Round Barn Features FFA Exhibits
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee is proud to announce the addition of Plymouth County FFA chapters exhibits inside the famous round barn during the Plymouth County Fair, scheduled to begin on
Wednesday, July 26th and continuing through Sunday, July 30th.
The theme for this year’s “aROUND the farm in the BARN” agricultural educational exhibit is: “Farmers: They’re More Than You Think” and “Agriculture: A World of Career Opportunities.” Cole Sitzmann, Vice President of the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee says “The Le Mars Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee is very fortunate to have the local FFA chapters participate with this year’s theme, showcasing careers involving agriculture.
“As we know, agriculture provides great opportunities for many different careers, and the area FFA chapters will feature some of those career opportunities,” said Sitzmann.
“People visiting the round barn iconic landmark structure during this year’s Plymouth County Fair will see exhibits featuring agronomy from the Le Mars FFA chapter, animal science will be showcased by the Akron-Westfield FFA chapter, horticulture will be emphasized by the MMCRU FFA chapter, Kingsley-Pierson FFA
will feature precision planting, and the Hinton FFA chapter will focus on careers involving Bio-renewable fuels,” said Sitzmann.
“In addition to the various careers being showcased by the FFA chapters, the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee wants our visitors to know that farming consists of many different jobs, such as animal care taker, welder,
grain merchandiser, meteorologist, crop scout, business manager, environmental steward, feed nutritionist, truck driver, scientist, mechanic, machine operator, and even a computer operator.
Nebraska Man Found Guilty Of Killing Wife
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Nebraska man found guilty of second-degree murder in northwest Iowa for the death of his estranged wife has been sentenced to 50 years in prison.
Rogelio Morales, of Hubbard, Nebraska, was found guilty last month of killing 21-year-old Margarita Morales on April 19, 2015, in his car near a Sioux City residence. He was sentenced Friday in Woodbury County District Court.
Court documents say Morales told investigators a fight broke out when his wife told him she no longer wanted to be in a relationship and that she was seeing another man.
Morales’ defense attorney has said Morales suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and had argued he should be convicted of voluntary manslaughter, not murder.
Des Moines Man Pleads Guilty To Using Pick-up Truck To Run Over People
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A man accused of using his pickup truck to try to run down people at a Des Moines baseball field has entered a guilty plea in the case.
Television station KCCI reports that 40-year-old Chad Winninger, of Monroe, hit two men with his truck at the Highland Park Little League Complex on Sept. 18. Police say that after hitting the men, Winninger slammed the truck into a concession stand, then tried to flee on foot. Police say it took several officers to subdue and arrest him.
Winninger has pleaded guilty to going armed with intent, assault,
willful injury and criminal mischief counts. He’ll be sentenced Sept. 8.
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Iowa’s Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s unemployment rate rose slightly in June to 3.2 percent, even as the state added more than 11,000 jobs.
Iowa Workforce Development announced Friday that the June rate was up from May’s 3.1 percent unemployment rate.
The agency says 11,200 jobs were added in June but that the number of unemployed residents also increased.
The biggest job gains were in leisure and hospitality. There also was an increase in manufacturing jobs.
The state rate compares to a 4.4 percent national unemployment rate.
Lottery Sales Drop Off
CLIVE, Iowa (AP) – The state has shared the lack of luck with people who played Iowa Lottery games over the last fiscal year.
Lottery figures released Thursday show the lottery generated nearly $81 million for the state in the year ending June 30 – down around $7 million from the record $88 million the previous fiscal year.
The Des Moines Register reports that the record fiscal 2016 sales were bolstered by Powerball purchases for a jackpot of nearly $1.6 billion in the multistate game.
Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich says “there simply won’t be a world record jackpot every year.”
Iowa Lottery sales for fiscal 2017 totaled $352.2 million – a drop of 4 percent from a year earlier. Prizes paid were down nearly 3 percent.
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State Democrats To Select New Leader
(Des Moines) — The Iowa Democratic Party’s governing board will meet today (Saturday) to elect a new leader.
The Iowa Democratic Party’s state central committee elected Derek Eadon (EE-dun) as chairman in January, but Eadon resigned in late June. The 33-year-old announced he has a chronic pain condition that will require radiation
treatments. Andrea Phillips of Ankeny, an unsuccessful candidate for the Iowa House in 2016, has served as interim chair for the past few weeks, but does not wish to have the job permanently. It appears three Democrats have stepped forward to compete for the post. The Iowa Democratic Party’s state central committee is scheduled to convene at 10 a.m. The election of a new party chair is the only item of business on the agenda.
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