County Supervisors To Elect Chairman and Vice Chairman
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will begin the new year with a full agenda for today’s meeting. The county supervisors will elect a board chairman and vice chairman. The county governing board is expected to approve the 2019 Wellness program agreement with ISAC and Plymouth County. They will appoint the official county newspaper per Iowa
Code. The supervisors will then re-appoint all current members to the Compensation Commission and a city landowner to replace Monte Hartman. The supervisors will fill vacancies for various county boards, including: Wayne Schipper to the Veterans Affairs Board for a three-year term. They will re-
appoint Steven Meis and Debra Ahlers to the County Board of Health for a three-year term. John Ahlers will be re-appointed to the county zoning board for a five-year term, and they are expected to re-appoint Janet Schroeder the the Conservation Board for a five-year term. Shirley Benson will be re-appointed to the Board of Adjustment for a five-year term. The
supervisors will hear from County Engineer Tom Rohe, and from Bill Rosacker, representing the Plymouth County EMS, as he will present information regarding the fiscal year 2019-2020 budget.
City Council To Approve New Fees, Licenses, and Charges
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council will convene today at noon from the city council chambers. The city council has only one action item on the agenda. They are expected to approve the list of fees, licenses, and charges for the new year. The city council will discuss the city budget schedule, and they will hear a report from city code director, Greg Schmid.
Iowa Food Group Ready To Begin Operations At Cherokee
(Cherokee) — The company that bought the former Tyson Foods plant in Cherokee will open for business later this month. Iowa Food Group will purchase… further process… and package beef, pork, and chicken at the plant in Cherokee. The products will be sold to grocery store and restaurants. Bill Anderson, with Cherokee Area Economic Development, says
the company received around 400 job applications.
Tyson Foods shut down the Cherokee facility in 2014. Mack Zimmerman, with Iowa Food Group, says his company will maintain a relationship with Tyson.
Tyson employed around 450 people in Cherokee before it closed. Zimmerman said he was confident there would be plenty of interest in the jobs offered by Iowa Food Group.
Iowa Food Group has already hired staff for its front office and sales. The company aims to start off with 100 employees and eventually grow to over 400.
Business Climate Shows Improvement
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A monthly survey report suggests that business conditions improved last month in nine Midwest and Plains states.
The report issued Wednesday says the Mid-America Business Conditions Index rose to 55.2 in December from 54.1 in November. The October reading was 54.9.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says the shortages of skilled workers are still holding back even stronger growth.
The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth. A score below that suggests decline.
The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
Second Person Dies From Des Moines Collision
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a second man has died nearly three days after a collision on Interstate 80 in Des Moines.
The Iowa State Patrol says 22-year-old Austin Gainuss died Tuesday. He was a Des Moines resident.
The patrol says the collision occurred about 10 p.m. Saturday when a pickup truck driven by 37-year-old Travis Gonzales, of Bondurant, struck Gainuss’ car from behind. Both vehicles went into a ditch, where Gainuss’ car struck a tree.
The patrol says Gainuss’ passenger, 24-year-old Joshua Cox, died Saturday. He lived in Prairie City.
The patrol says Gonzales wasn’t injured.
The collision is being investigated.
Webster County Law Enforcement Officers Involved In Fatal Gunfire
FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – Iowa authorities are investigating after a fleeing suspect died after exchanging gunfire with deputies from the Webster County Sheriff’s office.
After a domestic disturbance was reported Tuesday morning, deputies spotted the suspect’s vehicle and tried to stop it. But the Webster County Sheriff’s office says the suspect fired at officers as the chase continued just outside Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Officers fired back at the suspect’s vehicle, which came to rest in
a field. The deceased suspect was found inside.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation will investigate the
incident.
Man Pleas Not Guilty To Vehicular Homicide After Fatal Crash
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An 18-year-old Iowa man who was driving roughly 70 mph just before a fatal crash in a 35 mph zone last fall is now facing charges.
The Des Moines Register reports that Charles Hunter Everman was charged last month with vehicular homicide and causing serious injury in connection with the Nov. 5 crash. Everman has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutors say data from Everman’s 2012 Toyota Highlander showed he was driving between 68 mph and 72 mph shortly before the crash that killed 38-year-old Samantha Jo Kriegel in another car. Two passengers in Everman’s vehicle were also hurt.
While the court case is pending, Everman has been released on a
$15,000 bond.
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