Authorities Release Information On Vehicle Accidents
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County authorities have released the information regarding the Monday morning accident that happened at the junction of 250th Street and Lake Avenue. The accident happened at about 8:05 a.m. approximately three miles
southeast of Merrill. According to the accident report, 53 year old Shelly Stabe of Merrill was driving northbound on Lake Avenue entering the intersection of Lake Avenue and 250th street. Meanwhile the second vehicle, being driven by 17 year old Melinda Zubrod of Merrill was heading east on 250th Street. The Stabe vehicle struck the side of the Zubrod vehicle, after Zubrod admitted to failure to stop at a posted stop sign. Both vehicles ended up in the northeast corner ditch. Stabe was transported to the Unity Point-St. Lukes hospital in Sioux City, by the Hinton Ambulance. Zubrod and an 11-year old passenger in the Zubrod
vehicle traveled to St. Lukes by private vehicle. They both suffered minor injuries.
Vehicle Slides Off Road On Highway 3
(Remsen) — A second accident happened Monday morning on Highway 3, just about a quarter of a mile west of Remsen. The Iowa State Patrol investigated the one- vehicle accident. 43 year old Tammy Nilles of Remsen lost control of her vehicle
when she hit a patch of ice on the roadway. Nilles broke off a “No Passing Zone” sign, and entered the south ditch. Nilles had only minor injuries. The accident happened at about 8:15 a.m. Monday morning.
Farmers’ Cooperative Association of Craig Gives Donations To Educational Entities
(Le Mars) — Three separate entities are the benefactors of donations made Tuesday morning by the Farmers’ Cooperative Elevator of Craig. A total of $8,500 was donated. Doug Schurr, the general manager of the grain elevator says the board of directors wants to help support local efforts that focus on education, and especially agriculture education.
The organizations that received donations include the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee with its agricultural education display, “aROUND the farm in the BARN.” Jordan Sitzmann is the Vice President of the Chamber of
Commerce Agriculture Division, and received the contribution of $1,500.
Doug Schurr, left presents a check for $1,500 to Jordan Sitzmann of the Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee for the “aROUND the farm in the BARN.”
Four students, along with instructor Paul Fischer of the Le Mars Community High School Technical and Industrial organization accepted a donation of $2,000 from the Craig Cooperative Elevator.
Pictured from left to right: Clayton Luschen and Kaden Ostermyer, both juniors, Doug Schurr, Paul Fischer, Dawson Poeckes and Michael Johnson, both seniors.
The final donation was given to the Siouxland Ag in the Classroom. Accepting the $5,000 donation was Siouxland Ag in the Classroom board member, Shirley Schroeder of Remsen.
Shirley Schroeder, right, of the Siouxland Ag In The Classroom, accepts a donation of $5,000 from Doug Schurr.
Schurr says in years past, the Farmers’ Cooperative Elevator has donated money to area FFA chapters, as well as, to local fire departments.
Governor Reynolds Signs “No Shame Lunch Bill”
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa children should no longer face so-called “lunch shaming” in school cafeterias under a new law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Reynolds announced Tuesday that she signed the bill, which lawmakers approved unanimously.
Iowa is following the lead of several other states that have passed similar legislation banning staff from throwing away meals that were already served or publicly identifying students whose parents owe money.
Iowa schools are encouraged, but not required, to provide meals to students who can’t pay for them. Many students living in poverty can receive free meals through a federal program, and schools will expand efforts to sign up those who qualify.
Schools will also be able to accept private donations to pay off unpaid meal debts. The bill didn’t include any new funding.
Iowa Senate Updates Employee Handbook To Address Sexual Misconduct
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Lawmakers in the Iowa Senate have updated employee policies and ethics rules to better address allegations of sexual misconduct and
other harassment within their half of the state Capitol.
The Republican-controlled chamber held last-minute procedural votes Tuesday amid the expected final days of the legislative session.
The changes are a culmination of growing public scrutiny over how the Iowa Capitol, particularly Senate Republicans, should handle such allegations. Last year, the state agreed to pay $1.75 million to a former Senate GOP staffer who says she was fired after reporting misconduct in the office that included the use
of sexually explicit language.
The chamber’s updated employee handbook expands the process for how people who work in and around the Senate can report misconduct. Democrats and Republicans say the changes add clarity.
Pate Fails To Disclose Association With Business
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate did not disclose his role in a new corporation that has recently spent around $2 million to open a storage rental business and purchase a strip mall.
In an ethics filing last week, Pate affirmed that the only outside business in which he engaged during 2017 was the eastern Iowa asphalt paving company he has long owned.
But business and government records reviewed by The Associated Press show Pate formed a company days before the 2016 presidential election, PRG Group LLC, and it worked throughout 2017 to open a new mini-storage business in Cedar
Rapids. In a February filing, Pate called himself its “managing partner.”
An aide said Tuesday that Pate was “preparing a response” to questions about the matter.
Des Moines Woman Charged With Death Of Son
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Des Moines woman has been charged for the death of her 6-month-old son.
Court records say 33-year-old Latyia Johnson was arrested Monday and is charged with child endangerment resulting in death. The records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for her.
Medics were sent in January to a Des Moines motel where she and her little boy were staying. He died later at a hospital. An autopsy report on him showed high levels of an ingredient found in allergy medications and sleep aids.
The records say Johnson initially told officers that she’d awakened early on Jan. 24 to find her son unresponsive. She acknowledged Monday that she’d given him more than an adult level of an allergy medication and a children’s pain
reliever.
