Grassley To Visit Le Mars Friday Morning
(Le Mars) — U-S Senator Chuck Grassley has scheduled an appearance at Le Mars this morning. The Republican senator will visit the facilities and with the employees of Agri-Vision, formerly ICON Ag and Turf. Grassley will be at the local John Deere dealership beginning at 8:00 a.m. He is scheduled for
an hour visit at the farm equipment sales offices.
City Holds Open House For Campground Clubhouse
(Le Mars) — The city of Le Mars held an open house Thursday afternoon, allowing the public to see the improvements made to the Willow Creek Campgrounds Club House and Shower facilities. Mayor Dick Kirchoff informed the gathering the improvements made were from the Community Betterment 2 program. Kirchoff
says establishing “quality of life” projects helps everyone in a community.
Kirchoff says improving the campgrounds was a project identified back in 2011 and then again in 2014 through the Community Betterment 2 Program. Kirchoff mentioned the success of the Community Betterment Programs, and specifically with the example of the improvement of the Le Mars campgrounds, is derived from cooperation from both the public sector and the private sector.
The Le Mars Municipal park and campgrounds have been designated as an historic area and is listed with the National Registry of Historic Places.
Linda Mayrose serves on the Le Mars Historic Preservation Commission and thanked those who assisted with the preservation of the clubhouse.
City Administrator Scott Langel says the city went to great lengths to preserve and maintain the look from when the facility was originally constructed. He says a goal was to locate furnishings that would be consistent with the 1930’s era when the former ranger house, now clubhouse,
was built.
Langel says the city went back to the original rock quarry to locate stones to be used for the improvement project.
The city administrator says the completion of the renovation of the campgrounds clubhouse and shower facilities involved many different companies, volunteers, and contractors.
The public had the opportunity to tour the newly renovated facilities. A lunch was served to the viewing public consisting of hot dogs and taverns, chips, ice cream, and beverages.
Johnson Will Not Seek Re-election To State Senate
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa legislator who dropped his Republican affiliation after comments by then-candidate Donald Trump has decided not to seek re-election.
Sen. David Johnson of Ocheyedan announced Thursday he won’t run in his northwest Iowa district.
The 67-year-old didn’t explain his decision but noted in a statement that the political process had become more polarizing and partisan.
Johnson, a lifelong Republican who served two terms in the House before being elected to the Senate in 2002, dropped his affiliation in 2016 after Trump made comments about a federal judge of Mexican heritage.
Johnson began voting as a no-party affiliated senator. That led
Republicans, who took control of the Senate after the 2016 election, to remove Johnson from committees.
Three Republicans and no Democrats are running in Tuesday’s primary for Johnson’s seat.
Democrats To Hold “Meet and Greet” With Candidate Dave Dawson
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Democrats will host a “Summer Kickoff” meet and greet with State Senate candidate Dave Dawson. The event is scheduled for this afternoon, Friday, June 1st, beginning at 5 p.m. at 4 Brothers restaurant in Le Mars.
“Woofstock” Scheduled For Saturday
(Le Mars) — Dog lovers are getting set for the tenth annual “Woofstock” scheduled for Saturday at the Plymouth County Historical Museum. “Woofstock” begins with a “Poochi Parade” at 10:00 a.m. as owners and their dogs take a walk around the museum. The event serves as a major fund raiser for the
museum, and Judy Bowman administrator for the museum says it was started as a means to attract children to the museum.
Bowman says “Woofstock” is a celebration of dogs and pets.
This year’s “Woofstock” will have a trade show featuring many items for purchase for dogs of all sizes. Bowman says one highlight of the annual celebration for dogs is to show the various types of service dogs that can assist their owners. She says if people are looking for a dog to adopt, two entities will be on hand with dogs, along with many other vendors.
Bowman says “Woofstock” will also have a silent auction with this year two quilts made by Judy Hawkins will be up for sale at the silent auction.
Jill Miller To Perform During Primebank’s Ice Cream Social
Le Mars, IA — Primebank will host its 50th Annual Ice Cream Social, Thursday, June 14th at Primebank in Le Mars. Primebank has announced that Jill Miller and her band will be the musical entertainment for this year’s event.
Miller is a well-known, local artist that displays a genuine warmth, engaging smile and joyful energy that is contagious. While attending one of her concerts it is not uncommon for concert goers to feel as if she is singing and speaking for you alone. You can expect her performance to feel like spending a perfect summer evening on the back porch with your best friend. The singer/songwriter and her band will be performing original songs, as well as a variety of classic country and rock favorites.
In addition to the concert, Primebank staff will be scooping up free ice cream sundaes, offering cookies, and drinks. As well as some special additions that will help commemorate the 50th Ice Cream Social. It will be an evening of fun for the entire family. The 50th Annual Primebank Ice Cream Social will take place Thursday, June 14th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. as part of the annual “Ice Cream Days Celebration” at the Primebank office located at 37 First Avenue in Le Mars.
Third Person Sentenced In Credit Card Scam
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – A third person has been sentenced to federal prison in a case that saw the trio using stolen identities and debit card numbers for a buying spree across Iowa.
Prosecutors say 21-year-old Liliany de Armas Mena, a Cuban national, was sentenced Wednesday to three years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. In April, 36-year- old Pedro Alvarez Rodriguez and 27-year-old Dunieski Santana Moreno were both
sentenced to more than three years in federal prison.
Prosecutors say the three admitted stealing account information last year from at least 35 accounts using “skimming” devices. The stolen information was then encoded onto counterfeit magnetic strip cards, which were used at stores across Iowa.
Body Of Missing Kayaker Now Found
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities in north-central Iowa say the body of a missing kayaker has been found in the Des Moines River.
Fort Dodge Fire Chief Steve Hergenreter told The Messenger on Thursday afternoon that family members had located the remains of 26-year-old Alex Dencklau, of Clare, in the river south of the Fort Dodge Water Treatment
Plant.
Hergenreter says authorities were notified about 12:15 p.m. Thursday.
Dencklau’s body will be taken to the state medical examiner’s office in Ankeny for an autopsy.
Dencklau and his wife were kayaking below the hydroelectric dam when both kayaks flipped about 3:30 p.m. Monday. She swam to shore, but he was swept away by the river.
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Mercy Medical Center To Set Up Psychiatric Hospital
CLIVE, Iowa (AP) – Mercy Medical Center officials say the hospital would partner with a national health care company in building a 100-bed psychiatric hospital in Clive.
The Des Moines Register reports that Pennsylvania-based Universal Health Services would be its partner. Universal Health has more than 350 hospitals and other facilities across the country and in Great Britain. The Clive hospital would be its first Iowa project.
Mercy’s plans for building the hospital were initially reported
earlier this month, but the location wasn’t disclosed. Mercy filed a detailed application Wednesday with state regulators. The $31 million facility could open by 2020, if the state were to approve it.
Supporters say the Mercy project would address a critical shortage of treatment services in central Iowa. It would be the only free-standing mental hospital in central Iowa.
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