County Prepared To Take Family To Court Over Collected Salvage
(Le Mars) — A Plymouth County family that has collected old salvage is being told to clean up their property, or face court action by the county. Gladys and Justin Harms reside in Washington township at 18083 Iris Avenue, west of LeMars.
The matter was brought to the attention earlier this week, to the Board of Supervisors, by Plymouth County Zoning Administrator, Alan Lucken.
Lucken says the county zoning board was also made aware of the situation, and they too, believe court action is now required in order to resolve the matter.
Lucken says the fine for failure to clean up the property is set at $750 per day, for each day the junk remains at the site. Lucken describes the scene with the salvage junk that has been collected over time located at the Harms farm.
The county zoning administrator says the county ordinance defines what is considered to be junk, as well as it specifically forbids the collection of junk.
photos contributed.
Lucken says the family in question are not salvage dealers.
Gehlen Catholic To Receive $1000 Grant From Staples Foundation
(Le Mars) — Gehlen Catholic School has been awarded $1,000 by Staples Foundation, the private charitable arm of Staples, Inc., through a program called 2 Million & Change that allows Staples associates around the globe to direct more than $2 million in donations each year.
The grant will be used by Gehlen Catholic’s 5th & 6th Grade Science Instructor, Mr. Nathan Sexe of Sioux Center, to purchase 5 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) kits.
Gehlen Catholic President, Rev. Bruce A. Lawler, pointed to research included in the Staples grant proposal, which revealed there are 3.4 STEM jobs for every 1 qualified college graduate currently in Iowa. STEM careers are among the highest paid & in the greatest demand in the US. The goal of STEM is to increase achievement to ensure Iowa’s leadership in education & workforce development.
Hill Re-elected As President Of Iowa Farm Bureau Federation
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – Craig Hill of Ackworth was re-elected president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) for a two-year term at the organization’s 99th Annual Meeting in Des Moines.
Hill has served as IFBF president since 2011. His Farm Bureau
leadership began with the Warren County Farm Bureau before being elected as the District 8 representative on the state board in 1989, and he later served as IFBF vice president from 2001-2011. As IFBF president, Hill serves as chairman of the board of FBL Financial Group, Inc., and Farm Bureau Life Companies. In
addition, he serves on the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) board of directors. Hill grows corn and soybeans and raises livestock on his Warren County farm.
Audit Shows Misappropriation of Funds At Animal Shelter
OSKALOOSA, Iowa (AP) – A state audit of a south-central Iowa animal shelter has identified more than $13,000 in improper spending.
The audit report released Friday says the special investigation of the Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter in Oskaloosa found improper personal purchases by the shelter’s former director, Lindsey Sime, who used shelter credit cards.
Court documents say Sime pleaded guilty to theft and unauthorized use of a credit card. On Oct. 23 she was given a suspended prison sentence of two years, two years of probation and was ordered to pay more than $8,600 in restitution, fines and other costs.
Cedar Falls Police Officers Training To Be Firefighters
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) – Some police officers in northeastern Iowa are being cross-trained as firefighters to expand public safety coverage.
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that all Cedar Falls police officers hired after July 1, 2016, are required to cross-train in firefighting to become public safety officers. But the city will still have a force of career firefighters and police officers.
Public safety officials say the cross-training is so the city can always have full-time firefighters available and to increase efficiency. Public safety officers arrive early and suppress fires until the full-time crew arrives.
The city hasn’t hired any full-time firefighters since July 1, 2016.
Critics question the cutback on full-time firefighter staffing, which has yet to be defined.
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