Supervisors To Hear Budget Requests
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors have a short agenda for today’s meeting. It is expected the county governing board will approve a letter of support for the Source Water Protection Project being proposed for near Kingsley. The county supervisors will hear from Plymouth County Zoning
Administrator, Alan Lucken as they decide whether or not to approve Hillview second addition in Hungerford township. They will also discuss the zoning ordinance change for the airport zoning and set a public hearing date and time for readings of amended ordinance. The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors
will also hear from Plymouth County Fair Board president, Rich Benson as he will present a budget request for fiscal year 2018-2019.
City Council To Hold Hearing On Real Estate Sale
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council is scheduled to meet this afternoon at the council chambers beginning at 12:00 noon. The city council will hold a public hearing regarding the sale of city owned real estate. The council will declare surplus property in Le Mars Industrial Park, south addition, and consider a
proposal by Allan and Sharon Pratt for the purchase of two acres for a like kind exchange and cash purchase. The city will receive the west 30 feet of lot 13 in the Le Mars Development Corporation Subdivision in the exchange. The city council is expected to re-appoint Kathy McCrary for another five year term to the Board of Zoning Adjustment. The Le Mars city council is expected to accept an agreement between the Merrill City Council which recently approved a Plywood Trail Agreement between Merrill and Le Mars.
Remsen Celebrates “Old Fashion Christmas”
(Remsen) — The strong winds and blowing snow along with the falling temperatures didn’t stop the Old Fashion Christmas in Remsen on Monday evening. Santa Claus arrived in town on a Remsen Fire Truck, and gathered the children to start the countdown to when the Community Christmas Tree would be lighted.
Shortly afterwards, the North Pole resident went inside the Remsen Museum and listened to the children’s Christmas wish lists. Businesses had remained open, offering refreshments. Hot chocolate and warm apple cider were common among the refreshments. The St. Mary’s boys basketball team helped youngsters with the decorating of Christmas cookies, and also at “Kids Corner,” children were able to select various gifts that they would give to their parents. The weather conditions did cause many people to vacate the area soon after the community
tree was officially lighted.
King Leaves D.A.R.E. Program
(Le Mars) — After 22 years as serving as the D.A.R.E officer for both the Gehlen Catholic schools and the Le Mars Community elementary and Middle Schools, Sgt. Jay King of the Le Mars Police Department is stepping away from his duties of informing students the dangers of drugs and alcohol, as well as other pre-
teen pressures. D.A.R.E stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, and King explains what is taught during the program.
King, says the program had become more efficient and focused, over time, but still offers young students a valuable and informative lessons. He says the D.A.R.E. program can be modified to specific issues relating to the community.
King says the program is flexible. He says he believes in the D.A.R.E. program.
Le Mars Police Officers Justin Daale and John Vickery will now be coordinating the Le Mars D.A.R.E. program.
Regents To Decide Whether To Purchase University Book Store
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Board of Regents is expected to vote Wednesday on a proposal to buy the Cedar Falls business that sells and rents textbooks and classroom materials to University of Northern Iowa students. The nearly $3 million requested would be used to buy University Book and
Supply’s inventory, equipment and other assets, as well as Hawkeye Bookstore, which the business operates at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo. Iowa State University and the University of Iowa own and operate bookstores on their campuses. Michael Hager is University of Northern Iowa’s senior vice president for finance and operations, and he says the university would operate the bookstore as a “not-for-profit entity, which will offer students the lowest possible
pricing.”
Former Chairman Of Winnabago Tribes Gets Probation
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A former chairman of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska has been sentenced to probation and community service after pleading guilty to charges related to the misapplication of casino funds.
U.S. District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp on Monday sentenced 63-year-old John Blackhawk to five years of probation and 150 hours of community service. He also must pay $36,000 in restitution.
Blackhawk pleaded guilty in September to theft from an Indian gaming establishment.
During 2013 and 2014, Blackhawk took unauthorized disbursements from the WinnaVegas Casino and Resort in Sloan, Iowa, totaling $36,000 in the form of gift certificates.
Blackhawk is one of nine former council members accused of a conspiracy to steal money from the casino.
Grassley Criticized For Comments Regarding Tax Reform
WASHINGTON (AP) – A top Republican senator is defending GOP efforts to reduce the hit to the wealthy from the federal estate tax because it helps those who invest rather than people who spend their money on “booze or women or movies.” Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley made the comments late last week in an
interview with the Des Moines Register. “I think not having the estate tax recognizes the people that are investing as opposed to those that are just spending every darn penny they have,
whether it’s on booze or women or movies.” Under current law, when someone dies the estate owes taxes on the value of assets transferred to heirs above $5.5 million for individuals, $11 million for couples. The Senate bill doubles those limits but does not repeal the tax.
Tyson Employees Injured
PERRY, Iowa (AP) – Officials say four workers have been injured in an accident at a Tyson Fresh Meats plant in the central Iowa town of Perry.
The accident occurred around 11:40 a.m. Monday Two of the workers were flown to the burn center at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. The two other workers were treated at the plant. None of their names have been released.
Chief Deputy Adam Infant of the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office says the four appeared to have been burned by steam. He says there was no fire at the plant.
Voter ID Cards Being Mailed
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s top elections official says his office is beginning to mail paper identification cards as part of a new law requiring voters to show ID at the polls.
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate says Monday that 123,000 registered voters will be sent the non-photo ID cards automatically. They’ll go to voters without an Iowa driver’s license or Iowa non-driver’s ID.
The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature passed legislation last spring requiring voters to show acceptable identification at the polls, arguing it’ll maintain election integrity. There’s no evidence of widespread voter fraud in
Iowa.
Acceptable identification will be an Iowa driver’s license, an Iowa non-driver’s ID, a U.S. passport, military identification or veterans ID.
The identification requirement goes into effect in 2019, though voters without acceptable ID in 2018 must sign an oath acknowledging they will need it soon. In 2019, those voters will be offered a provisional ballot.
Radio Station Employees Fired After Making Comments About Ethnic Students
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A northern Iowa radio station has fired a sports announcer and an elementary teacher who worked as a board operator for the station for racial comments about high school basketball players during an online game broadcast. KIMT-TV reports that announcer Orin Harris confirmed he was fired Monday from Forest City radio station KIOW. The station manager for KIOW, Karl Wooldridge, confirmed that two employees were fired Monday. The Forest City School District says it placed teacher Holly Jane Kusserow-Smidt, who worked as a KIOW board operator, on administrative leave. The Associated Press could not immediately reach Harris and Kusserow-Smidt for comment. In a video of last Tuesday’s game between Forest City and Eagle Grove, Harris refers to Eagle Grove boys he believes to be Hispanic because of their names as “foreigners” and says they should “go back where they came from.” Kusserow-Smidt agrees and laughs.
Sanford Hospital To Award One Million Dollar Honor
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – Sanford Health next month will begin accepting nominations for its inaugural Lorraine Cross Award.
The Dakotas-based health system earlier this year announced the $1 million global medical research prize to honor advancements in medicine. The amount rivals that which goes to the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Nominations for the award open Jan. 1 and close Feb. 28. The award will be presented next December, and every other December after that.
Sanford Health is based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Fargo, North Dakota. It bills itself as one of the largest health systems in the nation, with 44 hospitals and nearly 300 clinics in nine states and four countries.
