Home News Thursday News, February 22nd

Thursday News, February 22nd

Good Samaritan Society To Hold “Spring Fling” Tonight

(Le Mars) — Good Samaritan Society of Le Mars will hold its annual “Spring Fling” fund raising event this evening at the Le Mars Convention Center. Darci Athens with Good Samaritan says the event is to help raise money for the retirement center.

Athens say the retirement center hopes to raise $600,000.
Tonight’s “Spring Fling” will have a Classic Rock music theme with Le Mars native turned professional announcer Eddie Webb and Teresa Petty of American Bank serve as the emcees. The event will feature a fashion style show, along with a silent auction.

 

 

Gehlen Dancers Selected For All Iowa Dance Team

(Le Mars) — Two Gehlen Catholic dancers, senior, Carlyn Bretey, the daughter of Dr. Keith & Mrs. Teri Bretey of LeMars, & sophomore, Sydney Logan, daughter of Rick & Tammy Logan of LeMars, were selected for the 2018 All Iowa Honor Dance
Team.
The All Iowa Honor Dance Team is making its 36 appearance at the Iowa High School Girls’ State Basketball Tournament, on March 3rd.
In the fall of 2017, over 600 dancers, boys & girls, auditioned for the 224 spots on this year’s team. To compete, the schools had to be members of the Iowa State Dance & Drill Team Association.
In August of 2017, the dancers attended the tryouts over 2 days. Gehlen Catholic’s dancers attended the second day.

Senior, Carlyn Bretey, added, “We had to learn 2 routines in 2 hours. After the training, groups of 15 girls auditioned in front of the judges simultaneously.
Each judge adjudicated 3 dancers simultaneously.”
The judges selected this year’s All Iowa Dance Team members. All of the dancers were selected for the pom routine. The judges then ascertained which dancers would also perform the kick routine.
The judges then selected 50 dancers to perform for both the pre-game, in conjunction with the National Anthem, on the 2nd & 3rd.

This is both Carlyn & Sydney’s first year as members of the All Iowa Dance Team.
Carlyn will perform the pom routine. Sydney will perform the kick routine.

photo contributed.

 

 

Orange City Residents Upset Over LBGQT Material In Library

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) – Residents in Orange City are fighting over a petition that calls on the public library to separate material dealing with LGBTQ issues and to request public input before acquiring such material.
Some residents expressed support during a meeting Tuesday for the Orange City Public Library’s inclusion of LGBTQ materials. Other residents shared reservations.
The petition was started by Terry Chi, an assistant professor of
psychology at a local Christian liberal arts college. He says the petition isn’t asking that the material be banned, only labeled and separated. He says there also should be a public discussion before new material is acquired.
Iowa Library Association’s President-Elect Dan Chibnall says libraries tend to avoid special labels. He says people should have access to as much material as possible.
The library’s board says its policy committee will review public input.

 

 

Senate Republicans Introduce Tax Bill

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Senate Republicans have released a plan they say would cut more than $1 billion annually in taxes, though it’s unclear how much support the measure has from other members of the party.
The proposal, released Wednesday in a bill, would cut Iowa’s corporate tax rates, including reducing the top rate from 12 percent to 7 percent.
Individual tax rates would also be cut, including reducing the top rate from 8.98 percent to 6.3 percent. The measure phases out some tax credits that have gradually increased in recent years.
A Senate subcommittee will discuss the bill Thursday. The measure faces several legislative votes.
GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds released a tax plan recently that would cut individual taxes but doesn’t address corporate taxes or tax credits, in part because of revenue shortfalls. House Republicans have indicated they support at least some portions of Reynolds’ proposal. State Senator Randy Feenstra of Hull
serves as the chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. He says he is prepared to debate the bill’s strong points on today.

 

 

Ames School District To Have Students Participate In Active Shooter Training

AMES, Iowa (AP) – The Ames district plans to begin including students in school shooter safety drills.
Des Moines television station KCCI reports that district officials have not included students in past drills for fear the drills might be traumatizing. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting that killed 17 people in Parkland, Florida, changed the Ames officials’ minds: Their students must be ready for
anything.
The school district works with the Ames Police Department to provide what’s known as A.L.I.C.E. training: alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate.

 

 

Salmonella Poisoning Spreading To Five States

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The federal government is recalling chicken salad made by an Iowa processing company and distributed by Fareway Stores which has now sickened people in five states.
The Iowa Department of Public Health says it has linked 115 cases of salmonella-related illnesses to the chicken salad sold by the Iowa-based grocery store chain and made at Triple T Specialty Meats Inc. of Ackley, Iowa.
Officials in South Dakota report two illnesses and Nebraska, Minnesota and Illinois report one case each linked to the chicken salad. It was sold in plastic deli containers with a Fareway store deli label.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued the recall Wednesday.
Lawsuits have been filed in Iowa state court and in federal court by residents from Illinois and South Dakota.

 

 

Congressman Blum Fails To Acknowledge Business Ties

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A congressman from Iowa says he made an “administrative oversight” by failing to disclose his ownership of a company that uses his chief of staff in a false testimonial for its services.
Republican Rep. Rod Blum said in a statement Wednesday that he has amended his personal financial disclosure form to list his role as director of Tin Moon Corp. He said he would also list the company as an asset valued at $700.
The moves came hours after The Associated Press reported that Blum violated House ethics rules by failing to list his ties to Tin Moon on his form.
Tin Moon’s website on Tuesday removed an official photo of Blum wearing his congressional pin and changed his title from CEO to “majority shareholder.”
But the company hasn’t removed a false video testimonial showing Blum chief of staff John Ferland posing as a satisfied customer.