Firefighters Called To Reported Hog Confinement Fire
(Le Mars) — Firefighters from Le Mars and Merrill responded to an alarm at 6:59 a.m. Monday morning for a hog confinement facility located 26876 220th Street for a reported hog barn
fire. Early reports indicate the barn is empty. Smoke was seen inside the barn, but no visible fire. Firefighters believe the hog barn may have sustained a “flash fire” since the curtain and P-C-P piping shows indications of some melting that occurred.
School Board To Hear About Middle School Literacy Program
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education will convene this evening at the Education Service Center. The meeting will start at 7:00 p.m. The school board has a light agenda. They will discuss the National School Board Association’s national convention scheduled for Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania March 30th to April 1st. The school board will hear a report from Kristine Babor, Jakki Gamble, and Lorraine DeJong regarding the middle school’s “My Perspective Literacy Program.” Technology Director, Bruce Ludwig will update the board regarding the school district’s technology progress. The school board will act on the resignation request from Erin
Zook as she wishes to end her middle school custodial position effective immediately. There are no contracts to consider for this meeting. The Board of Education will appoint two members to serve on the “Meet and Confer” team with Superintendent Dr. Webner for the purpose of discussing contracts with the support staff and administration for 2019-2020.
Following the regular meeting, the school board will convene in closed session to discuss a negotiation strategy for the Le Mars Education Association.
Carlin and Jeneary Discuss Judge Selection At Town Hall Meeting
(Le Mars) — State legislators Tom Jeneary and Jim Carlin held a town hall meeting Saturday morning at Floyd Valley Healthcare. One topic that was discussed was the proposal to change the way judges are selected.
Republican State Senator Jim Carlin informed the gathering why the proposal is being discussed at the state capitol.
Carlin, who is an attorney, says the current process of selecting judges does not have any anyone on the selection commission accountable to the public, and are not elected officials. He says the new proposed selection process will allow both parties an opportunity to voice their opinion as to who will serve our judicial courts.
Carlin says under the current system, the governor would be forced to make a nomination for judicial candidates that would only be selected from the Iowa Bar Association. Carlin informed the gathering what is being considered at Des Moines.
Both Carlin and Jeneary expect the proposed changes for selection of judges will pass both chambers.
Discussion with the small group of constituents also focused on the proposed amendment for gun carry, voting rights for former felons, education spending, and inheritance taxes.
Iowa Republican Lawmakers Moving Ahead On Anti-Abortion Bills
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Republican lawmakers are moving forward with bills to limit or even eliminate abortions despite recent court rulings that struck down previous abortion restrictions.
A Senate subcommittee last week approved a bill that would ban
virtually all abortions by declaring a human being’s life begins at
conception, and that such a person is due all rights and protections of the state and federal constitutions. Democratic Sen. Janet Petersen calls it an extreme and dangerous bill.
Other abortion bills approved last week would elevate the prison
sentences for anyone convicted of terminating a human pregnancy and deny federal funds administered by the state for sex education programs conducted by any organization that performs abortions.
A constitutional amendment that declares no right to an abortion in the Iowa Constitution also remains on the legislative agenda.
Some Republicans, including Gov. Kim Reynolds, vowed last week to seek an abortion ban despite court defeats.
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Congress To Consider Health Care Legislation
WASHINGTON (AP) – Health care is a top issue for American voters, and Congress may actually be moving toward doing something this year to address the high cost of prescription drugs.
High on the list is capping out-of-pocket costs for participants in
Medicare’s popular Part D prescription drug program, which has left some beneficiaries with bills rivaling a mortgage payment.
The effort to cap out-of-pocket costs in Medicare’s prescription
plan is being considered as part of broader legislation to restrain drug prices.
The program was enacted more than 15 years ago – before the advent of pills costing $1,000 apiece or more.
Weekend Winter Storm Effects Lingers
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Travel remains difficult in eastern Nebraska and much of Iowa after a strong winter storm moved across the area.
Iowa officials closed Interstate 35 between Ames, Iowa, and the
Minnesota border on Sunday because of blowing and drifting snow. The storm dropped several inches of snow on central Iowa, but parts of northwest Iowa received as much as 16 inches of snow.
In Nebraska, Interstate 80 remained closed Sunday between Grand Island and Gretna just southwest of Omaha because of weather conditions and several crashes. Much of eastern Nebraska received between 6 and 10 inches of snow in the storm.
Forecasters warn that even though the snow has stopped falling in Iowa and Nebraska strong winds could still cause blizzard conditions.
Many churches canceled their Sunday services because of conditions.
Marion Man Arrested For Photographing Women’s Locker Room
MOUNT VERNON, Iowa (AP) – A Marion man has been arrested after police say he took pictures of women dressing in an eastern Iowa college locker room.
Police say 45-year-old Jeffrey Pospisil was arrested Friday and
charged with invasion of privacy.
The investigation began when students at Cornell College reported seeing a cellphone held in an open doorway leading to the locker room.
Students alerted a coach, who found Pospisil in the area. Pospisil, who was an employee with a business that provides custodial service for the college, told police he had only been texting on the phone, but a search of the phone
found more than 100 images taken in the locker room as students were fully or partially nude.
Pospisil was fired from his job and has been banned from the
college.
