Le Mars Police Department To Host National Night Out Open House
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Police Department will be holding an open house scheduled for this evening, August 1st. It is all part of National Night Out, a program started more than 20 years ago to help communities get to know each other and to help deter crime. Captain Tim Hop of the Le Mars Police Department explains.
Hop explains what will be featured at the National Night Out open house held at the police station.
Hop says various police officers will demonstrate some of the equipment that they use to help keep the community safe.
As mentioned, the National Night Out program will be held between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at the Le Mars Police Station.
County Road Department Announces Road Closures
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department has announced the closing of 230th Street between Nature and Noble Avenues. The road is expected to remain closed until August 10th. Road crews are replacing a wooden bridge with a culvert pipe. During the same time frame, Nature Avenue between 300th Street and 310th Street will also be closed so work crews can replace an old wooden bridge with a culvert pipe. In addition, 160th Street will be closed today between Highway 60 and Mahogany Avenue as the Union Pacific Railroad will perform some maintenance work on the crossing. The repairs are expected to be finished by tomorrow afternoon.
County Supervisors To Meet This Morning
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will meet this morning for their weekly conference. The county governing board has a short agenda for this week. The county supervisors are expected to amend the easement agreement with Richard VanderKooi. Otherwise, they will hear a road construction update report from Plymouth County Engineer, Tom Rohe. The supervisors will act upon on a permit request from Iowa Lakes Electrical Cooperative in Remsen township on
200th Street.
Le Mars City Council Scheduled To Meet Today At Noon
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council will convene at noon today at the city council chambers. The city council will address the liquor license renewal for Sweet 16 Lanes, and Jim’s Burgers. The council will address the request by the Le Mars YMCA to close 12th street southeast for the upcoming Sprint Tri-athon.
In action items, the council will discuss the Mainstreet Challenge Grant, as well as address an alley pavement project by the former Abbey nursing care facility. The city council will discuss whether the city should implement a water restriction resolution, and the council will decide upon a general obligation refunding loan agreement.
Study Shows Iowa Bridges Are Deficient
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A decade after a deadly freeway bridge collapse in Minneapolis, a study has found that thousands of Iowa’s bridges are deemed structurally deficient. The Des Moines Register reports that a study released in February by the
American Road & Transportation Builders Association found that almost 5,000 of the state’s more than 24,000 bridges are rated as structurally deficient. That means one of the bridge’s key elements – such as the deck, superstructure or substructure- is in poor or worse condition. Most of those bridges are in rural areas and farming communities that see relatively low traffic. State officials say a 10-cent-per-gallon state fuel tax increase enacted in 2015 will help fund improvements. The tax generates about $200 million for state and local road and bridge projects.
Kindergarten Teacher To Go To Trial
MARION, Iowa (AP) – A trial will be moved to Tama County for a kindergarten teacher accused of not reporting that a 15-year-old classroom volunteer sexually abused her students. Linn County records say a judge set the location last week for 59-year-old Diane Graham, who’s pleaded not guilty to failure to report child abuse. The records say a new trial date will be discussed at a hearing Friday. Graham’s attorneys had cited extensive media coverage of the boy’s and Graham’s cases. Court records say Graham was a teacher at Starry Elementary in Marion when two students told her last August that they were being abused by the volunteer. Prosecutors say Graham didn’t report the abuse, allowing it to continue for two more months. The boy has been convicted of three counts of sexual abuse.
Three Men Charged With Distributing Steroids
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Three men have been sentenced to multi-year prison terms after their conviction on charges of illegally distributing anabolic steroids. U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger on Friday sentenced Jeffrey B. Lackas, Stanley Szeto and Daniel Cruz-Bonilla after their conviction of conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids. U.S. Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel says the men were part of an
organization that from 2011 to 2015 used the internet to distribute steroids and human-growth hormones through the country. The drugs were obtained from China. The 31-year-old Lackas, of Bettendorf, was sentenced to 3 years and 10
months in prison. The 39-year-old Szeto, of Iowa City, was sentenced to two years and a month, plus a $6,000 fine. And 30-year-old Cruz-Bonilla, of Fontana, California, was sentenced to 3 years and 5 months.
Juveniles Sentenced To Life Sentences Are Given Reduced Sentences
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa corrections officials say all but three of Iowa’s 46 juveniles sentenced to life in prison without parole have been given new sentences with a chance for freedom. The Associated Press in a story published Monday found after a 50-state review of juvenile life cases that in many states the chance at resentencing has been inconsistent and sometimes elusive. Iowa began resentencing juvenile lifers in 2012 after the U.S. Supreme Court concluded that mandatory life without parole for offenders under 18 is unconstitutional and should be rare. The ruling was made retroactive last year. Iowa is among the most aggressive states in curtailing lengthy prison
terms for juveniles due to Iowa Supreme Court rulings. In a June case, the court said even mandatory minimum sentences should be uncommon for juveniles.
