Part 3 – National EMT Week – Ambulance Services Face Challenges
(Le Mars) — We conclude our three-part series looking at local ambulance services during this National EMT Week. Too many times, ambulance services lose money when transporting patients that are either Medicare or Medicaid patients. Bill Rosacker, the director of the Le Mars Ambulance Service says
it happens frequently.
Rosacker says several ambulance services across the country are re-defining their non-emergency calls where they will not transport a Medicare or Medicaid patient.
The Le Mars Ambulance Service Director says in the future, there may be some funding from the federal government provided to ambulance services to help offset the financial losses when transporting a Medicare or Medicaid patient.
As we indicated during our first part of this series, the state legislature has been made aware of the problems facing community ambulance services, but so far, no action has been taken. According to Rosacker, he believes lawmakers will need to address the concerns of ambulance services, and do so
fairly quickly.
The problem with available ambulance services is not limited to only small rural communities. Sioux City recently lost its contracted ambulance service, Siouxland Paramedics, due to financial reimbursement concerns.
Rosacker says there have been some positive news come from Plymouth County in terms of community ambulance services. He says Oyens is enrolling a volunteer in the EMT training course, and Merrill has had a couple of nurses step up and serve on the ambulance staff, while two other volunteers are looking into participating in an EMT training.
Spirit Lake Man Drowns While FishingÂ
SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa (AP) – The body of a 71-year-old fisherman has been recovered from East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa.
The body of Wayne Krogman, of Spirit Lake, was found just after 4 a.m. Thursday.
A news release from the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office says Krogman had been fishing Wednesday in waters near the spillway at the north end of the lake. His wife became concerned when he did not return home. She found his truck at the fish hatchery, but could not find him.
The Spirit Lake Police Department arrived around 1 a.m. Thursday to look for Krugman, and a rescue team soon followed.
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Moville Bank Robber Faces Federal Charges
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A man sentenced to 10 years in an Iowa prison has been charged in federal court with bank robbery.
43-year-old Brendon Reed was charged Tuesday. It’s unclear whether he’s retained a lawyer for the new case.
Authorities say he robbed United Bank of Iowa in Moville of nearly $14,000 on March 30. He was apprehended later that day after crashing a stolen car during a chase by officers near Salix.
He pleaded guilty last month to theft.
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Iowa State Patrol To Enforce “CARE” During Memorial Day Weekend
(Des Moines) — This Memorial Day weekend, the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Iowa State Patrol will have increased patrol efforts on Iowa roadways with the main focus on speed and distracted driving. The Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort, or CARE, is a national effort to increase
officer presence on interstate and U-S highways across the nation during specific high crash periods. Last year, during the three-day Memorial Day holiday weekend, two people were killed on Iowa roadways. As of today, 106 fatalities have occurred on Iowa roads, with nearly 30 percent of those being
unbuckled. Motorists are encouraged, as always, to obey the posted speed limits and buckle up. Troopers will also be on the lookout for distracted driving and impaired drivers. The Iowa State Patrol wants to keep Iowa’s roadways safe and save lives.
Gehlen Catholic Art Department Assists With Round Barn Exhibit
(Le Mars) — In an effort to show appreciation for their assistance with the “aROUND the farm in the BARN” agricultural education exhibit, featured inside the famous round barn at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds, the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Committee presented a check to the Gehlen
Catholic Art Department.
Jordan Sitzmann, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Division said, “This year we will be celebrating the round barn’s 100th anniversary, and Gehlen Catholic’s Art Department helped create a background scene featuring a traditional barn and silo, with animals that will serve as
part of our children’s interactive area.” Sitzmann continued, “The theme for this year is focusing on the many different unique, and characteristic, barns located within Plymouth County.”
Sitzmann presented Gehlen Catholic Art Instructor, Beth Schlichte with a check amounting to $250.
“The Chamber Agriculture Committee is grateful for the Gehlen Catholic art department with assisting with the round barn agricultural education exhibit, and I know the barn scene will be admired by many of the round barn visitors,” said Sitzmann. “The barn background scene will be used for many
years inside the famous round barn,” said Sitzmann.
Gehlen Catholic Art Instructor, Beth Schlichte says the gift is appreciative, and will be used to help purchase art supplies for the Gehlen Catholic students.
Naig Makes Stop In Le Mars
(Le Mars) — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig made a stop in Le Mars on Thursday, and as we approach the end of May, the agriculture secretary says many farmers in northern Iowa are still seeing delays with this year’s planting. He says farmers were initially slowed down due to the cool and wet
conditions in April, now they are falling behind due to persistent rains.
Naig says his own farm located in Palo Alto County is still not finished with planting. Corn yields tend to start to drop off when planting is performed following May 20th. Naig was asked, due to the delayed planting schedule, if farmers are switching what was originally intended for corn acres, and now instead planting those acres to soybeans?
The Iowa Agriculture Secretary says with the prolonged spring planting, this fall’s harvest may be stretched out as well. Naig says it will depend upon what type of summer we have, and how many growing-degree days occur, as to whether the late planted crop will be able to catch up, and if the late
planted seed will be able to adequately mature.
Naig is in a five-way primary race for the Iowa Agriculture Secretary position. He had served as the Deputy Agriculture Secretary under Bill Northey, and was appointed the position of Iowa Agriculture Secretary by Governor Kim Reynolds.
Boulton Suspends Governor Campaign
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A popular Democratic candidate in Iowa’s crowded race for governor is suspending his campaign, after a newspaper reported three women had accused him of sexual misconduct.
Des Moines state Sen. Nate Boulton announced Thursday that he’s leaving the race. The allegations appeared in The Des Moines Register on Wednesday.
The women have said Boulton touched them inappropriately during separate incidents.
One woman alleges Boulton repeatedly grabbed her buttocks at a bar in 2015. Two other women said he rubbed his clothed crotch against them more than a decade ago.
Boulton hasn’t denied the accusations but argues the alleged
incidents didn’t equate more serious instances of misconduct. He apologized to the women in a statement.
Boulton’s departure comes less than two weeks before the June 5 Democratic primary for governor.
Woman Tries To Run Over Person Believing Bike Was Stolen
CARTER LAKE, Iowa (AP) – A western Iowa woman has been charged with attempted murder, accused of trying to run over another woman because, she said, she believed the victim was riding a stolen bike.
The Omaha World-Herald reports that 51-year-old Tammy Oberg is being held on $65,000 bond following the Tuesday night incident.
Police say a woman reported that she had been riding her bike when she was chased down by Oberg, who used the car to pin the bike to a fence.
Police say Oberg later told officers she believed the bike was stolen, and took matters into her own hands. Police say Oberg also told officers she had given the bike and the victim’s cellphone away, but police found them in her home.
Carter Lake sits on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River surrounded by Omaha following an 1877 shift in the river, but it remains part of Iowa.
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Council Bluffs Woman Given Probation After Attempting To Claim Lottery Winnings For Underaged Daughter
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A Council Bluffs woman who tried to help her underage daughter claim a $50,000 lottery prize has been given a year of probation.
The Daily Nonpareil reports that 62-year-old Michelle Lett also received a deferred judgment, which means her record can be expunged if she successfully completes the terms of her probation.
Lett and 20-year-old Katelyn Dolezal were charged with lottery theft or forgery. Iowa law requires players to be 21 or older.
Authorities say Dolezal was 19 when she bought the winning scratch-off ticket. Court records say her mom went to the Iowa Lottery office in Council Bluffs to claim the prize, and a check was issued in Lett’s name.
Police say Dolezal later called the office for help, saying her mother wasn’t going to share the money with her.
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Mental Patient Trial Is Delayed
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have delayed legal proceedings because of competency concerns about an Iowa man accused of trying to kill a fellow state psychiatric hospital patient.
Court records say 44-year-old Terrance Rooney Jr. has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that a judge ordered a trial delay so Rooney could be evaluated for his ability to participate in his defense.
Rooney has been a patient at the Mental Health Institute in Independence for years and was a patient there when he pleaded guilty in 1999 to making a threat to the life of President Bill Clinton.
Authorities say in the latest case that Rooney tried to suffocate
another patient in November and twisted the thumb of a staffer and threatened to kill her in February.
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