Democratic Candidate For Governor, Nate Boulton, Visits Le Mars
(Le Mars) — Democratic governor candidate Nate Boulton made a campaign stop in Le Mars Thursday afternoon. Boulton is a state senator from Columbus Junction, Iowa. He spoke before a group of 15 people about the state’s budget woes, public education, public employee pensions, and he touched on water quality.
Boulton kept telling the group that 2018 would be the year Democrats can again take over the governor’s seat. He says the current administration of Governor Kim Reynolds, and her predecessor Terry Branstad, have made some serious errors
that the state is now beginning to pay for.
Boulton says the Branstad and Reynolds administrations were giving away massive amounts money to corporate entities to set up business in Iowa, that he says should never have been given any type of tax credit incentives, because in the
long run it hurts Iowans, more than it helps Iowans.
The state senator from southeast Iowa says it is because of the state’s budget shortfalls that is also hurting the state’s, once proud stance on education.
Boulton says our schools and our teachers are suffering due to Iowa’s lack of establishing priorities.
Boulton says it reaches far beyond our secondary schools, but it also hurts our colleges and universities.
The democratic governor candidate was also critical of Branstad and Reynolds for closing two state-run mental health facilities, and not replacing the facilities. He says Branstad and now Governor Reynolds had no plan in place as to what should happen with the many hundreds of mental health patients, once
they closed the mental health centers.
Tim Hop Honored At Retirement Reception
(Le Mars) — A reception was held Thursday afternoon at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor in honor of retiring Le Mars Police Captain, Tim Hop. After 32 years with the Le Mars Police Department, Hop is scheduled to retire today, Friday,
September 29th. Le Mars Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte read a list of accomplishments achieved by the retiring officer from his long tenure with the Le Mars Police Department. Among some of the more notorious achievements, Vande Vegte also found in Hop’s personnel file was a list of different times when the
police captain would purchase lithium batteries from “Jack’s.” During the reception, Captain Tim Hop was presented with another honor, Le Mars Police Officer Dan Plueger, along with Chief Vande Vegte presented a plaque and certificate naming Tim Hop as a Distinguished Police Service Award member by the
Police Hall of Fame. Mayor Dick Kirchoff, along with several members of the city council, city staff members, fellow police officers, friends and family were on hand to extend their appreciation to Hop’s service to the city of Le Mars.
Good Samaritan Society To Celebrate Founder’s Day
(Le Mars) — The Good Samaritan Society of Le Mars will celebrate its Founder’s Day on Saturday. Darci Athens serves as the Resource Director for the Good Samaritan Society. She says the purpose behind celebrating Founders Day is to assist senior citizens with means in order to prolong their time living at home.
This is the second year the nursing care facility has distributed carbon monoxide detectors. Athens says, like last year, they hope to install carbon monoxide detectors in 50 different homes.
Athens says a short program will be held at the Le Mars Good Samaritan Society nursing care center to help kick off the day’s events.
Athens says all 50 homes have been identified, but she encourages those senior citizens that wish to have a carbon monoxide detector to contact the Good Samaritan Society to be placed on a waiting list.
Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department To Hold Pancake Breakfast On Sunday
(Le Mars) — October is known as fire prevention month, and Sunday, October 1st, the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department will host its annual pancake and sausage breakfast between 8:00 until 12:00 noon to be held at Fire Station number 1
located on 1st Street southwest, across from the Eagle’s Club. Fire Chief Dave Schipper discusses the breakfast.
Schipper says the event always falls on the first Sunday of October. It has been a fire department tradition for nearly 40 years.
State Reaches Settlement Agreement Over Dismissal Of State Senate Staff Member
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A $1.75 million settlement has been reached in the lawsuit of a former state Senate Republican staffer fired after she complained of sexual harassment in the GOP office.
The Des Moines Register reported the settlement Friday between state attorneys and Kirsten Anderson. It’s less than the $2.2 million awarded to Anderson by a jury in July. But under the settlement, the state will drop its appeal.
The State Appeal Board is expected to approve the settlement on Monday
Anderson was fired in 2013 as the state Senate GOP Caucus communications director hours after handing in a memo detailing rampant sexual harassment in the caucus office.
Republican officials argued she was fired for poor job performance – an argument the jury didn’t believe.
—
Johnston Woman Arrested For Child Endangerment After Taking European Vacation
JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) – Police say they’ve arrested a suburban Des Moines mom who left her four children home alone so she could take a trip to Europe.
Johnston police say they’ve charged 30-year-old Erin Macke with child endangerment. Polk County Jail records say Macke remained in custody Friday.
Court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for her.
Police say Macke made no child care arrangements for her kids – ages 12, 12, 7 and 6 – before she left Sept. 20. Police say they were tipped off Sept. 21 the children were left unsupervised, so officers investigated and eventually called in the Iowa Human Services Department, which took custody of the four.
Police called Macke in Germany, demanding she come back. She was arrested when she returned.
