Ice Cream Days Kicks Off Today
(Le Mars) — Today is the first day of the Le Mars hometown celebration of “Ice Cream Days.” Teresa Petty serves on the Ice Cream Days committee and reviews the today’s schedule.
Floyd Valley Healthcare Administrator Mike Donlin Announces Retirement Plans
(Le Mars) — Floyd Valley Healthcare Board of Trustees were notified during their monthly meeting held Tuesday morning that Administrator Mike Donlin has announced his retirement. In an announcement, Floyd Valley Healthcare Board of Trustees chairman, Bill Young says: “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to announce the plans of our Administrator, Mike Donlin, to retire at the end of November. Mike has been instrumental in many advancements over his 20 plus years of service, including the Emergency Department and North Addition, the new Remsen Clinic, many remodeling projects for the benefit of our patients, the acquisition of Medical Associates, growing of the Foundation and guiding the hospital to numerous national recognitions. We will certainly miss Mike and want to wish him and Patti all the best as they move on to retirement. We will be moving forward over the next several months to begin the search process for the next Administrator to continue the great progress achieved with Mike Donlin.”
AAA Says Demand For Gasoline Is Dropping Due To High Pump Prices
(Des Moines) – Many motorists are believing gasoline prices have gotten a bit too high. Gas prices are around 50 cents higher this June than they were last year and that is having an impact on demand. Triple-A Iowa’s Rose White says it is unusual to see the amount of gas burned by motorists dropping.
The drop in demand is only one of the factors that has led to a slight decrease in gas prices this week.
She says gas prices will usually drop from two to four cents a gallon with each one dollar drop in the price of oil. But gas prices here haven’t dropped down to their levels seen last year.
Summer driving often leads to an increase in driving and an increase in demand for gasoline. But White says drivers are making adjustments with the high fuel costs.
The E-85 blend is cheaper than the other blends of gas. South Carolina is the state with the cheapest gas — coming in at two dollars, 58 cents a gallon. California has the highest average price at three dollars, 17 cents a gallon.
Glasson Requests To Speak At Democratic State Convention
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Democrat Cathy Glasson, who lost her bid for Iowa governor in last week’s primary election, has made an unusual request to Iowa Democrats that she be allowed to address the party at its upcoming state convention.
Glasson’s campaign manager Misty Rebik tells The Associated Press the former candidate asked the Iowa Democratic Party on Tuesday afternoon whether she can speak at the June 16 convention. Losing candidates don’t usually address the convention.
Democratic Party spokeswoman Tess Seger says party leaders are reviewing the request.
Businessman Fred Hubbell won the five-way June 5 primary with just over 55 percent of the vote. He’s scheduled to address the same crowd.
Glasson, a union leader and nurse, came in second with about 20 percent.
Rebik says Glasson wants to speak for several minutes to reiterate support for issues that include a single-payer health care system, a $15 hourly minimum wage and restoring union power. Rebik says Glasson wants to encourage other nominees to support the same issues.
Melons Being Recalled Due To Salmonella
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Health officials say Iowa has been added to the list of states included in a salmonella outbreak linked to pre-cut melon that has sickened 60 people.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says consumers should not eat and retailers should not sell recalled melon products distributed by a Caito Foods facility in Indianapolis.
Recalled products were sold in clear, plastic clamshell containers at Costco, Jay C, Kroger, Payless, Owen’s, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart, and Whole Foods/Amazon. Illnesses have been discovered in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio.
Some of the products, which include pre-cut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe and fruit medleys, also were sent to Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina.
The CDC says 31 of the people sickened have been hospitalized. No deaths were reported.
Grassley Pushes For Farmer Payment Limits During Debate Of Farm Bill
(Washington) — The U-S Senate Agriculture Committee is scheduled to debate the proposed farm bill today, (Wednesday) and Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley has been a strong advocate of limiting the amount of payments to farmers. He told reporters during his weekly news conference, that he still holds that position.
Grassley, who is one of the only farmers to serve in Congress, says the House version of the farm bill doesn’t have any payment limits, and it could go to anyone.
Grassley says he has always tried to push for farm payment limitations. He says at times he was successful, and at times he wasn’t able to push his amendments through committees.
The Republican Senator believes the Senate Agriculture Committee will vote on the farm bill perhaps this week, or early next week.
Airplane Crashes Near Fort Dodge Airport
FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – Officials say the pilot of a small plane suffered only cuts and bruises after his plane made a hard landing in a north-central Iowa field.
The Messenger reports that the plane went down Tuesday soon after it took off from the Fort Dodge Regional Airport. Webster County Sheriff’s Deputy Geoff Miller told the newspaper that Ralph Sonnicksenn, of Fort Dodge, was flying the plane when the engine died.
Miller says Sonnicksenn couldn’t make it back to the airport, so he sought to land the plane in a field, where it hit a mud hole.
It was unclear whether anyone else was in the plane, but officials said no one else was injured.
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Madrid Woman Charged With Insurance Fraud
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A central Iowa woman has been charged with insurance fraud after state regulators say she submitted an application for insurance coverage containing false information.
Joy Marie Heldt of Madrid, who was an insurance agent, was initially charged last month after an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s fraud bureau. The agency said Tuesday Heldt’s insurance license has been revoked.
Heldt, who is 48, was arrested on June 6. She is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on July 23.
Her attorney Tim McCarthy says she’ll be entering a plea of not guilty.
