Le Mars and Merrill Fire Departments Respond To Roll-over Accident
(Le Mars) — Emergency rescue units responded to a roll-over accident that happened this morning at about 7:55 a.m. The accident occurred at the intersection of County road C-38 and Kesterel Avenue, about four miles southwest of Le Mars. The Le Mars and Merrill Fire and Rescue Departments had to use mechanical jaws of life to extract the driver from the overturned Toyota pickup. Authorities believe the driver may have lost control due in part to the frosty and slick road. The vehicle was heading east on C-38 and going up a hill when they lost control of the vehicle ending in the south ditch. The injured driver
was transported to Floyd Valley Healthcare by the Le Mars Ambulance. Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office and Le Mars Police Department also responded to the accident scene. No word on the condition of the driver. Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the accident.
Plymouth County Authorities Release Information On Accident
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County authorities have released the names of the accident victims from the accident that happened during the early morning of January 19th. The accident occurred at approximately 6:40 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 140 and County road C-38, south of Remsen. According to the accident report filed by the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, a FORD Escape S-U-V, driven by 23 year old Victor Ross of Cherokee, was heading westbound on County Road C-38 when Ross failed to stop or yield to traffic heading northbound on
Highway 140. There are stop signs for east and west bound traffic. The second vehicle, a FORD F-250 Super Duty pickup, was driven by 48 year old, Alex Perez of Kingsley. Perez’s vehicle struck the Ross vehicle on the driver’s side. The collision caused both vehicles to enter the northwest ditch. The Ross vehicle
also struck two utility poles causing damage. Ross suffered critical injuries and was transported first, to Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars, and later was transported via Mercy Air Care medical helicopter to a Sioux City hospital.
Perez had sustained minor injuries and was taken to Floyd Valley Healthcare.
Primghar Man Arrested For Fuel Theft
(Orange City) — Sioux County Sheriff’s Deputies have arrested a Primghar man for an outstanding warrant, as well as for a report of fuel theft. 32-year old Eric Wilborn was arrested on Monday following an investigation into a disabled
vehicle. Upon further investigation, it was discovered Wilborn had an outstanding Sioux County warrant. Additionally, deputies had earlier investigated a theft report of fuel from a Boyden business. Wilborn was a suspect in that incident as well. In addition to the arrest warrant, Wilborn was charged with another count of theft for stealing fuel in Boyden. The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Iowa State Patrol.
Sioux County Inmate Dies While In Jail
(Orange City) — The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of an inmate being held at the Sioux County Jail. The incident happened Sunday evening at approximately 6:30 p.m. Detention officers located an unresponsive inmate in a cell and rendered emergency aid. The rescue efforts were unsuccessful, and the inmate was pronounced dead by the Sioux County Medical Examiner. The name of the inmate is being withheld at this time, and the case
will be investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Orange City Ambulance, and the Orange City Police Department.
Reynolds To Sign Water Quality Bill Today
(Des Moines) — Iowa Republican Governor Kim Reynolds will sign her first bill tomorrow. The governor is scheduled to sign Senate File 512 at a ceremony held in her office beginning at 9:15 a.m.
Senate File 512 pertains to water quality in Iowa. It was passed last week with bipartisan support by the Iowa House of Representatives. The Iowa Senate passed the legislation during the 2017 legislative session. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey says he has wanted a water quality bill since he began
serving as Iowa’s Agriculture Secretary.
Northey says the passed water quality legislation won’t solve all the problems with the state’s water quality issues, but he says it will definitely help.
State Representative Chuck Holz of Le Mars believes the legislature may actually address the bill again later in the session to “tweak” the bill.
Holz explains what the bill will do in terms of improving the state’s water quality.
Senate File 512, the water quality bill, was passed last week on Tuesday.
Convergys Call Center To Close At Sergeant Bluff
SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa (AP) – A Cincinnati-based company is closing a call center in Sergeant Bluff, eliminating about 180 jobs.
Employees of Convergys were notified Tuesday the call center would close in April. The company’s decision means Sergeant
Bluff will lose its largest employer.
Spokeswoman Brooke Beiting called it a business decision that is “something that is helping us serve our customers.”
The company encouraged employees who have lost their jobs to seek positions where they could work from their homes or at other Convergys sites.
The announcement came seven months after Convergys announced it would add about 250 jobs at its Sergeant Bluff location.
Sergeant Bluff Mayor Jon Winkel responded to the closure by saying, “Well, I guess we’ll have to get busy and find somebody else for that building.”
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Teenager Accused Of Stabbing To Death Two Other Teens Says He Wanted His Past Girl Friend To Experience His Pain
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Police say a northwestern Iowa teen accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend and another teen to death has told investigators he wanted the girl “to feel the pain he was feeling.”
18-year-old Tran Walker, of Sioux City, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the early Sunday stabbing deaths of 17-year-old Paiten Sullivan and 18-year-old Felipe Negron Jr., also both of Sioux City. Walker remains jailed on $1 million bail.
Police say Walker was in a car with the other two when he began to stab Sullivan, his ex-girlfriend, because he was upset that she had broken up with him. Police say when Negron tried to intervene, Walker stabbed him, too. Both of the victims died.
Walker’s preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 8.
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Secretary of State Chief of Staff Resigns
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is confirming the recent and abrupt departure of his chief of staff.
The secretary of state’s office tells The Associated Press that Mark Snell’s employment ended Jan. 3. The AP had asked about Snell’s departure three weeks earlier but spokesman Kevin Hall didn’t provide information until Tuesday.
Hall says Snell was an at-will employee, which means he could be fired for any reason. He said no documents exist that would explain the reason for Snell’s departure, and Snell didn’t submit a resignation letter.
Snell had a $132,000-annual salary and had served as the top administrator since Pate took office in 2015. He hasn’t returned a phone message seeking comment.
Pate, a Republican, is gearing up to run for re-election this year.
