Plymouth County Historical Museum To Offer Second Program Focusing On Le Mars History
(Le Mars) — To celebrate the 150th year of Le Mars, the Plymouth County Historical Museum will host its second “History Lesson” program at 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 24, in the Study Hall. “Sports” and “Arts” will be the topics.
Several former athletes from both Gehlen Catholic and Le Mars high schools will speak at the program. Le Mars athletes stepping up to share memories will be Rich Schultz, class of 1946; and George Black, class of 1951. Black is the student who presented Coach Carey with the little bulldog known as Beans.
Representatives from Gehlen also are being sought to share memories.
Three cheerleaders from Le Mars High School will also speak. They are Marge (Laux) Adler, Jane (Parkinson) Schultz, and Bonnie (Luken) Westergard, all from the Class of 1945.
Bill Sturges, Le Mars High School class of 1945, will cover the arts of years gone by. His late wife, Mary, was a cornerstone for the Le Mars Arts Center. Both Bill and Mary were involved in the early years of the Le Mars Community Theater
Displays open to the public are beginning to fill the Study Hall in honor of the 2019 Le Mars’ celebration. Lunch with a sports theme will follow the Feb. 24 program.
King Supports Trump By Declaring A National Emergency On Border Security
(Washington) — Congressman Steve King of Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, released a statement following President Donald Trump’s announcement that he will be declaring a National Emergency to address the national security and
humanitarian crisis on our border with Mexico, that has been caused by years of virtually unchecked illegal immigration.
King says “I have been asking the President to declare a National Emergency to address border security for months, and I support his doing so today.
President Trump is on solid Constitutional ground, and I hope he uses this authority to build all of the wall that’s needed, which means extending it until illegal aliens stop going around the end. Americans understand that if a 2,000 mile wall facilitated illegal immigration, Democrats would be clamoring for a National Emergency of their own to build it.
In fact, the government shutdown allowed the President to show the American public that the Democrats just cannot be trusted to place the security interests of the American public over Democrats’ political interests in an open borders agenda which places the desires of illegal aliens above the needs and wishes of the American people. The conference report that was
produced in the wake of the shutdown is woefully insufficient to begin to address our border security needs, just as the Democrats who helped draft it wanted and ensured.”
King has also announced he will hold his second town hall meeting scheduled for Monday, February 18th in Lyon County, Iowa. The event is open to the public and to the media. The Town Hall will be held from 12:00-1:00 PM at the Forster Community Center, 404 Main Street, Rock Rapids, IA. This town hall will be the second of the 39 scheduled town halls King will be holding this year.
Ernst Responds To Congressional Compromise For Border Security
(Washington) — U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) released the following statement on the Senate’s passage of compromise legislation to provide funding for border security and complete the appropriations process to fund the government through fiscal year 2019:
“Negotiating in good faith and working towards a compromise means both sides get things they want and things they don’t. There’s a lot of good in this compromise legislation, but there are also parts that fall short,” said Senator Joni Ernst.
“We successfully fought back against radical and unreasonable positions from our Democratic colleagues—like abolishing ICE and borders all together—in order to reach a deal that provides critical funds for border security and gives the president the tools to curb illegal immigration and the flow of drugs into Iowa and the rest of the country.
“However, I’m frustrated this bill fails to extend the Violence Against Women Act, legislation I have long called on to be modernized and reauthorized. It also contains a provision that could hamstring federal law enforcement efforts and open the door for illegal criminals to evade deportation using vulnerable children. While it sets up the critical framework for a border wall, I’m concerned there are provisions tucked into this compromise bill that will actually establish roadblocks for wall construction in areas where it is needed.
“At the end of the day, this legislation is a key starting point that will allow the president to move forward on desperately needed border security efforts.”
Iowa Agriculture Group Completes Trade Tour To Columbia and Panama
(Le Mars) — A group of agricultural officials representing various commodity and farm organizations from Iowa, including Plymouth County pork producer Bill Tentinger of Le Mars, recently returned home from a trade mission trip to Columbia and Panama. Leading the delegation of 20 officials were Iowa Lt. Governor Adam Gregg and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig. Naig says the purpose of the trade tour was to promote Iowa meat products.
Naig says Columbia doesn’t usually come to mind when discussing trade partners. However, he says Columbia is an important market for Iowa farmers.
The Iowa Agriculture Secretary says what has helped with the development of trade with the two Latin American nations is we have free trade agreements established with both Columbia and Panama.
Competition from other Central and South American nations such as Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil may cause you to believe the U-S meat market into Columbia would be stifled. However, Naig says he learned the Columbian consumer prefers the better quality of U-S pork and beef products. We also tend to have an edge over our competitors because of logistics.
Naig addresses critics who may wonder if such trade tours are indeed beneficial? He says establishing relationships between Iowa farmers and foreign buyers is essential to broadening the Iowa and U-S agricultural trade.
Le Mars pork producer Bill Tentinger was one of the Iowa farmers that participated on the Columbian-Panamanian trade mission tour. We will hear Tentinger’s perspective of the trade tour in the coming days.
State Democrat Legislators Introduce Bill To Drop Privatized Medicaid Program
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Two Democratic senators have proposed a bill that would return thousands of Iowans living with severe, complex and permanent disabilities back to a state-managed Medicaid program and make other changes to the program privatized three years ago.
Republicans have shown no interest in reversing course on privatization of the health program for disabled and poor Iowans so Democrats say they’ll propose ideas to fix some of the most common problems.
Senators Amanda Ragan of Mason City and Liz Mathis of Hiawatha said Thursday their proposal would create independent case management to reduce conflict between Medicaid recipients and the private managed care organizations running the program.
It would also eliminate the need for authorization before seeking substance abuse treatment, a requirement that can delay help and lead to overdoses.
The three companies running the program would be required to seek outside review of denied claims and make it easier for recipients to switch providers.
A Senate subcommittee will consider the bill Feb. 5.
Iowa Finance Authority Director Says Settlement Payment Will Not Hurt Rural Housing Programs
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The director of the Iowa Finance Authority says $4.1 million the organization is spending to settle a sexual harassment dispute will not reduce funds for rural Iowa housing programs.
The agency last week agreed to spend the money to settle complaints filed by former IFA employees, who claimed former director Dave Jamison sexually harassed them.
The IFA provides grants and loans for community housing programs and those that serve veterans, the homeless and low-income people.
Director Debi Durham told a legislative committee Thursday the money comes from interest earned over 40 years on a revolving loan fund.
In response to a question, Durham guaranteed the payout won’t reduce money for housing projects.
Although the money isn’t from the general fund, state Auditor Rob Sand says it still belongs to Iowa taxpayers and could have been put to better use. He says officials are considering whether Jamison could be forced to repay the state.
Former Iowa Fiance Director Now Fired From Second Job
AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State University says a former state government official who was fired for sexual harassment will no longer work at its athletic events.
Iowa State University spokesman John McCarroll said Thursday night that the school has been informed by its contractor, Contemporary Services Corporation, that Dave Jamison will no longer be assigned to Cyclones games.
The announcement came hours after The Associated Press reported that Jamison was working at university events despite the state’s recent decision to pay $4.15 million to two women who were sexually harassed by him.
State Auditor Rob Sand called that disclosure “jaw-dropping” while the College Democrats demanded Jamison no longer be allowed to work on campus.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds fired Jamison last year as director of the Iowa Finance Authority after complaints about his conduct.
Teacher Arrested For OWI For Third Time
BRITT, Iowa (AP) – A northern Iowa teacher has again been accused of driving while intoxicated.
Hancock County court records say 27-year-old Raylea Hepker is charged with operating while intoxicated, third offense. Her attorney didn’t immediately return a message Friday from The Associated Press.
Britt police say Hepker was taken into custody after an officer stopped her on Jan. 28. Police had received a complaint about a vehicle with its license plate covered was being driven on the wrong side of a road.
Police say a breath test later showed a blood alcohol level of more than three times the legal limit.
The West Hancock Community School District website lists her as an English language teacher.
Colorado Democratic Senator To Campaign In Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet plans to travel to Iowa this month to meet with Democratic activists in the 2020 presidential caucus state as he considers entering his party’s 2020 White House field.
Aides to the second-term senator tell The Associated Press on Thursday that Bennet plans to visit Dubuque and nearby towns in northeast Iowa, as well as rural southwest Iowa, during the scheduled Feb. 22-23 visit.
Bennet had downplayed interest in a presidential candidacy late last fall, but he has recently suggested adding a voice to the debate is healthy for the party. Bennet touts experience in business and as superintendent of the Denver public schools before entering the Senate.
Nine Democrats have formally launched campaigns for president, while many others are weighing a candidacy.
