Te Brink Takes Oath Of Office For Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy
(Le Mars) — With the swearing in and oath of office, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office now has a new Chief Deputy. Jeff TeBrink officially assumes the duties of Chief Deputy. The oath of office ceremony took place inside the courtroom at the Plymouth County Courthouse in front of several law enforcement officers from the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Le Mars Police Department. In addition, family members, friends and several
employees of the courthouse witnessed the ceremony administered by Judge Daniel Vakulskas.
Governor Reynolds Names Cabinet Members – Durham To Lead Economic Development Board and Iowa Finance Authority
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Kim Reynolds has asked the head of the Iowa Economic Development Authority to also take on top administrative duties of the troubled Iowa Finance Authority as she appoints new cabinet members.
Debi Durham, who has led state economic development efforts for eight years, will also lead the IFA, which saw Director Dave Jamison fired last year by Reynolds for sexual misconduct. Another agency leader was fired and a third resigned after an independent audit indicated they were present at inappropriate events and didn’t report them. Reynolds also announced several other cabinet appointments on Tuesday including naming former Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn to lead the Iowa Lottery and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephan Bayens to
lead the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
Ames School Principal To Resign After Bullying Sessions
AMES, Iowa (AP) – A central Iowa school principal suspended after concerns were raised about student-to-student bullying has resigned.
Ames Community School District says Dan Fox will not return to his duties at Ames Middle School and will leave district employment effective June 30.
Fox was suspended in late November. Concerns were raised by parents and students, and an online petition appeared that sought improved safety for LGBTQ students at the school. District officials have said the decision to suspend Fox wasn’t based off just one incident but rather was an effort to improve the school. He’d been hired in June last year.
Missing Wedding Ring Turns Up In Old Car Engine
PETERSBURG, Iowa (AP) – An eastern Iowa man’s wedding ring missing since 1974 has been returned after turning up in an old car engine.
Dubuque resident Will Frye told station KCRG that he bought the 1972 Oldsmobile for its engine because the one in his ’69 Olds had died. He says the diamond-studded ring fell into a pile of grease under the 1972 engine as he worked on it Dec. 30.
He called the family he’d bought the old junker from, and the former owner’s daughter confirmed it was her dad’s.
Petersburg resident Ray Schmuecker says he’d bought the car to give his wife, Virgee, a smooth ride to and from her cancer chemotherapy appointments.
Schmuecker says he thought he lost the ring in 1974 while helping a friend having car trouble along a roadway. Schmuecker’s wife went out and bought a replacement the next day. She died not long afterward.
He can’t explain how the ring turned up in the engine of his old car, but he’s glad to have both rings and the memories the old car invoke.
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Fort Dodge Dams To Be Removed
FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – Work is expected to begin next month to remove two dams spanning the Des Moines River in Fort Dodge after officials approved contracts worth more than $1.4 million.
The Messenger reports the City Council announced Monday that it hired Minnesota-based construction company Rachel Contracting Inc. to remove the Hydroelectric Dam and a second structure often referred to as the little dam.
Nicole Church is an environmental specialist with Snyder & Associates, an engineering, planning and design firm. She says the dams need to be removed for safety and environmental reasons.
The project is moving forward after the city resolved concerns brought up last month by the State Historic Preservation Office. City Engineer Tony Trotter says the city has agreed to preserve the framework of one gate of the Hydroelectric Dam.
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