Chamber Agriculture Committee Celebrates National Agriculture Week with Ag Business Luncheon
(Le Mars) — This is National Agriculture Week, and the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce will host the annual Ag Business Luncheon today at the Le Mars Convention Center. A chamber coffee hosted by Plymouth County Farm Bureau
beginning at 9:30 a.m. will kick off the days events. At 10:30 Mark Porter the Cheif Operating Officer for the new pork processing facility, Seaboard Triumph Foods will speak, The catered meal by M’s Catering will start at 11:30 a.m. The
Chamber Agriculture Committee will name its Outstanding Service to Agriculture Award, as well as the recipient of the FFA scholarship. Mitch Holthus, the “Voice of the NFL Kansas City Chief” will speak at noon. Holthus says he was
raised on a Kansas farm.
The N-F-L football play-by-play announcer says he feels a responsibility to share the story of agriculture.
Door prize drawing will take place. Tickets for the Ag Business Luncheon are $15.
Woodbury County Wants To Set Up Mental Health Services By Themselves
(Le Mars) — For nearly a year a feud has been developing over the mental health services provided to the people within the Sioux Rivers Regional Mental Health. On one side is Plymouth and Sioux Counties, and on the other side is Woodbury County. The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors had voted to withdraw from the Sioux Rivers Mental Health program leaving Plymouth and Sioux to be the remaining counties within the region. The Iowa Department of Human Services had
delayed their decision as to whether or not to allow Woodbury County to leave.
Woodbury County has asked to join the seven-county region Rolling Hills Mental Health, but that appears to not have gone through, so now, Woodbury County is asking state officials if they could provide mental health services on their own
as a stand alone county region for at least a year. Woodbury County will leave the Sioux Rivers Regional Mental Health on June 30th. Plymouth County Supervisor, Mark Loutsch serves as the chairman for the Sioux Rivers Mental
Health.
He says although the entire budget will be cut, Loutsch says Woodbury County’s departure should not interrupt services for those individuals needing mental health services.
Hawarden Man Violates Probation Terms and Sentenced To Prison
(Orange City) — A Hawarden man has been sentenced to prison for violating the terms of his probation. Sioux County Attorney, Thomas Kunstle announced that 20 year old Heriberto Armenta-Robles was sentenced on Monday for previously being
convicted of burglary in the third degree, a class D felony. The case dates back to December 17th of 2014, when police had learned Armenta-Robles broke into a bar in Hawarden, entering and stealing approximately 100 bottles of hard liquor. On
February 22nd of 2016, Armenta-Robles was given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to successfully complete three years of probation. During that probation, the State filed applications to revoke such probation alleging Armenta -Robles violated such terms by testing positive for marijuana, failing to meet
with his probation officer, failing to complete a substance abuse evaluation, not maintaining employment, and failing to pay his court ordered fines. The Sioux County District Court revoked Armena-Robles’ probation and imposed the previously
suspended prison term. Armenta-Robles was taken into immediate custody and ordered to serve his five year prison term.
Arsonist To Plead Guilty To Setting Fire To Historic Bridge Of Madison County
WINTERSET, Iowa (AP) – The last of three people charged has pleaded guilty to setting a fire that destroyed a Madison County covered bridge featured on the cover of the novel “The Bridges of Madison County.”
Records say 18-year-old Alexander Hoff entered the plea Monday in Winterset. His sentencing is scheduled for April 23.
Prosecutors say he, Alivia Bergmann and Joel Davis set fire to the Cedar Bridge in April last year. Bergmann and Davis have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
The bridge near Winterset also was featured in the 1995 movie adaptation of “The Bridges of Madison County.”
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Democratic Congressional Candidate Misses Filing Deadline
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A popular Democrat seeking to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. David Young in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District has failed to qualify for the primary after a last-minute effort to resubmit paperwork fell short.
Businesswoman Theresa Greenfield says she resubmitted petition signatures Friday to be on the June 5 ballot after her now former campaign manager admitted forging some signatures. The signature deadline was Friday, leading staff for
some Democratic campaigns to help collect signatures in a one-day sprint.
The Iowa Secretary of State’s Office announced Monday that Greenfield submitted fewer than the required 1,790 signatures.
Greenfield had endorsements from several labor organizations. She appeared recently on a Time magazine cover for a story spotlighting women seeking political office.
Other Democrats seeking the nomination are Cindy Axne, Pete D’Alessandro and Eddie Mauro. Libertarian Bryan Jack Holder also is running.
Five Year Old Iowa Girl Drowns In Big Sioux River At Sioux Falls
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – Sioux Falls police say a 5-year-old Iowa girl who drowned in a river in a Sioux Falls park had reached out to touch the foam near some waterfalls when she slipped into the water.
Police spokesman Sam Clemens said Monday Maggie Jo Zaiger, of Audubon, Iowa, fell into the Big Sioux River in Falls Park near a pedestrian bridge Sunday, a spot not far from where two others drowned in 2013.
Sioux Falls parks and recreation director Don Kearney says after the 2013 deaths, the city upgraded its caution signs to warn adults to keep close watch on young children, among other things. Kearney says the foam is a naturally occurring phenomenon created by phosphorus and the agitated water.
He says the city considered installing barricades near the falls, but felt that would create a false sense of security.
Cattlemen Name Top Ten Burgers In The State
AMES, Iowa – Iowans submitted nearly 9,200 nominations between February 12 – March 12 to kick off the quest to find the best burger in Iowa. Nominations were accepted online by the the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. The number of votes each restaurant received determined the 2018 Top Ten restaurants. The restaurants making the Top Ten list (in alphabetical order) include:
BurgerFiend, Cedar Rapids
Cafe Beaudelaire, Ames
The IowaStater Restaurant, Ames
Moo’s BBQ, Newton
Morgan’s Corner, Ottumwa
Rides Bar & Grill, Fort Dodge
Robin’s Nest Cafe, Clarinda (formerly Vaughn’s Cafe and Bakery)
Saucy Focaccia, Cedar Rapids
The Twisted Tail Steakhouse, Logan (BeeBeeTown)
Wrangling Grace Cafe, Bancroft
“Iowa has over 27,000 beef producers, and this contest is a great way to celebrate the beef they produce and the impact they have on Iowa,” says Katie Olthoff, Director of Communications for the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association.
To qualify, the burger must be a 100% beef patty or patties, although other ingredients may be added such as spices, and served on a bun or bread product. Burgers may include any combination of condiments, sauces, cheese or toppings.
“We moved all of the voting to online this year and set a new record with over 700 restaurants receiving at least one nomination,” comments Brooke German, Director of Marketing for the Iowa Beef Industry Council. “In total, we had over 300 towns and cities across Iowa represented which proves that there are a lot of great tasting burgers all across the state.”
Seven restaurants are new to the contest’s Top 10 list and include: BurgerFiend, Cedar Rapids; Cafe Beaudelaire, Ames; Iowa Stater Restaurant, Ames; Moo’s BBQ, Newton; Morgan’s Corner, Ottumwa; The Twisted Tail Steakhouse, Logan; and Wrangling Grace Cafe, Bancroft.
Returning contestants include: Ride’s Bar and Grill, Fort Dodge; Robin’s Nest Cafe, Clarinda (formerly Vaughn’s Cafe and Bakery); and Saucy Focaccia, Cedar Rapids.
Last year’s winner was the Hereford BBQ located at Storm Lake.
