School Board To Hear A Report From DLIIT Team
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education will convene this evening. The school board will hear a report from representatives of the District Learning and Instructional Impact Team, or DLIIT, discussing the goals of the school district for 2018-2019 school year. Superintendent, Dr. Steve Webner will present to the school board’s attention the Emergency Management Plan procedures. The Board of Education has scheduled Monday, September 10th at 6:30 p.m. as the annual introduction of new teachers to the district.
That meeting will take place at the Le Mars Community Schools Education Service Center. As for action items, the school board will act on the resignation request of Mike Plueger as a school bus driver, effective immediately. The board will also act on contracts for Emily Pick as a high school assistant volleyball coach, and 8th grade assistant basketball coach.
Alexis Bunkers will be presented a contract as the IMC associate for Franklin Elementary. The school board will also decide upon a request for a new student organization, called Le Mars Area Games Club. The school board will also discuss and develop the superintendent’s goals to be established as part of the superintendent’s evaluation process.
Postal Playhouse To Present “The Addams Family”
OSHA Fines Sioux City Company For Employee Death
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A workplace safety agency has cited transportation hub Big Soo Terminal in northwestern Iowa for a March incident that killed an employee.
Iowa’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found three serious violations following an investigation into the March 28 death of 42-year-old Brian McCormick, a warehouseman and maintenance technician.
McCormick was engaged in a switching operation with train cars when he was struck and killed by an unmanned rail car.
OSHA cited Big Soo for allowing employees on the rail car platform as rail cars were moving, letting employees move rail cars with the bucket of pay loader and not providing a derailer or bump block for rail cars.
Big Soo Terminal president Doug Palmer said Friday that the company had met with OSHA to discuss steps moving forward.
—
Highway 20 To Hold Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony In October
(Sioux City) — The date has been set for the official dedication of the completion of the Highway 20 four lane project in northwest Iowa. Dakin Schultz of the Iowa Department of Transportation says a celebration will take place at Holstein on October 19th.
Schultz says the paving project is essentially completed on the segments around Holstein and Early.
He says other finishing work is being done, east of Moville.
More information regarding the celebration will be released in the coming weeks.
Branstad Attends Iowa State Fair and Speaks About Chinese Trade War
(Des Moines) — A special visitor to this year’s Iowa State Fair was former governor and now Ambassador to China, Terry Branstad. KLEM news had the opportunity to visit with Branstad about the trade tariffs issue that is facing China and the United States. Branstad is hopeful negotiations will lead to a trade agreement sometime in the near future.
Branstad says the Trump Administration is committed to changing what has been unfair Chinese trade practices for years. Branstad says he visits with U-S negotiators on a weekly basis.
Branstad has had a long-term relationship with the Chinese leader for several years, dating back to the 1980’s. He believes that connection will help with the negotiations.
The former Iowa governor says there is some progress that has been made through negotiations.
Branstad says although the lost trade have hurt Iowa farmers, he says the Chinese people have been hurt by the trade war. Branstad says the Chinese need food and medicine, and he says the best and most logical supplier is the United States.
Branstad says China had a problem with a vaccine, as well as with infant formula.
Davis County Girl Is Crowned State Fair Queen
DES MOINES, IA — Hailey Swan, 17, of Davis County was crowned the 2018 Iowa State Fair Queen by John Harms, president of the Fair Board. This year’s ceremony, which marked the 54th anniversary of the contest, took place on Saturday evening at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage.
(photo from Des Moines Register)
The daughter of Shane and Kelly Swan of Bloomfield, Hailey was chosen out of the 103 contestants who participated in this year’s competition. All had been crowned queen of their respective county fairs prior to the State Fair.
Kayle Eivins, 17, of Madison County was named first runner-up. She is the daughter of David and Rachel Eivins of Winterset. Second runner-up was Hannah Folkerts, 18, of Bremer County. She is the daughter of Neil and Connie Folkerts. Bailey Ferguson, 18, of Mahaska County was named third runner-up.
She is the daughter of Ben and Cara Ferguson of New Sharon.
Brittany Woods, of Polk County, was given the Outstanding Leadership Award. The 18-year-old is the daughter of Steve and Tina Woods of Des Moines.
Mariana Gonzalez, 17, of Wright County was given the Personality Plus Award. She is the daughter of Maria Gasca of Eagle Grove.
Queen Hailey, who will reign for the next year, receives a $5,000 scholarship from the State of Iowa Governor’s Office along with a $3,000 scholarship from the Iowa State Fair in addition to her crown, sash and trophy. She also receives a floral bouquet from Boesen the Florist, a $600 gift card to Jordan Creek Mall, a pair of diamond earrings from B. Shannon Designs, a $100
FarmHer Gift Card from FarmHer, cowboy boots from Long Creek Outfitters and an Iowa State Fair Brick from the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation.
Judging is based on personality, attitude, awareness, leadership,
citizenship, contribution to community, overall appearance, charm and poise.
Des Moines Has Another Shooting Incident
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Des Moines authorities don’t expect to file any charges in connection with this weekend’s fatal shooting because the victim was violating a court protection order and assaulting a man.
Police said 32-year-old Joshua James Wheeler died after the Saturday night shooting. Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek says prosecutors determined the shooting was done in self-defense.
The shooting took place in the doorway of the home of a woman who is a former domestic partner of Wheeler’s.
Police said the incident started after the 25-year-old woman and a 27-year-old male friend of hers discovered that a tire on the man’s car had been slashed. Wheeler arrived and assaulted the man, who warned that he was carrying a gun.
Police said the man had a permit for the gun.
Wapello County Attorney Clears Charges Against Police In Shoot Out
OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) – A prosecutor has cleared officers involved in a fatal Ottumwa gunbattle.
A Fairfield man was killed and two Ottumwa men were charged with attempted murder and other crimes after the shootout following an armed robbery Aug. 3.
Wapello County Attorney Gary Oldenburger said in a news release Saturday that the officers’ actions were “absolutely necessary to eliminate the threat the subjects posed to them, their fellow officers, students and staff in the school, and residents in the surrounding neighborhood.”
Court documents say the three men forced their way into an Ottumwa home and stole items. A man outside home was shot and then hospitalized.
The three armed men fled and were intercepted by Ottumwa officers near Liberty Elementary School, where the shootout occurred. No officer was injured.
