Home News Monday News, January 21st

Monday News, January 21st

Fire Destroys Garage and Damages Attached Home

(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department battled flames and the cold temperatures last evening as a structure fire was reported at about 6:19 p.m. As it turned out, a garage was on fire located at 18081 Lake Avenue, or about a half mile west of Le Mars near Highway 3. The garage was attached to the home owned by Randy and Deb Madsen. Fire chief Dave
Schipper says the fire was fully engulfed at the garage, and was quickly spreading to the house.

The fire was reported by neighbors, and when Schipper arrived on the scene, the residents of the home were just getting out, escaping the flames.
Firefighters were able to use a pet oxygen mask that was donated to them to rescue the pet cat.

The Orange City Fire Department responded, and was asked to provide mutual aid. Schipper says Orange City is often called because for the need for additional manpower and proper equipment.

Schipper was not able to offer a total damage estimation, or a cause of the fire. He says he will return to the scene this morning to conduct an investigation and determine the cause of the fire. Firefighters were on the scene for approximately three and a half hours.

 

 

Gehlen Catholic Students Participate In Large Group Speech Contest

(Le Mars) — 46 Gehlen Catholic high school students participated in the Iowa High School Speech Association’s District Large Group Speech Contest held Saturday at the Sheldon Community High School. Gehlen Catholic’s speech department freshman and varsity teams both competed. The freshmen
competed in six events involving Choral Reading, Ensemble Acting, Group Mime, Short Film, and Group Improvisation. The varsity level members competed in six different categories, including: One Act, Ensemble Acting, Readers Theater, Choral Reading, Musical Theater, and Group Improvisation.
Several of the students received a “I” superior rating, which will allow them to compete at the State level of the Large Group Speech Contest.

 

 

Prince Hydraulics To Close

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Sioux City manufacturing plant is closing and roughly forty jobs will be eliminated.
The Sioux City Journal reports that Prince Hydraulics employees were told Friday that the Sioux City plant would close and the work will move to other locations.
Shannon Stucker with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said the union was surprised by the news. Most workers at the plant were represented by the union.
Prince Manufacturing has other facilities in Hartington, Nebraska,
Brookings, South Dakota, and Yankton, South Dakota.

 

 

Monona County Man Accused Of Killing Grandmother Will Take Insanity Plea

ONAWA, Iowa (AP) – Court records say a man accused of killing his grandmother in western Iowa will use an insanity defense.
Monona County District Court records say 21-year-old Eliot Stowe has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder . He’s accused of fatally beating 66-year-old Cheryl Stowe at the home they shared in rural Castana. Her body was found June 27 about a mile and a half (3 kilometers) from the home.
On Thursday Eliot Stowe’s attorney filed notice of the defense, as
required by Iowa law. The court records say his trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 12.

 

 

Court of Appeals Appoints New Judge

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Court of Appeals has elected Judge Gayle Nelson Vogel, of Spirit Lake, as the court’s chief judge.
Vogel has served on the court since 1996 and is the ninth chief
judge since the state legislature established the Iowa Court of Appeals in 1976. She replaces Chief Judge David Danilson, who recently retired.
Vogel was born in Rockford, Illinois, and graduated cum laude from Rockford College in 1971 and Drake University Law School in 1983. Following law school, she worked in private practice in Knoxville.
Vogel is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association and the Iowa Judges Association and was instrumental in developing rules to expedite appeals in child dependency cases. She currently serves as co-chair of the Judicial Technology Committee.

 

 

Studies Show People Give Up On New Year’s Resolutions

(Des Moines) — If you made a New Year’s resolution back on December 31st, you may have already abandoned the pledge. Alison Phillips, a psychology professor at Iowa State University, says our approach to making resolutions usually sets us up for failure.
*
[mkrez1] :19 “generally fail”
*
Phillips, who studies behavior change and habit formation, says to focus on how to make changes that will lead to creating a better version of yourself.
*
[mkrez2] :16 “at something”
*
Zero in on things you can become good at and that you see yourself doing and take pride in, she says, as those are the kinds of things people won’t give up on.
*
[mkrez3] :19 “yourself to do”
*
If better physical fitness is your target, Phillips says it’s important to aim for specific goals that focus on behavior and not on certain outcomes, like a number on the scale.
*
[mkrez4] :10 “is nicer”
*
Everyone fails, she says, so plan ahead and rehearse how you will cope when you run into barriers. Also, social support is important, so in addition to having a workout buddy, make sure your family is on board, too, and will encourage you as you create new, positive habits.
——–