Le Mars Community Middle School To Hold Veterans Appreciation Program Today
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Community Middle School will be honoring local veterans during a program scheduled for Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. at the Middle School auditorium. Kari Kopperud explains the purpose of the Veterans program.
Kopperud discusses the agenda for the Friday Veteran’s Tribute program.
The Le Mars Community school official says part of the program will be a demonstration showing the correct and proper way to fold an American flag.
Kopperud says Le Mars school officials believe its an important part of the students education to know the reasons why we honor veterans.
The Le Mars Community Middle School Veterans Appreciation program is open to the public.
Total Motors Donates Money For Breast Cancer Awareness
(Le Mars) — Total Motors of Le Mars presented two checks in the amount of $2,000 each for Breast Cancer awareness and research. The Susan G. Kommen Foundation for Siouxland received one of the checks, and Floyd Valley Healthcare
of Le Mars was the recipient of the second check. The donations were part of a month-long campaign by Total Motors and Chevrolet. Total Motors contributed $100 for breast cancer awareness and research for each vehicle sold during the month
of October. Total Motors also contributed a total of $6,000 that was split three ways for individuals that were nominated to receive the funding to better assist with their financial needs. Each of the three women either presently have breast cancer, or had the disease. Scott Taylor, the owner of Total Motors, says the campaign was successful, and explains why Total Motors
participated in a breast cancer awareness campaign.
Taylor talks about the three individuals who also received $2,000.
Floyd Valley Healthcare Administrator Mike Donlin explains how the Le Mars hospital facilities will utilize the $2,000.
Taylor says Total Motors will again hold a special breast cancer awareness program next October.
Fair Board Elects Officers
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County 4-H and Agricultural Society, better known as the Plymouth County Fair held its annual meeting last evening. During that meeting, nine members of the Plymouth County Fairboard were either elected, or re-elected to serve on the fair board. They include Rich Benson, Michael
Bietelsphacer, Keith Koerselman, Tom Lehner, Tom Bainbridge, Jim Jauer, Terry Reuter, Chance Klemme, and Ben Vondrak. Rich Benson was re-elected to serve as the fair board’s president, while Loren Schnepf was elected to serve as Vice President, Gail Schoenrock was elected as the fair board’s Secretary, and
Michael Beitelspacher was elected as Treasurer.
Plymouth County Fair Board Officers: From left, Michael Bietelsphacer -Treasurer, Rich Benson – President, Gail Schoenrock – Secretary, and Loren Schnepf – Vice President.
U-S Senate Continues To Delay Northey’s Confirmation Vote
(Washington) — The U-S Senate has yet to vote on the confirmation of Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey for a top position within the U-S Department of Agriculture. Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Arizonia Senator Jeff Flake have delayed the confirmation vote, leaving Northey in a state of limbo,
and leaving hundreds of thousands of farmers without direction from the U-S-D-A.
U-S Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa addressed reporters about the topic during his weekly Capital Hill Report.
Grassley says both he and fellow Iowa Senator Joni Ernst have spoken to Cruz, as well as with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Grassley says the time table is left up to Senator McConnell.
U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue is suggesting he’ll visit with the G-O-P leader in the U.S. Senate to intervene if Bill Northey who is nominated for a top job in the U.S.D.A. isn’t confirmed soon. Texas Senator Ted Cruz is blocking a Senate vote
on Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey’s nomination to be U.S.D.A. Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation. Cruz wants President Trump to meet with oil-state senators who object to the federal production mandate for biofuels.
Perdue spoke with farm broadcasters in Kansas City yesterday (Thursday). Perdue joked that he was wearing a “Free Bill Northey” t-shirt under his suit.
*[RIkayTshirt2] :15 :limit to that.”*
Ted Cruz isn’t the only Republican senator blocking confirmation of one of Perdue’s top aides. Senator Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican, is blocking a vote on the man President Trump picked to be the U.S.D.A.’s chief agricultural negotiator. Perdue is due in Iowa this morning for events with Republican
Congressman David Young and Governor Kim Reynolds.
Iowa Republican Leaders To Create Human Resource Manager Position
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Republican leaders in the Iowa Legislature are creating a human resources manager position to oversee sexual harassment complaints at the statehouse. The move comes about six weeks after the state agreed to pay $1.75 million to settle a lawsuit involving a former Senate Republican staffer who alleged sexual harassment at work. Staff for the GOP-controlled House and Senate in Iowa plan to hire
someone before the start of the legislative session in January. The job, which does not directly reference sexual harassment issues in its description, will not involve oversight by an independent state agency. Experts on sexual harassment issues say the setup raises questions about accountability. Senate staffer Kirsten Anderson filed the lawsuit after being fired in
2013, hours after reporting sexual harassment in the GOP caucus office. There also have been growing complaints about alleged sexual harassment at state capitols around the country following sexual abuse allegations against film mogul Harvey Weinstein.
Castana Man Accused Of Raping Teenage Baby Sitter
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A western Iowa man accused of raping a teenage baby sitter has been sentenced to two years in prison. 25-year-old Colby Mauch, of Castana, was sentenced Thursday in Woodbury County District Court. He had pleaded guilty to one count of assault with the intent to commit sexual abuse, an aggravated misdemeanor. Police say that in September 2016, Mauch traveled to the then-17-year-
old girl’s home, where she was baby-sitting six children. While the children were in the backyard, Mauch grabbed the girl, pulled down her pants and raped her. —
Polk County Detective Accused Of Punching Man At Bar
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A detective for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office has been accused of punching a man in an Ankeny bar.
Court records say 49-year-old John Negrete has pleaded not guilty to assault. His trial is scheduled to begin Dec. 13, but the prosecution is asking for a continuance.
A criminal complaint says Negrete punched the man at least twice in the face on Sept. 22 at the Yankee Clipper. A woman who lives with Negrete, 51-year-old Tereasa Sunberg, also has pleaded not guilty to punching a woman at the bar. Sunberg’s trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 8.
Authorities say the two people punched are related.
Negrete has worked more than 20 years for the Sheriff’s Office.
Emerald Ash Borer Found In Decatur County
LEON, Iowa (AP) – State agricultural officials say an insect that’s killed millions of ash trees has been found in yet another Iowa county, bringing the total to 53.
Officials said in a news release Thursday that the emerald ash borer has been confirmed in southern Iowa’s Decatur County.
Infected trees usually lose leaves at the top of the canopy and the die-off spreads downward. The trees usually die within four years.
The insects have killed tens of millions of ash trees and have been confirmed in 30 states. They are native to Asia and were first reported in the U.S. in Michigan in 2002. The insects were first detected in Iowa in 2010.
