p.m.
inside the Jason Puetz Memorial Gymnasium, and Le Mars Community will hold its graduation ceremonies inside the new gym at 3:00 p.m. Jeff Alesch serves as the
principal for Gehlen Catholic High School. He says each of the seniors plan to further advance their education.
This year’s Gehlen seniors have chosen the class motto of “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Alesch says the class chose a teacher to be their featured commencement speaker.
In a Gehlen Catholic news release, it says Jill Harpenau is humbled to be asked by the seniors as the featured speaker. Harpenau has taught at Gehlen for 15 years. She says it is her belief that she is called to serve at Gehlen Catholic for a purpose…not only to teach, but to grow in their faith, careers, and lives of service. Harpenau says it is the students, as she reflects upon the classes which have graduated, whom she is grateful for to be given the opportunity to be a part in their lives. Equally as important, she thanks God for the impact each one of them has had on her life. Alesch says Gehlen Catholic will also feature its top academic students as speakers.
Stephanie Heuertz – Gehlen Catholic Valedictorian
Heuertz is the daughter of Rob and Jennifer Heuertz of Le Mars, and Schmit is the son of Chris and Ruth Ann Schmit of Hospers.
Dustin Schmit – Gehlen Catholic Salutatorian
Alesch says once the graduation ceremonies have concluded, the seniors will hold a receiving greeting line on Memory Lane outside the gymnasium.
Across town, the Le Mars Community High School will begin its graduation commencement at 3:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon from the Competition Gymnasium. Dr. Mark Iverson is the high school principal for Le Mars Community and talks about this year’s graduating seniors.
Iverson says the chosen motto for the LCHS class of 2017 is “Don’t fear the challenge, but challenge the fear.” Le Mars Community will have four of its senior students speak.
Kyle Marek
Mary Meis
Sydney Rand
Kelli Susemihl
Iverson says 13 students will be recognized for their academic achievements. He says the 13 represent the top ten percent of the graduating class.
Remsen St. Mary’s and MMCRU to Hold Graduation On Sunday
(Remsen) — Remsen St. Mary’s will distribute diplomas to 16 seniors on Sunday afternoon. Graduation ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. on May 21st. from the Sandy Augustine Memorial Gymnasium at the Remsen St. Mary’s High School. Faculty member Tim Osterman is scheduled to be the featured speaker.
MMCRU will also hold its commencement exercises on Sunday, May 21st at 2:00 p.m. from the MMCRU gymnasium in Marcus. A total of 33 seniors will walk across the stage to accept their diplomas. MMCRU will have two students offer speeches. They include: Valedictorian, Zach Caraher and Salutatorian, Natalie Ruba.
Planned Parenthood To Close Some Iowa Clinics
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Planned Parenthood says it’s closing four of its 12 clinics in Iowa after the Republican-led Legislature cut its state funding.
Local affiliate Planned Parenthood of the Heartland said Thursday that the closings will reduce its facilities that provide abortions in Iowa from eight to five. More than 30 employees will be laid off.
Republican lawmakers agreed last session to give up millions of dollars in federal Medicaid money to create a state-run family planning program that excludes organizations that provide abortions.
The health centers slated for closing are in Sioux City, Bettendorf, Burlington and Keokuk. Planned Parenthood says more than 14,600 people visited the four closing clinics in the past three years.
More Information Released About Teen Girl’s Death
PERRY, Iowa (AP) – Investigators say a 16-year-old girl found dead last week in her central Iowa home weighed just 56 pounds and was severely malnourished.
Perry Police Chief Eric Vaughn said Thursday at a news conference that Sabrina Ray was found dead Friday evening after a 911 call was placed from the Perry home. Vaughn says the girl’s adoptive parents, 41-year-old Marc Ray and 40-year-old Misty Ray, weren’t home when the call was placed, but arrived around the time rescue crews did. They have been arrested and each charged with child endangerment resulting in death and seven other child endangerment and negligence counts.
Vaughn says three other children also were removed from the home.
Sabrina Ray’s death has drawn comparisons the October starvation death of 16-year-old Natalie Finn, of Des Moines.
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