Strong Storm Passes Through Le Mars Thursday Afternoon
(Le Mars) — A strong storm passed through Le Mars Thursday afternoon at around 4:30 p.m. producing strong winds, heavy rain, and some marble sized hail. The city’s storm warning sirens had sounded, and tornado warnings were issued for parts of Plymouth County. Authorities say there wasn’t any
confirmation of a tornado touching down, just the strong straight line winds. As a result, several trees within the city lost limbs, or had toppled, and some power lines had dropped causing the west-central areas of town to lose electricity. Fortunately, the storm lasted only a few minutes, but in its wake was plenty of destruction. A large 40 foot tree with a five foot diameter belonging to Sharon Sailer at 8th Street and 6th Avenue
southwest fell across the Boulevard.
Sailer says a smaller tree helped prevent the larger tree from hitting her home.
Sailer says the fallen tree was spared from destruction several years earlier.
Within minutes following the storm, city work crews had arrived with chainsaws and a payloader tractor to help clear the fallen tree from blocking the street. Scott Kniep is the Superintendent of the City Public Works Department. He says the city’s tree disposal site on the west edge of town will be open on Friday.
The rains, not only from yesterday, but from the entire week have created some flooding issues for Le Mars and Plymouth County and other surrounding counties. Many of the country roads are covered with flood waters. Le Mars Community School Superintendent Dr. Steve Webner says buses will travel only
on the open roads. Troy Clouse with the Iowa Department of Transportation says many highways are having to be detoured as a result of the flooded creeks and rivers.
Clouse tells of what is happening at this hour on Highway 60.
The Iowa D-O-T official says county road C-16 near Highway 60 is also closed.
The city of Le Mars is seeing flooding from both the Willow Creek, as well as from the Floyd River. Flood waters have penetrated the Willow Creek Golf Course, the Municipal Park, the Le Mars Recreational Trail, and other parts of the north side of town. City officials have closed 4th Avenue northeast
from Park Lane to PGA Drive. Scott Kneip says the flood waters are at three feet and rising.
Investigators Say Jamison’s Firing Was Justified
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Investigators say a state agency director who was a top ally of Gov. Kim Reynolds sexually harassed at least three female subordinates, routinely made inappropriate sexual comments in the workplace and routinely drank on the job.
An independent investigation released Thursday found that Iowa
Finance Authority director Dave Jamison grabbed one employee’s breasts in front of several witnesses during a meeting at a bar near Okoboji in December 2016.
The investigation found Jamison watched a pornographic video on his cell phone in front of that woman while they were driving in a car for work in March.
Investigators also found that Jamison repeatedly sexually harassed another female employee during work events, including twice when he asked her to go to his hotel room.
The report says employees may have been afraid to complain because Jamison frequently spoke about his close relationship with the governor, who promptly fired Jamison after two women came forward in March with complaints.
The report found Jamison’s denials of incidents weren’t credible.
State Ethics Board Say Reynolds Flights On Private Plane Did Not Violate Any State Laws
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A state ethics board says Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds did nothing wrong in accepting nine rides on private jets in the last 14 months, concluding they were legitimate in-kind campaign contribution allowable under Iowa’s gift law.
The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board on Thursday considered two complaints about a December trip to the Liberty Bowl in Memphis when Reynolds, her husband and two children flew on a private jet owned by the chief executive of Sedgwick. The company was paid $1 million last year to
administer workers’ compensation claims for state employees.
Attorney Gary Dickey, a Democrat, says the $2,880 claimed in
campaign documents underestimated the value of the flight by half.
The board says it allows campaigns to value such flights at
commercial airline rates and concluded the value of the flights was reasonable.
The board found all the flights to be allowable under Iowa law.
Television Reporter Contempt of Court Charges Are Dropped
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) – A contempt charge has been dismissed against a former Iowa television reporter who was accused of violating a judge’s order last year not to take courtroom video of “The Bachelor” star Chris Soules.
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that a judge dropped the charge against former KWWL reporter Elizabeth Amanieh on Thursday.
KWWL published video of Soules’ April 2017 court appearance that Amanieh shot on her cellphone. Prosecutors said a judge had told Amanieh she wouldn’t allow video of the hearing and only photos would be permitted.
The video of Soules was taken after he’d been arrested for a crash that killed Kenneth Mosher. Police say Soules rear-ended Mosher’s tractor and left the scene. Soules has pleaded not guilty.
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