Two Semi Trucks and a Pickup Collide In Eastern Plymouth County
(Remsen) — A pickup truck collided with two semi trucks and trailers at the intersection of Highway 140, and county road C-44, about half way between Remsen and Kingsley. The accident happened Wednesday morning at approximately 11:46 a.m. Each driver of all three involved vehicles suffered injuries with one of the semi truck drivers needing to be extracted from his vehicle and transported by Mercy Air Care helicopter to a Sioux City Hospital. The other two drivers were transported to Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars, by both the Le Mars Ambulance and the Kingsley Ambulance. Plymouth County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Betsworth describes the accident scene.
One of the semi trucks was hauling ground corn for hog feed and overturned in the east ditch, causing the feed to spill on to the highway. The second semi truck was pulling a flatbed trailer, but with few contents. The trailer being pulled by the pickup truck was empty according to Betsworth. The Remsen Fire
and Rescue was called to the scene to assist with the extradition of one of the semi drivers. No names have yet been released, and the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the investigation. Responding to the accident scene were the Remsen Fire and Rescue, Kingsley Ambulance, Le Mars Ambulance, Iowa Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, and the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office.
Wendt To Run For State Senate Seat
(Le Mars) — Former Le Mars Community School Superintendent, Dr. Todd Wendt of Le Mars has decided to pursue a campaign seeking a State Senate seat. Wendt
will be running on the Democratic ticket. Wendt’s father was a state legislator representing a district from Sioux City. The Wendt campaign is still in the initial organization stages, and will release additional information later this week. Bill Anderson, a Republican from Pierson, has indicated he intends to
resign his seat from the State Senate, and take on a job as an economic development director for Cherokee. Once Anderson officially retires, Governor Kim Reynolds will then announce a special election date.
Le Mars Community School District To Distribute “Community Report Card”
(Le Mars) — Sometime within the next few days, residents living within the Le Mars Community School District will receive their copy of the Le Mars Community School District’s “Report Card to the Community.” The Le Mars Community Board
of Education was given an update by Curriculum Director Rachel Leavitt. Leavitt informed the school board the students of Le Mars Community exceeded the proficiency average for the Iowa Assessments when compared to other schools in northwest Iowa, as well as the state average.
Leavitt explains what other assessment results can be found in the annual report.
The Le Mars Community Curriculum Director uses the 9th grade as an example of how Le Mars Community students should progress through their years in school.
The community report card also shows that many of the graduating seniors take the ACT college entrance exam, and 73 percent of the graduating seniors scored at least a 20, or better, on the test. The community report card also shows the
number of behavior infractions within the school district, as well as the district goals, mission, and core beliefs.
Gehlen Catholic To Host “Drive 4 UR School” and Annual Turkey Dinner
(Le Mars) — Gehlen Catholic school will be conducting two separate fund raiser programs scheduled for this weekend. The first event is Saturday, and it is the “Drive For Your School” which allows people to test drive a new Ford vehicle, which will then prompt the Ford Motor Company to donate $20 to Gehlen Catholic for each test drive. Maggie Erdman says this is the second year Gehlen has partnered with Ford for the test drive program.
She explains how the test drive program works.
Erdman says Jensen Ford will provide a variety of new vehicles to be test driven.
Erdman says it doesn’t cost any money, and there will not be any car sales person during the test drive sessions.
The second fund raising activity is the annual turkey dinner scheduled for Sunday beginning at 3:00 p.m. at the Gehlen gym. Proceeds from that event will go to help the Gehlen Catholic Fine Arts program, which includes music, arts,
theater, and speech. Gehlen Catholic Development Director Lisa Niebuhr says this marks the 63rd year for the annual turkey dinner.
Niebuhr says the turkey dinner serves as a major fund raiser for the Catholic school’s fine arts programs.
The Gehlen official says tickets can be purchased in advance, or at the door.
The hours for the annual Gehlen Catholic turkey dinner are from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Plymouth County Cyclists Receive Hotel-Motel Grant
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Cyclists in February were awarded $3,000 from Le Mars Hotel/Motel Sales Tax Receipts.
Mark Strub, project coordinator, says the Plymouth County Cyclists appreciates the award of these special tax funds to the Plymouth County Cyclists, co-sponsors of Bike Central’s Frosty Cross cyclocross race that will be held on November 10th, 11th and 12th. Strub says, “the funds will be used to
stage, promote, and host the annual event, which will bring visitors to Le Mars, promoting tourism and bringing economic value to the community from outside sources. In addition to the benefits of physical fitness, entertainment and promotion of cycling, the goal is for these participants to use local hotels,
restaurants and stores before, during and after the three days of Frosty Cross.”
The Plymouth County Cyclists was one of 10 applicants receiving
funding this year. Funding recommendations of the Convention and Visitors Bureau Advisory Board were approved by the Le Mars City Council on February 21, 2017.
Waste Water Spills Into Creek That Feeds Into Missouri River
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say untreated wastewater has spilled into a creek that drains into the Missouri River at Council Bluffs in western Iowa.
The Iowa Natural Resources Department says Council Bluffs officials reported Wednesday that an estimated 360,000 gallons (1.36 million liters) of wastewater discharged into Indian Creek during maintenance work on a sewer main.
The creek empties into the river near Gifford Road in Council Bluffs.
The city workers stopped the discharge, made repairs and collected water samples from the creek and river.
The department recommends that children and pets are kept away from the area for the next 24 to 48 hours.
Unions Try To Hold Together Following New Laws
(Des Moines) — An Iowa employment board has released more complete results from union elections linked to a new collective bargaining state law.
The Iowa Public Employment Relations Board released data Wednesday afternoon that shows 436 union locals secured enough votes to keep representing public workers. Separately, 32 locals will essentially dismantle. The impacted
workers will be barred from unionizing for two years.
In the end, more 28,400 workers voted by phone and online to keep union representation. A little over 620 voted for decertification of their locals.
Those who didn’t participate, which totaled more than 4,000 people, were counted as “no” votes.
The elections are required under a provision of a collective bargaining law approved in February by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Unions now must hold so-called recertification elections before each new contract.
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