Home News Saturday News, February 17th

Saturday News, February 17th

Le Mars Police Investigates Report Of Gun Seen On Monday Evening

(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Police have released additional information regarding the report of a suspicious person seen carrying a handgun on Monday evening.
Shortly after 6:00 p.m. the Le Mars Police was dispatched to the 800 block of 2nd Avenue S.W. After investigating this incident, it was determined that a resident who lives in the area was carrying an Air Soft Gun. Although the gun looked realistic, there was no intent to harm anyone, nor were any laws violated. The Le Mars Police Department now considers the case is closed.

 

 

More Cases of Salmonella Reported From Fareway Chicken Salad

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Public health officials say 28 people in Iowa have been sickened by chicken salad sold at Fareway grocery stores and another 66 illnesses are probably linked to the product.
The Iowa Department of Public Health is advising consumers to throw away any chicken salad bought at Fareway produced between Dec. 15 and Feb. 13 and sold in plastic deli containers with a Fareway store deli label.
The chicken salad was produced and packaged by a third party for the Boone, Iowa-based grocery chain that has more than 100 stores in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota.
Fareway voluntarily stopped selling the product on Feb. 2.
Salmonella, a bacterial illness, can cause diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. Some people develop severe symptoms that require hospitalization.

 

 

State Representative Chip Baltimore Pleas Guilty To OWI And Possession of Firearm

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa lawmaker has pleaded guilty to operating while intoxicated and possession of a dangerous weapon.
Rep. Francis “Chip” Baltimore, a Boone Republican, entered the written plea Friday in Story County District Court. The maximum penalty for each count is a year in jail, but Baltimore’s plea notes an agreement with prosecutors that he receive a year’s probation and pay fees and civil penalties of $1,815.
Baltimore, an attorney, was arrested last month in Ames near Interstate 35. His blood alcohol tested out at nearly twice the legal limit to drive, and a pistol was found under the driver’s seat.
He was subsequently removed as chairman of the House judiciary committee, but retains his elected seat.

 

 

Reynolds Introduces Tax Income Plan

(Des Moines) — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds introduced her new tax bracket plan this week, and Republican State Representative Chuck Holz of Le Mars says the governor hopes to lower taxes by $1.7 billion dollars over a course of time.
Holz offers his comments on the tax income proposal.

Holz says the ultimate goal is to have individuals and families pay less taxes.

The Le Mars lawmaker says the first legislative funnel was on Friday.

Holz says he, and State Senator Jim Carlin, will hold town hall meetings next Saturday, February 24th at Moville, Kingsley, Pierson, and Remsen.

 

 

Supreme Court Says Surrogate Mother Is Not Legal Parent Of Baby

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court says the surrogate mother of an 18-month-old girl is not legally the child’s parent.
The opinion issued Friday means the girl remains with the Cedar Rapids couple raising her. The child will not be turned over to the woman who gave birth to her.
It’s the first time the state’s highest court determined surrogacy
contracts in Iowa can be enforced.
The court says if the contracts were nullified it “would deprive
infertile couples of the opportunity to raise their own biological children.”
The case centers on Paul and Chantele Montover of Cedar Rapids. They agreed to pay $13,000 to a Muscatine woman who wanted to keep the baby.
The court concluded Paul Montover, as the baby’s biological father, gets permanent custody.

 

 

Adopted Brother Of Girl That Died From Malnutrition Pleas Guilty To Willful Injury 

ADEL, Iowa (AP) – The adoptive brother of a 16-year-old girl who died of malnutrition in her family home has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to seriously injuring her before her death.
The Des Moines Register reports that 22-year-old Justin Ray pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of willful injury. In exchange, prosecutors dropped two counts of child endangerment against him.
Police have said Ray “drop-kicked” Sabrina Ray down basement stairs sometime between April 15 and May 1, leaving her unable to walk, talk, eat or drink normally.
The girl’s body was found May 12 in the Perry home she shared with her adoptive parents, who face first-degree murder and other charges. The girl weighed just 56 pounds (25 kilograms) at the time of her death.

 

 

Two Injured Following Waterloo Duplex Fire

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say two men suffered minor injuries after a fire broke out in a Waterloo duplex.
Waterloo Battalion Chief Mike Moore says smoke alarms awakened at least one of the residents around 1:20 a.m. Friday, and she alerted other people in the building. The two men were treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation and minor burns. Two other occupants were not injured.
Firefighters limited the flames inside to just the bedroom where the fire began, but there was considerable damage to the front of the structure.
The fire cause is being investigated.

 

 

Agricultural Economist Optimistic About Pork Outlook

(Le Mars) — Those pork producers may be interested in knowing the price outlook for hogs for the next few months. Steve Meyer, an economist with Kerns and Associates of Ames says 2018 looks good for pork producers. He says 2017 was
better than expected.

Meyer says pork producers have had good market prices, which is also due to lower input costs, mainly with feed.

Pork exports account for nearly 25 percent of the market for hogs and pork products, with Mexico and Canada accounting for a large share of that market, but with negotiations happening with the North American Free Trade Agreement,
can pork producers count on exports to remain strong?

The agricultural economists says the export outlook could change if trade negotiations fail.

In past years, the oriental nations of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China, and Viet Nam have all been good buyers of U-S pork. However, President Trump killed the proposed Pacific Partners Trade agreement. How much did that action hurt
the U-S pork producer?

Meyer was a speaker at the Iowa Pork Congress held in Des Moines.