Clovis Withdraws From Nomination For 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A former Trump campaign official who has been linked to the Russia investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller has withdrawn his nomination for an Agriculture post.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 Kass says it is unfortunate that Clovis has withdrawn his name.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.”
Northey To Visit Plymouth County
(Des Moines) — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey is scheduled to make appearances in Woodbury, Plymouth, and Sioux Counties today. (Friday). Northey will attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Promenade Improvement Project in
Sioux City, then tour the Plymouth Energy ethanol facility at Merrill, and have lunch with officials from Dordt College in Sioux Center. Northey’s nomination to be an Under Secretary for the Farm Production and Conservation programs with
the U-S-D-A has been held up by Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Cruz, and other U-S Senators representing petroleum-based states, want President Trump to abandon the Renewable Fuels Standard. Cruz is upset with Senators Grassley and Ernst of
Iowa, and other Midwest Senators, for pleading with Trump demanding the E-P-A director to renew the R-F-S standards, and he is flexing his political muscle to hold up Northey’s confirmation vote in the U-S Senate. Earlier this month, the
U-S Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously voted for Northey for the U-S-D-A position.
Carlin To Seek Republican Nomination For State Senate
(Sioux City) — A former Iowa House lawmaker is now seeking election to the State Senate. Republican Jim Carlin of Sioux City officially made his announcement on Thursday. Carlin will be seeking the position being left vacant following current State Senator Bill Anderson’s resignation. Iowa Governor Kim
Reynolds has established December 12th as the day for the special election.
State Senate District 3 covers most of Plymouth County, as well as the northern sections of Woodbury County, including a portion of the Morningside neighborhood of Sioux City. Former Le Mars Community School Superintendent, Dr. Todd Wendt
is seeking the nomination for State Senate District 3 for the Democratic party.
Le Mars Community High School Students Collect Donations For Siouxland Soldiers
(Le Mars) — Students at Le Mars Community Hgh 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. Nancy Isebrand serves as the coordinator for the program at the Le Mars Community High School. She says many of the students have been quite generous with donations.
Isebrand says pre-packaged food items are still being collected. She says the care packages will be assembled on November 13th. In addition to food items, and monetary donations, Isebrand says the organization requests addresses.
Speaking about Isebrand, the Le Mars Community faculty member was recently honored at Des Moines for being named “Iowa’s High School Adviser of the Year.”
Assistant High School principal Neil Utesch nominated Isebrand for the honor.
Isebrand accepted the honor last week during an awards ceremony held on Monday.
Gehlen 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 citzenship.
Gehlen Catholic has hosted the Veteran’s Day Prayer Service program for the past ten years. That Veteran’s Program at Gehlen will be held on Monday, November 6th beginning at 8:45 a.m.
Care Taker Accused Of Stealing From Disabled Adults
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Sioux City care provider has been accused of stealing from more than a dozen disabled adults.
Court records say 48-year-old Lisa Sembach-Preston is charged with 19 counts of dependent adult abuse and 19 counts of theft. The records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for her.
The records say Sembach-Preston was working for Crossroads of Western Iowa, a nonprofit that helps adults with disabilities and mental illnesses. She was responsible for each victim’s bank accounts and financial matters/
The records say the thefts from at least 16 people occurred from February 2015 through April. Authorities say the total taken was nearly $37,000.
Substitute Teacher Admits To Being Drunk At School
WEST BRANCH, Iowa (AP) – A substitute teacher who pleaded guilty to being drunk at an eastern Iowa school has lost her state license.
The Des Moines Register reports that the Iowa Board of Education Examiners suspended the teaching license of 60-year-old Kiaya Rickard-Urban for a minimum of two years. She can then apply for reinstatement.
Rickard-Urban had a blood alcohol content of 0.192 when tested at West Branch High School in West Branch in October 2016. Students had reported to administrators that Richard-Urban smelled of alcohol and wasn’t acting right.
Court documents say Rickard-Urban pleaded guilty in December to first-offense public intoxication. She received a suspended jail sentence, a year of probation and was ordered to undergo substance abuse evaluation and treatment.
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Cellulosic Ethanol Plant To Shut Down
NEVADA, Iowa (AP) – DowDuPont has announced it’s seeking a buyer for its 30-million gallon, $225 million cellulosic ethanol plant in central Iowa. The Des Moines Register reports that DowDuPont has shuttered operations at the Nevada, Iowa, plant and cut 90 workers. The move is part of DowDuPont’s announcement Thursday it will cut its global workforce by 5-7 percent and shutter some buildings. The cellulosic ethanol plant, which opened in 2015, is considered the next generation in renewable fuel production. It uses corncobs, husks and stalks
to produce the biofuel. A skeleton crew will maintain the plant until a new buyer is found. DowDuPont says the operation no longer fits its strategic plan. Iowa has two other large cellulosic ethanol plants. One is in Emmetsburg and the other is in Galva. —
