Doug Martin Is Named “Teacher of the Year”
(Le Mars) — At an assembly of the Le Mars Community Student Body held today at the Le Mars Community Competition gymnasium, Denise Anthony, a member of the Le Mars Community Foundation Board, along with Carolyn Vance of the Le Mars Community School District Alumni Association announced this year’s “Teacher of the Year-Decades of Excellence Crystal Bell Award” recipient.
Doug Martin, was named as this year’s Le Mars Community School District’s “Teacher of the Year.” The student body gave Martin a standing ovation that lasted for a few minutes. Martin was pleasantly surprised by the announcement when he stood behind the podium to thank his fellow faculty, administration,
students and guests.
Among the special guests gathered to see the award presentation was Martin’s parents. Several students and faculty members, and administration officials extended their congratulations to Martin for his honor. During an interview with
KLEM radio, the science teacher mentioned that he considers himself as an average teacher, and mentioned he was speechless after receiving the recognition.
Martin, who has been teaching for more 25 years, says his philosophy on education is to allow the student to make the discovery.
A few years ago, the Le Mars Community School District started a robotics club, which Martin assists with the supervision. He says the students have really taken a huge interest in participating with the school’s robotics.
Martin has suffered some health-related setbacks lately, first having a stroke, and then being diagnosed with cancer. Despite that, he enjoys teaching, and doesn’t let anything stand in his way from teaching Le Mars Community students.
Martin was nominated for this award by numerous past and present students parents, administrators, and colleagues. The Decades of Excellence Crystal Bell award is co-sponsored by the LCSD Foundation and the LCS Alumni Association. The
award is presented annually to honor outstanding teachers who have dedicated their careers to the education of our children. The presentation of the Decades of Excellence – Crystal Bell Award will be made during the School Foundation Banquet scheduled for April 25th.
Kluckhohn School Evacuated For Possible Natural Gas Leak
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Community Kluckhohn elementary students had evacuated the school building today during the lunch hour, as Le Mars firefighters and officials from Mid-American Energy were called to investigate a possible natural
gas leak. According to Dave Schipper, Le Mars Fire Chief, he says nothing was found. Firefighters used special monitors to thoroughly check the building. Schipper says they looked at all the gas lines, including on top of the roof, but were not able to determine the origin of the odor. Schipper says the monitors
all indicated a zero presence of natural gas within the area, in and around the elementary school building. Firefighters were on the scene for a little more than an hour. The students returned to classes shortly after the firefighters had left the scene.
Legislators Approve “Sanctuary” Bill”
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa lawmakers have approved a bill that bans so-called sanctuary cities by withholding state funds from local governments that don’t comply with immigration laws.
The Republican-controlled Iowa Senate voted 28-18 along party lines Wednesday night for the measure. It follows a 55-45 vote Tuesday in the GOP-led state House, where one Democrat voted for the bill and five Republicans voted against it.
The bill heads to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has indicated she’ll sign it into law.
The primary focus of the legislation is on “sanctuary cities,” a catch-all label for jurisdictions that limit local involvement in federal immigration enforcement. Iowa has no sanctuary cities.
The bill has other provisions that include instructing local governments not to enact policies that prohibit or discourage enforcing immigration laws.
Supporters say the bill is about enforcing the law, though authorities say they already follow immigration laws. Community organizers believe the legislation opens the state to litigation and could lead to racial profiling.
Autopsies Indicate Iowa Family Died From Propane Gas In Mexico
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Mexican official says autopsies show the gas that killed an Iowa family was propane that leaked from a faulty water heater at their rented condominium in Mexico.
Investigator Christopher Martinez with the attorney general’s office for the state of Quintana Roo told The Des Moines Register on Wednesday that the water heater had rusted in the humid climate.
Services were held Saturday in Creston for 41-year-old Kevin Sharp and his wife, 38-year-old Amy Sharp, and their children, 12-year-old Sterling and 7-year-old Adrianna. Their bodies were found March 23 inside the condo in the resort town of Tulum.
Amy Sharp’s cousin Jana Weland said Wednesday that relatives know the water heater was the suspected source but that U.S. and Mexican officials hadn’t yet said what type of gas the Sharps inhaled.
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Judge Rules Against Corbett As Candidate For Governor
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A judge has ruled that former Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett won’t appear as a candidate for Iowa governor on Republican primary ballots.
The decision Thursday clears the way for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who will be the only GOP candidate in the June 5 contest. Six Democrats and two Libertarians are also running for governor.
A state elections panel voted 2-1 last week to reject Corbett’s ballot petition because he fell eight names short of the 4,005 required. Corbett had filed a lawsuit in Polk County district court challenging the decision.
District Judge David May said the panel was correct to not count signatures that had been crossed-through by the campaign.
Corbett had told reporters he’d “grab my gym bag and head for the locker room” if he lost.
