Plymouth County Resident Withdraws Nomination From USDA Post
WASHINGTON (AP) – A former Trump campaign official who has been linked to the Russia investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller has withdrawn his nomination for an Agriculture post. Sam Clovis, a former professor at Morningside College in Sioux City, and a resident of Plymouth County, says in a letter to President Donald Trump dated Thursday that he does “not want to be a distraction or a negative influence.”
Clovis cites what he calls “relentless assaults on you and your team” that “seem to be a blood sport.” This week, it was revealed that Clovis had communications with George
Papadopoulos, who’s admitted to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian intermediaries. Questions have been raised about Clovis’ qualifications to serve as the Agriculture Department’s chief scientist. He is a self-described skeptic of
climate change.
Don Kass serves as the chairman for the Plymouth County Republican party and has known Sam Clovis for several years. Kass says it is unfortunate that Clovis has withdrawn his name.
Kass was asked if he believes Clovis will remain a part of the Trump Administration in the background, or if because of the allegations surrounding Clovis, if the Trump Administration will want to distance themselves from Clovis?
Kass says he considers Sam Clovis to be a good friend, and will continue to support him. Kass describes Clovis as a “man with the highest integrity.”
Le Mars Community High School Students To Collect Donations For Soldiers
(Le Mars) — Students at Le Mars Community High School are urging people to consider offering monetary, as well as food donations, for the “Support Siouxland Soldiers” program. The campaign is scheduled to end on Friday, but officials say the donations are down compared to last year. The students want
to collect enough money and food items to assemble 50 care packs to be sent to local soldiers and sailors who are currently serving overseas, and to re-stock food supplies for local military families.
Gehlen Catholic To Host Veteran’s Day Prayer Service
(Le Mars) — November 11th is Veteran’s Day, but Gehlen Catholic will honor local military veterans with a special program scheduled for Monday, November 6th to be held at the Marvin Langel Memorial Gymnasium beginning at 8:45 a.m. A lot of media attention has been directed to professional athletes, college students, and others who have chosen to kneel, instead of standing at attention, during the singing or playing of the National Anthem. Gehlen Catholic’s Development Director Lisa Niebuhr says this year’s Veteran’s Program will focus on the correct decorum for the national anthem, and the reasons why we give respect to the American flag and to anthem.
Niebuhr says the Veteran’s Program is being organized by Gehlen Catholic’s Christian Leadership Team, which is directed by Alissa Schipper. Niebuhr says instead of having one individual speaker, a group of speakers will assemble to
offer their perspective regarding Veteran’s Day. The Gehlen Catholic Development Director says the program will honor each of the veterans with a connection to Gehlen Catholic, Le Mars, and/or Plymouth County.
Niebuhr says following the program, the public is invited for some refreshments. She says the goal of the program is to showcase proper citizenship.
Gehlen Catholic has hosted the Veteran’s Day Prayer Service program for the past ten years.
State May Have To Pay An Additional $60 Million For Medicaid
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa official says the state will spend an additional $60 million this budget year for private insurance companies to keep running the Medicaid program.
Iowa Department of Human Services spokesman Matt Highland said Thursday that additional costs announced this week as part of new state contracts with two companies will total $140.4 million. The state will pay $60.8 million of that. The federal government will pay about $80 million.
Highland didn’t immediately respond to additional questions by email and phone.
The agency announced a 3.3 percent increase in costs at a Tuesday press conference but didn’t specify a dollar amount. It was on the same day that AmeriHealth Caritas, one of three private insurance companies overseeing Medicaid in Iowa since 2016, announced it would pull out after failed
negotiations over a new contract.
The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency says DHS has surplus money from a previous budget year that’s expected to help cover the costs.
Northern Iowa Man Pleas Guilty To Counterfeiting Money
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – A northern Iowa man has pleaded guilty to making counterfeit $20 bills.
Federal prosecutors say 42-year-old Victor Ineson Jr., of Forest City, entered the plea Thursday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. Ineson admitted at the hearing that, from April through mid-May, he’d used chemicals to wash the print off lower denomination bills and reprint each bill to look like a $20 bill. He used some of the fakes at local retailers.
Two other charges were dropped in exchange for Ineson’s plea. He’s also agreed to pay restitution to the businesses where he’d used the counterfeits.
His sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
