Home News Tuesday News, September 12th

Tuesday News, September 12th

Today Is School Board Election Day

(Le Mars) — Today is school board election day throughout Plymouth County.  Many of the school board election races are unopposed. Polls will open at 12:00 noon and will remain open until 8:00 p.m. Here is a listing of the election locations: Precinct #1 for the Akron-Westfield school district will be at the Akron Public Library. Precinct #3 which includes the towns of Struble and the townships of Elgin, America, Marion, Fredonia, within the
Le Mars Community School District will cast their votes at the Plymouth County Courthouse Annex Building in Le Mars. Precinct #4 which includes the towns of Brunsville and Craig, and all of Grant, Preston, Washington, Johnson townships for the Le Mars Community School District will vote at the Brunsville Legion Hall. Precinct #5 which is for the Remsen-Union school district will be at the Remsen Public Library at Remsen. Voters in Precinct
#7 that includes the town of Merrill, and the townships of Liberty, Plymouth, Stanton, and Lincoln townships will vote at the Kissinger Community Center in Merrill. Precinct #9 involving the Hinton School District, will vote at the Hinton Community Center. Precinct #10 for the Kingsley-Pierson school district will vote at the Kingsley Community Center, and Precinct #11 which includes the entire city of Le Mars, voters will cast their votes at the lower level of the Le Mars Convention Center.

 

 

School Board Candidates

(Le Mars) — As mentioned earlier, many of the school board races are open or unopposed. Candidates seeking a school board position with the Akron-Westfield school district include from district 1 – incumbent, Nick Schoenfelder. No one filed any nomination papers for district 2, and Josh Martinson, the incumbent, is again seeking a school board position
representing district 3.

Hinton Community School District has three candidates seeking two positions. James D. Binnebese and John Reintzel are the incumbent candidates, and Erin Weiland is the third candidate.

Kingsley-Pierson also has three candidates seeking two positions. Jason Collins and Kate L. Pratt are running against incumbent Blake Laddusaw.

Remsen-Union school district has only two people for three at-large positions. Michael Sparr and Robin S. Weiler are both incumbents seeking re-election. There were no papers filed for the third candidate position.
Remsen-Union will also have a public measure on their ballot for SAVE- the Secure Advance Vision for Education. Essentially, it is a penny sales tax that will be directed to the school district.

Both Todd Lancaster and Scott Kommes are seeking re-election to District 1 and District 2 for the Le Mars Community Board of Education. District 4 is open since Brenda Phelan has chosen not to seek re-election. No other candidates filed nomination papers for the Le Mars Community School District.

Some ballots will also include candidates seeking election for the Western Iowa Technical Community College Board of Directors. Neil Adler is running for re-election for District Director 1, and Russell C. Wray is running for District Director 8.

 

 

LEEP Contributes $23,100 To Le Mars Community School District

(Le Mars) — Members of the Le Mars Education Enhanced Program, or L.E.E.P appeared before the Le Mars Community Board of Education Monday evening to offer a report as to their fundraising efforts that have benefited students and teachers of Le Mars Community.  Gail Vonk, president of the LEEP
organization informed the school board that to date, LEEP has contributed $155,588.30 to the Le Mars Community School District.  Lorraine DeJong and Julie Bietelspacher gave an update to the school board about the upcoming LEEP major fundraiser program known as MenuMasters, which will be held this
coming Saturday evening at Century Hall at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds.
Total funds raised from the five years of MenuMasters has exceeded $136,667.13.   The amount given to the Le Mars Community School District at the school board meeting was $23,100.

 

 

County Supervisors To Hold Weekly Meeting

(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors have a packed agenda for today’s meeting to be held at the County Courthouse Board Room beginning at 9:30 a.m. The county supervisors are expected to sign a letter of support
for RAGBRAI for the city of Le Mars, certify fiscal year 2016-2017 debt in Plymouth County Urban renewal area, approve fiscal year 2016-2017 state urban renewal report, and set a date and time for a public hearing to vacate plat of Olson Trust. The supervisors will hear from Noel Ahmann with the Plymouth County Sanitation Board to revise county well closing payment
schedule. Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo is scheduled to appear before the county governing board to sign a new memo of understanding and 28E agreement regarding the Special Response Team, and county engineer Tom Rohe will submit various construction permits for supervisor approval, as well as give an update on road construction projects.

 

 

Floyd Valley Board Of Trustees To Meet This Evening

(Le Mars) — The Floyd Valley Healthcare Board of Trustees are scheduled to hold its monthly meeting this evening beginning at 6:00 p.m. Dr. David Wolff is scheduled to appear before the hospital trustees to offer a report regarding addiction medicine. Hospital administrator, Mike Donlin will share a board quarterly report on community health. Dr. Andrew Geha will submit a medical staff update report for the board of trustees, and Craig
Hohman is scheduled to give an Avera Medical Center update. Donlin will inform the hospital trustees on a general update, and he will review with possible approval from the trustees on capital acquisitions. The Floyd Valley Board of Trustees will enter a closed session to evaluate the performance of Hospital Administrator, Mike Donlin.

 

 

Helping Hands Of Le Mars Wants To Coordinate Hurricane Donations

(Le Mars) — Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have left wide spread devastation to people living in  Texas, Florida, Georgia, and the entire gulf coastal region.  Many people may want to make donations, but are  uncertain about what organization they should turn to.  Helping Hands Resource and Donation
Center of Le Mars is stepping up to serve as a centralized donation center.
Jim Plueger with Helping Hands says he wants to help streamline donations and recovery efforts from this end.

Plueger says we need to look at the long term recovery efforts of the hurricane and flooding victims, saying the American Red Cross and FEMA won’t be there forever.  Plueger says he is starting to organize a missionary trip
where by people from Iowa and other locations will travel to the hurricane regions and offer a hand in the rebuilding efforts.

 

 

Iowa Electrical Cooperatives Send Crews To Georgia

(Des Moines) — Iowa Electrical Cooperatives are sending 46 linemen and 26 vehicles from 15 of Iowa’s not-for-profit electric cooperatives to Georgia to assist with Hurricane Irma recovery efforts, and to assist the restoration of power to the devastated region. The Iowa linemen will provide needed manpower labor and assistance to make repairs and restore electricity as safely and as quickly as possible along the Florida-Georgia border. Based on initial reports, the Iowa linemen could be in Georgia for
two weeks or longer if needed. From northwest Iowa region, Iowa Lakes Electrical Cooperative are helping by sending a crew.

 

 

Trial Set For Hard Rock Counterfeiting Charges

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – An October trial has been scheduled for one of three people accused of trying to pass counterfeit cash at Sioux City’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
Court records say 29-year-old Brittany Derby entered a written plea of not guilty to a forgery charge last week in Woodbury County District Court. Her trial is set to begin Oct. 31.
Police say Derby, Kurt Jones and Jackelen Hartsock made several cash transactions at the casino on Aug. 5. Police say the bills were later found to be counterfeit.
Jones and Hartsock also have pleaded not guilty.

 

 

Glenwood Woman Charged With Giving Daughter Fatal Amounts of Antidepressants

GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) – A western Iowa woman has been charged with giving her 8-year-old daughter a fatal amount of an antidepressant last year.
The Mills County Attorney charged the 34-year-old Glenwood, Iowa, woman Monday with child endangerment and providing drugs to a minor without a prescription.
The woman’s daughter died last October. An autopsy showed that she had toxic levels of the antidepressant amitriptyline in her system.
The woman hasn’t made her initial court appearance yet, so she doesn’t have a lawyer representing her.