KLEM Expo Is Scheduled For Friday and Saturday
(Le Mars) — This Friday and Saturday, February 1st and 2nd are the dates for the annual KLEM Expo to be held at the upper level of the Le Mars Convention Center. Sue Brandenburg and Brian Westra of KLEM radio help supervise the annual event. Brandenburg says there’s plenty to see at this year’s KLEM Expo.
Westra says the KLEM Expo will take on the theme of the “Big Game” to be played on Sunday. He talks about the hours of the show, and what attendees can expect.
Brandenburg says the KLEM Expo will also feature an array of “home-based” business exhibitors.
Westra says the KLEM Expo will feature several new exhibitors.
A list of the KLEM Expo exhibitors can be located on the KLEM website.
Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department Releases 2018 Annual Report
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department recently submitted its annual report to the Le Mars city council. In that report, Fire Chief Dave Schipper indicated the local fire brigrade responded to more calls in 2018 than in 2017, but fewer calls than 2016. Back in 2016, the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department responded to 521 calls, in 2017 there were 433 calls, and this past year the total number of calls amounted to 501.
Schipper says it is always an unknown factor as to how many calls they will respond to each year. He says they are paged through the Plymouth County Communications Center, as well as they receive several direct calls.
Schipper offers a breakdown on the calls starting with the rural calls that nearly doubled from the 47 calls in 2017 to the 93 in 2018.
The complete breakdown of the fire department’s calls included 12 structure fires and 11 vehicle fires. There were 70 rescue calls with seven extractions. The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department responded to a total of 14 grass and field fires. There has been a downward trend for investigations going from 117 in 2015, to the latest number of 88 investigations in 2018. Schipper estimates the total dollar loss attributed to fires was at $88,900 for city loss, and $955,300 for the rural losses.
Iowa Legislators Want To Revamp Abortion Bill
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A majority of legislators in the Iowa Senate, frustrated at repeated court rulings declaring anti-abortion laws unconstitutional, have introduced a proposed amendment to the Iowa Constitution that would declare it “does not secure or protect a right to abortion.”
The proposed amendment was introduced Jan. 24 by Republican Sen. Jake Chapman two days after a state court judge struck down yet another attempt by the Legislature to limit abortion. It has the backing of 29 senators.
Chapman says the court created a right that doesn’t exist in the constitution.
The House must pass a similar resolution and the Legislature must pass it again next year before it would be placed on a statewide ballot.
Voters in Alabama and West Virginia passed similar constitutional amendments in November.
