City Council Seeks Comments On Zoning Childcare Facility Locations
(Le Mars) — Le Mars city officials are wanting comments from the public regarding a proposed change of zoning ordinances involving the placement locations of daycare, child care, and adult care centers. City administrator Scott Langel explains.
Langel says the provisions as they stand now would be a conditional usage.
The city administrator says the city council wants to know whether the zoning rules should be left as they are, or if changes are needed regarding child care establishments.
Langel says child care facilities such as Building Blocks, Guardian Angel, and St. George Day Care Center would be impacted. He says the ruling would certainly affect any future daycare facilities. The city council will discuss the issue during its next scheduled meeting on Tuesday, May 1st and again on May 15th.
Optimist Club and Girl Scouts Host “Super Hero Day”
(Le Mars) — Its Superhero Saturday, today, at the Le Mars Cleveland Park.
The Le Mars Optimist Club, along with the Girl Scout Cadette Troop 114 are hosting a day where families are encouraged to bring their children and meet the local heroes. Angela Buman is the leader of the Girl Scout Troop and explains the purpose of today’s event.
Buman says representatives and officials with the Le Mars Police Department, Le Mars Ambulance, Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, Plymouth County Dive Team, Army National Guard, and veterans with the American Legion will all be on hand for the festivities.
Buman says there will be plenty of games and inflatables at today’s Cleveland
Park activity.
The superhero day begins at 10:00 a.m. this morning and will continue through 1:00 p.m. this afternoon. The event is free of charge. Buman says besides the fun and games and the chance to meet local heroes, there will be free
prizes.
The Girl Scout leader says the four Cadette girl scouts from Gehlen Catholic and Le Mars Community are seeking to earn the Silver Award, by organizing and hosting this event.
Buman says free food will be available for all the participants.
Children are encouraged to wear their favorite superhero costume during today’s Superhero Day at Cleveland Park. That event begins today at 10:00 a.m. and will continue through 1:00 p.m.
Governor Reynolds and Legislature Make Agreement On Tax Cuts
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Republicans in the Iowa Legislature have announced in a late Friday email that they’ve reached an agreement to overhaul the state’s tax system and cut taxes.
Gov. Kim Reynolds says in a press release sent after 5 p.m. that she and other top Republican lawmakers made a “historic” deal that would include cutting individual income taxes and some corporate taxes. Reynolds’ office says a bill is not available for the public to review because it is still being finalized.
Republicans with control of the statehouse have been working behind closed doors to finalize a tax plan along with the next state budget. The press release sent Friday does not provide enough information on the plan’s full cost.
Governor Reynolds Calling For Independent Review Of Finance Director
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she’s ordering an independent review of a state agency where a former director was accused of multiple instances of sexual harassment over years.
Reynolds announced Friday afternoon she and the Attorney General’s Office selected a Des Moines attorney to head an investigation into conduct at the Iowa Finance Authority that is linked to alleged abuse by former director Dave Jamison. The attorney, Mark Weinhardt, will also investigate whether other agency staffers may have known of Jamison’s conduct and whether they responded appropriately.
Reynolds’ announcement comes hours after she rejected calls to
further investigate problems at the agency. Reynolds fired Jamison last month after two employees complained of harassment to the governor’s office.
Reynolds released a complaint Thursday from one of the women alleging Jamison made unwanted sexual advances and comments. Reynolds says in a statement she’s moving forward with an investigation because one of the victims released details recently of the alleged abuse. But Reynolds had also come under criticism for keeping those details secret for more than a month.
Woman Sentenced 10 Years In Prison For Killing Step-father
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A woman accused of killing her stepfather in Des Moines has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The Des Moines Register reports that 30-year-old Sera Alexander was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty in March to involuntary manslaughter and reckless use of a firearm in the May 2017 death of 49-year-old Anthony Hartmann. In exchange, prosecutors dropped a second-degree murder charge against Alexander.
Had Alexander been convicted of the more serious count, she would have faced up to 50 years in prison.
The deal came after a judge refused to let Alexander use Iowa’s new “stand your ground” defense. Her attorney has said family members reported that Hartmann had a history of abuse toward them. Police have said Hartmann didn’t threaten or hurt Alexander immediately before he was shot.
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Scott County Courthouse Shooting Incident
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – Officials in eastern Iowa have released the names of a suspect and bailiff involved in a courthouse shooting.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said Friday in a written statement that Story County Courthouse bailiff Timothy Hutcheson fired a shot from his service weapon as he, another bailiff and a Davenport police officer tried to subdue 29-year-old Adam Demarcus Lafrentz.
Investigators say the officers were responding to a report of a disturbance outside the courthouse when they encountered Lafrentz carrying a blunt object. Officials say Hutcheson fired his gun as the other bailiff used a stun gun on Lafrentz that seemingly had no effect on him.
No one was hit by the gunshot, and Lafrentz was taken into custody. Hutcheson remains on administrative leave.
